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Author Topic: Uptown Theater ditches quality projectionists in search of a crappy presentation Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-23-2005 08:41 AM                     quote: Gordon McLeod Mark organized crime and IATSE is nothing compared to links to organized crime and several film companys and theatre chain ownership So Gord, Which "chains" and "film companies" are involved with the Mob? Mark  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 01-23-2005 10:46 AM                     Since someone asked...The print of the Aviator at the Uptown is now scrached from the first ad to the last credit. The scratch varies in intensity as splices go through (reel joins, not breaks, yet) to wipe whatever was rubbing the film. It took the managers/Loews trainer less than 4-days to accomplish what I have never seen at this theatre before...a completey trashed print.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 01-23-2005 05:20 PM                     That goes back to what Brad suggests. Theaters need to be charged for print damage, then this wouldnt have happened but once.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 01-23-2005 06:44 PM                     If theaters got charged for print damage, the majority of manager and popcorn jockeys running the booth wouldn't be happening either. The chains would take presentation more seriously since it would have financial implications.  |  IP: Logged Floyd Justin Newton Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 559 From: Phoenix, Arizona, USA Registered: Jun 2002 posted 01-24-2005 02:26 PM                     Aggreed Brad. When will they EVER learn?  |  IP: Logged David Yauch Expert Film Handler Posts: 206 From: Mesa, AZ, USA Registered: Oct 2004 posted 01-25-2005 12:53 AM                     There are 30 operators trained in the booth here, with maybe 10 of them working at least one of 28 booth shifts a week. We currently have 27 prints running on 25 platter systems. None are scratched. Platters are the least of the uptowns problems right now, the apes they've let into their booth are.  |  IP: Logged Alexander Smith Expert Film Handler Posts: 128 From: Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Registered: Jun 2003 posted 01-25-2005 02:16 AM                     Here in the UK, if we damage a print we are billed for the entire print. One of my ex-colleagues scratched a print of "Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone". Result: WB charging us for 1200UKP. He didn't make that mistake again. Alex.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 01-25-2005 05:00 AM                     quote: Alexander Smith WB charging us for 1200UKP... 1,200.00 GBP United Kingdom Pounds = $2,253.01 USD United States Dollars 1 GBP = 1.87751 USD 1 USD = 0.532622 GBP ..can snarl up a theatre's budget a bit for one day. - Monte  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-25-2005 07:37 AM                        I don't think that anyone was implying that the platter was the cause of the Uptown's problems. The issue is that the installation of the platter (do they have automation, too?) enables Loews to dump their professional operators and have unqualified managers run the booth. I say "unqualified" not because they are managers, but because they have damaged a print in very short order. (30 operators in one theatre? Damn. I've seen as many as seven (plus managers on weeknights), and the only reason that worked was because the equipment was well maintained and everyone was experienced and cared about presentation.) What will really suck about the Uptown now is that, even though they are keeping the professional operators on a part-time basis, audiences will still be subjected to the results of print damage by managers. All this to save a lousy $12/hour. I know of several mall theatres that pay more than that.  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 01-25-2005 10:52 AM                     quote: Scott Norwood I know of several mall theatres that pay more than that. Most union contracts from the 1980 - now are based on how many screens a operator runs. Its not based on that its a First Run Super presentation house. Contracts before the 80's treated those house better. The last time contracts allowed the First Run single screen houses to pay the best in the city was when theatres ran Roadshow engagements (early 1970's). During that time Roadshow Theatre operators made $50.00 a shift asper the contract (around 4 hour shift, depended on running time & prep). In the mid 90's the operator at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood made $10.50 an hour (single screen at the time) and the operator over at the Hollywood Pacific Tri-Plex made $12.75 an hour. Both were First Run houses. The operator running the Vine Theatre (2nd. Run & below) got $10.50 an hour. Then when Pacific turned the Hollywood Pacific to limited service the guy at the Vine Theatre lost his job. The Hollywood Pacific Theatre's pay rate went up to around $15.00. So the operator got an extra $2.25 an hour for the trouble. But also during that time operators got paid extra for build-ups and teardowns and adding new trailers to the shows.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-10-2005 08:09 PM                     I just got word....yet another print scratched (this time in color)....another print requested...they are up to something like 4 prints now of the same title.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 02-10-2005 08:49 PM                     But are they being charged for them or not? If there is no monetary penalty, then there is no reason not to continue as they are from a corporate person's mindset.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 02-12-2005 02:41 AM                     ..sounds like it's time to walk away from the Uptown, as sad as this story can end, for LCE doesn't care, for they'll run that theatre as they desire. What can one do? Nothing ... nothing. Time to close the book on this one for the decision has been made, which we can walk away knowing that we've done our best as best can be. - Monte  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 02-12-2005 12:33 PM                     I would be rather shocked/upset if LCE was getting free replacement reels/prints for the Uptown. I've only had to order a replacement reel once for operator/equipement caused damage and we were charged for it-$400 or $500 for one reel if I remember correctly.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 02-12-2005 02:52 PM                     quote: Dustin Mitchell we were charged for it-$400 or $500 for one reel if I remember correctly. ..wait until one snags an entire print due to operator error. Then times that amount above for each reel damaged. Then the operating staff gets severly repremanded for sure. -Monte  |  IP: Logged

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