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This topic comprises 8 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
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Topic: ShoWest 2003
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Brad Miller
Administrator
Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99
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posted 03-07-2003 04:40 PM
The short version of the new stuff...
DTS has their new player which has two DVD-rom drives in it and a hard drive (you can add a second one). It can store about 30 movie soundtracks. It has the captioning system built into it and will be able to display HD in the near future. You can load up the discs in one unit, then shoot it to the rest of the units in the building, then file the discs safely away. Oh, and did I mention it can do 10 channels? A VERY nice unit indeed! ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Christie has developed the first "davis loop" (like a SRD penthouse) in their projector as a basement reader. There are also lots of other nice upgrades to it, including a horizontal douser, round tooth belts and lots more improvements that engineers will love. (Really there was a ton of things on this that was great, I just can't remember all of it.) This was that projector that was in the extremely early stages of development last year that we found so odd. Now finished, it is definitely something to check out.
Strong unveiled their new projector. It uses a standard Simplex movement, but has a one piece design (like Kinoton and Christie). Their gearbox has been changed much for the better, the new design shouldn't have the leaking issues most Simplex owners are used to, the gate and trap has been completely redesigned with long runners and tons of other improvements. The projector on display was not a finished design, but in their initial testing was reported to have a picture steadier than a Kinoton (that's a bold statement! ![[Wink]](wink.gif) ).
Strong also has redesigned their standard Highlight II console (can't remember the new name) and really made changes for the better. No longer is tilting the console needed, for the entire lamp table and projector mount tilts on a couple of bolts in the rear inside the console. The lower operating side has tons of room for interface board wiring and so much extra room there you can mount a light inside to make things easier (I asked and hope Strong will just do this by default), store your projector bulbs and so forth. You could almost store a can of film down there! On the non-operator side I found the easiest by far layout of a power supply I have ever seen!!! Techs will absolutely love this new layout, for it is effortless to get to the diodes, contactor and well...everything!
There were lots of other fantastic products, but as for "first time" on display, these 3 were probably the biggest news and all look like great products.
I shot video at as many of the booths as I could and I think we got all but maybe one or two of the "projection and sound" related booths. These will be turning up over the next few weeks on the site as video downloads.
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Ian Price
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1714
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 03-07-2003 08:54 PM
ShoWest 2003
Monday I showed up in Las Vegas with enough time to check in to Bally’s and get a sandwich at the Patisserie before heading over to the Orleans to watch some film.
The first film I saw was The Cooler from Lion’s Gate Films. William H. Macy plays an unlucky gambler who has been hired (by breaking his legs) to turn other gambler’s hot streaks cool. But then he falls in love and his luck changes. This should do well at the Art houses.
At the reception I ran in to Jim Bedford of the Telluride Film Festival and Bobby Pinkston of Dolby. I was also able to have a bit of a chat with my bookers. Once again the jazz combo played too loud for a reception where people wanted to talk.
The next film I saw was Whale Rider from Newmarket Films. This is a story of a young Maori girl from New Zealand and her struggles to learn her native ways from her grandfather. This is a good Rabbit-Proof Fence, Himalaya type picture and could hook an audience.
Tuesday I got up early to eat breakfast and listen to the insurance and Variety Club chat. John Pytlak did present the Inter-Society award.
Next I went to the Opening Ceremony where John Fithian and Jack Valenti gave their state of the industry speeches. We did 9.2 billion in box office and grew 10.2% this year. It was the largest expansion of the box office since 1947. They were pretty happy. There is also an anti piracy awareness campaign going on.
I then attended the screening of Jim Sheridan’s new film In America. Jim Sheridan introduced the film. It’s a semi-autobiography of Jim coming to America in the 1970 with a wife and two daughters.
There was an opening day luncheon where Paul Richardson of Landmark Theatres introduced Steve Gilula of Fox Searchlight. I went up to them and introduced myself, as I had been an assistant manager for Landmark in the late ‘80s. They both remembered me and commented that they had seen the numbers from my current theatre and were impressed.
In the afternoon the Trade Show opened. It was very crowded and I couldn’t find anybody, so I just wandered around in a daze. I really don’t know what I saw on that first day.
In the evening Ky, Michael, Payal and I decided to skip the dinner and go out on our own. We got in at Del Circo at the Bellagio across the street from Bally’s/Paris. Del Circo is from the same people who brought us Le Circ. But the dinner was ordinary and over priced. But it was nice to have a quiet dinner for a change. Jack Valenti ate there this night as well. We saw him come in.
Ky, Michael and I held tickets for the late show of Finding Nemo. Both Ky and Michael thought it was too late so they gave up a ticket to Payal who doesn’t have a pass. So Payal and I went to Finding Nemo the latest flick from Pixar. We had to wait almost 20 minutes late for the doors to open. We sat down, the curtain went up and there was a full orchestra with 14 show girls and Robert Goulet singing "You've Got A Friend In Me" from the Monster's Inc movie. My appologies it's from the Toy Story 2 movie This was followed by confetti cannons shooting paper fish out in to the audience. Then the curtain fell and they announced Steve Jobs and John Lasseter from Pixar. The film opened with John Lasseter's first computer animation from pre Pixar days. (The only attribution was "Before Pixar") It's the Santa in the snow globe short. The movie Finding Nemo was typical Pixar and not as smart as Monster's Inc. But the animation of the background sets a new level for detail and beauty. This film was presented on TI's new Cinema Black, 2K DLP Chip. What we saw was impressive. It had all the benefits of previous DLP machines with twice the resolution. The cinema black was achieved by tilting the mirrors on the chip 12 degrees instead of 10 degrees.
Wednesday, I skipped the breakfast and the Anti Piracy seminar and went directly to the Trade Show. I gave Payal the Ian Price, quickie tour of the important stuff. Then I went off to the Exhibitor Relations Schmooze-A-Rama. Ky made some very important contacts there. I ate lunch with Jim Bedford and Suzanne Fedak of Wellspring. She thought I was cute. I never thought of myself as cute at 6'and 300lbs. Boy does she have a mouth on her. She and Ky got in to it over a film.
I went back to the trade show and looked around. But it seems that at the trade show we orbit around the Kinoton booth. I met up with Paul Thomson at the booth. Josh Jones was there. I ran in to Brad Miller, Dwayne Caldwell, Phill Hill, Aaron Siesmore, and many other Film-Techers at the trade show.
Chapin Cutler of Boston Light and Sound had offered to give me a tour of the booth for either the Theatre Des Arts or the Jubilee Theatre. I didn't have a camera so I offered to bring Brad along with his video camera. So we found time and off Brad, Dwayne, Josh, Payal and I went to have a look. There were two TI DLP machines, two Kinoton FP25s and two sound racks. There were two of everything for backup. One TI machine was with the new chip and one was with the old chip. One Kinoton was with the Geneva movement and one was with the electronic movement. The films were built up on 13,000-foot Kinoton reels and played as one unit. I'd like to thank Chapin for taking time out of his insanely busy schedule to show up the booth.
That night Payal and I went to see Anger Management with Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson. Adam Sandler introduced the film. It's good but not great. Jack plays Jack and Adam Sandler doesn't stretch. We then attended the reception and got our free gift. Between Michael, Ky and myself we got three times the swag we normally get. We have piles of the stuff. There are at least 15 hats, and over 30 t-shirts.
We chose to skip the late movie. I then went up to the Film-Tech party of see if they were still going. I had a glass of scotch and settled in to chat. Ultimately I had 4 glasses of scotch and left about 3 AM drunk as a skunk. I tossed $200 in to the Mega Millions machine in an futile effort to retire, but will be working for the foreseeable future.
Thursday, I got up around 10:30 and went to the trade show. The crowds had thinned quite a bit. I missed the Universal Pictures product reel but Ky saw it. I was coursed to clime on to a Kinoton platter to test its strength. Pictures will be posted in Film-Tech. I felt like shit and Aaron felt the need to turn the platter. Although he turned it ever so slowly and gently, I still felt like shit. I am not sure if I was still drunk or just hung over. You will have to wait for the video to be published before I go further with this story.
I did attend the Final Day Luncheon because they had a goodie bag and we must accept our swag gratefully.
I then went to the screening of Dreamcatcher more to sit down than to watch a film. Lawrence Kasdan introduced the film. I enjoyed watching it and felt much better after the film. It is a horror film but with humor. There are many inside Hollywood jokes. It's sort of a cross between Outbreak and Alien.
All that was left was the Final Night Banquet and Awards Ceremony. I went back to my room to put on a coat and tie. I got to eat dinner with Brian Grazer, Adam Sandler, Diane Lane, David Heyman who produces the Harry Potter pictures, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Christopher Walken, Alison Lohman, LL Cool J, Antwone Fisher and Gary Oldman. Gary Oldman has signed on to do the next two Harry Potter films. Don't forget that it was me and 3,000 other people in the room as well. I was sitting out on the far edge so I relied on the large video monitors to see what was going on. It was a good meal as well.
So now I am back in my office digging through the pile of mail and planning my next escape from reality.
[ 03-08-2003, 12:26 PM: Message edited by: Ian Price ]
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Mike Olpin
Chop Chop!
Posts: 1852
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Jan 2002
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posted 03-08-2003 03:57 AM
IAN, YOU'RE KILLLING ME!!
Go and study your PIXAROLOGY
quote:
We sat down, the curtain went up and there was a full orchestra with 14 show girls and Robert Gullet singing "You've Got A Friend In Me", from the Monster's Inc movie.
"You've Got A Friend In Me" is from the movie Toy Story.
Robert GOULET sings it as Wheezy the penguin at the end of Toy Story 2.
quote:
The film opened with John Lassiter's first computer animation from pre Pixar days. It's the Santa in the snow globe short.
John Lasseter's (not Lassiter) first computer animated film was "The Adventures of Andre and Wally B." for the Lucasfilm Computer Graphics Project which became Pixar in the mid 80s when Apple Computer's Steve Jobs bought the project from Lucas because Lucas saw "no real future" in computer animation. John made three more films before creating "Knick Knack" (the snowglobe one, which, by the way, does not have Santa in it).
The correct order of JLs short subjects are
For Lucasfilm
- The Adventures of Andre and Wally B. (1984)
For Pixar
- Luxo Jr. (1986)
- Red's Dream (1987)
- Tin Toy (1988)
- Knick Knack (1989)
Since I first saw Toy Story at around 13 years old, I have always dreamed of being able to work with the creative geniuses at Pixar, and consequently I know quiet a bit of Pixar history.
I, Mike, fanatic of all things PIXAR, hereby sentence Ian to watching all of Pixar's short films. Report dirrectly to this link to begin Reconciliation.
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![[Embarrassed]](redface.gif)
) but I would hope some attendees will post writeups on whatever was introduced there. So far we have the new TI 2K chip and a new IMAX setup.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
.....I have two dealers who love Christie for the mounds of belts and bearings they sell 
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