Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Headlights

This is topic Headlights - Contrast Killers in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 11-16-2001, 08:56 AM:

Many drive-ins were built with the screen either backing the roadway (most common) or facing it parallel to the road depending on the sun.
However, in corner lots this was impossible. Does anyone know (or can you guess) as to how much of an angle AND setback a screen needed
from the road to avoid wash-out from traffic (OR, do you know generally what angle vehicle headlights project to before indistinguishable)?

Posted by Jerry Chase (Member # 660) on 11-16-2001, 09:04 AM:

Headlights only have a beam of about 15% or so, don't they?

The solution is a barrier of fast growing poplar trees or something similar.

Posted by Barry Floyd (Member # 385) on 11-16-2001, 01:11 PM:

Sounds like your in the "engineering/layout phase".

Our last site had almost 1000' of road frontage along a highway, and oncoming headlights from either direction (although not able to reach the screen face) would have definetely been a visible deterent to patrons parked in the field. Our solution to the problem was to move any excess dirt graded from the lot and mound it along the right of way. By creating an "earthen mound" along the front of the theatre - not only would it provide a shield from the headlights, it also provided an acoustical buffer from traffic noise. We had planned to provide a "landscape buffer" along the ridge of the mound to further shield any noise or ambient light. It looks alot better than the typical "sheet metal fence" found at many old drive-in sites, and requires no painting.

Depending on your sewage disposal needs, if you were forced to use an above-grade "pressurized mound" system, you could elimate the landscaping along the top of the berm and the mound could serve more than one purpose.

As always... remember, never try to build a drive-in theatre next door to a Missionary Baptist Church. Been there... done that, didn't work!!

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Barry Floyd
Floyd Entertainment Group
Nashville, Tennessee
(Drive-In Theatre - Start-Up)

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 11-16-2001, 02:55 PM:

Barry said: "As always... remember, never try to build a drive-in theatre next door to a Missionary Baptist Church. Been there... done that, didn't work!!"

You mean you didn't promise to play only "family" pictures?

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 11-16-2001, 03:41 PM:

Well, sort of Barry! I'm a guy who'll either be in the biz next season, 5 years from now, never, who knows? HOWEVER I do keep my eye open for property and I have seen one that is pre-zoned, good size, workable market (I think), got the survey and am now playing surveyor. I know you planned on two opposing screens with central snack bar. I take it they were perpendicular to the highway? What I'm thinking of doing is making-up a "test-kit" of a board with a few small white "screens" on it at increasing angles from 90 up. The "Screen-O-Matic"!!

I'll move it further and further from the road until headlights are indistinguishable. Screen-O-Matic (tm) only warranted for night-use!

Posted by Barry Floyd (Member # 385) on 11-16-2001, 09:45 PM:

The promise of "family only" pictures John??

When they asked why I wanted to put up two screens, I said "with two screens available, we'll be able to book the better movies like the Disney movies, etc. A little later on in the zoning hearing, one of the board members asked, "What type of movies will we be playing?" I answered, "we'll show a variety of movies with ratings of G, PG, PG-13, and R." When I said that, the church people jumped up and shouted "a minute ago he was only gonna show Disney movies, now he's gonna be showing R rated movies. By the time this meetings over, he'll be showing X-rated movies right next door to our church".

If I had enough money to pay-off the zoning board, I'd open a liquor store and adult book & toy store on the lot, just for the fun of it. Ok, not really - but it would be a nice pay back.

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Barry Floyd
Floyd Entertainment Group
Nashville, Tennessee
(Drive-In Theatre - Start-Up)