Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Something nice about Technicolor

This is topic Something nice about Technicolor - a 1st?? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Bob Minge (Member # 574) on 08-26-2000, 03:16 PM:

Most of the posts about Technicolor I can relate to and understand peoples frustrations about them. But to keep both sides of the coin used, I decided to post something nice about them that happened to me this week. On monday, my office said you're getting Autumn in NY. Tue Technicolor called asking when first show was on Friday. I said 1:25 Matinee. She said earliest was 5:30 PM Fri, but would try to get earlier. Thur they called and said now at 4:30 PM Fri. Thur night they called and said Fri at 2PM. I said great, now I only have to miss 1 matinee show. Friday when finishing preping the theater a little truck pulled up at 12:30 with the print from Paris, Texas (Thanks booth from Paris - print in great shape) I was only 4 minutes late in starting it, no bad splices, good sound (for mono) and people liked the movie.
Hope this doesn't disappoint to many, but sometimes Technicolor does something better than they said they would. I am not jumping on their bandwagon, but just showing what happened to me.

------------------
Bob Minge
Manager/Projectionist
Westridge Cinema 5
Fergus Falls, MN

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 08-26-2000, 03:26 PM:

Yes but it is still Technicolors obligation to get your print there is time for you to run your first scheduled show not you scheduling your shows around them.

Posted by Bob Minge (Member # 574) on 08-26-2000, 03:31 PM:

Yes, Gordon, I agree. The next question is...who checks - my booker or someone else - to see if there is a free print close enough to get to my place on time before they order it?? Or does Technicolor or someone else tell my booker that this print is available, but doesn't tell them where it would be coming from?? Seems like some sort of a big game of chess on mondays with film.

Posted by Paul Cunningham (Member # 501) on 08-27-2000, 08:30 AM:

Since the Technicolour subject has been brought up (again)
If you can get a hold of the March 1995 edition of Kodaks "Film notes for reel people" Look on page 9 for photos of their high speed film inspection room and print inspection station.
I dont know how many of these they have or even if they actually use them and not the floor as many people suspect.
Maybe John Pytlak can scan and post them for all to see?
Anyway I dont have to deal with TES because they dont operate in Aust.

Cheers Paul

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 08-28-2000, 08:55 AM:

Paul Cunningham said: "Since the Technicolour subject has been brought up (again). If you can get a hold of the March 1995 edition of Kodaks "Film notes for reel people" Look on page 9 for photos of their high speed film inspection room and print inspection station. I dont know how many of these they have or even if they actually use them and not the floor as many people suspect."

The article in the March 1995 "Film Notes for Reel People" was about the Extended Length Reel (ELR) project, and showed some views at Technicolor Entertainment Services. AFAIK, the print inspection room and print inspection stations are used only when a distributor requests (and pays for) print rejuvenation services. Prints in normal distribution are usually NOT inspected by rewinding or viewing, since distributors are not paying for the service. AFAIK, the label "Integrity Checked" simply indicates that the contents of the film cases were verified to be sure all reels were present, and is NOT an inspection of print quality.

The "bottom line" is that all prints should be carefully inspected by the theatre before showing.

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment 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 Tom Kroening (Member # 201) on 09-01-2000, 04:02 AM:

I think technicolor should take a hint from that old pizza deal. "If its not there in 20 minutes [before the first show] its free!". :P

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 09-01-2000, 04:39 AM:

Bob wrote:>>Friday when finishing preping the theater a little truck pulled up at 12:30 with the print from Paris, Texas (Thanks booth from Paris - print in great shape) I was only 4 minutes late in starting it<<

Only four minutes late... well done. Although it's a bit sad that this is the best thing that can be said about them...that it arrived in enough time for you to be only four minutes late.

Paul wrote:>>Anyway I dont have to deal with TES because they dont operate in Aust.<<

...and I think we should thank the good Lordy for that one.

Posted by Mike Jones (Member # 522) on 09-02-2000, 09:26 AM:

I like the pizza idea, i think i'm going to suggest we start doing that! And about the print being late, that's not a good thing dummy! The print should be there the day before the first showing. It was nice of technicolor to try to fix their mistake, but too bad, they still suck!

Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 03-09-2003, 11:41 AM:

Thanks to us Film-Techers, Technicolor now knows it has to go the extra mile for the theater! Here's a recent example out of New England:

"At 2 o'clock Friday morning (Feb. 28), Triplex Cinema's one-man technical crew showed up at the theater to receive a dark-of-night delivery.

"The hit film 'Chicago' was being dropped off by overnight courier, and Steve Johnson had to set up the projector and hold a one-man viewing to watch for glitches, skips or sound flaws he might have to fix. The movie had to be ready for the 3 p.m. show.

"There was a problem, however. At the West Springfield movie theater, where the film was supposed to be picked up after its last show Thursday night, someone locked the doors on the courier and refused to turn over the movie.

"Johnson got a phone call from Technicolor, the company that moves films around the country every Thursday night for Miramax, the distributor for 'Chicago.'

" 'We can get you another print, but it's 185 miles away,' the Technicolor person told Johnson.

"Somehow, it happened. Johnson was waiting at the Triplex at 6:30 a.m. Friday when the film arrived. He set it up, then headed off for a prearranged trip to Montreal. The preview job was left to general manager John Valente, a former theater stage manager and now a discerning moviemonger.

"Not only was the print in good shape, but the movie was an exciting wild ride of murder, media and music, he said. The 3 p.m. show drew about 30 patrons."

The Triplex Cinema is an upmarket/arthouse venue in Great Barrington MA. This account was the beginning of a story in the Berkshire Eagle (via Cinema Treasures) on the Triplex.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 03-18-2003, 06:46 PM:

John said, " AFAIK, the label "Integrity Checked" simply indicates that the contents of the film cases were verified to be sure all reels were present, and is NOT an inspection of print quality. "

So theoretically, someone could wrap the spanking new heads and tails of a first run title around junk film and the "Inspector" would check the leaders and then slap an "Integrity Checked" label on reels of garbage. What a system!

Frank

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 03-18-2003, 07:12 PM:

Don't blame that on TES. They do what the studio pays them to do.

Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 1016) on 03-18-2003, 07:51 PM:

I saw this title and thought it was a joke. It is Technicolor’s responsibility to make sure you have your print in adequate time for your first run. They are not going above and beyond the call of duty to do what they are supposed to do in the first place! Has it gotten so bad that when they actually do what they are supposed to it makes them look like they do more then they have to?

Posted by Dennis Udovich (Member # 1066) on 03-18-2003, 11:42 PM:

I read all of these complaints about TES and must say, "I don't have any!" With the exception of a few minor delivery problems, TES has given me great service. Film is delivered by 9 a.m. on Thursday. Maybe service coming out of Milwaukee is better than other locations. I also have to say ETS gives me great service too. They deliver by 3 p.m. Thursday.

Posted by Nicholas Roznovsky (Member # 861) on 03-19-2003, 12:09 AM:

Everything's better when it comes from Milwaukee! [Smile]

Wow! TES told you that you couldn't have your Friday matinee shows? And then they magically almost did the job they're supposed to do? That's amazing! [Roll Eyes]

I sometimes think it would be better for our projectionists to just drive to the airport and pick up the prints themselves. TES consistently provides an incredibly low standard of service. From the wonderful "Break down your prints so we can carry them to the theater two blocks down the street" to the "Sure you can get a replacement reel - on Tuesday or Wednesday!", dealing with TES never fails to bring a scowl to my face and a string of obscenities to my office shortly after hanging up the phone.

TES still gets a [thumbsdown]

in my book.

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 03-19-2003, 02:15 AM:

Mr Minge, since the print finally arrived from Paris, I hope you as a good American refused to accept it. Also, they should rename that city into Freedom, Texas.
edit - let me put a smiley here to make clear that this is intended as a humourous comment. Here it comes:

[Wink]

[ 03-19-2003, 07:49 AM: Message edited by: Michael Schaffer ]