This is topic Anyone adjust the volume depending on # of patrons? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=000795
Posted by Zach Tomcich (Member # 384) on 03-24-2000, 01:19 AM:
After reading a thread here on 'what volume setting to use', i'm quite surprised that any theater would ever 'set' their volume to any one setting. Accoustics and the overall sound level will vary drastically in an auditorium depending on how many people are there. Additionally, the rowdiness of the crowd should also be a consideration in setting a volume level. Do any theaters actually take this into consideration when running a movie?
Being an idealist, i would love to see a movie theater sound system which does a quick pink noise test after the previews just before the movie starts, and makes EQ and level adjustments. Of course that would only happen in an ideal world. For the record, i much prefer watching a movie in a sold out house.
Any thoughts on this?
------------------
-Ziggy
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 03-24-2000, 02:51 AM:
Comedies, yes. Horror movies, yes. Everything else I prefer a private screening. Generally speaking, many patrons are just damn annoying during a serious movie.What you're asking for is an impossibility, as you well know. So if you're dead set on watching a movie with the best acoustics and eq combination, watch 'em in an empty house. After all, that's how the room was calibrated in the first place. (This is assuming of course that the theater in question isn't an echo chamber like so many theaters are. In that case, the more bodies the better.)
As far as setting volume on a particular audience, generally I set the faders on an empty house and when a good amount of people get in there, you get to know how much more to turn it up (for instance, on the weekends). There really isn't a rule, as everything just "depends" on each auditorium and the way the system was calibrated. Thus, it all boils down to the caring of the projectionist on duty and how many screens he/she has to deal with.
Posted by Joshua Lott (Member # 240) on 03-24-2000, 04:22 AM:
To answer your questions Yes I do adjust movies depending on the size of the crowd. And normally that will only happen on the weekends. And even then normally only if it is a movie that draws a "rowdy" crowd. Like horror's, comedies, and teenie flicks. And I do agree with you Brad on watching movies solo. Unless of course it is a horror that you are watching for the 2nd or 3rd time, and that is just to see the crowds reaction. And Comedies are just more fun to watch with a full house. For some reason they just seem funnier. Well there is my 2 cents. 
Posted by Bryan Redemske (Member # 354) on 03-24-2000, 06:55 AM:
yep, i tend to turn the volume down when there's a handful of people in there. i also hate watching movies with a lot of people. i watched The Green Mile with about a half-full auditorium and wanted to smack people the whole time. some jackass brought his three-year-old kid in and decided that no, his kid couldn't get candy. so the kid threw a fit in the middle of the show. nice.
Posted by Jim Bedford (Member # 4) on 03-24-2000, 07:20 AM:
Gee, I always thought that since more people have more ears to absorb the sound from an auditorium, that the larger the audience, the louder you had to turn up the volume. You need to subtract the number of deaf people from the equation tho, since they don't reduce the sound molecules as much.Of course, the louder the sound, the less the jerks talking behind you will disturb anyone.
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-24-2000, 08:25 AM:
I always wondered if THX factored in the annoying patron sound into their SPL level settings??? When I was on a tour at the "Ranch" I thought I saw a button labeled annoying patrons on one of the mixing consoles!!
Mark
Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 03-24-2000, 08:35 AM:
I will adjust the volume down if they complain, and if more than two complain I will adjust it up just to teach em a lesson (DONT MESS WITH DAVE!!!).Actually it goes down when no one is in, and up when its packed, otherwise you cant hear squat over the popcorn munchers.
------------------
"If it's not worth doing, I have allready been there and done it"
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 03-24-2000, 10:32 AM:
Well A well designed room the addition of the bodies will not absorb much sound just raise the background noise
I once asked Ioan Allen at a trade show when the will comeout with a SRP noise reduction
"Spectral recorded popcorn noise reduction"
In most theatres the most I ever see especially in well damped stadium auds is a 1/2 point difference
Posted by Erika Hellgren (Member # 22) on 03-24-2000, 05:08 PM:
Our faders are never "set", they are constantly being changed. For example, I find Romeo Must Die to be a very loud movie, but I won't turn it down until the end of the weekend because I know the crowd gets a kick out of it. Basically I feel that my own personal comfort level is irrelivant. I try to please the audience, not myself
Posted by Tyler Skinner (Member # 229) on 03-24-2000, 11:50 PM:
Ghost Dog for me is the best movie of the year so far, but it was the worst movie experience I have ever had. This was an odd crowd because on one hand you had Jarmusch fans there to enjoy his quirky film style, and on the other hand you had the ethnic crowd there for the RZA rap soundtrack. When the ethic crowd became bored the wisecracks flew. I wish I had a private screening of that, or at least a screening with people who apreciated the film. Anyway, I wonder if there is a way you can automatically calabrate the volume level when the box office sells a certain percentage of the house. Like if a show sells 80% of the seats, the box office computer automatically pushes the volume up to 8 instead of 7...
hmmm...
Posted by Tyler Skinner (Member # 229) on 03-24-2000, 11:53 PM:
PS.
I wouldn't mind seeing a movie like Final Destination in a packed theater. Or maybe just be in there during the part that girl gets plastered by that bus. :-) I try to peek in during that part just to get their reaction (and laugh my ass off)tyler
Posted by Carl King (Member # 398) on 03-25-2000, 07:42 AM:
The volume level in in an auditorium is totally dependant on the needs of the patrons. If there are alot of patrons in the house then volume needs to be increased to cover the noise of the popcorn munching and the "yakkers" who still think they are at home in from of the TV where they can run off at the mouth whenever they feel like it.
Sometimes I have to fight the urge to walk down the aisle and lean in and whisper in the ear SHUT THE F--- UP..Carl King
Posted by Daryl Lund (Member # 356) on 03-25-2000, 03:58 PM:
i hardly ever change the fader. my sound system was in stalled by a expert tech from american cine suply named big Rick. He has spent many years as a tech. as the rowdy patrons they are told to settle down or hit the road.
Posted by Stephen Winner (Member # 8) on 03-26-2000, 01:49 PM:
My My I didn't know how poorly the building designs were these days! In years before megawatt PA systems, the sound was amplified by the building's shape...IE acoustics. You couldn't really turn that down. I couldn't imagine having to piddle with the system settings for each patron that walked inIn my 1928 theater, we typically keep the volume the same 1400 people, or just 100. The building design, and speaker design do most of the work for us in maintaining a confortable volume (High ceilings, angled walls, etc).
Normally, we run a "flat" eq setting, but when it's a packed house, I've noticed seat rows of patrons act as acoustic baffles at low frequencies... So I give the system about a 3-5 db bass boost, not much. Cotton fabric from casual dressers tend to absorb more bass than formal dressers, which we tend to get very few of these days.
Posted by Mark Wright (Member # 390) on 03-27-2000, 01:00 AM:
The size of the crowd can make a difference on what you fadder should be set at. When a customer complains on the sound being to loud of to soft it is best not to pay attention to them if it sounds ok to you unless you have a few complaints. I hate it when people start battling with each other complaining about the sound because u changed it for someoneelse. always take it in your best judgement!