This is topic To show or not to show... (MPAA trailer heads) in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Scott Magie (Member # 368) on 03-29-2000, 04:07 AM:
Okay... what's the deal with the green-band or red-band MPAA trailer-heads that say what audience the trailer has been approved for? Are we or are we not required to include these in our pre-program presentation? Since they're included in the pre-program of any video cassette you buy, I've always assumed that we were required to show them as well, but the City Manager for Carmike here in Missoula says that they look "tacky" so she has her projectionists remove them. But she also requires her projectionists to REMOVE attached trailers, so that the Carmike Header can be placed last in the pre-program line-up. I agree that these policies cause the pre-program to "flow" better, but are they legal? I've always taken those "do not edit or remove" requests seriously (and I've always assumed that the same rule applied to the green/red headers).
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Scott A. Magie
scoooot@bigsky.net
"Anybody wanna peanut?"
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 03-29-2000, 04:46 AM:
I hate theaters that cut off the MPAA green bands. Rarely is the beginning audio not snipped off and it looks like it was thrown together by one of those projectionists who will cut out fade in and fade outs to save time while framing a splice. Very sloppy looking and unprofessional in my opinion.Many theaters have the rule to cut them purely because that "MPAA green" color on a standing image shows off dirt and scratches. The same amount of dirt and scratches won't be near as noticeable during motion shots. I say if the green bands look bad, work on the training and don't just cut the green bands.
Green bands are also handy for those mothers who come out on every performance of a Disney movie complaining loudly about the horrific non-Disney previews that are being shown. (Does Disney hire these women? Disney could release a porno movie and everyone would be happy with a "G" rating on it!) Point out the green band and refer them to the MPAA! Green band = rated "G".
Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 03-29-2000, 07:15 AM:
There's no legal requirement to show the MPAA rating tags, although some states have laws against showing trailers for films with more restrictive ratings than the feature. (I violated this several times when showing "PG"-rated films at midnight time slots to college kids...)
I like Brad's comment about using the rating band to placate those who complain about offensive trailers - "please send complaints to the Motion Picture Association of America" :-)
I do agree with Brad's comments that the ratings bands should stay intact (as well as the fade-outs at the end of trailers). They help the "pacing" of the trailer program, so that the audience doesn't feel like the trailers are being shown in rapid-fire sequence. I also liked to have a couple of feet of black between trailers for the same reason.
One thing that I will cut off are fade-ins at the start of the ratings band. I'd keep them if every trailer was made this way, but it just looks silly to me to have some ratings bands appear suddenly and others fade in gradually. At least cutting off the fade-in doesn't affect the sound like cutting off the whole ratings band would.
As for dirt and dust, I'd say that both are a non-issue in a well-run booth. How long does a given trailer run? Maybe a month or two, max? I used the same set of flat and scope Dolby trailers (one each!) for six months and the looked nearly as good on the last day as it did on the first, despite being re-spliced at least once a week and never being cleaned. I suspect that theatres that are using FG could easily get a years' worth of use out of policy trailers and whatnot, so promo trailers shouldn't be a problem.
Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 03-29-2000, 09:47 AM:
MPAA now has an "official" web site for finding the rating of any movie. It also has lots of information about the ratings system: http://www.filmratings.com ------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Professional Motion Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 03-29-2000, 10:36 AM:
I really dislike the fact that they print those MPPA bands with no black for audio pull ups
In Canada as in most other countries they are required to be removed by law as there are individual rating systems and censor boards who have different rating systems
Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 03-29-2000, 02:57 PM:
Just out of fun I took our James Bond 19 trailer and took the green band and did the following:I cut it at every three frames and then spliced it back together either backwards or upside down, giving it a very rapid fire psychodelic approach to it. I even used two other green bands from other old trailers to help lenghten the affect. The crowd actually loved it, got a good laugh.
" If it' s not worth doing, the have allready been to there and done it "
Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 03-29-2000, 06:14 PM:
Hello fellow Carmike slave! 
Seriously though, I think Green Bands should be left on. If your city manager has time to worry about green bands looking tacky...
About attacked trailers and the threatening letters film companies send you in the cans-don't take those letters seriously, its fluff. However, it is a good policy to try and send back a print in better shape than you got it. Since the attached trailer is considered part of the print this should obviously go back with the print. There is nothing wrong with cutting off the attached trailer, as a matter of fact you have probably noticed that there is usually a cutting mark between the end of the trailer and the feature to make it easier for you.
Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 03-29-2000, 07:48 PM:
Dave - on the subject of "stupid projectionist tricks," I once cut up a bunch of SMPTE clock-sweep leaders to make one that counted something like "pix start -> 8 -> 7 -> 6 -> 4 -> 5 -> 7 -> 5 -> 6 -> 7 -> 5 -> 4 -> 3 -> 3 -> 3 -> 3 -> 3 -> 3 -> 2 -> picture"
I used it at the end of the wacky trailer/cartoon reel that I was running for midnight shows. Our Rocky Horror audience loved it and would count along in perfect time without missing a number!
Posted by Scott Magie (Member # 368) on 03-29-2000, 08:35 PM:
Dustin...
I'm a slave no more! FREEEEEEDOM!
Sunday was my last day for Carmike and I'm moving to Vermont (where Hoyts is the Evil Corp. of Darkness) to run an INDEPENDENT... an independent with MONEY!
I was just hoping that removing trailer-bands was illegal so I'd have a parting shot for my City Manager. Oh well... she can do whatever she wants (since she's the smartest manager in town now). I just feel sorry for the movie-lovers of Missoula, who will continue to be treated to dirty, scratched prints that are rarely in focus or frame (but golly-gee, that THX sure does SOUND good! And oooh, those comfy stadium seats!) Are all Carmikes as bad as the ones I've worked for in Montana? Are all the District Offices as mis-managed as DO-12? Do other districts EVER give raises? Before I trained to be a manager, I was a relief manager (and also in charge of all projectionists) at minimum wage! Is this a Carmike trend or just a trend in my (former!) district?------------------
Scott A. Magie
scoooot@bigsky.net
"Anybody wanna peanut?"
Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 03-29-2000, 09:25 PM:
Well, I just got promoted to Assistant manager (not relief) and my manager was kind enough to keep me hourly instead of salary. So I won't be slaving away working for less then mininum wage as a manager at least.Yes, Carmike as a whole sucks [prays to God someone from Carmike who cares isn't reading this]. Our theater however has been reasonably well managed since it was built in 1986. Its had the same head manager for these past 14 years-rare. We actually care about our presentation here.
BTW, you mentioned THX. Was that out of habbit or are you guys still certified out there?
Posted by Andrew D'Vrey (Member # 285) on 03-29-2000, 10:51 PM:
I like green bands. Excellent time to trim focus and make sure you have a rock solid steady picture.And for those who need it, gives good reference to whether or not you are in frame 
.
That and I don't like the sound catching up with the image on my screens.
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"And the monkey flips the switch."
- Major Don West, "Lost In Space"
Andrew D'Vrey
IATSE Local 219
Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 03-29-2000, 11:34 PM:
Greenbands should stay ON. Same with redbands. The only thing that I don't like about greenbands is that many of them make it look like your xenon bulb is horribly out of focus or dim, when in fact it is just fine. I can't understand why some greenbands are printed like this. Very odd.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 03-30-2000, 02:03 AM:
Scott, I remember you telling me something about your countdown leader and did almost exactly that on the midnight showings of Phantom Menace. Mine counted 8 7 6 5 4 3 4 5 6 7 6 5 6 7 4 8 5 7 6 5 4 3 3 3 or something like that. The best part was the audience by the first "6" was all screaming down the numbers until they hit that second "4". Then half the audience started laughing while the other half got really angry. By the end of it they were all laughing and it got a huge applause.I don't think I'd use that for anything else (Rocky Horror aside).
Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 03-30-2000, 09:42 AM:
Joe wrote:"The only thing that I don't like about greenbands is that many of them make it look like your xenon bulb is horribly out of focus or dim, when in fact it is just fine."
Yeah, that true- I've seen several that way. I have no idea why either.
Brad is right: God forbid those theaters (that cut off the green band) would just keep the projectors clean and avoid the problem entirely. While it's not illegal to remove them, it is poor practise. They are there for a reason.
Tell that City Manager that the "flow" of my partying is interrupted in a "tacky" manner by having to wait at the bar for more booze, but you gotta do what you gotta do... Meanwhile, there are probably real projection problems that arn't being addressed.
Posted by Scott Magie (Member # 368) on 03-31-2000, 12:44 AM:
Dustin,
This is Montana... we don't recognize the U.S. Government... you think we'd recognize THX certifications? We just put "THX" in the paper and everyone says, "ooooh, I'll watch my movie THERE!"
Actually, I'm not sure about the certifications here because the theatre I was running has DTS & could never even dream of going to THX. As far as I know though, the 10-plex is still certified. Whether or not they continue to get recertified remains to be seen. They'll probably still put "THX" in the paper, though!As for my City Manager's "tacky" comments... I think her dirty prints and out-of-frame-&-focus presentations look pretty tacky myself. Reel-changes are signified not only by cigarette-burns, but by 10-15 feet of a virtual fireworks-display of dust particles. Definitely tacky.
------------------
Scott A. Magie
scoooot@bigsky.net
"Anybody wanna peanut?"
Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 03-31-2000, 01:36 AM:
Scott said:
"Reel-changes are signified not only by cigarette-burns,
but by 10-15 feet of a virtual fireworks-display of dust particles. Definitely tacky."You are among the few (Brad Pitt and Edward Norton being the other two) people on the planet that call CUE MARKS or CHANGEOVER MARKS 'cigarette burns'... I have been in this business for 18 years, and know many who have been MUCH longer, and NONE of them use the term 'cigarette burns'.. Sorry, just a little peeve of mine... Apologies, dismantling two theatres and simultaneously doing a film festival can be just a teeny bit stressful :P
Aaron
Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 03-31-2000, 01:50 AM:
We've had the equivalent of your green bands here in Aussieland for about the past six years and no, ours don't look any better.My peeve with the whole system is that we are (technically) not allowed to run any trailer for a coming attraction with a censor rating higher than the feature you are attaching it to. This is very stupid as 9 times out of 10 there's absolutely NOTHING offensive in the trailers. We even get the same version of the trailer sometimes with your green bands still attached saying this preview has been approved for all audiences.
Our bands just say the preview is 'M' (your 'R' equivalent) and thus so must be the trailer. The censors pass these trailers but are unwilling to give them a separate classification.
It makes for an odd system where the trailer can be run as a PG if the film has not been censored and is 'yet to be classified', even though it could be an 'R' (your NC17) when it is eventually classified.
Odd, huh?
There also seem to be no scope versions of any of these tags so if you've got a scope trailer, you've got a very odd looking censor tag.
Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 03-31-2000, 09:56 AM:
You know what's going to happen?Younger people who went to see "Fight Club" will see changeover marks pointed out to them. Then, they will watch other films and see them there, too. To them, that will confirm that c/o marks are called cigarette-burns ("Hey, Brad Pitt said so!") Then some will enter the motion picture biz, and will keep calling them cigarette-burns. The old-timers will say; nah, we just call them c/o's, but the new crowd will keep calling them cigarette-burns. It will BECOME the term.
Many years from now, there will be an interview on TV with a, "New Generation Filmmaker" who will say; "...and when I edited, 'Jurssic Park XVI' I applied cigarette-burns here for nostalgic reasons...."
Aaron and I will be 80 years old, and will both yell, "We never called them that!! Damn you, Brad Pitt!"
Well, I'll really say something like, "Bam you Bad Bit!" because my false teeth will be floating in a glass by the TV.....
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 03-31-2000, 01:55 PM:
An interesting theory, except you failed to note adding "cigarette burns" will be a cgi effect.
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 03-31-2000, 05:59 PM:
Brad you are mistaken it would actually be a
CIG effect
Posted by Andy Davis (Member # 262) on 04-01-2000, 12:40 AM:
I've always felt that the green-bands are "dead air." Maybe if the MPAA would add a mascot and have it dance around on the screen to introduce the rating, now that's more like it. Probably more annoying is when trailers say, "Coming soon" at the end. As if people had the impression the movie was gonna get canned and put on a shelf for the next 50 years.
Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 04-02-2000, 03:43 AM:
I think that would be even worse! Given time,that little mascot guy would become more of a wanted man than Jar Jar!