Start with a large fortune and run a single screen theatre dedicated to films no one want's to see.

I wouldn't show 16mm in anyting larger than a living room. It is an inferior format currently. 35mm or proper (read very expensive) video projection is far superior to a portable 16mm projector and as has been pointed out before a professional 16mm projector will cost you more than a good used 35mm set-up.

As much as I would love to run a successful single screen theatre, they are impractical these days. We run a 5-screen and don't have enough room to play the product available to us.

-in poor physical condition (missing footage, splicy, scratched, etc)
-faded to pink (practically all pre-1983 Eastman prints are on their way to eternal redness by now- IB Tech, LPP (post-1983 Eastman) and some early Fuji prints will still have good color)
-virtually IMPOSSIBLE to get anymore in 35mm (one of the few advantages you would have with 16mm)
-rights are in legal limbo in many cases as studios go by the wayside (especially the B-movie mills)

Video is a completely different ball of wax. Color will be better but rights clearances are totally different than for regular theatrical as they are under a different license (a 'home use' license) and of course image quality will be substantially lower than 35 and even some 16 product.

Caveat Emptor.

My experience does not agree with yours. Do you actually have unfaded Fuji prints made before 1983? AFAIK, Kodak was the first to introduce a low fade cyan dye coupler for color print film developed with CD-2 color developer:
http://www.kodak.com/country/US/en/motion/about/chrono3.shtml
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/about/chrono4.shtml

BTW, even "old dye technology" prints of that era will have negligible fading if kept under the recommended long-term storage conditions specified in SMPTE Recommended Practice RP131.

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: +1 585 477 5325 Cell: +1 585 781 4036 Fax: +1 585 722 7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

The Vic is mostly a live music venue. On the nights when no band is scheduled, they fill the open, tiered dance floor area with tables and chairs, staff the bar, and open the venue as the Brew & View. They typically have three different second-run features per night.

First of all, I'm not going to be showing films "no one want's to see." I'm going to be showing films that *I* want to see, and that a lot of artists and intelligent people in the area want to see. I know I haven't been very clear about my programming, but it's hard to give you an idea of a season without booking a bunch of films and showing you the list. However, most of them you probably have never heard of if all you do is watch hollywood movies.

I already have some experience holding 16mm events in and around town and they are wildly popular. I've shown 16mm on an Elmo 16CL in warehouses with a 50-foot throw, and people love it. Sure, it's "technically unacceptable" to some... people who can't live without THX surround sound and stadium seating. But others appreciate the experience to see films that have either been forgotten or that provide them unexpectedly with insight. You could either chalk it up to a novelty or realize that the films I'm showing are unique in the live entertainment market in this area.

Besides, from a more practical standpoint, the markup on liquor (in addition to popcorn) should be enough to offset slow nights. Think of it primarily as a bar. The screenings are provided as an extra feature. Perhaps there will be screenings only on Friday and Saturday night. The rest of the week it's just a bar. Does that make more sense?

Marc S.

Ian --

Sorry if my last post sounded a little defensive. I didn't mean to imply that you only watch hollywood movies and can't appreciate independents, etc. I think someone else made a comment about educational films and it had seemed to me that maybe I hadn't been clear about the programming.

In any case, I saw you in the pictures of the Nugget Theater in Telluride. That looks like a very cool theater and probably close in size/style to the one I would like to open. I don't suppose there are any pictures of the auditorium anywhere?

Take it easy.

I have a 1972-datecoded Fuji 'Charlotte's Web' trailer with PERFECT color(and it is not IB), and no apparent signs of the fabled 'Fuji Rot'.

-Aaron

Recipe for disaster right there. You don't book movies just because *you and your circle of friends and colleagues* like them if you plan on going anywhere with this. The only people that will even bother coming will be exactly those you named. And i guarantee they will want everything free or greatly discounted, since you are their 'buddy'... Been there, Done that.

On second thought, you say you are planning on running this as a bar/cafe first with movies as an added gimmick... Maybe it will work, however I would just go with video or 16mm and *DO NOT* charge admission of any kind as many other bars have done (and most likely totally ignoring exhibition licenses, but what the hey, its a BAR.)

>> it's hard to give you an idea of a season without booking a bunch of films and showing you the list.<<

Make up a sample list of what you plan on playing here and we can advise you on what might even be available let alone feasible. It's THAT easy.

>>However, most of them you probably have never heard of if all you do is watch hollywood movies.<<

This was directed at Ian, and I am inclined to reply:

Ian (and his business partner Ky Boyd) operate a 5-screen ARTHOUSE. In the several years they have been operating they have had VERY FEW 'Hollywood' movies in that plex.

My .02

-Aaron

Yes, I realize that Ian runs a 5-screen arthouse. I've seen the pictures, too.

Anyway, your message intrigues me. Are there bars that charge no cover and simply dispense with exhibition rights? Surely this is a way to get in big trouble? Especially if showing more coveted titles such as "Wizard of Oz", to use an extreme example? (Not like I have my hands on a 16mm print of that, anyway...)

Well, I think that I have to decide whether or not to go full force with the film aspect or not. If I do, it will be 35mm "arthouse" fare + B-Movies + classics + other indies. I would probably get help booking. I would show films during the week and have live entertainment on the weekends, or vice versa.

I guess I'll stop boring you with my ideas, I don't seem to be making any progress. This industry is very complicated! =P

Marc S.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. The reason I came here to ask questions is because clearly you all have much more experience in the business than I do. I don't blame you for asking the tough questions, these are questions that I will have to answer. I do feel that it is still worth looking into. I will talk to a few distributors and some friends in the theater business and come back to you all with more details.

Thanks!

Marc S.

I'm still puzzled. Are you sure the date code is on the print film, or could they be a print-through from the negative onto a much more recent print?

Fuji's 1982 publication "General Properties of Fuji Motion Picture Films" (MP 3-3E), states on page 38: "An ideal color film storage temperature is below -18 Celsius (0 F)...Storage at temperatures below 10C (50F) is also acceptable as a compromise." IMHO, this recommendation would not indicate total confidence in their image stability. Maybe the person you bought the trailer from actually followed Fuji's cold storage recommendation?

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: +1 585 477 5325 Cell: +1 585 781 4036 Fax: +1 585 722 7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

If you plan on doing something like this (read: showing similar titles), you will HAVE to install a 35mm setup.

Another problem you *will* have would be competition from any major operator in the area. It doesn't matter how 'independent' you are, the film companies ignore that fact and will book the product (to include arthouse fare in many cases) to the big boys first. If there are any Landmark theatres or well-established arthouses in the area its a certainty that they will have first dibs on everything. You might be able to get some of the product subrun however.

We aren't here to 'Bash' you or your idea, many of us are speaking from experience of what works, what doesn't, and how to go about trying what you intend to try... The 70s and 80s are over, and the exhibition indusrty and the distributors have changed with the times. This is why you don't see repertory theatres and dollar houses dotting the countryside like they did in the late 70s/early 80s... It's just not the same anymore. When the indusrty changed, the rep houses and most of the dollar houses couldn't compete with the ever-shrinking first-run-to-video window that was threatening all of the subrun portion of the industry. Many people have inquired about wanting to reopen a cute little closed theatre and many have tried with disastrous results, some manage to scrape by and some others succeed greatly. Part of that is the market and part of it is experience. Many of these 'cute little closed theatres' are closed for a reason.

the times, they have a-changed...

John P: I am pretty sure it is an original trailer. I will have to get a better look at it to be sure.

-Aaron