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Author Topic: More on KDM's Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 08-30-2011 02:01 AM                     quote: Justin Hamaker converted to digital and an LMS installed within weeks ...and then, you can get the keys automatically sent down to the LMS and activated - no more thumbdrive transfers even though you'll still receive the files in the email.  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 08-30-2011 05:34 AM                     Never lost a show due to a missing KDM and although I haven't had to personally call for one in a while never had a problem getting one from any of the digital providers. The heart of the question, if I understand it correctly, is what will people do when there is a KDM problem and no one 'qualified' to handle it is available. The thing is that a theatre should NEVER have a KDM problem that requires such last minute action since KDM's last for at least a week (I've seen KDM's that last 2-3 months). Check the keys once a week and you should never have a problem. Its not like they're going to suddenly stop working in the middle of the week.  |  IP: Logged Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 08-30-2011 07:16 AM                    Well, they could become corrupted, like any other file can. But I imagine that's pretty rare and there are probably safe guards in place for that on the server/projector.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 08-30-2011 08:57 AM                     One of these days, I'll post a screen shot of the Cinedigm TCC to show how painfully obvious the KDM status is within the entire complex for not only the current week but also for the FOLLOWING week. As for KDMs getting corrupt...certainly possible. They are XML files and the theatre will often have them in multiple places just due to the nature of how they are distributed. That is, there is a point or points where the KDMs are received (email, folder on a designated computer...etc). If the theatre has an LMS system...they will go there and then the LMS will distribute them to the respective theatres. So one normally has two copies of the KDMs if there is no LMS and three copies if there is an LMS...that is pretty well backed up! The only corruption that can affect a show is if the copy on the player somehow gets corrupt...to which the LMS can resend it or the KDM can be put on the individual player directly via thumb drive. I now know of a situation where the lack of KDM delivery did cause a loss of show...confusion as to whether the title was actually booked at the theatre! The theatre must have prevailed since it only cost them the first show. But still. -Steve  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 08-30-2011 11:27 AM                     quote: Steve Guttag where the lack of KDM delivery did cause a loss of show ...but, wouldn't that missed KDM show up on that particular server's display of "no KDM found", or similar, or that particular venue had no individual servers at each unit and only one LMS to connect and communicate to all units?  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 08-30-2011 11:52 AM                     Monte...did you not read my statement. The theatre had no KDMs because the distributor would not issue one due to a question on if a title was properly booked. The theatre knew they didn't have the KDM but could not convince the KDM issuer to issue the KDM before that show was lost...an entirely stupid situation. -Steve  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 08-30-2011 12:01 PM                     No, what is stupid is encrypting movies that are already on blu-ray. I understand there would be a re-package process for a movie that came out, say 3 years ago to make an unencrypted file, but it would be a one time thing and would eliminate all of the bs down the road. If someone is going to run an illegal rep show, they would just do it on blu-ray. Still there should be an automatic approval for a 24 hour key in such situations Steve speaks of above. The studio could then go after the theater if they didn't actually have a booking. Know what else is stupid? Encrypting Michael Bay movies. Nobody would want to run those if they weren't legally obligated to anyway.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 08-30-2011 01:13 PM                     The movie in question...to make things even stupidier...was not on its initial break...it was "brought back"...we are not even talking about a movie that hadn't been seen by many. -Steve  |  IP: Logged William F Green Film Handler Posts: 84 From: Brighton, East Sussex, UK Registered: Jun 2005 posted 10-14-2011 10:18 AM                     I've just received my very first KDM in the UK - and it's wrong! Wrong date range which didn't include the final screening date. Also one distributor asked us to complete a 'digital readiness' form inc. serial no's of server & proj for deluxe digital. Then another distributor asked us to complete their digital readiness form and also asked for the server cert (which we don't have). All seems unnecessarily complicated to me this whole KDM thing. Before anybody says "your booker should deal with this" - I am the booker, and the tech, and the manager, and the.. We have always been pretty pro-active in terms of chasing 35mm prints and have never missed a show due to non-delivery of a 35mm print. I'm hoping to apply the same zeal to chasing KDM's but there's no guarantee that when a KDM comes it will be correct. A friend of mine remembers the first few DCP's he had several years ago had the KDM's already on the drive - what a good idea!  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-14-2011 11:04 AM                        You will have to fill out one of those digital readiness forms for every film company. Just like you had to fill out a credit app for each of them. They don't share information. Just make a phone call to the "troubleshooting" number that is included with your drive, that will resolve your KDM issue in about two minutes. I've never had a problem with any KDM here. Putting the KDM on the drive with the movie would defeat the purpose of having KDMs in the first place.  |  IP: Logged Steven Wold Film Handler Posts: 12 From: Raleigh, NC. USA Registered: Sep 2011 posted 10-14-2011 06:20 PM                     well, the management on site should know what would need to be done. If one needs to be obtained, they should know if they need to call Technicolor or Deluxe. But if the projector is missing teh key, and it is saved somewhere, use that. and if you havent recieved one, they would have to call the company who sent them the hard drive (usually the two stated above).  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 10-14-2011 07:10 PM                     quote: Mike Blakesley You will have to fill out one of those digital readiness forms for every film company. Just like you had to fill out a credit app for each of them. They don't share information. They do now. There is one form for all studios. Just happened a week ago. Of course the only problem with that form is there is no place to denote what email address you want the keys sent to. Oops!!! They also want the server's serial number, whereas the number they ACTUALLY want is the media block. Whatever.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 10-15-2011 07:15 AM                     William - one of the issues you have is probably that you bought a second hand system and installed it without the assistance of an integrator or cinema service company. These would usually explain these needs to and partly service them for you. You will be fine after these initial issues have been solved. Just set up a standard email with the necessary data for all booking contacts, make a round call to all of them to apply for forms, etc. In some countries, this is organized effort, in some not (yet). - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 10-18-2011 09:20 PM                    quote: Mike Blakesley Putting the KDM on the drive with the movie would defeat the purpose of having KDMs in the first place. How is that? Isn't it keyed to your projector/server/theater so it wouldn't work anywhere else? If not, that's pretty dumb.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-18-2011 09:56 PM                        All hard drives for each title contain the same content. If you wanted the KDM on the hard drive, they'd have to burn a specific drive for each booking. I imagine that would be a gigantic logistical pain for the distributor.  |  IP: Logged

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