Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Technology conflict between Loews and AMC?

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

»	Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE » Operations » Ground Level » Technology conflict between Loews and AMC? (Page 2)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2

Author

Topic: Technology conflict between Loews and AMC?

Bill Enos
Film God

Posts: 2081
From: Richmond, Virginia, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 01-20-2006 05:42 AM

We still do it as Monte described on Saturday nights. Couldn't afford to do it without the screen ads.

| IP: Logged

John Pytlak
Film God

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

posted 01-20-2006 09:51 AM

quote: Brad Miller
Even simpler solution:

Don't force your paying audience to sit through those horrible advertising programs.

Don't confuse the CONTENT of the preshow, with the technology used to show it. Kodak's goal is to provide the best technology and service available to allow superior presentation quality. The advertisers, content providers, and theatre circuits determine the production quality and entertainment value of what is shown.

| IP: Logged

Mark J. Marshall
Film God

Posts: 3188
From: New Castle, DE, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 01-20-2006 10:22 AM

I'll never forget going to Pete's theater in Suffern, NY. One of the pipe organ players there played movie music from all over the spectrum for the better part of an hour as one long medley... with no sheet music. Talk about being in the mood for a good show... THAT was pre-show entertainment! [thumbsup]

| IP: Logged

Louis Bornwasser
Film God

Posts: 4441
From: prospect ky usa
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 01-20-2006 01:46 PM

Monte: You & I run the risk here of appearing as elderly grandfatherly reminders of a bygone era. YES! It WAS that good!

Showmen ran the theatres. Sometimes things were done (with the support of home office) that cost money because it was RIGHT to do so. Sometimes showmen bet incorrectly & lost everything.

Bean counters have stopped all creative endeavor. Louis

| IP: Logged

Matt Fields
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 545
From: Ohio, United States
Registered: Jun 2005

posted 01-20-2006 02:34 PM

I'm younger then both Louis or Monte (I'm 30), so maybe I don't quite understand what makes having a curtain so great. I don't think most people my age would care.

I agree that the public in general does not like the constant advertising blitz that many theatres are now putting into their preshows, and this is a turnoff where some people choose to do something else.

What if, instead of curtains, theatres brought back the old showmanship tradition of serials and cartoons before the feature to replace the current preshow?

These could be [dlp]

and would start before the announced feature time. The volume could be set low. I think it would be more fun then either curtains or a blank screen.

Personally, I like to have something to entertain me while I'm waiting, especially if I'm by myself.

| IP: Logged

Bill Gabel
Film God

Posts: 3873
From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 01-20-2006 03:17 PM

The use of a curtain gives the presentation a more of a theatrical feel, if its done right. Like if you've ever been to the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California. They use two curtains, the main waterfall and a title curtain. All set to music as the lights dim and the curtains open and part, it's all theatrical and first class. I guess thats just alittle of Showmanship that chain shows. [thumbsup]

| IP: Logged

John Pytlak
Film God

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

posted 01-20-2006 03:31 PM

quote: Matt Fields
What if, instead of curtains, theatres brought back the old showmanship tradition of serials and cartoons before the feature to replace the current preshow?

These could be and would start before the announced feature time. The volume could be set low. I think it would be more fun then either curtains or a blank screen.

Certainly can be done. There used to be free 35mm shorts (usually with a subtle "commercial" message) available from "Modern Talking Picture Service" and other distributors. We often played these before the feature at the drive-in that I worked at. And we always played a cartoon too. Our "coming attractions" was made of trailers, snack bar ads, and the famous countdown to showtime "clock", and shown between the first and second feature.

High quality digital pre-show systems would do a fine job with these kind of shows.

| IP: Logged

Paul Linfesty
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1383
From: Bakersfield, CA, USA
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 01-20-2006 03:55 PM

quote: Bill Gabel
They use two curtains, the main waterfall and a title curtain.

Actually they have three, the waterfall, followed by the art-deco black painted curtain, and a silver tinsel curtain. Unfortunately, the last two shows I caught here (CHICKEN LITTLE, CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, they were only using the waterfall. Don't know what happened to the other two.

| IP: Logged

Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004

posted 01-20-2006 05:00 PM

quote: Matt Fields
so maybe I don't quite understand what makes having a curtain so great. I don't think most people my age would care.

...and sorry to hear this being such a depressive road for the theatre operations to be heading to.

No, as kids and young adults back then, the intermission music would be playing, then that curtain begins to rise, EVERYONE in the auditorium would hush down, or some would clap and scream.

House lights would go down, I'd be starting the projector after have struck the arcs. Then, pop open up the dowser to get the trailers on the screen, down the stage lights and open up the title curtain.

Now, if we had a scope feature (there where no such thing as scope trailers back then..)the last trailer would be cued for title curtain closure. While the title curtain was closed, the double masking settings were done for scope format (we had 1.66/1 for flat and 2.35/1 for scope-and if I was running full-trak mag, then I set the scope maskings to 2.55/1 . When we ran "Ben-Hur" I had special apertures cut for the Camera 65 reduction to 35mm, and had special settings to bring down the horizontal masking lower to be able to fit that 2.77/1 presentation within the masking settings - let alone repitching the machines downward for this special ratio).

Then, when the cue to start the other machine, the other machine's dowser would be opened, then the opening of the title curtain. When this took place, the audience would then really hoop and holler..

It was twice to ten times as fun when we were showing "Rocky Horror Picture Show" for midnights.....NOW, everyone really got into that act with this movie...LOL

..that was extremely fun. THAT was Showmanship for sure.

Now, let's see all of you do this in a modern, opened screen auditorium....

"grandfather" (lol), Monte

| IP: Logged

Mark Hajducki
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 500
From: Edinburgh, UK
Registered: May 2003

posted 01-21-2006 04:56 PM

With preshow ads and trailers it is nice to have a curtain closure and a short (30 second) period before the curtain open on the feature (the BBFC certificate in the UK). This also allows for any lense/masking change to be carried out (it is not good showmanship to see the image fly across the auditorium as the turret moves whilst the screen size gets smaller).

quote: Matt Fields
so maybe I don't quite understand what makes having a curtain so great. I don't think most people my age would care.

Although I am younger still I like seeing films in curtained auditoria (the three in the city that are still used).

| IP: Logged

Martin Brooks
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 900
From: Forest Hills, NY, USA
Registered: May 2002

posted 01-21-2006 09:36 PM

Theatres wouldn't need the ads if they got a better deal on the films. But as long as the distribs are taking 95% of opening-weeks dollars, there is no choice. And while people say they hate the ads, as long as the house lights are at a decent level during the ads, they're very easy to ignore. Hell..half the audience is on their cell phones during the ads.

In an age where the studios are threatening day-and-date DVD releases, the theaters need to take every action they can to stay in business. That should be a balance of both looking for other revenue streams as well as recreating a theatre experience that can't be had at home and an organ pre-show (which can come AFTER the ads if need-be or during the ads if they're silent) is one way of accomplishing that.

| 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.