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This topic comprises 4 pages: 1 2 3 4
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Author
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Topic: RANT! Why not E-Cinema? Makes so much sense to me!
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Edward Havens
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 614
From: Los Angeles, CA
Registered: Mar 2008
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posted 04-04-2010 07:21 AM
At my theatre, we recently had our first encounter with E-Cinema, running a product that was only available on 1080p Blu-Ray. The Blu-Ray was hooked in to a Gefen scaler using an HDMI cable, and then over to our Barco DP2000 with a DVI cable. Was the image quality equal to my normal D-Cinema presentations? No. But the producers and the director were all equally impressed, saying our presentation looked better than any other theatre their product had played up to that point. Did it help that I actually run my bulb at 14 foot lamberts, or that it was through a 2K projector instead of a 1K or 1.2K? I don't know. I don't the equipment used at the other theatres, nor am I that much of an expert yet on D-Cinema, and even less of one on E-Cinema.
But I am also wondering how much different that image would have looked showing through a 1.2K if it was in a theatre with a 19x10ft screen and only a 50ft throw, as opposed to on a 2K on a 28x16ft screen with an 85ft throw. I'll find out in six weeks, because I have another E-Cinema presentation coming up then, and I am not going to be tying my Digital 3D house, and I'll probably end up having to rent a 1.2K projector to show it on a 19x10ft screen with a 50ft throw.
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Steven J Hart
Master Film Handler
Posts: 282
From: WALES, ND, USA
Registered: Mar 2004
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posted 04-05-2010 08:54 PM
quote: Richard C. Wolfe
Somehow I think most of you are missing the point here.
The question from Ronda was why not allow smaller theatres, ie: small town, 2nd runs, discounts, rural, whatever, that will find it extremely difficult, or downright impossible to afford $80,000 digital projection equipment (D-Cinema), to purchase $10,000 digital equipment (E-Cinema) instead. This is currently being done in other countries, India being an excellent example.
Richard, I think its really hard for the big city guys on this forum to understand the problems faced by those of us trying to run a movie theater in rural-town USA. I love 35mm. I've invested the money in Digital Sound, Good lenses, speakers and amps, and am always working to present the best image I can from the (sometimes) trashed prints I'm forced to show (filmguard). I want to continue to run 35mm, but print availability has really gotten tough here in North Dakota - mostly because of Carmike, but it will only get worse as the major chains continue to add digital screens. I've been used to playing features 2 to 3 weeks off the national break by circuiting second or third prints over from the multiplexes, but those prints are getting tougher to come by, so my window seems to be edging farther out from the break. I think that our theater may be able to move to D-Cinema when the time is right, but many of my neighboring theaters who gross less than me probably won't be able to make the transition. I know I'll get yelled down here, but most of the patrons at my theater think I'm just putting a disk into some kind of player. When I tell them that we still run film they seem shocked! They Don't Care -as long as the picture looks good to them and the sound is good... Some folks tell me that they only come to the theater because the sound is so much better than at home.
Steve
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Ronda Fitzsimmons
Film Handler
Posts: 75
From: Pottstown, PA, USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 04-07-2010 02:25 AM
Steve, Really? "EVERY THEATRE IS AN AMBASSADOR TO THE INDUSTRY." Funny, and all this time I thought I was just one of many small businesses in the country serving my customers and creating jobs. Wonder what my customers and employees would think about your position - show a perfect presentation or close. It's an elitist position, and honestly my customers are blue collar, hard working and not at all interested in what system I'm using, as long as they can see and hear the movie.
Like Dick Wolfe, I've been in the business a long time, (not as long as you, Dick!), and I'm much more concerned about getting the picture onscreen and paying the bills than an 8% difference in some LAB. We can't get a print that doesn't have scratches after 8-10 weeks of play. And $10k PER SCREEN, not per complex, puts me out of business, my staff on unemployment, and my apparently inferior customers staying at home - they can't afford first run prices.
I'm willing to go into debt for something that makes financial sense. I'm not willing to work for the next seven years to pay for equipment that will be out of the date the second I sign the papers - even IF there were a way for me to get that kind of loan. Are you Scott? Somehow I doubt it. Money's not a bad thing you know. Why do you work?
I realize there are a lot of people here who are upset about the change to digital. I'm not one of them. I think there are many obvious advantages, and it's inevitable. I just dont think the change should shut out my business model, my customers, my employees. Not when there's a perfectly reasonable alternative available.
I'm not asking for a handout. The theatres that are able to convert to d-cinema are getting per print fees. If the film companies are so concerned about security, then they could invest in marking each print to track back to the thieves, just like they do now.
And for the record, I am investing in improving the presentation, and I do so every year. Last year we replaced the seats with newer used seats, and several customers got VERY upset, because they thought we'd then have to increase our prices and they wouldn't be able to afford to come any more. I just want a chance to continue to serve my customers. To continue to provide jobs for my people. And to continue to make a living in a business I love. Really, is it so unreasonable?
And I believe it's a better long term industry model to start with affordable equipment, even if it is lower res, to allow for upgrades as the technology advances, as it's doing every day. 3D on your TV anyone?
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