Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Hobbitt II - Smaug

my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

»	Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE » Operations » Large Format Forum » Hobbitt II - Smaug - any 15/70 showings? (Page 2)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2

Author

Topic: Hobbitt II - Smaug - any 15/70 showings?

Dick Vaughan
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1032
From: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 12-10-2013 10:06 AM

quote: Chris Slycord
Does this mean they're opening it later than its normal release date? Because the only 1570 IMAX in Seattle is the Science Center downtown and they have showtimes already into first week of the new year and no DHOOM 3 listing (and it's supposed to be released on the 20th of this month).

Pacific Science Centre has two IMAX theatres. One 1570 GT 3D and one digital 3D so they could potentially show both at the same time.

AS for last DMR title then Chris Nolan's Interstellar next November is my best guess. An enormous amount of 15 perf footage was hot for this film and a trailer is on the front of Hobbit 2.

At the GSCA conference in September David Keighley of IMAX asked all theatres considering converting from film to digital to retain their film projectors until the end of 2014. IMAX have promised Nolan that there will be 50 1570 screens available to show his film.

| IP: Logged

Joseph L. Kleiman
Master Film Handler

Posts: 380
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Apr 2005

posted 12-10-2013 03:36 PM

quote: Allan Young
At the time of the conversion the operators claimed that 15/70 prints would continue to be used if they were available.

This pledge lasted approximately three months. They used a digital copy of Skyfall in October.

The BFI did not break that pledge with Skyfall. Sony decided at the last minute not to make any 1570 prints of the film available in the UK. As a result, the National Media Museum was unable to book it in their IMAX theater.

| IP: Logged

Terry Lynn-Stevens
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1081
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Dec 2012

posted 12-10-2013 03:39 PM

quote: Dick Vaughan
At the GSCA conference in September David Keighley of IMAX asked all theatres considering converting from film to digital to retain their film projectors until the end of 2014.

Great info Dick!

The big screens that are not committed to DMR movies will likely support 15/70 for a lot longer than we think. The content for the new projectors are not yet ready for showing, but once they are, the incentive to switch over to the new projectors are for the expanded library that will be available.

IMAX said in November that they are fully committed to providing 15/70 as long a theatre wants it. The big concern is whether or not Kodak will continue providing film going forward and whether or not the studios will continue paying for 15/70 prints.

Interstellar is still a year away, hopefully there will be some IMAX venues that are still capable of showing it. There are no theatres in my area which really sucks.

| IP: Logged

Dick Vaughan
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1032
From: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 12-11-2013 05:34 AM

For The Dark Knight Rises a number of theatres that had switched to digital but still had the 1570 kit on site had it re-installed . Both sets of projectors were mounted on a rail system that allowed which ever was in use to be moved to the centreline projection point.
That may be an option in some cases for Interstellat.

And Joe was right about Skyfall . Both BFI and Bradford were keen to screen 1570 prints but Sony decided not to bring prints in to the UK.

| IP: Logged

Allan Young
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 125
From: EGHAM, Surrey UK
Registered: Jun 2011

posted 12-11-2013 07:42 AM

quote: Joseph L. Kleiman
The BFI did not break that pledge with Skyfall. Sony decided at the last minute not to make any 1570 prints of the film available in the UK.

Thanks for the correction ! A strange decision by Sony, considering it was a Bond movie.

(Minor point - the cinema is now operated by Odeon Cinemas, not the BFI).

| IP: Logged

Terry Lynn-Stevens
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1081
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Dec 2012

posted 12-11-2013 08:51 AM

quote: Dick Vaughan
For The Dark Knight Rises a number of theatres that had switched to digital but still had the 1570 kit on site had it re-installed . Both sets of projectors were mounted on a rail system that allowed which ever was in use to be moved to the centreline projection point.
That may be an option in some cases for Interstellat.

I know for my territory this was the case, however it was only for the The Dark Knight Rises and was a "one off" I was under the impression that the 15/70 would stay installed on the rail system for future use when something big was released. This however was simply not the case and the projectors and rail systems have since been removed from the theatres close to me.

I can't really comment about cinemas outside of my territory but there was an excel sheet going around with the confirmed 15/70 print release of Catching Fire and the confirmed prints were down to 23 prints in North American with most being an institution or destination IMAX theatre. Very few were in US chain cinemas.

Lastly, many theatres lease their IMAX GT or SR equipment from IMAX, so there really is no point in keeping the equipment around for one movie. There are no more MPX projectors left in operation.

But you are right, if they are still on the rails then I guess they could be used.

| IP: Logged

Dick Vaughan
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1032
From: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 12-11-2013 09:31 AM

The only real incentive to use the 1570 projectors in already converted theatres would be for titles where a large percentage of the footage was originated on IMAX 15 perf 65mm cameras.

TDKR had by far the most of this footage but this is likely to be surpassed by Interstellar.

| IP: Logged

Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

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

posted 12-11-2013 11:21 AM

quote: Dick Vaughan
And Joe was right about Skyfall . Both BFI and Bradford were keen to screen 1570 prints but Sony decided not to bring prints in to the UK.

That's not too big a loss. Skyfall was shot on video, mostly using the Arri Alexa camera. Its shoots a 2.8K image (2880x1620) when using Arriraw; it down-samples to 1920x1080 in other formats, including HD-SDI output. Even though the digital intermediate for Skyfall was rendered in 4K most of the photography in it was blown up to that. 2.8K is a step up from the 2K of IMAX Digital projection, but not too big a step.

quote: Dick Vaughan
The only real incentive to use the 1570 projectors in already converted theatres would be for titles where a large percentage of the footage was originated on IMAX 15 perf 65mm cameras.

It's really the only incentive for making 15-perf 70mm prints at all. The big question is how many more movie productions will shoot footage on 15/65 negatives. If existing 15/70 projectors are on rails in the booth it would be best to leave them there as long as there is a chance of getting a 15/70 print. It's a much bigger pain to remove a 15/70 projection system and then reinstall it.

I think it's a huge waste to take a movie shot with HD resolution video cameras and/or put through a 2K digital intermediate work flow and have those results blown up to the IMAX film format. Viewers might as well watch that kind of material in IMAX Digital, or better yet watch such movies on more modest sized screens where the 2K pixel grid isn't enlarged so much.

| IP: Logged

Terry Lynn-Stevens
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1081
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Dec 2012

posted 12-11-2013 03:42 PM

quote: Dick Vaughan
The only real incentive to use the 1570 projectors in already converted theatres would be for titles where a large percentage of the footage was originated on IMAX 15 perf 65mm cameras.

DMR content showing on the 15/70 projectors usually looked pretty good to me, lets not kid ourselves, it is not 15/70 quality but to me it still looked just as good or better than IMAX Digital. Skyfall was not bad in 15/70 and I watched that on the heels of The Dark Knight Rises. I regret not going to watch Elysium in 15/70 back in October.

quote: Bobby Henderson
If existing 15/70 projectors are on rails in the booth it would be best to leave them there as long as there is a chance of getting a 15/70 print. It's a much bigger pain to remove a 15/70 projection system and then reinstall it.

Bobby, many theatres lease their 15/70 equipment (although some own it) so keeping it in their projection booths is not always an option.

| IP: Logged

Jim Henk
Master Film Handler

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

posted 02-01-2014 05:28 PM

quote: Jeff Arellano
From my understanding Hobbit will be the last 70mm film at the Rave 18 Los Angeles. It will be installing a digital projector after the end of its Hobbit run. Apparently Hobbit is the last 70mm IMAX film.

I did see it at the Rave on 12/31. I had a great time. It was spectacular. Was only sorry that my friends bailed at the last second, so it was just me.

As closing credits were rolling, I couldn't believe I was seeing probably the final iMAX feature in film I would ever see. Just can't see paying $16.50 for basically, a 2k show blown up on a large screen. More, if there are 3D glasses involved. Nope. That's it for me for iMAX, I guess. Damn shame.

| IP: Logged

Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

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

posted 02-01-2014 05:52 PM

Interstellar should have some 15-perf 70mm film prints when the movie is released in November. The big questions are how many prints will be made and which IMAX theaters will be playing them?

| IP: Logged

Terry Lynn-Stevens
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1081
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Dec 2012

posted 02-01-2014 06:34 PM

quote: Jim Henk
As closing credits were rolling, I couldn't believe I was seeing probably the final iMAX feature in film I would ever see.

It looks like Hobbit 2 is the last DMR 15/70 release as of now. IMAX is on record stating that they will provide 15/70 prints if the studios will be willing to make them. Of course Kodak would have to remain in business for this to happen as well.

The recent releases of Hobbit 2 and Catching Fire debuted on something like 20 screens in 15/70. Some of these location are dual 15.70/IMAX-D locations such as the two IMAX locations in Sydney and Melbourne. If Paramount is willing to announce that they will support 35mm prints for Interstellar and perhaps make a push to add some 35mm prints to existing digital multiplexes, then I don't see why they would not offer up some 15/70 prints.

| IP: Logged

Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 02-01-2014 08:46 PM

quote: Bobby Henderson
The big questions are how many prints will be made and which IMAX theaters will be playing them?

And will there still be an honest to goodness REAL IMAX projectionist around that knows how to not damage the film by that point? There were only a few 5 years ago. What makes anyone think at the end of 2014 this is a good idea?

| IP: Logged

Adam Martin
I'm not even gonna point out the irony.

Posts: 3686
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 02-01-2014 11:03 PM

quote: Brad Miller
And will there still be an honest to goodness REAL IMAX projectionist around that knows how to not damage the film by that point?

Yes, but none of us will be in the booth. Or the theater, for that matter. [Razz]

[ 02-02-2014, 02:43 AM: Message edited by: Adam Martin ]

| IP: Logged

Terry Lynn-Stevens
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1081
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Dec 2012

posted 02-03-2014 01:22 AM

quote: Dick Vaughan
For The Dark Knight Rises a number of theatres that had switched to digital but still had the 1570 kit on site had it re-installed . Both sets of projectors were mounted on a rail system that allowed which ever was in use to be moved to the centreline projection point.
That may be an option in some cases for Interstellat.

I was wrong earlier about Cineplex removing their 15/70 projectors completely at the purpose built IMAX locations in Canada, I can confirm they are in fact still installed and located right behind the digital projectors. The projectors are still there for pending future "one-off" releases and Interstellar will be getting the same Dark Knight Rises 15/70 style release.

I was also wrong about Cineplex using GT units in all of their purpose built locations. Some are using 15/70 SR units.

quote:
Yes, but none of us will be in the booth. Or the theater, for that matter. [Razz]

For Dark Knight Rises, the theatres that were already digital and were able to run Dark Knight Rises in 15/70, some projectionists were hired by IMAX. For Interstellar, it is expected that IMAX will once again do the hiring.

| IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2

Printer-friendly view of this topic

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.