This is topic Having Trouble Getting Trailers? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Sara Serine Orton (Member # 208) on 03-08-2000, 11:37 AM:
I was pondering a better way to get my hands on film trailers the other day. Right now, all I do is go from theater to theater begging and batting my eyelashes... and all theaters in the Moscow Pullman are CARMIKE (Yuck!)
So anyhow, I have about 50 trailers sitting in my booth. Unfortunately none of them are of movie that we will be showing this spring. I don't want to dump them and I don't want to sell them. What if I set up a trading system? I know that there must be other theaters out there having trouble getting trailers for their film series.
I don't know, maybe it's a bad idea. Let me know.
Posted by Erika Hellgren (Member # 22) on 03-08-2000, 01:41 PM:
Sara,I would love to make a trade if we could. Do you have any Miramax or Sony trailers, cause those are the ones I need the most (they NEVER send me trailers!), but there are plenty of others that I need too. Drop me an e-mail at Jelano@aol.com and we'll see how we can make it work.
Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 03-08-2000, 02:25 PM:
The only company that is actually good about sending trailers out in a timely fashion is Fox. Disney is not too bad. New Line comes in a close third. Everyone else sucks. Especially MGM, they are horrible about sending out promo materials (we once got our first poster and trailer for a movie on the Friday it was opening).
Posted by Tom Ferreira (Member # 70) on 03-08-2000, 09:11 PM:
Sara,
Have you tried calling the exhibitor relations departments at the studios? Most of the people there are very helpful and eager to supply you with any materials you might need. The IME books that come out quarterly always have an updated list of phone numbers and fax numbers along with contacts for each studio on the back cover. Sony also has a form for ordering materials and a toll free number with a recording of available materials for upcoming films. If anyone needs any help e-mail me at claremontcinema@webtv.net and I'll be glad to e-mail or fax you the numbers you'll need.
Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 03-08-2000, 09:12 PM:
I just inherited a pile of trailers for films from roughly the late 1970s through the late 1980s. If anyone reading this works at a theatre that runs midnight shows or regular repertory programming, let me know. I'll be happy to loan out the trailers for stuff that you're showing, assuming that you'll take good care of them (no platters! no automation!) and return them when you're done. I've tried to get trailers for older films from distributors and failed miserably (except in the case of wide releases of reissue prints).
Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 03-08-2000, 09:41 PM:
Yes, because just having automation damages film. My Christie CA21 came with a "Film Scratch" cue which we are forced to use every show. Same with platters. There just isn't ANY way to thread them without screwing up the entire film!Seriously, it all depends on the quality of the operator and maintenence regardless of platter or changeover based system.
Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 03-08-2000, 11:26 PM:
I put in a yes vote for "Trailers: Wanted/Swap"Automation:
I'm 1/2 and 1/2 on that one. At the college theatre, I don't have much in the way of automation.. 1) expensive. 2) encourages kids to push the start button and walk away. Without it, they at LEAST have to be there to do the dowser. If forces you to pay attention.
Platters:
Haven't had a scratch on my Potts -- EVER. From what some people tell me, Potts are supposed to scratch a lot of film, too!
Used to have a lot of scratches on SPECO but not anymore. From what people tell me, SPECO are supposed to be "easy" on film, too!
Moral:
Pay attention! -- 'Nuff said!
Posted by Daryl Lund (Member # 356) on 03-09-2000, 06:49 AM:
I have not had a hard time getting trailers, but the shipper bends you over in shipping charges. Potts platters, never a problem at the Chehalis. This month makes three years of no trouble. It must of been the handy work of master film handler Ken Layton who installed them.
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 03-09-2000, 09:33 AM:
Get on the flack jacket but
Platters themselves don't scratch film
lack of maintenance, improprer installation and operator error due
Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 03-09-2000, 11:42 AM:
Oh, no! The last thing I wanted to do was to start another "automation vs. manual" flamewar!
I was just trying to be helpful to anyone who might be showing any '80s films who wanted to run trailers for them but was having difficulty in getting them from distributors (who normally only stuck trailers for current films, and sometimes don't even do that). Of course I'd be happy to let Brad or Joe or any other competent operators run my prints on whatever equipment they felt most comfortable with. But, if I'm going to be sending stuff off to people I don't know, I think that the chances of getting the film back in good condition are better if I say "no platters, no automation," if only because this sort of thing eliminates the bulk of the crappy gigaplexes (see the "What theatre is a dump" thread).
Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 03-09-2000, 04:13 PM:
Maybe next time just indicate "No Amc, etc.."No problem.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 03-10-2000, 11:26 PM:
Scott, you're awful trusting to loan out something like that. I mean I've loaned out classic trailers to theaters doing rep shows when there were none to be had from the studios and I would say things like "do NOT cut off the green band" and I would get it back with no green band. If I sent a print to someone who was going to run it on a changeover system one time I would say "do NOT build this up to extended reels and run ONLY on 2000 footers exactly as I send them to you" and yet...there is a new and crappy splice at the leaders and 1-2 missing frames! I simply do not loan out material to anyone I do not trust 100%. Again, you are a very trusting man.Oh and I absolutely must make my comment before Steve Guttag joins in and that's that platters ARE better for film given a competent operator in both circumstances. One day when you visit me I will show you the error of your ways. Don't bash something unless you've tried it. They may look like an accident to happen, but they're not. 
(Sorry, had to be said.)
Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 03-11-2000, 03:04 PM:
Grr. I really, really didn't want to start this film-transport-and-delivery-system flamewar. Sorry.
Yes, I'm being pretty trusting about this, but that's mostly because I've been on the other side of things before (begging for stuff that distributors couldn't or wouldn't provide), and there were enough people who helped me out that I'd like to help someone else. It's not as if I'm loaning out the only print in existance of something...
Anyway, the offer still stands. I'll allow platters and/or automation if and only if the booth is attended at all times and as long as I don't get the film back with diagonal scratches or silver cue tape stuck onto it... <grin>
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 03-11-2000, 03:08 PM:
I still think that the technology is not at fault it is the human factor from installer to operator to service rep that is where most damage is to blame
Posted by Tom Ferreira (Member # 70) on 03-11-2000, 11:25 PM:
Getting back to the subject of the thread-I'm looking for a flat trailer of Beyond The Mat-if anyone has an extra one sitting around the booth, I'd be willing to make a trade.
Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 03-14-2000, 09:49 PM:
I have a bunch of trailers that I'd be willing to loan, sell, trade, or otherwise barter. Problem is that they are almost all foriegn/art/cultural movies. I do have a few trailers from "mainstream" movies too but they are all pretty old or dorky ones.....Since we are all members of Film-Tech, I assume that they will get good treatment....
I will post my list of titles on the "WANTED" forum.
Basically, make me an offer. (Hint: BEER!)