Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Brad's 3 auditorium interlocked print with 20 minute delay start

This is topic Brad's 3 auditorium interlocked print with 20 minute delay start in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Steven J Hart (Member # 2340) on 07-06-2004, 08:11 AM:

I read with interest in the previous post "What is the value of a Simplex Standard? (and Weenieman's booth challenge)" about the dinner theater Brad mentioned where one print is interlocked on three auditoriums with 20 minute delay starts on the second and third auditoriums. I understand that there is about 2000 feet of film hanging in the air between each projector. Is 2000 feet of leader (for each delayed start auditorium) attached to the head of the film with each projector started at the same time? How long does it take to thread up the system?

Steve

Posted by Wolff King Morrow (Member # 2226) on 07-06-2004, 10:02 AM:

There's a video of a 16-screen interlock on this site. They used timers to sync the startup, but obviously network automation would be preferred for that. Lots of interesting comments in the movie on how long it took as well as how they navigated problem areas.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 07-06-2004, 11:32 AM:

From the old thread here. (The discussion started on page 2 of that thread, but page 5 which is linked are the pictures.)

Assuming 2 screens are interlocked with 20 minutes of delay was used in this particular booth, it would take a little over 4000 feet of head leader and a litte over 4000 feet of tail leader. Triple 4000 foot leaders are alternated on a show by show basis, the system is never unthreaded. Instead a splice is broken and remade for reset. The CA21s will run the show right down to a couple of feet before the tail runs through the brain of the payout platter, then stop to facilitate easy splicing and moving of the leader. One leader is "hanging", the second leader is removed from the center and the third leader is loaded around the tail of the print. That's why it takes about 5 minutes to reset the system.

It roughly takes the amount of time to thread the system up initially as the amount of delay. There are LOTS of checkpoints you have to hit in a certain order before you hand the keys over to the automation. Once that first show is threaded, the automation controls everything from that point on. (It would be kind of like Steve Guttag's dual Kinoton setup where the film rewinds through the projector on one machine while the other half of the movie is playing on the other machine. Somebody has to set it up initially, but once it's set up, the automation runs the shows.)

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 07-06-2004, 05:54 PM:

Brad should be very proud of his accomplishments with the huge intertlock thing he has implemented. I wish others in our industry would get off their butts and do something constructive like Brad has. What he did was well thought out. [Wink]

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 07-06-2004, 10:18 PM:

Oh PULEEZE! Brad didn't do all that! It was some 19 y/o kid that told Joe how to do it all! I know this as a true fact since the "kid" and Joe both told me when I last saw them a couple of weeks ago! JEEZE!

>>> Phil

Posted by Ken Lackner (Member # 1002) on 07-07-2004, 10:32 AM:

I think a video may be in order, as I am very anxious to see this thing in action, but I don't think I'll be passing through Texas any time soon. [Wink]

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 07-07-2004, 02:09 PM:

I think a video or a photo section in the tips page is in order, seeing as all the photos have been deleted for bandwidth purposes

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 07-07-2004, 02:35 PM:

quote: Steve Scott
all the photos have been deleted for bandwidth purposes

What pictures were deleted? The photos are in the other thread, linked by Brad above.

Posted by Adam Fraser (Member # 1074) on 07-09-2004, 12:17 AM:

What would a projectionist do if say, #2 screen's projector had a bulb failure during a 3 screen interlock. Would you have to stop all three shows and wait the 10 minutes it takes for the lamphouse to cool and change the bulb? Would you give refunds to #2's patrons and continue running the show? These questions are coming from someone who has never performed an interlock before. Thanks

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 07-09-2004, 01:01 AM:

Whatever the floor manager wanted to do. As it is, if anything goes wrong with the show, policy is to comp everyone's dinners and drinks, plus give passes / refund on the ticket. Honestly though, we have had zero failures since we got rid of those old Strong Highlight consoles, so at least as of now, it's a moot point. I don't see the Kinoton projectors dying either, nor the AW3 platters. It would have to be something quite damned disasterous for this place to not run a show.

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 07-09-2004, 01:13 AM:

quote: Brad Miller
As it is, if anything goes wrong with the show, policy is to comp everyone's dinners and drinks, plus give passes / refund on the ticket.

Hmmm... three (or seven) auditoriums of refunds and free meals or just one. Hard call.

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 07-09-2004, 01:32 PM:

Adam,
I just read the FAQ on the illegal pics, my cookies weren't enabled.

Wow, if my management worked there, they'd swear you were threading the apocalypse [thumbsup]