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This topic comprises 7 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
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Author
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Topic: R.I.P Film Projectors
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Paul H. Rayton
Expert Film Handler
Posts: 210
From: Los Angeles, CA , USA
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 12-30-2011 04:04 AM
Two comments from me, who is working a venue that has a fully-compliant d-cinema projector that we do not actually own -- but is not owned by any of the integrators out there. We are wonderfully, completely independent. So, from my POV on the sidelines (kind of):
Comment 1: costs of all this: as I recall the evolution of all this, from over the years, the benefits ($$$) primarily accrue to the account of the distributors. THEY are the ones who are not having to buy all the prints, many of which end up being scrapped, once the 3000 to 4000 domestic screens of opening weekend runs are concluded. Most older movies now exist with very few (say, between 1 and 10) copies available for use. So, why exhibitors have to pay for any of this d-stuff sure escapes me. And yet, in our own case, we've actually had to pay **extra** to get DCPs of a couple of the early Bond movies. Huh? WTF? Here we are, not putting any wear and/or tear on their print(s) -- and they're charging us extra? We got the show on a drive, which cost maybe $50, and which is, really, just a "loaner" -- they'll promptly re-use for some other show once the drive is back. And for this, we pay **extra**? Anyway, this all may change, but it seems to me that since "they" don't have to make and circulate prints, "we" shouldn't have to be paying for the equipment to show "their" newfangled files.
It will be interesting to see what happens, in a couple of years, when push comes to shove about all this. Will the theatres be put out of business? Can they afford any upgrades when VPFs are gone? Will exhibitors actually spend anything additional? It's an interesting thought as to what will happen if the Series 1 projectors [which is what I have] are decreed to be unsupported somehow. I'll bet that was not part of the original concept for d-cinema, for sure (enforced obsolescence)!
The 2nd comment from me had to do with some messages from about two days ago, which need a bit of clarification (even for me). There was talk about the security issues, and some mention of HDCP, and how it had been reverse-engineered out, etc. But I think one person was talking about DCI encryption, and one person was talking about HDCP. Both are encryptions, but they're quite different from each other. The DCI (d-cinema) encryption is significantly more complex than HDCP. IIRC, I heard that DCI encryption might be "breakable", but that it would take so long that the selected content would lose any commercial value over that time, so why bother? Of course, that was several years ago and now maybe computer hacking has progressed to the point that even cracking encrypted DCPs is less of a challenge -- but I've not heard of any fully functioning DCP playback of encrypted files without appropriate keys.
Summary: while the encryption holds up, the studios hold all the cards. And the distributing entities are the ones who should be paying for any and all of this equipment. Back in the 50s, when mag sound was coming out, that was an addition to the booth equipment (and a major upgrade to the sound systems of the day), but it was an addition, not a total displacement. The exhibitors paid for those ADDITIONS. The distributors should be paying for all these electro-toys, which are complete DISPLACEMENTS.
Don't get me wrong -- I've seen enough crappy, faded, scratched prints (and seen some amazing restorations) and feel that d-projection certainly has its place, and we need to make peace with that. But the installation of all this is really saving the distributors money. So they are the ones who should be ready to PAY UP!!!
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Ron Curran
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 504
From: Springwood NSW Australia
Registered: Feb 2006
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posted 12-30-2011 06:24 PM
The writing was on the wall years ago when the prints we were showing lacked life. A combination of 2K scanning and high speed printing resulted in muddy looking prints. Add to this the bonus of dirt and damage with sub-run release and the result was not pretty. Film-Guard did help but it couldn’t rehabilitate some prints.
Occasionally, a good print would turn up and re-assure us that our equipment was not the culprit. Even e-cinema looked better than many 35mm prints. And the 6-channel audio was intact; there was no worry about a dodgy Dolby track or missing DTS discs.
Certain distributors had very few film prints of any title and none of some titles. So, if you wanted that title, it was digital cinema or parallel with dvd, even if your figures more than justified a print.
Now with D-cinema, the quality of image and sound is at least consistent. People comment on how clear it looks. They don’t see any of the problems that concern people in the industry.
I can train a reasonably intelligent person in hours instead of weeks. We can offer better front-of-house service because we have one extra staff – the one who would normally have to be in the box to watch a film presentation start. We can book almost any title without getting the “no prints” or “we have to see how it opens” number.
While it is too early for any of us to judge operating costs, it would appear that lamp cost per hour will be similar to our 35mm. Looking at the construction of the projector, it seems that modules can be replaced and/or upgraded. My experiences with computers indicate that the server will probably be the first item that will have to be replaced.
We didn’t bother with the current incarnation of 3D. Most of the 3D product is for kids and our primary audience is mature. Parents are now telling us that their kids don’t like the glasses and they don’t like the ticket price. Also, we didn’t bother with VPFs, I can’t tell you why because I had to sign a NDA before getting the details. Of course I will now have to wait till next century before I can afford to retire.
If film had remained a quality presentation medium, the change would have been hard to justify. Our film system remains in place but I doubt it will ever again be used. I am beginning to feel less sad about it every week.
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Mark Pasquesi
Film Handler
Posts: 28
From: Geneva, Geneva Canton, Switzerland
Registered: Sep 2012
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posted 12-02-2012 05:14 AM
Just a thought here..
Thanks to digital, and the DCP capabilities on a Linux box,
independent filmmakers have finally been able to get out of the 8mm and 16mm quality limit, avoid the awful hell of dvcam and hdv,
and make progressive imaged digital films.
For doc films, and activist filmmakers, and even the crazy MF's of extreme sports, they are finally able to fix their image (now if they could only improve the edit/stories : )
Having worked a lot of festivals, when I say independent, I mean real self-funded independents, not 35 million dollar or even 1 million dollar budget films, and not even Spike Lee She's Gotta Have it budget of 100,000. I'm talking about UN activists in war zones, war photographers and reporter's SAns Frontier, refugees, activists in Cuba, Iran, etc. I'm also talking about art students who don't have to #@$-up to the School to get their film out there, change their film so it fits 'the norms' and codes, etc. We are getting cooler and crazier content with much lower costs. This is great!!!
In addition, we as projectionnists can help. When I test material for projections, I send notes to independent's, and first-timers, and I can help them be their own lab - their only cost is their own time...Helping with scaling issues, exports, etc, for independent file content shown off the computer - 8 bit in image quality if you go single DVI into your projector, up to 12-bit 444 dual sdi with a good video card, and up to 16-bit 444 with dual dvi.
Example:
I just had to 'remake' a damaged Bray for a festival (the last 2 minutes took 10 minutes - luckily for us, even though the film was dramatic, the audience took it well, and we finished with 100 laughing people) 2 hours later, we had a perfect copy for the Argentinian filmmaker for the next 3 showings in two other cinemas...
One of our local cinemas is already producing their own DCP's on the cheap for local publicities with a linux box - Ubuntu anyone?
Disadvantage - cheap cables creating bugs, too many interfaces reducing quality due to
a) ignorant or DGaF*&^ installers
b) ignorant or DGaF*&^ projectionnists
In fact, we matter now as projectionnist/technicians much more than we ever did as film handlers - we could never improve the print before - only protect it, and assure the projection..
Of course, Our salaries haven't change much : (
//Yes, I do make indie films, and work on them, and still shoot in B&W/color Super 8 on my Beaulieu at 72 fps - and yes, I refilm with whatever HD I can get my hands on, and I love how it looks : )//
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