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Author Topic: The Official F-T ShoWest 2009 Thread Jim Bedford Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 597 From: Telluride, CO, USA (733 mi. WNW of Rockwall, TX but it seems much, much longer) Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-01-2009 03:37 PM                        Hi Shane. Good seeing you too. Thanks for being my friend. Showest gleanings: They say 3D will take over the world in the next year and Jeffrey Katzenberg wants independent cinemas to pay for their own digital and 3D upgrades. The first gleaning above is bullshit (maybe partially true for animation but WTF cares about 3D gimmicks in a live action film) and Katzenberg is the frontrunner for being the Asshole of the Week. Cheap greedy bastard. . . and stupid about exhibition too.  |  IP: Logged Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 04-02-2009 04:36 AM                        I'm home from ShoWest. Wish I could have stayed for the whole show, but reality calls. Tuesday Night we saw The Soloist with Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx. It was a good movie with a very interesting, and somewhat depressing story. Jamie Foxx was fantastic and has to be the first serious contender for the 2010 Oscars. Downey Jr. was also very good. The movie did seem a little too long, but I'm not sure where they should cut. Wednesday morning we saw Sony's product reel. Angels & Demons looks decent; perhaps a bit more action packed than Da Vinci Code. Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 looks like a very tense thriller. Travolta looks like he's in top psycho form. Year One looks like a steaming pile of shit to me. I'm not much of a Jack Black fan and this one isn't going to win me over. Currently the R rating is under appeal, but from the clip I have a feeling it's going to stand - which I'm dreading. The Ugly Truth: we saw an extended clip where Katherine Higle is wearing vibrating underwear at a dinner meeting and a kid gets a hold of the remote. Everyone was laughing very hard. Wednesday evening we watched The Proposal with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. It was very funny pretty much from start to finish and it had a decent story. It should do very well and have great word of mouth. Wednesday night after I left, my boss went to a screening of The Battle for Terra. He said it was terrible, although he only stayed for 10-15 minutes. The movie was presented in a new 3D technology, XpanD, and he said it made him sick. Wednesday afternoon there was a panel discussion about digital projection. One exhibitor from down south talked about the need/value of getting 3D installations right away, but really felt exhibitors should hold out for 4K systems. He also took a nice shot at Fox for not paying for 3D glasses for RealD locations as other studios have done. Paramount and Fox sparred back and forth about the logistics of their various agreements over virtual print fees with exhibitors who self finance. Paramount seems to have a better plan where they treat it more as an addendum to the master contract between the exhibitor an the studio. I did get the sense there was not as much emphasis on digital projection this year as in the past couple years, but it does seem there is a good deal of momentum toward 3D. In fact, I heard one of the Disney execs said at a presentation of a product reel that they feel they are getting very close to the point where 3D only is a real possibility. But apparently he got some negative feedback and left that out of the same presentation to the other half of the convention. I didn't get to spend much time at the trade show, but in my one walk through I didn't see anything particularly new or exciting. There were noticeably fewer exhibitors this year. And most seemed to have pretty much the exact same thing as the past few years. For those who are really into sound/speakers, you might want to check out Meyer Sound. They were showing their speakers which have amps in the actual speaker. I didn't really get to hear a good demo, but Jerry Harrah is very high on them.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Sisemore Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day! Posts: 3061 From: Rockwall TX USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 04-02-2009 11:49 AM                     Trade show highlghts: Who wasn't there: -Neumade -Big Sky -Smart (for obvious reasons) -Goldberg -SPECO -EV -Tivoli -David Tyson Lighting (Dave was sick and couldn't make it out) Companies that displayed any 35mm equipment: -Kinoton (no platter or large reel stuff on display) -Christie (the cineX projector) -Strong (one console with an Apogee hanging from it) -Cinemeccanica There were a few new (to cinema) sound equipment companies such as the aforementioned Meyer Sound (whose speakers I have worked with in a live touring pro sound environment and liked them) a Chinese company that was showing some new power amplifiers and I believe a couple of speakers as well... The other 'big thing' aside from digital cinema and 3D were electronic signage using LCD screens - even our beloved Jack Roe company was hawking their new electronic signage system (which was quite good). The economy has definitely taken its toll on some of the companies as well - -Eisenberg was there in their usual spot but no hot dog grill again this year -Pepsi's booth was easily half as large as it was the previous year, and they had no fountain setup, what few products they had were being poured from bottles. (Coke was up in its full sized booth fountain and all, plus their specialty drinks and Odwalla Bars) Well, time to go back and get my last minute schwag on before heading back home... -Aaron  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 04-02-2009 12:28 PM                     Thanks for the update Aaron! Goldberg often does not show. Generally, only when they have a new product out...after all...who is going to buy reels because they saw them at the show? I'm surprised Big Sky was not there. They normally have a brisk group through their booth and they have a varied array of equipment, including sound. I'm also surprised that Strong brought the Apogee instead of the PR2000. EV hasn't been to the last couple of shows...that company is really messed up right now...my last recone order has been botched an amazing number of times! I hope everyone had a good time. Steve  |  IP: Logged Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: California, U.S.A. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 04-02-2009 02:15 PM                     Indeed, much smaller this year than last year. Not much swag out either. Overall I have to say I was impressed with the Sony 4k presentation of "The Soloist" with the exception of the contrast. In my opinion it was significantly smoother and richer in color than any of the 2k's I've seen but the contrast was so poor that the darker scenes were really awful. Interesting thing though is all the manufacturers, Sony included, claim 2000:1 contrast ratio. Though Sony was the only one who wouldn't provide the ANSI contrast ratio. Which leads me to believe they may be dubiously inflating the ratio. But I digress...The studios even cut back this year, not the usual foodfest, it seems their cash all went in to booze. At any rate, it's ShoWest, and it's fun but tiring...Very tiring. And while many of you didn't miss too much, we did miss you there!  |  IP: Logged Tristan Lane Master Film Handler Posts: 444 From: Nampa, Idaho Registered: Feb 2002 posted 04-03-2009 12:36 PM                     The trade show was "more of the same". Like Aaron said, There was quite a bit of offerings for digital signage software and hardware by some of the film folks. Big Sky and Jack Roe were both there with digital signage solutions. The Meyer Sound booth was interesting. Delegates only recieved one goody bag this year instead of the normal 3. quote: -Strong (one console with an Apogee hanging from it) There was no Apogee present at showest. It was a PR2000. Strong is no longer manufacturing the Apogee. quote: -Christie (the cineX projector) Actually like the Apogee, Christie isn't manufacturing that projector. The projector on display was a P35GPS. It also had an over-under 3D lens installed in it  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 04-03-2009 12:59 PM                        Sorry I didn't make it this year - Absolute Hell at the airline made it impossible to get out of the building this week. Oh well. Next year.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 04-04-2009 05:24 PM                     Though I also hear that Strong is not manufacturing the Apogee anymore, they still have it on the price sheet. I suspect it is a matter of how many castings they have left. For now, it appears that you can have a new Apogee, if you really want one. Steve  |  IP: Logged Paul Goulet Master Film Handler Posts: 347 From: Rhode Island Registered: Jan 2000 posted 04-04-2009 06:21 PM                        any Ron Purtee sightings?!  |  IP: Logged Paul Goulet Master Film Handler Posts: 347 From: Rhode Island Registered: Jan 2000 posted 04-07-2009 11:04 AM                        does Charlie Wolk still go?  |  IP: Logged Clint Koch Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1435 From: San Luis Obispo, CA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 04-07-2009 03:19 PM                     Charlie Wolk has not been to the show for the past few years (I think it has been 4 or 5 years). Aaron, Big Sky was there. Spoke with Mark Smith and stopped by his booth.  |  IP: Logged Dennis Benjamin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1445 From: Denton, MD Registered: Feb 2002 posted 04-08-2009 06:16 AM                        Thanks Clint for the passes! Stacy and I enjoyed the Trade Show. We spent more time seeing Las Vegas in general though. I went back over to Paris and Bally's to see the stuff out front (Transformer cars and BumbleBee under the arch). Vegas is a great place to visit, just not a nice place to live. I'm sure Paul Mayer will disagree. Anyways - I visited the theatre I opened back in 2002. Wow, they did not take care of my baby. It was sad........... Highlights: Getting married at Wee Kirk of the Heather The Ferrari Dealership at the Wynn (what a ritzy place!) Phantom of the Opera at the Venetian The Gondola ride Staying at the Mandalay Bay - nice diggs!  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 04-08-2009 11:36 PM                        Hardly, Dennis! I don't much like it here either, and haven't in years, like since around 1979 or so. Only thing keeping me here these days is the headquarters job at Allegiant Air. We're opening a new maintenance base at LAX in May and will have two aircraft based there. Still looking for a way to get permanently back to SoCal. Will try for ShoWest again next year though!  |  IP: Logged

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