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Topic: The digital revolution

Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 02-07-2011 02:30 PM

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quote: Brad Miller
We do however take that concern seriously and our standard sound system has advanced diagnostics whereas most do not. We can literally tell when a driver is damaged or an amplifier fails (or is stolen). Our NOC's monitoring system alerts us when this happens so we can get a tech on site to remedy the problem immediately to keep the presentation quality high.

That's a good thing. My guess is literally no one else has a system that can monitor sound system status like this. Either something like this is needed or the theater site would need frequent visits and tests by a technician. Unfortunately neither is happening in many theaters. The sound systems just stay broken or way out of proper adjustment.

I have a theory that a lot of people don't really know how movie theaters should sound because they've never heard movie theater sound done great. They don't know the real potential. This goes for many multiplex theater employees as well as customers. When proper room design, proper equipment choices and proper system setup/maintenance is combined it will literally impress an audience.

I have heard plenty of theaters sound really good when newly opened and then for whatever reason drift into that sort of muddy blah zone when I visit the same theater again after a few months or a couple years. I get to wondering why the staff working there hasn't noticed the problem. Don't they remember how good it used to sound? It's nice to visit a theater where the EQ is dialed in just right, the audio is clean and rich sounding and the dynamics are able to punch you in the chest. It's even better when the theater does the continuing maintenance work to keep the sound system performing that way.

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Scott Jentsch
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1061
From: New Berlin, WI, USA
Registered: Apr 2003

posted 02-07-2011 03:41 PM

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Brad,

Kudos on the work that you and your team has done to make this system a reality! Rather than create the brochure first, and attempt to deliver on the promises second, you've gone and rocked it old-school! If I were looking at opening a movie theater (a thought that occurs to me every once in a while, and I lay down until it goes away), I'd be giving your system a good hard look.

If your system delivers the way you say it does, the only obstacle would be the cost of such an investment. I know that good stuff doesn't come free, but it's the only thing I can think of (aside from availability of on-site support and repair in a particular geographical area) that would keep this system from otherwise being a no-brainer.

quote: Bobby Henderson
It's nice to visit a theater where the EQ is dialed in just right, the audio is clean and rich sounding and the dynamics are able to punch you in the chest. It's even better when the theater does the continuing maintenance work to keep the sound system performing that way.

I wasn't aware that such places still existed! [Smile]

[Smile]

[Frown]

It's been so long since I've been to a movie that delivered on both the picture and sound that I'm not sure I could control myself should I ever experience it again...

Any system that minimizes the ways for undertrained, underskilled, and otherwise under-smart staff to screw things up and then also detects when there are problems is a great concept in my book!

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Martin McCaffery
Film God

Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99

posted 02-07-2011 03:50 PM

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quote: Monte L Fullmer
Kind of the return of yore to how it used to be - large market locations got the first pick, then, then those limited amount of prints trickles down to the medium and then smaller market locations to where the smaller market locations gets prints that are in a sub-normal to a worn condition.

That's currently how it is in the art film world. We in Montgomery, for instance, generally get the films in the 8-12 week range. If I weren't calendar, I could maybe get them a week or two earlier, but it really wouldn't matter.

And good job Brad. It will be awhile before we are forced to got digital or die, but when the time comes I look forward to newest and improvedest version. Why hasn't someone thought of this until now?

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 02-08-2011 12:56 AM

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I think Brad is wise to face the facts. Had he buried his head in the sand, someone else would have seized this opportunity.

Brad has identified an opportunity and I'm thrilled to see that he's running with it. I think theatre operators -- and especially the moviegoing public -- are lucky that someone like Brad -- who cares about presentation -- is taking a stab at this. If DCS ends up in the majority of cinemas, it might not be such a bad thing.

BEST WISHES [beer]

[beer]

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Aaron Garman
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1470
From: Toledo, OH USA
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 02-08-2011 01:07 AM

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quote: Brad Miller
We do however take that concern seriously and our standard sound system has advanced diagnostics whereas most do not. We can literally tell when a driver is damaged or an amplifier fails (or is stolen). Our NOC's monitoring system alerts us when this happens so we can get a tech on site to remedy the problem immediately to keep the presentation quality high.

This alone excites me! I have been to very very few cinemas that maintain a proper sound system. Bad amps and blown speakers are just way too common in a commercial cinema these days, which is downright shameful.

Good luck Brad! [thumbsup]

[thumbsup]

AJG

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Jim Henk
Master Film Handler

Posts: 364
From: San Diego, CA
Registered: Feb 2006

posted 02-09-2011 06:26 PM

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A thought occurs to me.

As the 100% mark comes closer, I can almost see the bean counters ordering entire vaults of prints destroyed to make room for office space, or whatever.

For those with contacts in the industry, might this be a good time to foster those relationships so as to save as much as possible from the landfills when the time comes?

Or do you think this is over-reacting?

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 02-09-2011 07:52 PM

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The beat-up prints should probably be the first to get junked -- and nobody should stop this from happening.

Decent quality prints, ideally, should fall into the hands of national and/or university archive(s) for posterity.

The "classics" divisions of studios ought to digitize negatives and make classic features available as DCP's.

I do believe, however, that even the movies that originate as digital are being archived to film negatives.

Personally, I think "capture" should still happen on film. I'm totally in favor of digital as a distribution medium. And film makes the most sense as an archival medium (at least as a backup).

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Jim Henk
Master Film Handler

Posts: 364
From: San Diego, CA
Registered: Feb 2006

posted 02-09-2011 08:00 PM

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Not sure about studio's dedication to saving history.

Over the holiday break I stumbled across (quite by accident while taking care of some other stuff) the place that's currently *the* Warner Brothers film archive.

It's a place that managed to negotiate a last moment deal that saved exactly this "office space" scenario from happening. I have no idea how much WB is paying them rent, but it's gotta be less than the cost of running a simple office building. And that's not a whole lot.

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 02-09-2011 08:37 PM

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What are you proposing? It's not clear.

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Jim Henk
Master Film Handler

Posts: 364
From: San Diego, CA
Registered: Feb 2006

posted 02-09-2011 09:16 PM

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I'm sorry. You're right. I'm not being clear. Trouble is, I'm not sure I can be clear as of yet. No ideas how right now, just a funny feeling...

I'm visualizing studios wanting to get rid of this "clutter", but somehow there has been building a good communication and a good feeling between the studios and a network of archivists, hobbyists, universities, heck, I don't know... Just a group of people and places prints would/could go instead of the trash. How much material has already gone this route in recent history? I'm told, quite a bit. Stuff that's basically gone forever.

It's just a general thought. A dream. Unformed, unclear... just wanting to think now about ways to head off as much bad stuff from happening in the very near future. Or at least a big part of it.

As far as beat-up prints are concerned, I used to run calendar format, (new films every couple of days - from Bambi to Ken Russell's "The Devils" - and beat up prints were our bread and butter, because there were very few good prints to be had of some title.

So save the prints, I think.

"Hey Al, those prints history?"
"Yeah. The big wigs said get 'em outta here."
"I'll take 'em off your hands. Save you disposal costs, too."
"Just make 'em gone by 5:00 tomorrow."
"Done. What about a steak as my way of saying thanks?"

You get the idea.

Or wait until after they disappear, and ponder about what a shame it is.

So sorry for being so negative. But it is our history.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 02-09-2011 09:34 PM

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quote: Jim Henk
"Hey Al, those prints history?"
"Yeah. The big wigs said get 'em outta here."
"I'll take 'em off your hands. Save you disposal costs, too."
"Just make 'em gone by 5:00 tomorrow."
"Done. What about a steak as my way of saying thanks?"

Keep dreaming because that will never happen.

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Chris Slycord
Film God

Posts: 2986
From: 청주시, 경북도, South Korea
Registered: Mar 2007

posted 02-09-2011 09:41 PM

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Th more likely scenario is:

Archiver: You're throwing those away?! I'll take them.
Studio Guy: I'm under strict orders to make sure they are actually destroyed.

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Jim Henk
Master Film Handler

Posts: 364
From: San Diego, CA
Registered: Feb 2006

posted 02-09-2011 11:36 PM

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Don't like that, huh? How's this instead?

(at a university or museum)
Hey Sid, I got a heads-up call from that friend of yours at the XYZ Studio. He said the executives there are planning to destroy 2500 prints because they don't see any need for them any longer. We should contact them to negotiate for custody of the prints before they go the way of the do-do.

Who was it introduced us to this guy? Oh yeah. It was Manny. He told us about him over a beer a few years ago. Boy, what were the odds? Good thing we kept up those contacts, or those prints would definitely be gone. At least now we've got a shot at them.

*****

Point is, this is something an entire community does. Raise awareness. Or consign to the worst. I'm assuming here that you think that film is something worth saving. I do. Your mileage may vary. I'll shut up now.

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 02-10-2011 12:08 AM

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You're confusing the loss of prints with the total loss of anything the studios ever made on film.

I doubt they'll destroy actual negatives.

After all, the negatives have made home-video possible, and home-video brings in tons of revenue. My hope is that those same negatives will become the basis for digital cinema prints.

I don't think we are at risk of losing 100+ years of film history.

The sky is not falling.

Please calm down.

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 02-10-2011 12:24 AM

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That situation is different from one film to the next.

Consider what Robert Harris has been going through in trying to save The Alamo. The original 65mm elements have gone severe magenta and the original audio elements had a lot of problems. The way Harris' article on The Digital Bits told it the clock was ticking on being able to get anything useful at all preserved of John Ford's director's cut version of it. I haven't heard anything in quite a while about this project so I'm wondering if the effort hit a brick wall and the film's surviving, useful elements turned to crap.

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