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Author Topic: In your opinion is Harry Potter (DMR) successful? Brian Michael Weidemann Expert cat molester Posts: 944 From: Costa Mesa, CA United States Registered: Feb 2004 posted 07-16-2004 04:47 AM                        We're most likely going to hold HP3 for one show a day, so our booking office tells us. We currently have only decks 4 and 5 upgraded, so it'll be swapping prints with our lift between shows ... assuming that Spiderman 2 fits on the 120's and can be safely clamped. We only have two 150's! If not, it looks like we won't be able to hold HP3.  |  IP: Logged Kyle McEachern Expert Film Handler Posts: 165 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Feb 2004 posted 07-16-2004 10:56 AM                 Spider-Man 2 has a running time of 2hrs and 7mins, according to the websites I checked (IMDb and Yahoo! Movies), so would only work on the 150min decks/platters.  |  IP: Logged Brian Michael Weidemann Expert cat molester Posts: 944 From: Costa Mesa, CA United States Registered: Feb 2004 posted 07-16-2004 04:53 PM                        The 120's can hold more than 120 minutes. 127 minutes might just barely fit.  |  IP: Logged Will Currie Film Handler Posts: 19 From: WINTER PARK, FL, USA Registered: Jul 2004 posted 07-16-2004 05:23 PM                    Still no one has given me a straight answer on the DMR stuff... In your opinion is it here to stay... or is it a 'i remember when.' Brian, Is harry potter still performing well at your theater? It sounded like your theater was not doing well with it in the beginning? Does word of mouth seem to be making an impact? Supposedly HP3 has grossed 9 million... which I guess means a net of about 3 million... that actually sounds pretty good to me;) Better than I expected.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-16-2004 10:04 PM                     "By the way is it true that a DMR print cost 50k? That sounds outrageous" The average 40min 15 70 print cost in the range of 30,000 all said and done  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-16-2004 11:37 PM                     "That is about the cost of a print that long once you figure in processing and quality assurance." And J.P.'s commission on the film stock sale !!  |  IP: Logged Brian Michael Weidemann Expert cat molester Posts: 944 From: Costa Mesa, CA United States Registered: Feb 2004 posted 07-17-2004 04:46 AM                        quote: Brian Michael Weidemann I'm sure it has a large part to do with the Orange County crowd, but the sold-out shows we ran that first week for Harry Potter were hit and miss. quote: Will Currie Is harry potter still performing well at your theater? It sounded like your theater was not doing well with it in the beginning? Does word of mouth seem to be making an impact? So far, every DMR movie, as well as the non-DMR feature-length movies (Treasure Planet, Lion King, etc.) opened up with sold-out shows every show through the first week. Then the attendance tapers off. Just to clarify, it was the reactions that were hit and miss. For Harry Potter now, we're getting a good 40 people in an average show. Maybe 10 for the 10:30am. Maybe 100 for a Friday night 7:30. I couldn't say that word-of-mouth has helped or not. We don't have any "how did you hear about us?" surveys to pass around. I think the success of the DMR transfers could still go either way. It depends hugely on what other studios pick up on the idea, and what movies the studios that are doing it choose. Of course, I imagine that everyone is waiting to see the numbers for every single attempt, and then making a decision, hesitating, and then waiting for someone else to make a move. I get this impression because we only ever know JUST the next DMR release. There isn't an announcement (that I know of) that has, perhaps three or four down the line, the schedule of DMR release dates. The Matrix sequels gave a little advance notice, only because Revolutions' release was six months after Reloaded. Harry Potter had a little anticipation, but Spiderman is DEFINITELY a last minute decision. It's understandable that last minute decisions happen, and that's the nature of the business. But I think the longevity of DMR relies on some long-term planning, bold initiative, strong line-up of product, and (above all) a MARKETING CAMPAIGN to reflect all of these. Like I said, it's still too early to predict, but there's still a little time for some studio to take a strong stance ... and it looks like Warner Bros. has a head start. We'll see.  |  IP: Logged James B. Openshaw Expert Film Handler Posts: 106 From: Mt. Pleasant, SC, USA Registered: Jun 2002 posted 07-17-2004 08:41 AM                        Brian, I have to agree with you on one of your earlier replies regarding the horribly done taglines. I think you'll agree that the one for Spiderman 2 is just as bad if not worse, "Take another spin in IMAX". Almost every tagline goes "[Insert crappy tagline here] in IMAX". IMAX should have a deal with the marketing people with the film's distribution company and advertise the IMAX version of film on TV stations whose IMAX theaters will be showing the film. Somehow, I doubt that will ever happen.  |  IP: Logged Greg Routenburg Expert Film Handler Posts: 178 From: Toronto, ON, Canada Registered: May 2003 posted 07-18-2004 01:09 AM                     I was really curious about HP3 in Imax both because I'm a huge HP fan and because I'm a huge Imax fan. I did however go into it rather sceptical as I had never seen a DMR release before. I'll have to say it was nice and all but I don't think it was worth all the hype. I was not surprised to see the letterboxing at the top and bottom but given the screen width and the aspect ratio, there are a few 35mm screens here in Toronto that would be of comparable image size and the loss in quality and image steadyness is neglegable. Don't get me wrong, I'll still support the technology but I'll definately wait a number of weeks before seeing it in IMAX. I don't think it's really worth the standing in ridiculous lines in the opening couple weeks to see it in The Imax Experience.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-18-2004 12:05 PM                     Of course for the cost of the DMR we could be showing it in 5 perf 70 DTS on two to three other of the 80 foot wide super screens that exist around the country. That would be far more profitable than a single Imax location. I see DMR as just another gimmik to attempt to get the dwindling lines back at L.F. theatres. Mark  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-18-2004 01:04 PM                     DMR print down to 5 perf will yeild a sharper picture a 15 perf DMR is sharper and brighter and steadier than a straight 5 perf 35 blow up on a 80' screen  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-18-2004 06:28 PM                     Of course the 5/70 release prints could be made directly from a tweeked digital intermediate to gain on sharpness over the 35 blow up anyway. Manipulating the digital anyway you like it is certainly one advantage of doing it that way. Mark  |  IP: Logged John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 07-18-2004 08:58 PM                     So, for DMR to really succeed, it will need to have an exclusive before the 35mm theatrical release. Presumably they're trying to prove that DMR works reasonably well in parallel first, and that exclusivity will come down the road? --jhawk  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 07-19-2004 01:01 AM                     Unless there ends up being some sort of 'economy of scale' DMR doesn't seem like it would ever have very wide appeal from a business standpoint. I mean, $50,000?! Doesn't a standard 35mm prints cost $1,200? $5,000 at the very most.  |  IP: Logged Will Currie Film Handler Posts: 19 From: WINTER PARK, FL, USA Registered: Jul 2004 posted 07-19-2004 09:31 AM                    Brian, Thanks for all the info. I think I am with you on this... success remains to be seen. From consumers perspective though, I love it. To bad IMAX projectors only take 15 perf film... Seems like 5 perf would save a lot of money. a good chuck of those 15 perfs are wasted black space. Wonder if IMAX will blink and start using DMR to produce some 5/70 stuff (yeah I don't see that happening either).  |  IP: Logged

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