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Author Topic: Save Film Petition Claude S. Ayakawa Film God Posts: 2738 From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 07-08-2014 10:18 PM                        STAR WARS Episode 7 is being shot on 35mm film and partially in 70mm IMAX. Yes, film is far from becoming a dead format. -Claude  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 07-09-2014 02:56 PM                     I'm all in favor of using film as a production and preservation medium. To be clear, when people say "film is dead" -- and, more specifically, when I agree with them -- I believe they are speaking about it as a distribution medium. Yes, there may be a small handful of directors who can "insist" on a few film prints. But they won't live forever. And, while they're alive, their films had better remain top performers at the box office, or they'll be as good as dead... at least as far as the "on film" demands go. Remember "Far and Away"? How many 70mm productions did Ron Howard get after that? Now, before anyone gets offended, I'm not saying Ron Howard is a bad filmmaker. What I'm saying is that "Far and Away" didn't do big business, and Howard never released on 70mm again. And, no -- you don't get to count "Apollo 13" in IMAX because that was (a) after the fact; and (b) an IMAX experiment.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 07-10-2014 11:45 AM                        It was mentioned during small talk in the booth a few days ago that there are going to be film prints of Paul Thomas Anderson's new movie coming out this fall, but that the studio only agreed to it because he insisted and that his movies are enough of a draw for them to regard the extra expense as being worth it.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 07-10-2014 12:20 PM                     PTA will probably have his way, so long as box office figures support his claim, and there are sufficient first-run cinemas equipped to properly handle film. I would imagine that -- at this point -- any cinema that gets allocated a film print of a PTA film would be doing film right. I wonder if anyone takes the time to compare per screen figures (digital versus film) within catchment areas.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 07-10-2014 02:27 PM                     quote: Manny Knowles I would imagine that -- at this point -- any cinema that gets allocated a film print of a PTA film would be doing film right. Manny, I'm not aware of any first run theater still running film that I would consider is "doing film right". Every first run theater with enough of a budget for good equipment in the first place has already switched to digital. The only ones to my knowledge that haven't converted are the ones that don't have the financial resources to convert...and that means they also don't have the financial resources to properly keep their 35mm equipment in top running condition. (Plus most are at the cannibalizing other old projectors point.) Sure it's possible to put on a good presentation without the best equipment, but that also requires a really good operator, so what's the realistic chances these days of a top notch presentation (sound included) actually happening at a first run film-based theater today? When you factor all of this in, I would say your statement is simply incorrect. quote: Manny Knowles I wonder if anyone takes the time to compare per screen figures (digital versus film) within catchment areas. They wouldn't want to do that unless they wanted to prove the point that film is "no longer a draw" (which the studios very well might do to shut people like PTA up). What's sad about that is the fact it's just not true. Customers are going to visit the newer and nicer theater with fancy seats and other amenities. Most don't make their choices based upon film or digital anymore.  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-10-2014 06:29 PM                        quote: Manny Knowles I would imagine that -- at this point -- any cinema that gets allocated a film print of a PTA film would be doing film right. At least with new prints (which means the major distributors), nope. They are allocated to those who don't have digital. The majors have never cared about presentation at anything other than the premieres. They send the prints out until they can't be sent out anymore. The indies and art disturbs and the classics branches of the studios do try to keep their prints safe, but even they can only make an educated guess as to the quality of presentation.  |  IP: Logged Paul H. Rayton Expert Film Handler Posts: 210 From: Los Angeles, CA , USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 07-10-2014 06:48 PM                    Film might be "alive", but whether it's "alive and kicking" is open to some discussion. As Leo has pointed out a few times, in various posts, the infrastructure for making and working with "film" is collapsing around us like a house of cards. A week ago I drove through the parking lot of the (now-closed) Deluxe Labs facility on Serrano, here in L.A., and the lot was full of removed pumps, air circulation equipment, and all the other associated mechanical parts of a large film developing operation. They were, effectively, disemboweling the building! It's REALLY gone. And then, today, I got forwarded to me the following link, which is to a film manufacturing mechanism that's being sold. I don't know whether the outfit that is posting the ad seriously thinks it will be sold (I certainly do not), as, for one thing, it is specifically for acetate film base, though they say it may be repurposed. And the logistics are really problematical: the coating wheel itself weighs around 25 tons (total), and together all the associated equipment requires a massive 4-story building in which to operate. But all for a mere listed $250,000. But it was ready for you to pick up in Rochester, NY! As I say, I just got this link today and the auction sale ended two days ago (July 9) or when it was taken down from the listings, so I'm merely adding this now for something to look at and reminisce about the old times. And another chance to observe how massive some of the manufacturing equipment really was. The link is here: [URL=http://www.ebay.com/itm/131098319489?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 US ]E-Bay ad[/URL] If you go there, scroll down a ways to the full description. Even though the ad has technically ended, the display (as of now) remains. The following is the essential text (but not the pictures) of the ad, as they wrote it: ======================== Used 60" Roll/Roller Coating/Coater Line Used-Kodak Acetate Film Roll Coating Line. The acetate base is cast onto the wheel surface, cures enough to be stripped off after one revolution, and is conveyed through the coating machine for further curing and coating applications. Approximate 60” Wide. Line is in 3 sections, (4) stories tall. Includes an 18’ diameter coating wheel, approximate 25 tons. Includes sub hoppers, and drying sections. Price is as-is, where-is. Rigging is not included in the price. PLEASE EMAIL WITH QUESTIONS OR CALL US AT 610-921-8848. THANKS FOR LOOKING. ITEM DETAILS: APPROX. COATING WHEEL DIMENSIONS: 18' DIAMETER X 60" WIDE. OTHER DETAILS: THIS ITEM IS LOCATED IN ROCHESTER NY. SHIPPING: WILL SHIP MOTOR FREIGHT TO ALL US, CANADA AND MEXICO. WE ALSO ALLOW LOCAL PICK-UP AT OUR FACILITY; WE DO HAVE FORK TRUCKS TO LOAD. THE BUYER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL SHIPPING & HANDLING COSTS. SHIPPING COSTS ARE DETERMINED BY THE LOCATION OF THE BUYER AND THE WEIGHT OF THE ITEM SOLD. THERE IS A $10.00 HANDLING CHARGE FOR ALL INTERNATIONAL UPS AND USPS PACKAGES AND $50.00 FOR ALL FREIGHT SHIPMENTS. SHIPPING WILL NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL PAYMENT IS RECEIVED. ATTENTION INTERNATIONAL BUYERS: PLEASE PROVIDE A PHONE NUMBER AND SHIPPING ADDRESS SO WE CAN GET THE ITEM SHIPPED TO YOU. DO NOT FORGET ABOUT ANY OTHER CHARGES WHICH ARE CHARGED BY THE CARRIER. THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER AND IS AN ADDITIONAL CHARGE TO SHIPPING. RETURN POLICY: WE WILL REFUND YOUR MONEY IF THE ITEM YOU RECEIVE DOESN'T WORK AT ALL UNLESS IT WAS LISTED AS BEING "PARTS ONLY" OR "NOT IN WORKING CONDITION." THE BUYER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL RETURN SHIPPING FEES. ONCE THE ITEM IS RECEIVED AT OUR LOCATION WE WILL ISSUE THE REFUND. ITEMS MUST BE RETURNED WITHIN 14 DAYS FROM THE DATE IT WAS DELIVERED TO THE BUYER. =================== The point of it all is that, no matter how sentimental we may be about the film prints we've all worked with, the entire manufacturing base that created that stuff is being sold off at giveaway prices, and is mostly likely to be turned in to scrap metal. Yes, there may be some little points of happiness here and there, but the collapse is taking place before our eyes.  |  IP: Logged

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