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Author Topic: When should the lights go up? Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-15-2017 09:24 AM                        Again, in good theatre design, isle lights and ambient show-level lighting should be such that it is able to illuminate the isles well enough so that people can move about the theatre safely even when the show is running while at the same time, it not having and adverse impact on screen contrast. I may be spoiled by working in large single screen theatres -- the larger the theatre it seems, lighting can be controlled more easily -- but even given that, there really is no reason why when designing even a smallish room from scratch, ambient lighting should be able to be controlled well enough so you can have both safety AND very low to no impact on the image during the movie. In such a room with well controlled lighting, it's not a problem when the movie calls for lights to stay at show-level during odd type credits.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-15-2017 12:46 PM                        In my view the biggest reason for raising the lights to half during the credits is, people are looking around for their stuff. Although these days most people have their flashlight/phone available.  |  IP: Logged Bajsic Bojan Expert Film Handler Posts: 190 From: Ljubljana, Si, Eu Registered: Aug 2008 posted 11-15-2017 06:01 PM                     i believe it all boils down to a simple question: are credits a part of the movie? if your answer is yes, then lights should be off until the end of the credits. if your answer is no, then turn them on whenever you want. question tho, why does everyone turn their lights off during the intros, distributor snipes, sometimes even preludes or /gasp/ trailers. are these things (not) part of the movie also? or are they somehow more important than the rest of the movie? does it warrant special treatment in contrast to other parts of the movie? do you not also think there is a greater chance of people moving around the theater at that time at the beginning of the movie (and thus lights should be turned on)? for me, the movie starts with 0.00.00,00 on the playlist and ends after the last frame has passed. during that time, the screen should ideally get no extra stray photons. and i have yet to see theater lighting that would adequately illuminate the seating/isle area without an effect on the screen. if you try to take into account the wishes and desires of all your visitors and customers tho, one cannot make all of them happy at the same time. some will prefer insta-light, some will want to stay, but ultimately it is up to you (the cinema operator or manager) to convey to your public, what cinema is (or at least what you think what is should be) for you.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-15-2017 08:49 PM                        Lights are kept partially up during the trailers for practical reasons -- not everybody arrives on time. If they DID, then turning the lights off when the picture hits the screen would be fine, but it's not a perfect world. In fact Disney, a few years ago, put out a request that their attached trailers always be played with the lights down, since they invested millions of dollars in those trailers, blah blah. That effort went nowhere as far as I know. Here, the lights go down when the "turn off your cell phone" tag hits the screen, then the feature follows after that. That way, the first time the audience experiences the "full darkness" of the auditorium is when the feature has started. This serves to differentiate the feature from the rest of the world.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-15-2017 10:13 PM                        Hah, so The Rodent tried to get people to do what they want by explaining that they spent millions of dollars on their ad campaign and so why aren't you watching it? Oh yah, I am sure THAT got everyone's vote of sympathy! Poor, put-upon Disney -- no one's paying any attention to their marketing trailers. "Vee vill run da trailers undt you vill PAY ATTENTION!" And everyone just ignored it? What a surprise. I wouldn't put it past them to put their trailers right in the middle of the movie, like going to a commercial break. That's what the studios execs pray for every nite anyway...day-and- date when everyone on the planet can all watch sequels and rehashed, retreaded movies on ALL devices, i.e., anything that can display an image and all at the same time, and then it's BACK INTO THE VAULT. rolleyes:  |  IP: Logged Frank Cox Film God Posts: 2234 From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada Registered: Apr 2011 posted 11-15-2017 10:42 PM                        My auditorium lights have three levels. High, mid and low. The lights go to mid as soon as the projector starts. (In fact, that's part of the cue -- start projector, switch the sound away from non-sync, and turn the lights to mid). The lights go to low as soon as the feature starts. (I usually have something like "welcome to the theatre, enjoy the show" that I put between the last trailer and the feature, so that's where that cue goes.) The lights go back to mid as soon as the credits start, and they go to high at the end of the show. The lights run off of a Kelmar dimmer that's hooked to a Jnior that in turn talks to my server.  |  IP: Logged Daniel Schulz Master Film Handler Posts: 387 From: Los Angeles, CA USA Registered: Sep 2003 posted 11-16-2017 12:58 PM                        The showmanship I've always found most gratifying runs like this: * House lights dim halfway at projector start, and for the duration of the trailer package * House lights dim to off for the final logo trailer before the feature (THX, sound format logo etc) - or for the final trailer if it is sufficiently high-profile, i.e. a long-awaited trailer for a new Star Wars film or something * House lights stay off for the feature and for the early end credits that are not part of the scroll (if any) *House lights raised halfway at the scroll *All the way up only after the feature is completely finished The Marvel practice does throw a wrench into things; since the final tag is now considered part of the feature I'd be almost inclined to leave the house lights off for the whole shebang.  |  IP: Logged

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