Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Getting "Policy" trailers & "Date Strips"

This is topic Getting "Policy" trailers & "Date Strips" in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 02-17-2000, 12:18 AM:

Talking about the 3M Photoguard made me think of this because all of the strips we have here at M.H. College are Photoguarded...

Well, they run OK through the FilmGuard but I wish I didn't have to have the stuff on my film. If I want to use FG, I guess I'll have to put up with it. It's only 20 feet out of a whole print...

We got ours from Filmack. They Photoguard EVERYTHING. You can't buy anything from them without it. (Just another way for them to jack up prices?)

Also Filmack is WAY too expensive! What we really wanted from them was a "custom" set of trailers to play. ("Welcome to Mercyhurst College", etc.) They wanted over $1500 for a 10 second "snipe". What we ended up getting is their cheezy stock stuff. (We decided that we liked cheezy.) We ended up spending over $100 on that!

What we had in mind was something like Mirimax's logo, with the big "M". (Get it? Mercyhurst)
Maybe not even that complex. Maybe just a FADE-IN... TONE... FADE-OUT. kind of thing.

I spoke to somebody who runs a local business that produces that kind of material. She quoted me a price of $500-$600 ($750 TOPS -- with all the bells and whistles) For reasons that I'm not willing to go into, I'm not willing to do business with that company. (At least for the time being.)

The question is: What other companies are out there that produce this kind of stuff and what should I expect to pay?
(Maybe some more stock stuff would be okay if it's classy)

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-17-2000, 12:34 AM:

F.Y.I. Filmack will make snipes without Photoguard, but you must specifically request it (they make less money).

Willmington Reeves (or something like that) produces the Cinemark trailers. Past that, I'm not too sure who makes what. I do wish that these boneheads would put more than 5 frames of black at the head and tail of each snipe. I mean, a short piece of film that's going to be used thousands of times NEEDS a bit of black in front and behind of it!

UA paid big bucks a few years back to have one of their trailers mastered in all 3 digital formats and never noticed there is NO black lead in and the analog track starts during the head leader. Geez, anyone ever hear of an "answer print"?

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 02-17-2000, 12:44 AM:

I agree on that! I usually just splice a foot or two of black mylar to the head and tail of them. (When I can get some stuff that doesn't MOTORBOAT!)

The previous set of policies that Cinemark had (the last Front Row Joe) had about a foot of blank at the head and tail but it wasn't black. It was a sh** brown color.

PS: I've still got a couple of mint condition Front Row Joe trailers. Most notably the "You've got a Date" ones.

Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 02-17-2000, 09:19 AM:

I've always been happy with Cinema Concepts in Atlanta. Contact them at 1-800-SHOW-ADS or www.cinemation.com Their prices were very reasonable.
Also try these companies:
Intermission Productions (630) 654-0200

Smithgroup Communications (503) 224-1905
They are in Portland, Oregon and made the policy trailers for Tom Moyer Theaters and Act 3 Theaters.

Willming Reams Animation 1-800-972-6468 or www.wranim8.com