Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Who is running Changeovers?

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Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 09-30-2000, 01:16 PM:

On the subject of ELRs I thought it might be a good idea to find out who is running 2,000 foot changeovers.

My theatre, The Rialto Cinemas Lakeside, is running platters.

The Nugget Theatre in Telluride CO is running 2,000 foot reels with changeovers.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 09-30-2000, 03:28 PM:

We have three screens, two of which have two projectors and so can show films reel to reel. As a general rule, I will put a print on the platter if it's showing as part of the regular programme, but show it with changeovers if its a one-off special screening, press show, preview &c. Archive and showprints are always shown reel to reel, as are any brittle and sticky old acetate prints which might have an argument with the platter feed unit.

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 09-30-2000, 07:46 PM:

The only theatres I know of that run reel to reel around us Ian are:

The Sebastiani in Sonoma.
The Park in Lafayette.
The Grand Lake (Oakland); Orinda (Orinda), the Oaks (Albany) are capable of running reel-to-reel but they have platters.

Who else... it'll come to me. I'll think of more.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 09-30-2000, 08:26 PM:

Hey Scott,
The Grand lake is definately a really cool place. I was given a tour of it a number of years back. I remember that there were a pair of JJ's in the balcony booth and a pair of DP-70's downstairs in the main floor booth. I do however remember that the main floor was running an AW-3 at the time. As I remember the upstairs pair of JJ's were reel to reel. Is this correct?
Mark

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 09-30-2000, 11:54 PM:

Places I've worked: Cape Cinema (2000', carbon arc), Williamsburg Theatre (6000'; currently under renovation, but I assume that the same or similar equipment will go back in the booth eventually)

Places in the Boston area: Coolidge Corner, Brattle, Harvard Film Archive, Belmont Cinema, Avon Cinema (Providence RI), Academy of Music (Northampton, MA - carbon arc), Wellfleet DI (Cape Cod, MA - carbon arc), a few others...

Places in the DC area: Uptown, AFI, Byrd (Richmond, VA. - carbon arc), Naro (Norfolk, VA.)

Others: Egyptian (LA), just about every rep house and screening room in existance, many drive-ins, many single-screens, etc.

Posted by Frank Prete (Member # 627) on 10-01-2000, 12:32 AM:

Down here in Melbourne, Australia, there is only one place that runs changeovers every night that I know of - The Astor. It is a retro theatre running mostly double features of old and re-released stuff. Generally a new double each night.

The drive in at Coburg occasionally get to run changeovers (6000ft spools) when prints don't behave on the platters.

Then there are the major exhibition companies screening rooms that run changeovers. One for Village, One for Hoyts. The distributors also have their screening rooms, I'd be guessing, but would imagine that changeovers would be the go.

There may be a few more independant theatres running changeovers.

Frank

Posted by Christopher Seo (Member # 7) on 10-01-2000, 06:57 AM:

The Hawaii Theater in Honolulu was renovated with new equipment for reel-to-reel, but someone forgot to leave enough space for 6000' reels, so it can only run 2000'. "Fortunately" it runs live shows 95% of the time. Another auditorium here (Honolulu Academy of Arts) can run 6000' but again is not a dedicated cinema.

In rural parts of Hawaii, there are still old carbon arc houses, which I assume limits them to 2000' reels. I doubt they are open all the time either (i.e., matinee and evening every day), just due to low patronage. Interesting to see what will happen to them.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 10-01-2000, 07:47 AM:

Most any studio screening room is going to run on only 2000' reels or smaller. Heck, studio machines often just run on cores.

In the DC area, The Uptown is the biggest commercial theatre running changeovers and runs on the 70mm standard reel of 22" or 4500 foot.

The various Smithsonians of which almost all have 35mm film capability run on 2000' reel changeover with the notable exception of the Air and Space theatre (Langley) now running on a platter.

The MPAA screening room in DC is also on 2000' reel changeover.

Then their are the colleges and universities like Johns Hopkins that run 2000' reel closed magazine changeover and George Mason U also on 2000' reel changeover.

The Colonial theatre in Phoenixville, PA (remember THE BLOB w/Steve McQueen?) that pulled a platter out and now is on 2000' reel changeover (art house/special venue).

The National Gallery of Art runs primarily 2000' reel changeover (but has 6000' capability)

Dalke's theatres runs changeovers on all but one screen, including both screens at the "Family Drive-In"

There are others including some that physically can't run more than 2000' reels.

Steve

------------------
"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"

Posted by Glenda Cockrum (Member # 542) on 10-01-2000, 08:30 AM:

Here at the Ambridge Family Theatre we run only changeovers. We have two SuperSimplex, with Strong carbon arcs, RCA 1040 mono soundheads and 2000 foot reels (I don't think we have enough clearance for 6000

) and with the carbon arcs we would probably waste alot of carbon if we ran 6000's. Are we small, yes, but we are re-building our audience slowly but surely. I am getting comfortable with customers calling us "quaint and cute"! Carmike has the only other theaters in the county, a seven screen and a six screen, the seven has real projectionists, plus managers running one or two nights, I'm not sure about the other theater. Their senior projectionist has been over to see us, asking if he could bring in a few younger guys to learn how to do carbons and changeovers!

go figure?! We would like to upgrade to at least a 1970's booth? and he wants to train people in our booth. My husband knew nothing about the equipment when we started the process to buy this 2 years ago, trained long and hard hours with the former owners and now he is one of the few people in the area that knows carbons/changeovers, but has had very little contact with platters and xenon lamphouses!

Posted by Travis Cape (Member # 466) on 10-01-2000, 11:35 AM:

In St. Louis, the Fox, Art Museum, Webster University, Wehrenberg Screening room, and us at the Hi-Pointe run changeovers or can. The Fox and Art Museum are the last Carbon Arcs. We run reels for press screenings, film festivals, or other limited special events. I would run them all the time, but then who would sell the popcorn?

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 10-01-2000, 12:09 PM:

RE: The Grand Lake (and other Renassaince Rialto Theatres)

They ALL run platters - but most of the theatres are equipped with two projectors for what the projectionist who gave me the tour described "In case one of the machine f&*ks up."

At first I thought it was just the auditoriums that were original from the theatres construction... but then I found a pair of Century's in the #3 booth - a small addition tacked on at the Grand Lake. I think it's a nice idea to have a spare in case you run into trouble with the main machine.

I personally would love to be able to run changeovers so when we get a special screening for a film-maker... I wouldn't have to cut the heads and tails off.

I once built up a print of "Heartwood" for a screening at one of our theatres for the cast and crew. The director stood up next to the MUT with me and FLIPPED out when I cut a reference frame off with the leader. He asked me what the hell I was doing... and I simply told him I HAD to do it... and to get used to it because when the movie got released... other projectionists might do FAR FAR worse than cut off ONE frame.

Posted by Stefan Scholz (Member # 147) on 10-01-2000, 02:33 PM:

Orpheum Schoenberg could run changeover on 3 Bauer U2 projectors. The installation was completed in recent times. Lamphouses are 1958 Bauer 3 kW Xenons, the first commercial lamphouse. (Osram prototype)
Reel size is standard 70 mm 4500 ft.
We could also run commercial films on a private Kinotone "portable" projector (FP 23D- T 4000) with 12000 ft reels underneath, for convenience reasons. But the owners prefer to use the changeover setup.
With modern sound systems, it is quite costly to run 3 projectors in all formats, just think of 30 mag preamp channels, 3 Sony readers, 3 DTS, and so on... not talking about the wiring and changeover circuits.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 10-01-2000, 03:03 PM:

Why would you want three 35mm or 35/70 projectors in one booth? That seems a bit excessive. As long as you have 6000' capability, the failure of one projector/lamphouse/etc. should only cause minor inconvenience for the audience. If one felt the need for more redundancy, it would probably be cheaper just to install a platter in place of the third machine.

My "ideal" booth would have a pair of 35/70 projectors and one of the fancy new Kinoton 16/35 models. That would make it possible to show pretty much any possible combination of formats in a single program: 16mm films, 35mm films, 35mm short/trailers with 70mm feature, 16mm short with 35mm feature, etc.

Posted by Ari Nordström (Member # 288) on 10-01-2000, 03:47 PM:

We (the Draken in Göteborg, Sweden) still run changeovers. Depending on what we screen, we use 2000' (old "classics", archive prints, etc; stuff you simply aren't allowed to splice together) or 6000' (sneaks, shows for school classes, festival prints, etc) reels. We're the only theatre in town without a platter and probably won't get one either.

Scott, you'd like my booth. We have two 35/70mm Zeiss Favorit70 projectors, a 35mm Philips FP6 projector, and a 16mm Bauer Selecton. It is actually my ideal booth, or at least pretty close. Have a look at: http://www1.tripnet.se/~adler/draken/.
(Hey Brad, shouldn't you add a link to the Draken pages?)

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 10-01-2000, 07:02 PM:

Scott,

Actually 3-projector booths were quite common in the important theatres. It gave complete back up with NO inconvience. Also, in a 35/70 situation, allowed for 35mm previews on a 70mm feature without having to convert a machine mid-show....this could be an issue if the 70mm required raising the top masking (and hence you don't want to be adjusting the projector after the format change going from 35mm to 70mm).

Personally, I am all for four projectors in the really important theatres where shows must run perfect. We always get two prints for these premiers and such but it would be great if both prints were loaded and both running so that if one has a problem...any problem, a simple c/o to the other print keeps the show going on the backup. Normally, the second print just sits in the can waiting for a disaster.

Obviously this would be excessive the the typcial venue but for theatres that feature premiers and like, it would be quite handy. I do think it would also be handy to keep a projector on wheels for the plexes to move into place in the event of a theatre going down.

On the story of cutting off the ID frame...this topic is covered elsewhere in the foum (look for a locked thread). As Brad has pointed out one does NOT have to leave an ID frame and can still match up the leaders though careful observation. Be that as it may, if there was a concern about cutting up the print, the releasing company should have done a site survey and asked as to the mode of operation (changeover or platter) and chosen the process they prefer (sometimes it actually is the platter, more often than not it is changeover). If they didn't know you ran on platters and knew it had to be loaded in order to run the show when the got there, they should have either moved the show or sucked it in and dealt with it.

I once was handed a film maker's copy of a film and he instructed me that not only could the print NOT be cut but NO cue marks or other visable marks of any kind could be put on the print either! It ran on a pair of Century Cs and didn't miss one changeover (heck the editor and director were in the audience and would have let me know too).

Steve

------------------
"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"

Posted by Michael Barry (Member # 237) on 10-01-2000, 08:56 PM:

Steve: I take it that the filmmaker's copy had lab cues already? Or are you saying that it had no cues at all and you still managed to know where the changeovers were? If so, how?

I recently left a cinema which had no platters and the box was flanked by two cinemas on either side...sometimes we ran 2000' spools on either side simulateously! That keeps you on your toes! Now I work in a twin with platters AND automation. I still work in a theatrette with changeovers, though.

In a theatrette, I prefer changeovers. In an actual movie theatre where I'm running the same movie 6 times a day, I prefer platters.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 10-01-2000, 10:57 PM:

Nope, no cues what so ever (visable).

One of the most important keys to being a sucessful projecitonist is being able to think on one's toes.

I put on click tabs....clear splicing tape outside of the picture area that would cause the gate to "clack" when they went through the gate and intermittent shoe...I put four in sequence at each point. When you heard "clack, clack, clack,clack...turn on the motor...at the next point...hit the C/O.

After the show, pull off the tape...invisable cues.

Now doesn't it suck when the magician tells his secrets?

Steve

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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"

Posted by Ky Boyd (Member # 23) on 10-02-2000, 01:35 AM:

Scott:

Doesn't the Castro in SF run reels?
I believe the Fine Arts in Berkeley also runs reels and is a carbon arc house.
The UC in Berkeley also runs reels as does the Stanford in Palo Alto - in both these cases I believe they are running 2000's

Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 10-02-2000, 10:54 AM:

I worked in one booth (well, I only worked there twice) that had three projectors. Two JJ's and an old Simplex E7. They were running "Alien" in 70mm. It was the good old days; when they also gave you a 35mm back-up print. Had to run trailers befor the show, and it was really nice to just punch over from trailers to feature.

At Radio City MH, if it's a high profile show, they will sometimes get two prints and run two projectors at the same time in case there's a problem.

When I was running "Alien" at the place, there was no Dolby processor- was "Alien" avaiable in regular 70mm? I know that Dolby would not record anything onto Le and Re if you asked for a regular 70mm, but I was wondering if "Alien" was availble that way, of if the place I worked at was "cheating."

Posted by Don Olson (Member # 90) on 10-02-2000, 02:54 PM:

Most of the screening rooms in the "Bel Aire" circuit run 2000' reels and changeovers. As do the very very rich in their screening rooms in the Northwest.

I have heard that Sumner Redstones home theatre is this way also.

Don Olson

Posted by Tom Sauter (Member # 616) on 10-02-2000, 02:55 PM:

The Western New York changeover tally:

I run 6000' changeovers at the Center for the Arts (200 seat screening room...pictures coming). Strong 1600W Xenon and Century SA.

Shea's Buffalo (3100 seat proscenium theatre) runs carbon-arc changeovers. Century JJ 35/70s w/ mag penthouses. Big AC-DC generator recently replaced by rectifiers

The Riviera Theatre (Wurlitzer Organ house) runs 2000' carbon arc and is fully equipped and licensed to run nitrate (and sometimes does)

In nearby Rochester the University operates two houses w/6000' changeovers and the George Eastman house is also equipped for 2000 footers and nitrate.

There's probably more, but one can see changeovers are far from dead around here.

Posted by Paul Cunningham (Member # 501) on 10-02-2000, 04:17 PM:

Elsewhere in Victoria, that I know of with changeovers are; most of the University theatres, Sorrento (I suspect judging by the prints I get from them), Puckapunyal Cinema (runs 4 days per week), RAAF Sale and Swanpoole Cinema which runs 2000 footers and carbon arcs on their C & W projectors. Probably a few other country ones too.

Paul

Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 10-03-2000, 03:30 AM:

quote:
In nearby Rochester the University operates two houses w/6000' changeovers and the George Eastman house is also equipped for 2000 footers and nitrate.

Is that the big Eastman Theatre built in the silents days as part of the Eastman School of Music? I've often wondered if it is still standing and/or operating.

(Not many know that Eastman coughed up to establish the School of Music in order to train musicians to accompany silents!)

------------------
William Hooper
Junk drawer: http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/theater/3622
Theatre Empire: http://members.xoom.com/saenger.1

Posted by Tom Sauter (Member # 616) on 10-03-2000, 07:21 AM:

Actually it is George Eastman's house I am referring to, now a really neat museum (700+ piece projector collection!). There's a 300 seat screening room where prints are shown from the collection.

The Eastman Theatre (2200 seats downtown) is still operating. It has been really well maintained by the University although I don't think they screen films anymore. Organ works, though. The University operates two other on-campus theatres for films (both CO houses)

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 10-03-2000, 08:33 AM:

Regarding ALIEN in 70mm...yes, there were non-Dolby 70mm prints available. That was the first big 70mm release at the time, and a number of the theatres did not have 70mm Dolby units.

Those were the days when the 70mm prints opened BEFORE the 35mm prints. I think this happened on one of the Star Wars films, also...possibly Empire?

Variety had an ad for Alien that listed all of the theatres running 70mm prints...it was considered a big deal at the time. It would be interesting to see how many of those theatres are still in business.

Mark L.

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"As a moral to young men who come down to the city, don't go round breaking people's tambourines."

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 10-03-2000, 12:20 PM:

One of my co-workers also works as a projectionist at the Dryden Theatre of the International Museum of Photography at the George Eastman House. Yes, they have Century C projectors with 2000-foot magazines, and still equipped to show nitrate prints:
http://www.eastman.org/

The huge Eastman Theatre in Rochester is primarily used for "live" events, but Boston Light & Sound has come in to do several great film presentations with live accompaniment by the Rochester Philharmonic. There is a long-empty projection room high above the balcony in the theatre. My co-worker was instrumental in securing a pair of Norelco AA-II projectors from the Monroe Theatre (that fell on hard times and went the XXX bookstore/peepshow route), that hopefully will bring a permanent film projection capability back to George Eastman's wonderful gift to Rochester.

------------------
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 Stefan Scholz (Member # 147) on 10-04-2000, 02:49 PM:

Scott, why 3 35/70 mm's. The owners liked it. And there was the space. 16 is Bauer Selecton II in position 4. I know, it's an enthusiast's setup.
At the Savoy in Hamburg we just run two Norelcos and one Kinotone 35/16, your combination.

Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 10-05-2000, 12:19 AM:

quote:
Shea's Buffalo (3100 seat proscenium theatre) runs carbon-arc changeovers. Century JJ 35/70s w/ mag penthouses. Big AC-DC generator recently replaced by rectifiers

Hmm..if William Enos is here or someone else remembers - what's the Byrd in Richmond using for DC?

I can see a couple of rectifiers for the projector lamps, but it's a struggle picturing a big battery charger behind the Brenograph for its carbon arc lamp.

------------------
William Hooper
Junk drawer: http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/theater/3622
Theatre Empire: http://members.xoom.com/saenger.1

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 10-07-2000, 12:10 AM:

The Byrd Theatre in Richmond Va. has Simplex XLs with Peerless Magnarcs running at 55 amps supplied by 2 Ashcraft rectifiers we liberated 12 years ago from a long closed drive-in. we're using 6000 ft reels but usually only load 2 shipping reels on each to give better carbon use. We also have operational one of the original Westinghouse motor-generators that can be used as a back-up.

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 10-07-2000, 01:59 AM:

>>The only theatres I know of that run reel to reel around us Ian are:

The Sebastiani in Sonoma.
The Park in Lafayette.
The Grand Lake (Oakland); Orinda (Orinda), the Oaks (Albany) are capable of running reel to reel but they have platters.<<

The big house at the Crest in Sacramento just recently had an AW2 installed but can still run changeovers

The Mystic in Petaluma while no longer a movie theater (its now a very popular live music venue) has a completely functional changeover (6000' max) booth with Brenkert 80s and Strong X-16 conversions.

There is a completely functional carbon arc booth in the Fortuna Theatre that will, by the wishes of the district manager who wants to keep an old booth intact,be left in pristine condition, even though the rest of the building is being converted to a stadium triplex (the rear half of the building was twinned)...

>>Doesn't the Castro in SF run reels?<<

Yep. 2 JJ's with 6000' max capacity...

Aaron

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 10-07-2000, 02:27 PM:

In Toronto we have changeover at
Kingsway
Revue
Bloor
Royal
Music Hall
Fox
Paradise
Cinesphere
Ont. Science Centre
Ont. Film Review Board
York University (2 booths)
University of Toronto
MCA screening room
Warners screening room
Deluxe Labs
PFA labs
Famous Players Screening Room (2)
Cineplex Odeon screening room
Toronto International Film Festival Screening Room
Jackman Hall Art Gallery of Ontario
That can still run changeovers but use a platter
Uptown5
Cumberland4

Posted by Josh Jones (Member # 447) on 10-07-2000, 11:07 PM:

In north dakota, the following houses run changeovers

The Wishek Theatre, Wishek ND,
Super Simplex heads,RCA 1040 soundheads,
Simplex high lamps, mono sound
Ash Theatre, Ashley ND, Simplex E-7's, SH-1000's I think, Simplex High lamps, Motiongraph sound system

both run 2000' changeovers

Josh

Posted by Sean M. Grimes (Member # 445) on 10-08-2000, 02:34 AM:

In the Central New York area there are about five changeover theaters left allmost all run six thousand foot centurys with eiter cinemacannica lamphouses or early Christie with mono sound. There are two Carbon Arc houses left, one is a family owned theater with origional simplexes and ashcraft (I think) and then there is the Landmark Theater which is primarily used as a live music venue that has JJs and a peerless. They all run in mono except for a second run that has a smart mod-II. Overall though out of the ten theaters in town the presentation is actually the best at the multi's or at the art house down the street from me.

Posted by Robert Throop (Member # 61) on 10-13-2000, 08:58 AM:

The Landmark in Syracuse,NY has Simplex XL's,SH1000 soundheads and Strong Excelite lamps using 11mm positives at about 120 amps powered by a mg set.
The Stanley in Utica has XL's RCA MI1050 soundheads (with Kelmar red readers) and Ashcraft Core Lite 135 lamps using 11mm positives at 110 amps with either rectifiers or mg set.
The Capitol in Rome has XL's, SH1020 soundheads and Strong Super 135 lamps using 11mm positives and rectifiers.

------------------
Bob Throop

Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 10-13-2000, 03:49 PM:

What's a "mg set"?

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 10-13-2000, 04:34 PM:

before rectifiers they used DC generators. You use your AC to turn a DC gernerator for your DC power. Elegant and simple. The second theatre I worked at used a generator with a leather drive belt. Try finding a replacement for that at Grangers.

(The Ogden in Denver Built in 1913 as a Vaudville house and turned into a Movie house in the twenties. Still standing as Denver's premier small concert venue.)

I don't know why it's called a MG Set. Here is my guess, Magnetic Generator.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 10-13-2000, 09:59 PM:

Motor-Generator?

BTW, does anyone need a bunch of "Hertner TransVerter Brushes"? I have two boxes of them and no use for them. If you can use them, they're yours.

Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 10-13-2000, 10:26 PM:

Well, like carbon arc, I didn't care too much for motor-generators. They were a lot of work, too. I think people who worked on them are fondly remembering a time when a projectionist was a real craftsman, and maybe forgetting a bit, the maintance required. If you ever had to have the armatures removed and worked on, you know what an unbelievable mess happens in your booth. I particularly hated filing new brushes to match the curve of the commutator. Messy job.

They use to use little motor-generators for two-way radios (in cars and boats) in the 30's 40's and 50's. It was to generate the high voltage for vacumn tubes from the car's 12v or 6v battery/ generator (the high voltage was called the "B" battery.) Motorola used to call their motor-generators, "Dynamometers" if I remember. They made a nice one that fit in a 4" x 4" x 12" box.

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 10-14-2000, 12:46 AM:

>>"Dynamometers" if I remember.<<

Close. The little motor-generators (what 'MG' in 'MG-Set' stands for by the way) used in military and mobile equipment were called dynamotors.

What about the old exciter supplies in some of these places that used a pair of Tungar® argon-gas rectifier tubes... Boy I miss the changeover days...

Aaron

Posted by Josh Jones (Member # 447) on 10-15-2000, 01:36 PM:

Ahhh, the warm glow of Tungar lamps

Both of the changeover houses up here
still use em' to run the arcs and excitors,
have a pair sitting on my workbench.

Josh

Posted by Jeff Stricker (Member # 224) on 10-15-2000, 02:48 PM:

The MG was located right in the first booth I worked in (not out in a cubbyhole outside the booth). We had no monitor speaker in the booth, and you couldn't hear the film audio in the auditorium over it's noise and the noise of the Super Simplex running.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 10-15-2000, 04:34 PM:

The Cape Cinema is still using Tungar rectifier tubes in a pair of Strong rectifiers to power the Peerless arc lamphouses. They work fine and there's a box of spare tubes in the booth. They're using a fairly new SMART exciter supply, though. (see the picture warehouse for pics of some of this stuff.)

Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 10-15-2000, 11:26 PM:

The Carolina Theatre seems to be down to just one movie a month, but they were running changeovers.

Gee, if somebody was in Greensboro, NC he could run over there & see what's in the booth, in the fly tower, behind the screen, & see how they're doing, maybe take a camera....

------------------
William Hooper
Junk drawer: http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/theater/3622
Theatre Empire: http://members.xoom.com/saenger.1

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 11-15-2000, 04:20 PM:

I may be slow but I can take a hint!

...

I went to the Carolina Theatre today. I just got my digital camera today so I was dying to try it out. Here is what I found out.

She's still there and looking pretty good for her age. (Built in 1927) -- Please ignore the lens flare!

It's owned an operated by the United Arts Council of Greensboro. They run a full schedule of events there: Stage shows, concerts and last but not least, movies.

It is on the National Register of Historic Places and they are also a member of the League of Historic American Theatres.

Here is the schedule of films for the 2000-2001 season. I missed The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance by one day. (Damn!)

You can also check out their site: http://www.carolinatheatre.com

I only got to talk to the girl in the box office today but I got the guy's name who's the operations manager. I'll try to call him up and get in to take a few shots from the inside.

Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 11-16-2000, 01:46 AM:

Great shots of the Carolina!

------------------
William Hooper
Junk drawer: http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/theater/3622
Theatre Empire: http://members.xoom.com/saenger.1

Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 11-16-2000, 01:47 AM:

quote:
The Hawaii Theater in Honolulu was renovated with new equipment for reel-to-reel, but someone forgot to leave enough space for 6000' reels, so it can only run 2000'. "Fortunately" it runs live shows 95% of the time. Another auditorium here (Honolulu Academy of Arts) can run 6000' but again is not a dedicated cinema.

This goes *way* back, but didn't the Hawaii somehow reconstruct the booth to make it 2-story? Something like projection equipment on the bottom & follow spots on the 2nd floor (or vice versa?)

Posted by Christopher Seo (Member # 7) on 11-16-2000, 06:59 PM:

Correct, the projection booth, which also shares space with lighting and sound boards, is now cramped under a probably even more cramped followspot room/crawlspace... although I haven't been up there. I'm not sure how recent the whole renovation is but I believe, something like 5-10 years ago. Have you seen it since then? It's certainly very nice, but from what I've heard it's not a true restoration.

Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 11-16-2000, 09:56 PM:

I saw a photograph, somewhere. It does seem like it was a modernization, not a restoration. None of the interior design was original, but the more modern PAC one-lighe-color-everywhere with all white lamps & just some scant trim color here & there.

I remembered that the mention that the booth was two-story, & wondered how it had been done, what it was like, & how it worked.

It's disappointing that both the film & spots seem to have suffered. I don't understand why these architects (some are called "theater architects", but have done many theaters & not done ONE well) don't notice that a projection both usually has only 2-4 holes in an otherwise solid wall. the thing to do would be hang a spot booth in front of the projection booth wall, leaving the ports clear. Might need a spiral staircase to get the operator in position, but it would be a useful, comfortable booth & not a vertical ladder & line, or a limited-use half-ass booth.

And you wouldn't lose a nitrate-safe booth. I honestly think that half the wild major work done in these old theaters is just for the governing bodies & architects to point at & say "look at the major thing I have done here, & marvel at me!", while omitting to say "although it doesn't work well & has screwed up 14 other important things including the acoustics & losing a revenue-producing stream!"

Uck.

Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 06-20-2001, 06:06 PM:

In NYC the Film Forum runs changeovers because one of its screens is set aside for repertory.

I've been there twice when the screen flickered and died at the R2 > R3 change. The first time it was in Tough Guys (blaxploitation flick with Isaac Hayes). The second time it was for the 1998 re-release of Mean Streets. Both times it was in the same auditorium (#3). Could the lamp have blown when it was lit?

Footnote: I've been a Film Forum member since '92 but am letting it lapse in July.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 06-20-2001, 06:09 PM:

unusual for that to happen twice in a row
Is it possible that it the automation just failed to do the changeover?
Did the lights come on or did you see the tail run out

Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 06-20-2001, 06:30 PM:

Gordon: The lights did come up. R3 came on but flickered before the screen went dark.

Also, I could always tell the R2 > R3 change in that auditorium by the drop in sound level at the start of R3.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 06-20-2001, 06:48 PM:

It sounds like the use double reels
It might be possible that the film is going slack on the takeup when the second big reel starts and drops the failsafe

Posted by Jeff Taylor (Member # 443) on 06-21-2001, 09:36 AM:

FWIW, picking up on the talk about MG (motor generator)sets earlier in this thread, DC drive motors and MG's are still the norm in older commercial elevator installations. Solid state drives (rectifiers) have been available for years, but most buildings from the '70's or earlier still have their MG's humming away--some dating from the '20's. In fact, if I had MG's and needed parts / service I would probably look to an elevator service guy.

Posted by Michael Hunt (Member # 772) on 06-21-2001, 12:04 PM:

I'm running with a Westrex with a Strong 5 deck platter in my main screen (Cinema)

but can run 2000' or 6000' changeovers in my occasional screen (Theatre) on a pair of Century's