Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: EQ Cards

This is topic EQ Cards in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 07-22-2003, 10:46 AM:

Do a lot of processors offer the ability to either (a) swap out EQ cards or (b) electronically store EQ settings?

I'm inspired to ask this question after reading a few comments about how distribution techs come in and re-EQ a theatre to THEIR tastes (or to the taste of a particular director) whenever test screenings/previews are held. I am thinking that by swapping out EQ cards or by having a "guest user" environment, it would make it easy to go back to the original EQ.

Or...are they doing this already...do the techs bring in their own cards so that they can leave the processor as they met it?

Posted by Oliver Pasch (Member # 1335) on 07-22-2003, 11:11 AM:

It should be now problem to save a complete CP-500 or CP-650-setup including the B-chain-alignment using the regular setup-software.
With older Dolby CPs, such as the CP-200, CP-55, CP-65 it's obviously possible to swap Cat. 64B-EQ-Cards, but one shouldn't make the mistake thinking that only these cards are part of the alignment as all other level settings happen on Cat. 441 and their relatives.

I've never met someone bringing his own boards with him to align his own "sound".

I can confirm for Germany that every now and then we also monitor the bad habit with test- and press-screenings, film festivals and especially premiere screenings, that distributors order at least one pretended specialist to check the alignment, even if it has been checked by another one (or himself...) for another screening a week ago. And: of course everyone will have something to alter, even if it's only a 0,5 dB-alternation in one frequency band of the left back-surround-channel... [Wink]

...but you know, it's about demonstrating the need for your own existence and beeing paid for it.

Posted by Torsten Jasper (Member # 1860) on 08-30-2003, 10:56 PM:

"...but you know, it´s about demonstrating the need for your own existence and beeing paid for it."
Why do these guys drive bigger cars then I?

[ 09-03-2003, 10:40 PM: Message edited by: Torsten Jasper ]

Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 08-30-2003, 11:27 PM:

I can assure you most techs do not bring their own EQ cards. When a tech is called to re-do the EQ, he works with the cards that are already in the unit. He knows he does a better job than anyone else, so why would it have to be returned to it's orginal settings?

Our sound guy has brings his own scanner and actually scans in the Cat.64 cards, so when a "one show only" tech changes it, it can be returned.

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 08-31-2003, 02:23 AM:

I know for SDDS you can store different EQ settings on file on your laptop and just reload the settings whenever needed.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 08-31-2003, 11:09 AM:

Manny said

quote:
re-EQ a theatre to THEIR tastes (or to the taste of a particular director) whenever test screenings/previews are held.

I run a number of film festivals and more times than it should happen, the director will come to the booth during the test screening and want more bass, more treble, more this or that. Now our system isn't the latest Dolby digital processor, but we are eq-ed to spec and our sound is impressive, but more importantly, it is eq-ed as it should be. So when a director wants me to "tweak" the cards to his liking (I EVER mess with the individual 1/3 octave controls), I make sure to ask, "So I guess your sound mixer didn't get the mix right in post?" Luckily since our booth shares a fairly flexible sound console with the live mixing room, I can patch the CP channel outputs through the mixer and tweek till they're blue in the face, then I just unplug it when they are done doing what they should have done in the studio mix. Do they think every booth has the flexibility to do this for their masterpiece?

This also reminds me of, I am not sure who posted it, the screening that one of our members did for a film with, was it Ed Harris?, who came to the booth every 10 minutes telling him to rack the intermittent up, then down, saying the image wasn't centered. So if one position was correct, how could it change within a reel unless the original negative wasn't framed correctly? I understand a director being very nervous about his first public screening, but you know what? If he's that concerned about framing, then he should have hard matted it to 1.85 to ensure it is projected without possibility of mis-racking at the projection booth end. Again, do it right in post and we'll project it correctly in the booth.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 08-31-2003, 11:58 AM:

It is nice when they want technology to be constantly dorked with to correct human screwups [Roll Eyes]

Posted by Alan Haigh (Member # 1781) on 08-31-2003, 02:37 PM:

Obviously the easiest thing for older processors would be to write down the settings (EQ and level) on a piece of paper as a reference. Also why not ask the "specialist" whether he had to change anything, how bad it was etc.

Surely the aim for premieres/special sceenings is to make the film sound as good as possible in that room (not to tell the director that the mix is bad - blimey I would not have a job anymore if I did that!). And If I've been there a week before, then I am, yes making small improvements if there is time, but more importantly CHECKING it all is still working. It may seem like an easy job, especially if you work in a good, well equipped theatre, but it's a different story trying to make the most of a bad place, or, worse still, if something goes wrong on the night.

Posted by Torsten Jasper (Member # 1860) on 09-09-2003, 10:32 PM:

Manny said
quote:
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re-EQ a theatre to THEIR tastes (or to the taste of a particular director) whenever test screenings/previews are held.
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Frank wrote:
I run a number of film festivals and more times than it should happen, the director will come to the booth during the test screening and want more bass, more treble, more this or that.
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On festivals, kick out some directors out of the booth!
On each question, I reply, this is my first day in the booth, directors? Just give them the bullet...