Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Attention Managers and Owners....

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

»	Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE » Operations » Ground Level » Attention Managers and Owners.... (Page 2)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2

Author

Topic: Attention Managers and Owners....

John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 07-24-2001 11:35 AM

That same issue of the SMPTE Journal (July 2001, page 464) also has an item "50 Years Ago in the Journal" about the "imminent maturity" of "theater television", and the belief that "the new industry is well able to solve its own commercial problems" in July 1951. Digital Cinema anyone?

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

| IP: Logged

Gordon Bachlund
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 696
From: Monrovia, CA, USA
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 07-26-2001 09:23 AM

IN AND OUT OF FOCUS
By LEONARD MALTIN

from Playboy Magazine, Volume 48, No. 8
August 2001

I go to movie theaters in Los Angeles on a regular basis. It’s easy to spot me: I’m the one running up the aisle to the lobby of the multiplex, desperately looking for someone–anyone–to tell that the film I’m trying to watch is out of focus.
There’s a ritual to be observed. I’ve learned that no matter how blaring the noise, no matter how blurry the preview trailers are, those indignities are to be ignored; the sound and focus have been set for the feature film, and it doesn’t pay to complain until the main titles come up. Then, and only then, can I see if I’m in for a decent presentation.
As often as not, I’m the only one complaining. No wonder theater owners seem to have no concern about giving the public its money’s worth.
In olden days, it required only a couple of loudmouths to shout, “Focus!” or “Frame the picture!” to remedy these ills. Nowadays, those pleas fall on ears that aren’t so much deaf as nonexistent. Most of the time, there is no human being at the projector.
The dodo bird has nothing on the professional movie projectionist. One of the last full-time union-carded projectionists in Hollywood explained to me that he only works at his company’s flagship theater on the night shift. That way, he can repair the damage done during the day by inexperienced theater staff who simply switch the machines on and off. Management figures that if anyone complains during a sparsely attended matinee, it’s cheaper to pay them for their inconvenience with free passes than to hire union men to work all day.
What’s more, the labor involved in screening a movie has been dramatically reduced by the invention of the platter projector, which holds an entire film in one loop, eliminating the need for reel changeovers–formerly a projectionist’s major task. The problem arises from having to set a fixed focus and sound level, which forces an audience to live with wild variations during the preshow. (The other problem is that films are subjected to more wear and tear than ever before; perhaps that’s why even relatively new prints have distracting lines, scratches and splices.
Acknowledging the need for quality control, Kodak launched a program called Screen Check several years ago, sending field representatives to theaters to make sure the equipment was properly maintained, enough light was being used, etc. The last time I saw the promotional trailer for this service at my neighborhood theater, it was projected out of focus. Honest.

| IP: Logged

John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 07-26-2001 09:53 AM

Film critic Leonard Maltin wrote: "Acknowledging the need for quality control, Kodak launched a program called Screen Check several years ago, sending field representatives to theaters to make sure the equipment was properly maintained, enough light was being used, etc. The last time I saw the promotional trailer for this service at my neighborhood theater, it was projected out of focus. Honest."

Remember the saying: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."?

The Kodak Screencheck Experience program offers training programs, but it can't be in the theatre to focus the projector:
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/screencheck/offer.shtml

| IP: Logged

Kristin Wahlund
Film Handler

Posts: 92
From: Eagan, MN
Registered: Jul 2001

posted 07-26-2001 11:07 AM

The hardest part of bring that hated projectionist, is that you have several (i have 16) screens to watch at once! Most problems can be prevented by checking every splice in the film especially the ones that come with it. And by if there happens to be some kind of catastrophe with the film, make sure some one capable can fix it with out problems. We had one manager, who would never make a good splice, he just was the bad splicer. No matter how hard he tried. My entire weekend was always spent fixing his missing cues and bad splices. At that theatre, we never previewed our movies, we just waited for customers to complain about something, mark it, and fix it next show. What a way to keep people coming back, they didnt mind because the tickets were 2 dollars. Any way, The point is that you have more than one projectionist, and some people are lazy and don't take pride in their work, and its har for a theatre to fore see who is going to be a good projectionist and who isn't.

| IP: Logged

John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 07-26-2001 01:06 PM

Kristin said "some people are lazy and don't take pride in their work".

You hit the nail on the head, although I might add that even the best projectionist won't be able to do a good job without the support of management, and won't stay in that job unless they can consider it a career.

It is certainly possible for one person to handle 16 screens, but as you note, things quickly go down the tubes if something goes wrong or if someone else isn't doing their job correctly. And the audience suffers because of it.

| IP: Logged

Kristin Wahlund
Film Handler

Posts: 92
From: Eagan, MN
Registered: Jul 2001

posted 07-27-2001 12:28 PM

Thanks John,
No one at my former theatre understood why I left them. My manager didn't get things done and chose poor people for important tasks (such as building films) and I was tired of putting up with him and fixing all the problems, for a while I decided to be the sole "booth chick" as I was called, but that worked to anextent, but the manager didn't help me out with anything in the way of promotions, raises, ect. So I quit. Treat us well and we will stay!

| IP: Logged

Charles Everett
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1470
From: New Jersey
Registered: May 2001

posted 07-28-2001 03:41 PM

Just came from seeing Made on the first matinee (1:30 PM) at the Loews New Brunswick (New Jersey).

The picture was off center all the way through. Early in Reel 5 the booth jockeys fiddled with the aperture plates and turned the framing knob so the picture was even more off center. How could I tell? The boom mic was clearly visible in several shots over the last 15 minutes To top that, the bottom half of the rating card was chopped off at the end.

After the movie ended I went to the customer service desk to complain about the bad presentation. A theater employee was standing close by -- he couldn't have been more than 20 years old -- and he told me that's the way it was supposed to be.

What the hell is this crap?

Loews New Brunswick was the first megaplex and the first stadium theater in New Jersey (opened Thanksgiving 1996). Not only that, it was the first megaplex and the first stadium theater in the New York metropolitan area. For more than 2 1/2 years it was my regular theater. I've only been there twice in the past 8 months -- both times when it had an exclusive. I saw Crouching Tiger 2 days before Xmas (prior to wide release) and the sound was muddy. I saw Made today (limited/platform release) and the booth jockeys made sure I couldn't see the entire picture.

If Loews' standards have fallen so far since it went Chapter 11 then whoever takes over Loews should get rid of the current top management. UA was in Chapter 11 for 6 months yet that didn't prevent UA from putting on a good show at Union Square in NYC.

| IP: Logged

Gordon Bachlund
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 696
From: Monrovia, CA, USA
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 07-30-2001 02:09 PM

I have a friend who is currently installing and aligning projection and sound equipment at a new 20-screen venue for Century Theaters in Tucson, AZ. He tells me that Century Theater booth equipment includes Kelmar film cleaners with FilmGuard cleaning media and cleaner/lubricant.

He further tells me that Century provides good projectionist training to its employees, and he suggests that, if one wants to see “film done right,” one would be well advised to patronize a Century Theater, where the likelihood of experiencing examples of the “Seven Deadly Sins” is minimal or non-existent.

I have followed his advice, and I agree that one does experience “film done right” in Century’s houses. Perhaps that accounts for the number of new venues Century is building. A corollary might be that the patrons of the chains in trouble are experiencing “film done wrong.” It never pays to be penny wise and pound foolish.

That, then, is the message that owners and managers would do well to heed. It still takes money (qualified projectionists, well maintained equipment, etc.)to make money.

| IP: Logged

Charles Everett
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1470
From: New Jersey
Registered: May 2001

posted 12-08-2001 09:29 AM

Bringing this back up to tell you the latest horror story:

Last Saturday (12/1) I was at the Loews Jersey Gardens in Elizabeth NJ. A 20-screen megaplex that opened in late August. Yes, it's 3 1/2 months old and already it's becoming a dump.

For the 6:20 PM show of Spy Game the auditorium was not cleaned between shows (I found a McDonald's cup in one of the cup holders). All the trailers had vertical scratches. Every reel of the feature had vertical scratches -- some of them green scratches. It was like watching a movie through a picket fence. I had a steep climb up and then down stairs to get to my seat. Not to mention the leisurely service at the box office and concession stand (fortunately I arrived early). The only good thing was the SDDS sound mix.

This Loews megaplex is in the far end of a busy outlet mall off the New Jersey Turnpike -- with no signs telling people where the theater is. Because of the bad presentation and bad location this will be my first and only visit to that theater.

As a final insult, I tried to use the comment card on the Loews website to let Loews know about the bad presentation. There's a required pull-down menu for you to indicate the theater city. Which city is not listed? Elizabeth NJ.

| 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.