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This topic comprises 10 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Author
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Topic: The digital revolution
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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."
Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 02-24-2011 04:04 PM
quote: Brad Miller
Also just as an FYI, sitting in the booth is not a proper check of "quality". The customers don't sit in the booth, they sit in the auditorium. It is impossible to truly verify the "quality" of a presentation from the booth. You must be inside the auditorium where the customers will be viewing the film. For example, you could have a blown speaker, a rattling AC grill in the ceiling, a shiny spot behind the screen viewable only from the auditorium, etc.
Some movie studios will unlock a DCP days in advance so the crew will have enough advance time to ingest the movie, add all the trailers and crap and then do a QC check of it. Other movie studios wait up until the last day or maybe even a few hours before showtime to unlock the virtual print.
With digital projection, I think the temptation is definitely there for many theaters to run the movie without doing any prior QC checks. With digital you don't have to worry about a misplaced splice and suddenly having a frame line draped across the middle of the screen.
But other things can, and do, go wrong with digital. Maybe the RealD system decides to do something funny and make the left half of the screen bright green. And nothing has changed with problems that can and do occur with the sound system. But if the crew isn't in the auditorium checking the situation they're not going to hear about the problem until some customer finally goes to the trouble of mentioning it, which could be a long time after the problem has been a problem.
quote: Joe Redifer
Also, even if one could make a decent living doing DCinema installs, what happens once everything is converted over and there are no more installs to do?
Doing continued maintenance on the sound system might be an idea.
Considering how digital projection can free up theater staff members and technical people it would seem like a lot of spare time would be available to give theater sound systems more attention. Most theater sound systems need that attention badly. Sadly, cutting staff and reducing payroll is the more attractive option.
quote: Brad Miller
They also QC the image in a room on these little high speed projectors running an image about 2 feet big on a wall. Even though we could see noticeable bounce in the image when we looked at it closely, it looked fine at that small size. A few of us started hammering on the guy asking what he thought it would look like on 40, 50 or larger screens and he didn't get how it would magnify the bounce and be unacceptable.
This same issue can be applied to why I believe 35mm projection is stupid on really big screens. Not only is the image too damned dim since the projector can't throw enough light onto such a huge target. Any bounce, sideweave or breathing in the image will be amplified on a much larger screen. 5-perf 70mm solves a bunch of those problems.
Digital projection solves some of those problems too, but 2K simply doesn't have the native resolution worthy of being blown up on a 80' wide screen.
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Aaron Mehocic
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 804
From: New Castle, PA, USA
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 02-26-2011 02:40 PM
I saw this coming when Carmike did their Houdini three or four years ago. Since then I am back in school learning a new trade in which my 20+ years as a projectionist was extremely helpful in understanding the subtle nuances of my new choice. Unfortunately, I am due to graduate with an unemployment rate in my area still over 8%. Even if I do find a new job, the starting pay will still be less than what I am making in the booth, so I have already prepared myself to take some steps back economically. I will continue teaching during the day . . . but I am also preparing to take a hit in that profession as well given what is happening with unions.
Like many of you, I am also sad to see film go. For many of you who do not have an alternative career choice I understand your fear and trepidation. Steve Guttag is right, however, in that there really is not that much difference between digital and 35mm set-ups. As he acknowledges, one just has to think differently. For those of you like Joe who dont want to stay because you dont want to travel I hear you. Maybe some retraining might be in order for those people as well. Use your years of experience to try new fields like electronics, drafting, or even engineering. Keep your attitude positive and things will work out in the end
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Paul Mayer
Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under!
Posts: 3836
From: Albuquerque, NM
Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 02-27-2011 06:42 AM
You guys really believe that once a digital system is installed on a given screen that there will be no further tech work to do on that screen? Really?
For the most part, these digital projectors are computer-based, not mechanical. Unlike mechanical machines, from what I've seen so far with computer-based cinema there will be a near endless cycle of software/firmware updates, board updates, light engine updates, light path alignment/cleaning, server updates and changeouts, network switch and router changes, and on and on, ad nauseum, in addition to whatever sound work that will pop up.
Tech work ain't going away once installs are done. Indeed there may be fewer guys/gals doing this work, but work there will always be, and someone has to do it. Might as well be some of us. Just have to get used to the new order, like a lot more and near constant training for the techs doing this work. You'll be back in school... a lot.
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