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Author Topic: More USELESS nonsense in the world of digital cinema Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 11-15-2013 02:25 PM                     Yeah, reasonable level of computer knowledge. It might be nice if all those people at the movie studio as well as those creating/distributing the DCP keys had a reasonable level of computer knowledge. If so, the lunacy of doing a QC on a different partial movie file rather than THE movie file being shown to customers wouldn't be taking place. The idea of making two different keys for those two different files is even more silly. The phrase "reasonable level of computer knowledge" is very subjective and open to interpretation. What would be considered "reasonable?" I think basic file management skills would be mandatory. I've come across so many friends, relatives, customers, etc. that don't know how to find their way around Windows File Explorer or the Mac OS Finder I'm starting to think a mere minority of computer users know how to organize computer files in different folders, discs, etc. Microsoft Windows defaults to hiding file type extensions (such as ".pdf, .zip, .exe"). This can add to the headaches. I need a vector-based logo from a customer. He has four copies of "company logo" in his My Documents folder. Not being able to see the file type extensions (along with not having any graphics software on that specific machine) leaves him confused. So what does he do? He e-mails me the one that gives him a thumbnail image preview, which turns out to be a low resolution JPEG image and worthless for my purposes. The act of digging into a movie encryption key, checking its values to see if they're correct and then re-generating a new key with correct values if needed, not only takes a reasonable amount of computer knowledge it takes time and effort too. I'm guessing all these DCP encryption keys are automatically generated by the thousands using a script plugged into a theater database. It should all work well as long as all the information in that database is correct & up to date. Good luck on that! Adding additional fake movie files and keys to unlock them just adds more layers of hassle for everyone. So, yeah, I have to think companies like Deluxe or whoever wouldn't voluntarily create all this extra work for themselves (and people at the theaters) unless is was generating more money for them.  |  IP: Logged Gavin Lewarne Master Film Handler Posts: 278 From: Plymouth, UK Registered: Aug 2009 posted 11-15-2013 03:22 PM                     My most stupid distributor request: (on press screening of some art film) "Please test the test content we are sending you, the supplied keys will unlock it" Problem 1) - The test content was not even part of the film Problem 2) - The test content was on a totally separate CRU drive to the film Problem 3) - The supplied keys for the test content unlocked the actual film, not their test content Most stupid KDM problem: I get my KDM email for a film. Glaringly obvious mistake. Call them up. "Uh hello Mr Distributor. Can you please send me a key for the film that has not ALREADY EXPIRED"...."What is that Mr Distributor, you have no record of us booking this film to start today?...weird, because you sent me the drive today just fine........ why, no, we were not playing it last week BECAUSE YOU JUST SENT ME THE DRIVE" Im not even sure that some of these people know what the KDMs actually do, let alone the details of how they work  |  IP: Logged Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 11-15-2013 04:15 PM                        When I think about the basic operations and a reasonable level of computer knowledge, I'm mainly thinking of the ability to load and play a playlist - maybe even ingesting content and building a basic playlist. Those functions are pretty straight forward on the GDC severs. Shouldn't take more than a few minutes to learn those functions as long as you know how to use a mouse and key board, and navigate a menu. I don't think basic operations involves any kind of configuration or running software updates, or anything beyond that.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-15-2013 06:27 PM                        I taught a high school girl -- who is not particulary interested in computers but is otherwise normally intelligent -- all of the basics of operating our system in about half an hour. That included time to start up the projector, build a playlist, insert cues and run the playlist for testing.  |  IP: Logged James Waite Film Handler Posts: 52 From: London ON Canada Registered: Nov 2007 posted 11-15-2013 08:37 PM                        I wonder if they do things differently here in Canada. Our keys usually unlock wednesday at midnight/Thursday. I usually ingest the movies thursday afternoon and QC them before the evening shows or afterwards if needed. We don't run matinees. I received a key for Prisoners last week that didn't open until Midnight on Thursday/Friday. I called and asked them to open it earlier so I could test when I usually do and they sent a new key. We are second run however so maybe that's why they aren't as strict?  |  IP: Logged Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 11-15-2013 09:25 PM                        James, typically keys for first run movies are good starting at midnight the day before release (Wednesday night for Friday releases). However, some studios are different. For example, Sony is typically 6:00pm the day before release, but it looks like they may be changing to 6:00am the day before. Disney keys are typically good the Monday before release. It's only Lionsgate that seems to play these games with their big release. They did the same thing with the first Hunger Games, and they gave a pretty narrow window on a couple of the Twilight movies.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 11-15-2013 09:40 PM                     So let's see, Lionsgate doesn't have any other movies out, so what they are saying is "fuck the other studios" and essentially forcing the theaters to cancel "some other studio's movie" at the prime time round in order to QC theirs because they won't unlock the keys at a normal time. Of course. This makes total sense now. And if I was another studio, I wouldn't be annoyed at all. I say everybody cancel the prime time show in WHICHEVER auditorium(s) you plan on running this Hunger Games thing in so you can do your QCs and let the studio's fight it out. Remember, a QC in auditorium #1 does no good for auditorium #2, etc. The whole QC thing is silly anyway. How many theaters actually QC their holdover movies as they change auditoriums? Ummmm let's see...NONE! And how many problems have their been? Like I said, unlock them early or just don't unlock them until the last minute. This fake "test" nonsense and unlocking only a few hours prior to showtime needs to go away though.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-16-2013 05:11 PM                        I don't get it. What does a studio think can happen between the time they unlock a feature for QC to the time it plays for the public? Are they concerned that some naredowell theatre owner will pirate it, assuming all the other anti-piracy security could be circumscribed? Why is the day. or two, or three before the film opens any more or less vulnerable than ANY day after it opens, again assuming 1) you have a some criminal bent on stealing it and 2) he/she has that ability? How does not allowing an extra day or two for a real, FULL QC run make it any more or less easier to bootleg? Prints were delivered to theatres sometime a week before opening; I thought digital was supposed to make copying much harder than film. What has to happen is, sooner or later a big batch of defective DCPs will go out where the feature is can't play through completely, but the stupid, useless "test" QC file plays fine all the theatres report back that everything is verified because they ran the QC, but not the feature. Then come Friday opening and everything goes to shit. Since they themselves say it will take them 24 hrs to replace the bad DCP hardware or software, that studio will loose the whole weekend as all those theatres will have to cancel Friday and Saturday, probably Sunday. So opening weekend numbers on their big tentpole will be something like $60,000 in 34 theatres....hehe Bet THAT will make studios rethink this crap. After all, if they lose even one show on a first run, that's their 90/10 deal...it hurts them a hellofalot more than the exhibitor, other than his embarrassment and lost public good-will, which, if life was fair, he could quantify and with a good lawyer or representative industry ORGANIZATION, sue the studio to recoupe damages and breach of contract due to their inability to supply a runable print. And that, of course, brings us back so what was already mentionted -- did someone say where is NAAAAAAAAY-TOE?! There's NATO...with its collective head up its collective ass. BTW, by now, surely someone out there must by working on a KEY Hack App, yes?  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-16-2013 06:07 PM                        Has any of you guys ever sent so much as an email to NATO about this problem? I didn't think so. They may not even know there is a complaint since most people don't say anything.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 11-16-2013 06:12 PM                     quote: Frank Angel BTW, by now, surely someone out there must by working on a KEY Hack App, yes? Not necessary, it's already done. Just that it takes longer to compute the key than the feature will be showing. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 11-16-2013 06:21 PM                        NATO doesn't wield any power over the studios. They are a trade organization which can gather information from the theatre and present it to the studio, but they have no power. In fact, I believe NATO takes a stance against advocating that theatre take any particular stance against the studios in order to avoid any charges of collusion. That being said, I can assure you many of these issues are brought to the attention of NATO, and they are brought to the attention of the studios. I know this because I have been in the room when various issues are being discussed within NATO and I have seen, or been made aware of, communications between NATO and studio executives.  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-16-2013 07:25 PM                        As we have discussed before, it is all about control. They want as much as possible and they are going to take all they can.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Garman Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1470 From: Toledo, OH USA Registered: Mar 2003 posted 11-16-2013 10:05 PM                     Makes you kind of miss when just the DTS discs were missing, doesn't it? AJG  |  IP: Logged Sean Weitzel Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 619 From: Vacaville, CA (1790 miles west of Rockwall) Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-17-2013 11:25 AM                     or combination locks on the cans "You'll have the lock code 2 hours before showtime"  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-17-2013 01:36 PM                        quote: Justin Hamaker NATO doesn't wield any power over the studios. They are a trade organization which can gather information from the theatre and present it to the studio, but they have no power. In fact, I believe NATO takes a stance against advocating that theatre take any particular stance against the studios in order to avoid any charges of collusion. Saying NATO has no power over the studios is like saying the studios have no power over exhibition. The argument that NATO sometimes puts forth that somehow if its member exhibitors formulated guidelines and policies that were beneficial to the group, that would constitute collusion -- that's just a half-baked excuse. There is a difference between acting on issues that have a common impact on a group of businesses and conspiracy to financially harm another business. The former is perfectly legal, the latter is not. Studios have been formulating policies that benefit them as a group since the beginning of time -- it's called the MPAA; it's called DCI. Ever read the "Master Contracts" from each studio? Rearrange the paragraphs a bit, but in the end they all say pretty much exactly the same thing. That didn't happen by accident or in a vacuum or because the studios were afraid they's be accused of collusion. If NATO thinks they only have the power to "suggest" things to the studios that are detribmental to exhibition, going like beggars with their hand out pleading for relief and anything more than that would be illegal, then they need to get better lawyers. In today's environment where the number of big exhibitors is down to three, any one of them alone, without even involving NATO, could simple state that their policy is that they will not open any picture from any studio where they are not given at least 48 hours to fully QC the entire picture. Period. THAT is power. No studio is going to risk loosing a Friday opening night in every AMC theatre just because they won't issue keys with that REASONABLE 48 hour lead-time. Let a big blockbuster not open at all AMC theatres until Sunday instead of Friday and guaranteed which ever the studio, it will immediately rethink their idiotic QC KEY policy. Exhibitors can have policies too, if they only had the balls to implement them. Theatre owners could have done that for decades, but it was always GREED and competition with each other that paralized them from any effective control that they might have in their own interests. The studios have found a way to do it legally, so could exhibition.  |  IP: Logged

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