Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Aviator intermission

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Posted by Steve Pike (Member # 3023) on 03-13-2005, 01:43 PM:

hello

we use a tower system and have to place an intermission in "The Aviator" - however we would like to know a suitable place to put the intermission - ie. at the end of reel number X.

many thanks.

Posted by Bill Langfield (Member # 818) on 03-13-2005, 01:59 PM:

Hello Steve.

Why do you HAVE to have an INTERVAL/INTERMISSION?

Get the manager idoit to sit through the thing enough times until he decides where to cut the 'tape'.

As far as I know AVIATOR is not designed for an intermission.

Dont see what using a TOWER has to with it.

In fact I know it's not. This joker is just after a candy bar double dip.

But if you must, I suggest just BEFORE the bit where he crashes the plane and destroys a whole neighborhood !!

Bill.

Posted by Steve Pike (Member # 3023) on 03-13-2005, 02:05 PM:

actually yes it is because the reels can only hold 2 hours 30 mins - and the film is 2hrs 49mins.

so we will need to have an intermission.

[ 03-13-2005, 04:24 PM: Message edited by: Steve Pike ]

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 03-13-2005, 02:14 PM:

"the manager idiot"
"this joker is just after a candy bar double-dip"

God forbid someone tries to think outside the box to increase revenues for his theatre ...

Posted by Bill Langfield (Member # 818) on 03-13-2005, 02:19 PM:

Sorry Steve,

I assumed towers could hold over 3 and 1/2 hours of film.

I was used to EPRAD muts. (That is my vision of TOWERS, I've never really seen a REAL tower, I'm not even sure what they are.

That said, I feel the best part for interval is when he is about crash. THey will discuss what MIGHT happen in the foyer!

Bill.

SO, MIKE.

More revenue for your theatre, does that equate to more in your pocket? Clearly you are are in UPPER mangagement, not just lowly floor staff or projectionist like the rest of us.

Posted by Steve Pike (Member # 3023) on 03-13-2005, 02:25 PM:

hey its cool

ok thanks for the advice [Big Grin]

this is a pic of the type of system i use .... westrex tower

Posted by Bill Langfield (Member # 818) on 03-13-2005, 02:37 PM:

Whoa, Thanks for the pictures.

Steve, I see what you mean, those reels would be lucky to hold a 6 to 7 reel feature.

You NEED an interval!!

I'll watch the movie and decide a place for you. Unless some one else already knows a better a better place than my plane crash thing.

Bill.

Posted by Steve Pike (Member # 3023) on 03-13-2005, 02:39 PM:

hehe yep

ok that wil be cool [Smile]

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 03-13-2005, 02:52 PM:

One of the goals of a manager in any building is to try and increase his building's profitability. This may or may not affect his income (bonus/comission programs & such) ... but either way it's not a bad thing.

Posted by Mike Baer (Member # 1519) on 03-13-2005, 02:57 PM:

Hello,
here in Switzerland we always have intermissions.
So i put the intermission of Aviator after Reel 4.This will be after aprox.1 hour and 5 minutes.

Posted by Bill Langfield (Member # 818) on 03-13-2005, 03:03 PM:

Give me a break.

I used to a manager who like his location make more money per head in the door than the rest of curcuit.
Did I get thanks, Erm maybe, but one stuff up and your dirt.

I've given that up, I just push ON/OFF on the projector now.
It starts and ends at me turning projectors on and off.

For you it starts and ends at cutting costs and staff, the end result is that you leave the company you are working for.

If you are saving them money, and NOT getting a cent for it, YOU are a FOOL.

BELIEVE ME.

Admit it.

Don't tell me you not looking out for bonuses.

EVERYONE is, I was. For all the money I saved them, I never saw a thing.

Bill.

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 03-13-2005, 03:21 PM:

Actually ... I do not have a profitability bonus ... does that affect how I run my building? No ... Obviously you had a bad experience with a company, and are now trying to paint all employers with that same brush.

Posted by Jim Ziegler (Member # 86) on 03-13-2005, 03:32 PM:

Geezz BILL.. Do YOU have SOME problem with MANAGEMENT at your LOCATION?

Back to reality...

Putting in an intermission where none is supposted to be probably violates the studios licensing agreement, unless you are forced to for techinical reasons (as the original poster was).

However, at the same time, thinking of ways to maximize revenue, improve operations, etc, is being a good manager, not a bad one. Adding intermissions is not feasable, but out of the box thinking should be encouraged because that is where the best ideas come from. If you don't want to do things like that Bill, fine, go back to "turning projectors on and off", but don't attack people who want to do more that than in thier operations.

Posted by Bill Langfield (Member # 818) on 03-13-2005, 03:59 PM:

Jim,

I was 'forcing' intervals around 20 years ago. ie 'the projector broke down' (once a week, blame Head office/tech ppl) I was doing THAT back then, to get more sales from the candy bar. (we ran the candy bar and took all profits) I WAS thinking outside the box way back then. Sure helped pay for the house.

HOWEVER
I did not realise STEVE had a REAL technical problem involing the towers not holding enough film.

As for Mike jumping in. I quite liked his manager atttide.
To me it read;
"Im not in it for the money or bonuses, I'm in for my company and bosses to make money, as much money as they can, THANKS to me" GREAT - Go MIKE.

If any of his bosses ever do a search for any of his messages THEY will be VERY pleased.

Bill.

PS Mike and Jim. Yes a company did annoy me. They are mentioned in most of my posts. But it is NOT thew company itself that annoys me, just few dumb ass UPPER management morons.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 03-13-2005, 03:59 PM:

Can you overload those tower reels by a couple of inches' worth of film? Doing so would probably require that someone be next to the tower for the first and last part of each show (making it impractical for regular multiplex use), but it might work if you just want to show the film once or twice.

As for maximizing profitability, I agree that doing so is a Good Thing in _most_ cases. What happens all too often, however, is that an emphasis is placed on short-term profitability at the expense of long-term profitability, by such means as "upselling" to an obnoxious degree, screen ads, and general lack of showmanship. This results in alienated customers and causes long-term profitability to suffer.

Posted by Jim Ziegler (Member # 86) on 03-13-2005, 04:15 PM:

quote: Bill Langfield
"Im not in it for the money or bonuses, I'm in for my company and bosses to make money, as much money as they can, THANKS to me" GREAT - Go MIKE.

You know Bill, if you are looking for the big bucks, you are in the wrong business. Most of us here do the best job we can, not in search of a bonus, but because we take pride in what we do and we want to have the best operation we can.

Posted by Steve Pike (Member # 3023) on 03-13-2005, 04:22 PM:

many thanks for all your responses - thanks Mike Baer for the reel 4 info.

erm - previous projectionists have attempted to overload the reels by about an inch - however this did not work and we were forced to include an intermission - this was for Titanic.

As we are a small single screen cinema - we close the sweet kiosk and bar area as soon as the main feature has started, so do not gain extra income from any intermission.

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 03-13-2005, 04:23 PM:

P&L's are one of the better ways to objectively judge a manager's performance. By looking at a P&L, you can easily tell who the manager is that is cutting corners everywhere, in search of a bonus ... but you can also tell who makes smart decisions in the running of his building (not a free-spender, not a penny-pincher). I know that's one of the ways I evaluate my management at each of my locations. The other big things are blind check scores and customer comment cards received.

Posted by Per Hauberg (Member # 529) on 03-13-2005, 04:50 PM:

quote: Bill Langfield
More revenue for your theatre, does that equate to more in your pocket?

Should'nt we just say, Bill have had a very unpleasant day, and wants to hit and shout at anybody around ?

More revenue MIGHT mean, that the theatre lives - Even, - if the revenue is very good, that it can afford Your salary, so that the boss' right hand will not have to do that during his lunchbreak. (Belive me, those minkeys can be trained for more than You think.)

AND - if not talking about money: Here, I can see audience beginning to run out for toilet after just a bit over two hours. An intermission may be rough, if not decently placed, but rather one organised break than 50-100 persons walking up and down the floor individually.

Now keep up the good mood - even if Your head hurts, -and see to, Your cinema survives - even if You would be the first to blaim the manager - and him only - if the place has to close and You will be without a job.

Per

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 03-13-2005, 04:53 PM:

The cinemecanic tower will tollerate a bit of an overload but the end of the rewind function can get messy then

Posted by Will Kutler (Member # 770) on 03-13-2005, 04:59 PM:

Here is a long shot....

It looks like there might be enough clearance on those towers/reels for a local welding shop to cleanly attach some reel diameter extension guides (sheet metal strips butt welded to the diameter with reinforcing doubler plate?

Cheers

K

Posted by Kevin Markwick (Member # 2698) on 03-13-2005, 05:24 PM:

You should get the whole of The Aviator on a 15,000ft spool. It might be an inch or two over the top, but if you keep any eye on the take up tension it should be fine.

The 15,000ft capacity was designated in the acetate days, polyester prints are thinner. Result, more film on a spool. Hurrah! I'm sure some of the uber brains here could work out the maths.

Added after brain clicked into gear: My mistake, they are 13000ft spools, same applies though. Load her up!

Cheers.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 03-13-2005, 07:28 PM:

Steve, please do not link to pics pertaining to the discussion. Instead UPLOAD them to this server. That way the integrity of the archives is not destroyed when the outside website shuts down or changes it's links.

The Aviator will not fit on a Goldberg platter reel without spilling over the edges just a tad...and that's without trailers. Odds are his tower has the same size reel capacity as a platter reel.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 03-13-2005, 09:24 PM:

Putting an intermission where none belongs (unless required by technical issues) is just wrong, P&L be damned.

Posted by Bill Langfield (Member # 818) on 03-14-2005, 05:27 AM:

Jim,

Did NOT say I am no LONGER in management.

I now simply push the on/off button on the projector.

You seem to be lost on my reason. I was sick of being the magager/projectionist/ticket seller/ candy seller/cleaner.

Clearly you above all that. I GUESS you are a General Manager.
Bet I got that SPOT on. (ie Do all of the above but NOT REALLY)

I was doing the job of FIVE people and not getting a cent extra.

You fugure the numbers.

I'm not out to make mega bucks, I'm just after a fair deal.

The point you seem to missing is that every DOLLAR you save going those ABOVE you.

So Im thinking you want to move up to that postion where you look down at us low lifes in projection, floor, candy & local management.

Bill.

Bill.

Posted by Mark Hajducki (Member # 1732) on 03-14-2005, 05:55 AM:

quote: Kevin Markwick
You should get the whole of The Aviator on a 15,000ft spool. It might be an inch or two over the top, but if you keep any eye on the take up tension it should be fine.

Unfortunately the reels on Westrex Towers are 12,000ft of acetate (13k of polyester)

I have heard of sites extending the reels size by using beermats etc stuck onto the side, however there is a risk associated with doing this.

Posted by Jim Ziegler (Member # 86) on 03-14-2005, 02:23 PM:

Yep Bill.. I am a GM.. And, yep, frequently, I do have to fill in on staff positions when business is slow.. I also fix projectors and poppers, which saves my theatre a ton of money. Why? Because its my job and what I am paid (quite well, thank you) to do.

Think about it this way Bill, yes, the company reaps more of a benefit from my labor than I do. However, at the same time, the company has more on the line in the form of a multi-million dollar investment in the theatre, than I do. Without the company having made that investment, I would not have a job.

Such is the way of the world Bill. If you object, start your own theatre and run it the way you want to.

quote: Bill Langfield
So Im thinking you want to move up to that postion where you look down at us low lifes in projection, floor, candy & local management.

You must have a very negative relationship with your home office.. From your attitude, I can see why.

Posted by Hugh McCullough (Member # 1542) on 03-15-2005, 06:02 PM:

It is possible to get a film the length of Avaitor on a Westrex Tower spool
without adding any more extra bits to the spool edges.
You can do one of two things.
1. Change the 10inch spool hubs for smaller 8inch hubs.
2. Invest in a least two of the spools below. These have a diamater 2.5ins larger than the Grey Westar spools.
37.5ins against 35ins.

You will have to increase the take up starting tension by about 20, but when up to speed can be adjusted back to the normal settings that you use.
These spools can be purchased from Robert Rigby