Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Projection in Japan.

This is topic Projection in Japan. in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Duncan Smith (Member # 1556) on 01-25-2005, 08:09 AM:

Hi, I am planning a trip to Japan sometime in the near future (when money permits! [Roll Eyes]

) and wonder about what I may find there. I am hoping to get into some projection rooms while I'm there and may even consider working if the situation was right (visa's, time etc).

Does anyone here work or have worked in projection in Japan and what are/were your experiences? What's it like and what are the chances of work in the arthouse/preview end of projection for someone with experience and conversational Japanese.

Apologies if this is in the wrong forum but I was a little unsure of where to put it. [Smile]

Arigato gozaimasu!

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 01-25-2005, 07:31 PM:

You will probably find a whole lot of Tokiwa projectors and film handling equipment... [Smile]

-Aaron

Posted by Duncan Smith (Member # 1556) on 01-26-2005, 08:32 AM:

Aaron my friend, thank you for that. That was truely the most basic website I have ever visited, and it's Japanese!! [Eek!]

Why is it that some of those projectors remind me of the Cinemeccanica Vic 5..? Hhmmmm....
Full phonetic translation servies in place too...I'm used to seeing it, but it stil made me laugh when I clicked on the link to "Sheet" thinking they sold screens as well, only to find seats!
Well, thanks for the info, has anyone ever worked on these machines? What can you tell me about them from any hands on experience gained?

Thanx.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 01-26-2005, 09:22 AM:

They are more like an ernemann VIII or VII in that they are all gear driven with a barrel shutter
They are very durable

Posted by Alejandro Lopez (Member # 2854) on 01-26-2005, 05:13 PM:

Go to Links and look at "Japanese made 35mm projectors". I think you´ll like it.

Alejandro.

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 01-26-2005, 05:36 PM:

I know that there is still one in constant use at Skywalker Ranch.

Gord: The newer TSR has a conical shutter rather than the barrel shutter.

-Aaron

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 01-26-2005, 05:44 PM:

That link to Japanese Made 35mm Projectors isn't working.

Posted by Dick Twentyman (Member # 2746) on 01-26-2005, 09:47 PM:

Hi All,

I have worked with Tokiwa 35mm portables with 8000 ft. spool capacity - not impressed. Threading is very cramped, and the inching knob is on the end of the drive motor. By the end of a spool, the motor is so hot that it is impossible to touch inch the machine over for at least 15-30 minutes.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-27-2005, 12:34 AM:

quote: Aaron Sisemore
You will probably find a whole lot of Tokiwa projectors and film handling equipment...

I've heard that you're more likely to find alot more Christies over there than anything else...... Remember Christie is also a Japaneese company.....

quote:
I have worked with Tokiwa 35mm portables with 8000 ft. spool capacity - not impressed. Threading is very cramped, and the inching knob is on the end of the drive motor. By the end of a spool, the motor is so hot that it is impossible to touch inch the machine over for at least 15-30 minutes.

| IP:

Boy thats an understatement for sure. The T-60 has got to be one of the very worst projectors ever manufactured. I used to own one many years back and I called it the meat grinder.
Actually the motor gets so hot its just three degrees from melting down [evil]

.

Mark

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 01-27-2005, 01:16 AM:

quote:
Christie is also a Japanese company

yea...Ushio - Monte

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 01-27-2005, 09:43 AM:

Mark the T60 was a portable and bore little resemblance to any theatrical machine

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 01-27-2005, 03:28 PM:

Let's see... Bill Bunch lives in Japan and was doing theater tech work for AAFES. Don't know if he has been in many Japanese booths but he certainly lives in the right place to do so.

Don Sneed has been doing lots of cinema installs for his company in Japan lately. Don't know what he's been installing though.

The only Japanese booths I've seen have been on video tours of Studio Ghibli and the Ghibli Art Museum. Don't know how typical their equipment choices are compared to Japan in general.

This is the Vic 5 installed in the Saturn Theater, the Ghibli Museum's screening room:

Here's the platter going in at the museum:

And here's a couple of shots of the screening room booth at the studio:

[ 01-27-2005, 07:06 PM: Message edited by: Paul Mayer ]

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 01-27-2005, 04:04 PM:

Has anyone figured out why most Japanese films come on reels that run about fifteen minutes each? Do they have a standard of 1500' max per reel or something? What do they do when they get films from other countries on 2000' reels?

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 01-27-2005, 04:40 PM:

All the shots I've seen in the video tours show them using 2000' split reels. Guess they must have a thing about not filling the reels too much.

Here's the editor on Princess Mononoke checking a reel just prior to the first studio staff screening. It's a full reel for them (you can see the countdown):

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-27-2005, 07:18 PM:

quote: Gordon McLeod
Mark the T60 was a portable and bore little resemblance to any theatrical machine

Gord,
Am well aware of that fact. I was merely trying to get across how bad the T-60 really is. A meat grinder for sure.....

Paul, Thanks for posting those interesting shots [thumbsup]

!!!

Mark

Posted by Jon Miller (Member # 163) on 01-27-2005, 07:19 PM:

quote:
This is the Vic 5 installed in the Saturn Theater, the Ghibli Museum's screening room:

A Peerless Magnarc knockoff? [Roll Eyes]

How popular in Asia were those "Super Master Light" lamphouses?

Posted by Don Sneed (Member # 955) on 01-30-2005, 03:14 AM:

I have install 14 theatres in Japan for SMT & Virgin Cinemas...complex screen # 9-14 screens...(7) Christie, (7) Strong equipment...haven't seen many Japanese equipment..there is two Japanese companies doing service & installs..Xebex & Toshiba-Denko...Xebex only will service & install Christie, refuse to service Strong...Toshiba will service & install only Strong equipment...the company I work for will service & install any equipment the cuistomer wants....Xebex is good on projectors but sucks on sound...Toshiba is great with sound but sucks on projectors...both companies cannot do both very well...that is why we are going back to Japan starting in March, the Japanese theatres now wants us back to do both....as far as sound equipment...they use mostly use Dolby CP-500 & CP-650, DTS-6D, QSC & Crown Amps, JBL speakers...I have installed about 40 Dolby SA-10 all over Japan...automations...CA-21, Strong CNA-100, CNA-150, Christie 3Q, Hi-Tech....I can say proudly...we have install the largest screen theatre for 35mm in Japan....Xebex is saying they did, but the truth is they installed the second largest, the one we did was 3 meters larger....being a projectionist in Japan is nothing like being a projectionist in the states...I once held a movie from starting due to a Lamp problem, we hit the screen 3-minutes late, & all hell broke loose for that...the theatre actually gave back money due to this & allow the customers to watch the show anyway...time & presentation is very important to the Japanese...I almost cancel the showing...good thing I didn't I might been in jail for that...they have some of the best film presentation I ever seen in my 35 years in theatre tech. business....it is a pleasure to work there & be part of it all...you have to be beyond professional...no mistake in install & projection....one time the projection staff ran a movie in Analog instead of DTS digital, they found out doing the credits that they forgot to install the DTS disk...so all the projection staff had to bow & apologize to eack of the 400 customers & hand them them a pass to return....lets see that happen in the states...NOT going to happen!!! One final note...if the theatre is a 14 screens, there is 7-projectionist on duty at anytime, a 10-screen theatre will have a projection staff of 5 at any given time...but this equipment is so clean you can eat off of it...I once had a theatre there that had a slight oil leak on a Strong proj. I told them not to clean so I can find the leak...needless to say they would not allow this to happen, I never could find the leak due to they kept the machine too clean...

Posted by Carl Martin (Member # 1146) on 01-31-2005, 03:43 AM:

don, that's amazing. what do you suppose accounts for such conscienciousness in presentation in japan? aren't the exhibitors aware of how much yen they can save by cutting corners in staffing and training?

1 operator for every 2 screens? is that true throughout japan or just in the big cities?

do the japanese use filmguard?

carl

Posted by Liam Utley (Member # 1931) on 01-31-2005, 04:31 AM:

Someone should email Tokiwa and tell them that its spelt "seat", not "sheet".

I'd do it but my Japanese aint up to scratch. The TSR projector looks like they had the plans for a Vic5 with a cat 700 soundhead and were holding the plans upside down when they built it.(Check the image in the 'Down Load' (sic) section... I was hoping it would be a manual.

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 01-31-2005, 05:30 AM:

quote: Carl Martin
don, that's amazing. what do you suppose accounts for such conscienciousness in presentation in japan?

That was also my impression when I was in Japan. The reasons for this are very simple: Japan is a country with a very deep-rooted conviction about doing things properly, neatly, not just somehow and trying to get away with it. You can not go to a restaurant and get bad service. If a product is faulty or a service less than perfect, there is absolutely no discussion about it. People go to work and it is understood that they actually do their work, not just somehow fart around until the day is over.
Unlike other places where it's cool to cheat your way through, they simply take pride in doing things well, that's it.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-31-2005, 07:28 AM:

quote: Carl Martin
what do you suppose accounts for such conscienciousness in presentation in japan?

Michael almost hit the nail on the head...... Having worked for two Japaneese companies in the past, Panasonic, Canon, its really very simple..... It is the way it is over there because the people over there still believe in honor and they have a conscience that is based on honor. First, honor to your family, and secondly to your employer. Two things most of the rest of the world seems to have lost. Both of them are reflected in their daily work ethic.

This is one reason that Christie has a level of quality control that you just don't get in any other U.S. manufacturer... they are wholly owned by a large Japaneese Company, Ushio and some of that system has transfered over to the U.S. operation. Both Panasonic and Canon also ran their companies based on honor, performance, and maintining quality work and by the way one HAD to work because you were graded every month on your performance and had to maintain at least a certain average to keep your job!! It also helped to detrmine how much your salary increase was. Lets see an Anerican company try to do this... Good luck!

Mark

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 01-31-2005, 12:40 PM:

What are ticket prices like in Japan? How much do they pay their projectionists?

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 01-31-2005, 01:50 PM:

Typical first-run ticket prices in the Tokyo area are around 1800 yen for adults, about $18 USD, all the way up to about 3000 yen for select screens. There are discounts such as for students and kids and shows that start after 9pm, typically around 1200 yen.

Don't know what operator pay rates are like. Pay rates in general are high compared to here, but then again their cost of living is high compared to here. Also the differences in pay from the lowest to the highest jobs are much less than here.

Sure wish I could figure out a way to get over there for a long-term stay though. A screening room gig at Studio Ghibli would be a dream come true for me, even if it didn't pay very well. I can always teach "Engrish" on the side. [Big Grin]

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 01-31-2005, 02:25 PM:

quote:
Lets see an American company try to do this... Good luck!

...like the automobile wars of the late 70's and early 80's - US couldn't build cars worth crap, while the Japanese were "bombing" the US plants with their well-built cars - the second "Pearl Harbor" invasion. (and the "war" is somewhat still with us today..lol..US autobuilders still haven't got it together, but still trying).
-Monte

Posted by Don Sneed (Member # 955) on 01-31-2005, 04:15 PM:

You guys said it all, hit the nail on the head....I forgot to tell you about the meeting everyday before going to work...my first two days in Japan, I spend 8-10 hours in meetings going over things & do it again the nest day talking about the same thing we discuss yesterday....but I tell you, it is a pleasure to work with the Japanese...they are highly professional, & expect you to be the same...once you understand their ways of doing things, (which takes awhile to learn) it a pleasure working with them....yes ticket prices starts at $18.00 to $30.00, with assign seating...each ticket has a seat # on it & that is you seat...not like USA where you choose your seat..

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-31-2005, 07:16 PM:

quote: Monte L Fullmer
US autobuilders still haven't got it together, but still trying).

Thats funny... U.S. projector manufacturers don't seem to have it together either..... except for one thats Japaneese owned!

Mark

Posted by Duncan Smith (Member # 1556) on 02-01-2005, 06:32 AM:

Hey Paul, you're stealing my dreams!! [Smile]

A little work at Sudio Ghibli running private screenings for Miyazaki-san would be awesome!! [thumbsup]

I have found some websites in Japan advertising vacancies for WB theatres and others too. It seems the pay is rubbish though!! Around 900 Yen per hour, which aint a lot at all, around £4.85 or $9 per hour, shocking [Eek!]

However those of us with Arthouse and archive experience should be able to find more money. One of my freelance projectionists is Japanese but she has never worked as such in Japan, she has offered to find out what she can for me as I REALLY plan to go. I am currently trying to translate web pages to get more info, my Japanese teacher is helping me, thankfully.

Love the pic's of the Ghibli proj room too, thanks loads

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 02-01-2005, 11:40 AM:

Glad to see that the pix are appreciated, though I made an attribution error. The screening room booth is actually at IMAGICA, the lab that handled Princess Mononoke. The framegrabs are from a six-hour long documentary about the production of that film ("Mononoke Hime" wa Koushite Umareta or How Princess Mononoke was Born). It's available on R2 NTSC DVD. No subtitles though--great practice for Japanese listening and reading comprehension.

The ones of the museum booth are from a 20-minute documentary about the construction of the museum (on the R2 NTSC DVD of Miyazaki's signature film My Neighbor Totoro). The men with the platter are Takeshi Naitou, a popular actor who was the voice of Chihiro's father in Spirited Away, and with his back to the camera, the master himself. Again no subtitles.

Actually for me, working any job in Japan would be a dream.
Working at Studio Ghibli would be a pure fantasy. [Big Grin]

Good luck on your endeavour Duncan! Gambare--! [thumbsup]

Posted by Duncan Smith (Member # 1556) on 02-09-2005, 05:05 AM:

がんばります　

ありがとうございます　マヤーさん　

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 02-09-2005, 10:02 AM:

Tip: when you are in Japan, don't use the "polite forms" in everyday conversation, especially in a relaxed athmosphere like here. Instead of "ganbarimasu", just say "ganbaru" or "ganbatteru". Your text books may say that it is extremely essential to always use the correct forms, especially the polite forms. BS. In reality, people in Japan freak completely out if you can say one half-sentence in broken Japanese, and unless you are the ambassador delivering a formal note to the Emperor, nobody gives a shit about the correct forms. In fact, after getting over the first shock of hearing a foreigner speak in Japanese, many Japanese find it funny that foreigners often speak like reading from a textbook instead of just speaking like they do. Wakatta no?

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 02-09-2005, 11:27 AM:

いえいえ、とんでもない、スミスさん（。。）；；

Over the years I've seen several katakana "spellings" for my name, depending on how one pronounces it. "Maya-" would work if my name rhymed with that of a famous American wiener maker. [Smile]

But my family adopted the pronunciation that rhymes with "mayor" as in the head public official of a municipality. When I was in Saturday Japanese elementary school in LA in the '60s, they used "Me-ya". When I started taking Japanese in college, the professor changed it to "Meiya-". And when I had Japanese business cards made, I didn't specify the transliteration I wanted, so the printer came up with "Mea-". It's all OK by me though.

マヤー Maya-
メーヤ Me-ya
メアー Mea-
★　メイヤー Meiya- [Big Grin]

And now today's Film-Tech Japanese lesson for the rest of yous:

３５ミリ (or 35mm) 映写機
さんじゅうごみりえいしゃき
sanjuugomiri eishaki: 35mm projector

映写技師
えいしゃぎし
eishagishi: projectionist [beer]

Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 08-16-2007, 10:08 AM:

It has been 917 days since the last post.

Posted by Erkan Umut (Member # 330) on 08-16-2007, 10:08 AM:

quote: Liam Utley
Someone should email Tokiwa and tell them that its spelt "seat", not "sheet".

The Japanese pronunciation of "seat" is "sheat", so the closest wrong term is "sheet" for them. I like these kind of mistakes commonly available in Japanese and Chinese documents. [Smile]

By the way, I was the agent of Tokiwa in Turkey for one year.