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Author
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Topic: Who the HECK are you??
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Rob Baker
Film Handler
Posts: 7
From: Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
Registered: Nov 2007
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posted 12-04-2007 01:15 PM
Hi there!
I'm Rob Baker, I'm the General Manager of the Lyric Theatre in Blacksburg, Virginia.
We're a 1 screen, second run theater which is overseen by a council of board members. My job is day to day theater upkeep, as well as personnel and some booking.
Our screen is positioned on a stage, which we use for live events (concerts, plays, speakers, etc.)
The previous GM (and my good drinking buddy) suggested this site as a valuable resource and tool. Looking forward to chatting with everyone!
Rob
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Dan Sherlock
Film Handler
Posts: 11
From: Hollywood, CA, USA
Registered: Feb 2008
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posted 02-12-2008 08:13 PM
Hi there,
I’m a long time lurker – first time poster. I’m Dan Sherlock, and I’m mostly known for being a film format historian. I’m mostly known for authoring the infamous “Wide Screen Movies Corrections” document that can be found in the “Tips” area here at Film-Tech. (Thanks, Brad!) It is infamous because it is 60 pages of corrections to the equally infamous book “Wide Screen Movies” by Carr & Hayes. It is a little bit cumbersome, but if you take their book and use it side-by-side with the corrections, it equals a pretty good reference (IMHO).
Okay, now for the “Who are you stuff”:
Dan Sherlock
Technology Project Manager
Science and Technology Council
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ®
Hollywood, California
Started in this position about 3 years ago
Member of SMPTE for about 20 years or so
Member of BKSTS for about 15 years or so
Main interest in film tech: What it is/was, how it worked.
Secondary interest in film-tech: Other media, 3-D, audio, video, simulators, etc.
And to get the disclaimer done right away:
Any opinions expressed by me do not necessarily represent those of A.M.P.A.S. ®
I typically do not have involvement in programs presented by the Academy, even those presented by the Sci-Tech Council. So please don’t thank me or criticize me for Academy stuff that others put together – I just work here.
And sometimes I get quite busy and I might not respond to an e-mail or posting for a few days. If this happens, please be patient or just remind me to look for the message. I do hope to post some replies in the near future to some postings I’ve seen about older film formats.
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Reid Helford
Film Handler
Posts: 16
From: Dayton, Washington, USA
Registered: Feb 2008
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posted 03-26-2008 07:37 PM
Hi I'm Reid Helford. I'm the new manager at The Liberty Theater in Dayton, Wa. We're in a small town of 2500 in eastern Washington. The Liberty is an historic, restored, single-screen sub-run theater that also hosts 4 or 5 community theater productions each year. The theater is owned by the non-profit Touchet Valley Arts Council.
I have my PhD in Sociology and have taught college for the last 14 years. I've really had enough of academia. While I still teach part-time, I have longed for the opportunity to manage a theater such as this and have given up tenure to jump in with both feet. I am currently filled with all the naive optimism that I think one should have when entering the field. I truly expect The Liberty will become something special - both from the dependable locals who restored and have made the theater work for the last 6 years as well as the growing audience from the outlying areas who bring new energy and expectations (and money too!).
It has been enlightening to read the posts in these forums. However, I must admit to finding some of it discouraging in terms of the apparent risks to innovation. I recognize that 'theater fundamentals' form the basis of successful movie houses, yet there is so much more that can be and should be done to attract a broader audience. Some of this is tricky in a rural context like The Liberty's, yet I find so many resposnes of the "tried it, don't work" variety from locals and folks on here that I've had to invest in a lot of salt.
I am really please to be part of this community and look forward to learning from you all - even if you mostly tell me "tried it and it won't work!"
Peace.
Reid
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Reid Helford
Film Handler
Posts: 16
From: Dayton, Washington, USA
Registered: Feb 2008
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posted 05-03-2008 07:34 PM
Hey Robert, thanks for the encouraging words.
The Board has taken very good care of me thus far. I would know from them if there was trouble. They have just barely broke even on the place for years now and keeping the status quo would be enough to make them happy. Of course, I want to make this place profitable and they love my energy and ideas. Making the new ideas work, however, will take time.
The immediate area (town of 2500) has very mainstram taste in movies. I'm slowly trying to encourage a broader appreciation of other films, but recognize that my job is mostly to serve the interests of the locals. The nearest larger city has a much younger and higher educated population and they will drive the half-hour for foreign and independent films. Unfortunately, over the last three years the theater has backed off on those films as they continued to lose money. In time the outlying population forgot about the theater and we see less of them. My goals is to bring them back and I am working hard to reach them and will risk the bringing in of alternative films. I've got Persepolis running in a week or two and I've pushed it hard in my pre-show talk as well as by email and mailings. A group from over an hour away has already committed to bring 30 to 40 folks out for it. It can work, it just takes time and effort (and a 10% discount at the local eatery!).
I am rounding up local talent to have pre-show entertainment for 10 mnutes in a vaudevillian sort of way. Anything to mark this place as somewhere to go for a night, even if you aren't crazy about the movie. Our live perfomances already being people in that way. We need to package the films in a similar manner.
Reid
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