This is topic Technicolor Screw-up of the Week! in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-13-2000, 12:38 AM:
We got a print of Erin Brockovich today which contained the DTS disk holder, and the disk boxes ....which were empty.Well at least the film came a day ahead of schedule, so I was able to call and request a replacement set of disks that will actually (hopefully!) be here before we open on Friday.
Add your own Technicolor Screw-Ups to this thread....it's fun!
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Mike Blakesley
www.goforsyth.com/roxy
Posted by Dwayne Caldwell (Member # 417) on 04-13-2000, 12:58 AM:
I can't remember if Galaxy Quest was a Techincolor print or not, but I got one in about two days before the release date. And it too had no DTS disks, but it was also a hand down from the AMC 24 Grand, and that,of course, made me nervous. I guess they screened a sneak preview or something, but anyway I called Techicolor to get replacement DTS disks. I built the print up on two 6,000s but hadn't loaded it onto the platter when Techicolor calls me at eleven at night telling me that not only have they sent DTS backup disks, but that the print I had of Galaxy Quest wasn't our print. Ours was to come in the next day and, get this, the print I had in my possession was to go back to the Grand! Madness. You're right, Mike. This is fun.------------------
The man with the magic hands.
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-13-2000, 08:19 AM:
Thats the main reason I prefer to sell SRD over DTS! The double system thingy will always continue to be a headache. Sure DTS may be a pinch better sounding than SRD, but then unless you have really really good sound systems to A-B with I doubt that you would hear a difference. Also I've had to repair almost every DTS unit we've sold at least once, and some twice. The ROM drive upgrade is also a bit too expensive IMHO. SRD is simply the most practical to have around.
Mark
Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-13-2000, 03:26 PM:
That's kind of a non issue. FWIW, we've had DTS here since 1994 and have only had to go without disks for a grand total of 4 shows. (That's four performances.) At the time, DTS was less than half the cost of Dolby, so for $6000 difference I think it's worth it.I suppose people with many screens have more horror stories. "DTS-disk screwup of the week," anyone?
Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 04-13-2000, 08:07 PM:
Humorous DTS screw-up story: When I worked at a single, we kept getting the DTS trailer disks every other week like clockwork. Usually via overnight mail or some similarly expensive means of transportation. The odd thing is that we didn't have DTS, couldn't afford DTS, and really only had a (just barely) working early-1980s Dolby system. Our manager got tired of having to sign for these shipments, so he started refusing the shipments and occasionally sent back notes to DTS to the effect of "stop sending these." It didn't work. The disks kept coming and eventually ended up in my basement...
Anyway, this place may well have been the only theatre in history that had problems with receiving _too_many_ DTS disks.
Posted by Tom Ferreira (Member # 70) on 04-14-2000, 08:34 AM:
I get the trailer discs almost weekly. I always pull it out of the envelope, look at it, and try to figure out what the difference is between the last one I got-there may be one new trailer on the disk. It is nice to get the Pepsi ads that we have to run on the discs, and I do appreciate the fact that it's free-not much is these days. I've never understood why one sheets are so expensive through NSS-you would think that studios would want you to have them to advertise their films.
Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 04-14-2000, 02:49 PM:
I heard through our NCS guy that there are a few places that don't send the DTS discs back...The story goes that he went down the "back stairs" to go outside and the hall was littered with broken and mangled discs! Appearently they were playing Frisbee with them! I told him that we send back almost all of ours. (Once in a blue moon they get lost, etc.) He was actually surprised to hear that.
Posted by Trevor Bailey (Member # 75) on 04-14-2000, 04:35 PM:
I have been to several theaters that have piles of DTS disks in the booth. I mention to the managers "Hey, you might want to send those back."
Their response: "They want those back?"But then these are the same theaters that still have the Toy Story 2 disks in the drives.
Posted by Andrew D'Vrey (Member # 285) on 04-15-2000, 01:14 AM:
I do the same thing, Tom! I dont' know why...I just want to see how worthless it is for me to change the disk this week. Actually, we change trailer packs once a week, so the updates are nice. But I also check them so I can run as many trailers in Digital as possible.I love getting these disks...I use the empty cases for my ReWriteable CDROMs. Mine come in plastic jewel cases...not envelopes.
As far as DTS disks not with a print, Technicolor should check those before resending them...but we know that's never going to happen. I've forgotten twice...and I remember them both well because I kicked myself in the head REALLY REALLY hard. We have moveable sound racks, so they get wheeled around a lot. So it's like musical chairs with the DTS units. Things tend to get confusing on Thursdays when we're shuffling prints, disks, and digitals around. That, and I've gotten a little loopy since they installed that Capuccino machine in concessions.
The thing that gets me is friggin Technicolor wouldn't pick them up!!! I called them and told them the situation. NO ONE could give me an answer as to what I should do with them. Finally I just threw them in another print and put a big sign on the can.
------------------
"And the monkey flips the switch."
- Major Don West, "Lost In Space"
Andrew D'Vrey
IATSE Local 219
Posted by Chris Erwin (Member # 176) on 04-16-2000, 09:35 AM:
Think of what will happen if Technicolor gets into digital distribution....corrupt files,virus ridden titles...so much to look forward to.--Chris
Posted by Tom Ferreira (Member # 70) on 05-06-2000, 08:20 AM:
Well I can honestly say that I've never NOT returned the DTS Disks with a print. What the hell good are they to me, when the next guy may actually use them. My DTS Trailers disks also come in jewel boxes, and I use the empties for the same purpose-CDR cases.
My Technicolor bitch this week was when I built up Gladiator. Eight reels-and EVERY LAST ONE of them was broken. The bands had no strings, just the stupid sticker. Do these people really not give a shit what condition the prints are in when they reach the theaters? Are directors, producers, etc. aware of the way their films are being handled before exhibition? I'll bet most of them would blow a gasket.
Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 05-06-2000, 11:34 AM:
I just made up a sneak ("Center Stage") that was delivered by Technicolor. Every reel was falling apart. On one reel, molded in the plastic, is written; "PATENT PENDING." Next to it, written with a marker, was; "You can't patent poor quality.."
Posted by Josh Jones (Member # 447) on 05-07-2000, 05:44 PM:
We really havent had any problems with
Technicolor. for some reason they never forget prints. whoever distributes for sony,on the other hand , needs to have their heads examined. we've had two prints Sony never came to pick up, even after we called them. I wish TC would have forgotten about our print of "Princess Mononoke," though.
It's a really good movie and I want a copy of it 
Josh
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-07-2000, 06:29 PM:
Technicolor distributes the Sony/Columbia/Tri-Star prints. Hence you ARE having problems.
Posted by Josh Jones (Member # 447) on 05-07-2000, 07:19 PM:
no, I don't think soThe cans have labels on them that say
"reel easy", unless nobody bothered to scrape the old labels off
Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 05-07-2000, 07:23 PM:
"Reel Easy" delivers the Sony Pictures Classics prints, which are handled differently from regular Sony/Columbia/Tristar prints for reasons unknown.
Posted by Chris Rhode (Member # 448) on 05-08-2000, 07:45 AM:
I love Technicolor!! I constantly have problems with them!! When we get new movies, we always get the broken reels. However, when we order replacement reels, they send us the brand new bendable plastic reels. I asked my manager if we can ask Technicolor if they have a frequent buyers club or something because we are constantly buying replacement reels because of the morons I have working upstairs.As for those DTS discs.... We collected them from the day we opened. We had about 150 discs. Then one day we just decided to send them back. So we took the discs and the plastic jewel cases and just boxed up the round things they hold them in and shipped them back. We use the discs to have contests to see how many of them we can toss into one of those round moveable step-stools turned upside down. Its really fun!!! This is why I love working for a multiplex theater!!
Although I had one question, even though the DTS discs are not readable in a cd player, if I were to put one in my computer's CD-ROM drive, would it work (seeing as how those DTS readers use cd-rom drives anyway?)
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Chris Rhode
chrisrhode@hotmail.com
My reputation preceeds me..... in fact, it arrived about 45 years ago!
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 05-08-2000, 08:37 AM:
First the blasting it is because of theatres that don't return the disk that other theatres down the food chain don't always get them. Not returning them is unprofessional.
No all you would se is the DTS files if you put the disk in a PC
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-08-2000, 01:08 PM:
Chris, where do you work?
Posted by Russ Kress (Member # 461) on 05-08-2000, 05:01 PM:
Oops! I ocasionally find the errant set of disks around the theatre. We ship them back to the depot when we find them. I actually emailed everyone to be sure that the disks make it to the cans before they ship them out. I was under the (evidently false) impression that most of the return prints were shredded after the engagement ended.As for the guy that posted about throwing them at the spinning stool...
That was a joke, right?
Russ
Posted by Chris Rhode (Member # 448) on 05-08-2000, 05:13 PM:
Gordon, in response to your post... I wasn't around when they would just take the discs and just stack them up somewhere and let them sit. Now that I work up in projection, whatever dts discs come with the movie cans stay in the cans because since we don't use dts, there is no need for taking them out of the containers.Brad, I work for AMC.
Russ, the thing about throwing the discs at the spinning stool is no joke. The discs that were there for about 8 months before anybody saw them there we ended up just taking and junking them because: 1. Technicolor/Benton never called and asked for them; 2. They for movies that were old; 3. My theater is not going to spend the money to ship them back.
Now I know what everybody is thinking... geez that is soo unprofessional... keeping the discs and throwing them at a spinning stool. I know it is unprofessional also, but hey you have to have some fun every now and then right?? But any new DTS disc that we get stays in the can and gets shipped out with the movie when they come pick it up.
To all the little theaters that use DTS and don't get the discs because the big theaters forget to put them with the film when they ship out... I am very sorry for what my theater has done.
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Chris Rhode
chrisrhode@hotmail.com
My reputation preceeds me..... in fact, it arrived about 45 years ago!
Posted by Stephen Winner (Member # 8) on 05-08-2000, 08:38 PM:
I can actually get one of those disks to sail 150 feet to the stage when I throw it out the booth window 
Posted by Chris Rhode (Member # 448) on 05-09-2000, 07:46 AM:
I wish I could do that, but our port windows do not open (which was a stupid idea).------------------
Chris Rhode
chrisrhode@hotmail.com
My reputation preceeds me..... in fact, it arrived about 45 years ago!
Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 05-10-2000, 12:56 AM:
Maybe those ports were sealed so people couldn't throw junk out of them!
Posted by Chris Rhode (Member # 448) on 05-10-2000, 12:26 PM:
That is a bad idea, because there have been many times (and there has to be other people who can agree with me on this) when people (especially retard teenagers) that throw nacho cheese at the window right where the projector is. Then we have to run down after the show is over and clean it off which takes 15 minutes because we have to get a 20ft ladder just to get up to the port glass.------------------
Chris Rhode
chrisrhode@hotmail.com
My reputation preceeds me..... in fact, it arrived about 45 years ago!
Posted by Jason R. Weinsteiger (Member # 456) on 05-11-2000, 12:02 AM:
josh sayeth:"We really havent had any problems with
Technicolor. for some reason they never forget prints. whoever distributes for sony,on the other hand , needs to have their heads examined. we've had two prints Sony never came to pick up, even after we called them. I wish TC would have forgotten about our print of "Princess Mononoke," though.
It's a really good movie and I want a copy of it"
-----
i hear that, josh We played Mononoke as well. We're playing "X" the week of June 02. We'll be the only theater in PA to play it. hope it does well, since it's the first film that i have been allowed to book myself, and i'd like to keep playing all the anime films that are released.
jasoN
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"That's what life is - a series of down endings. All Jedi had was a bunch of muppets." -Dante Hicks
Posted by Jason R. Weinsteiger (Member # 456) on 05-11-2000, 12:10 AM:
chris sayeth:Although I had one question, even though the DTS discs are not readable in a cd player, if I were to put one in my computer's CD-ROM drive, would it work (seeing as how those DTS readers use cd-rom drives anyway?)
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nope, i tried that one night (we have a computer at work). What kinda puzzled me for a bit is that the DTS drives have little earphone jacks that dont work. When we got the unit, i though, "oh cool, earphone jacks." i actually emailed DTS about it, to satisfy my curiosity. But apparently they're just for decoration.
oh yeah, and next time our sub-run theater doesn't get a DTS disc i shall have to smite you and your friends too (and their friends) (and their friends' pet snakes). i forgot to return the discs just once. But when we contacted the distributer they said they'd send for it eventually. Eventually hasn't happend yet. But i made up for that mistake by accidently sending our DTS trailer (the exploding CD one) back with a film a month later.. i have yet to hear the end of either mistake from my boss.
jasoN
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"That's what life is - a series of down endings. All Jedi had was a bunch of muppets." -Dante Hicks
Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-11-2000, 12:37 AM:
Jason,So what if you sent in your "exploding Cd" DTS disk? That soundtrack is on every new DTS disk you get anyway.
Mike
Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 05-11-2000, 10:24 AM:
He means he left the trailer attached to the movie .
Posted by Jason R. Weinsteiger (Member # 456) on 05-11-2000, 11:17 PM:
yeah yeah, that's what i mean. The trailer itself. You know, the ones that cost like $20 *grumble grumble*jasoN
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"That's what life is - a series of down endings. All Jedi had was a bunch of muppets." -Dante Hicks
Posted by Chris Rhode (Member # 448) on 05-12-2000, 07:59 AM:
Jason,You have to understand that the managers at my theater (aside from the booth managers which are very cool and considerate,) really don't give a crap about us not sending the discs back or not. They have to worry about the ushers that don't know how to clean a theater properly.
BTW, I do return those discs now!!! I want to stress that point! I return the discs!!!
------------------
Chris Rhode
chrisrhode@hotmail.com
My reputation preceeds me..... in fact, it arrived about 45 years ago!
Posted by Paul Konen (Member # 41) on 05-12-2000, 09:22 AM:
My manager told me that each disc NOT returned cost the theatre $15 each.
Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 05-12-2000, 09:38 PM:
Pual,AFAIK thats not true. If it were we would get nailed bigtime (I always send the discs back but some jack@sses forget).
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-12-2000, 09:41 PM:
No, that's not true. That's just another one of those threats in an attempt to inflict fear on projectionists. Kinda like how a 6 reel print costs $3500! A single 6 reel print and all of the setup costs to run JUST THAT ONE print is roughly $1200. Obviously when hundreds or thousands are printed at the same time, the cost is substantially less.
Posted by Ethan Harper (Member # 472) on 05-12-2000, 10:00 PM:
Here is an interesting question for you,I use to work at skinemark im sorry i meant cinemark tinseltown 20
we had recently got some new drives in for our dts and on a couple of instances for some strange reason, it would play the wrong soundtrack for the trailer on screen.
For example we were once showing a kids movie with a kids trailer but,... it was playing the soundtrack for some evil movie. this scared the kids of course. kinda funny. could not figure it out. oh well just something funny i thought i should share.
THX
EH