Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: How do you build your trailer packs?

This is topic How do you build your trailer packs? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Robert Burtcher (Member # 3227) on 03-04-2006, 03:32 AM:

Just out of curiosity... How do you guys build your trailer packs? Do you build them onto a 2k reel (i.e. a "Reel 0"), directly onto a large house reel (i.e. 6k or Platter Reel), or by some other method?

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 03-04-2006, 04:59 AM:

Assuming 4 trailers with the attached as the last one and assuming all loose trailers come tails out...

Forward attached trailer onto core.

Place feature cue and rewind trailer back onto reel 1.

Remove reel 1 leader, splice 3rd trailer (tails out) and wind onto reel.

Splice 2nd trailer and 1st trailer and platter leader onto reel.

Voila, done. Now start building directly to the platter reel.

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 03-04-2006, 07:41 PM:

Ditto to Brad's method, unless R1 happens to be too full to fit the pack between the flanges, then I use a spare 2K. I know people who will overfill past the flange edge, its just too clumsy, and too much extra film handling.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 03-05-2006, 02:59 AM:

..I just attach the trailers straight to the first reel-leaving the attached trailer on which the reel is on the motored end on the Kelmar table, then, all of this onto the platter-if trailers are tails out.

If trailers are heads out, then build on a spare reel then back to the first reel (but I do the best in finding all trailers tails out).

If first reel is too full when it comes in, then trailers on a spare reel, then to the platter, then attach the first reel.

Also, when joining trailers together, I do the tricks in the "trailer tips" section - even though I've been doing this method LONG before this was ever thought of..like in the early to 80's when wet splicing trailers together was the norm and polyester were what the "mods" and the "yuppies" wore in SFO. (LOL)

..done this for years without any scratching.... - Monte

Posted by Ron Curran (Member # 3631) on 03-05-2006, 06:05 PM:

I don’t know what the situation is in other countries. In Australia, we now have very strict government film classification policies and policing. For example, you can’t run a trailer for a film of a higher rating than the feature at that session. So, when we showed Pride and Prejudice (G) we could not show a trailer for Chicken Little (PG) or The Chronicles of Narnia (PG). Television has different rules and you can show ads for those same films in general viewing time. With a new release, while the cinema waits for the classification, the trailer will have an exemption, anticipating the final classification.
What this means for trailer build-up is: you run the trailers with “appropriate” programmes and they have the exemption tag on the head. When the film is classified, you have to attach the relevant tag – G, PG, M, MA or R to the head of the trailer after removing the exemption tag. Occasionally, this means removing the trailer from the platter or from the programme altogether. This gives the projectionis something to do.
Posters, ads and web sites also have to be changed. In addition, classified films also have a ratings qualification, such as Mild Themes, Medium Level Violence, etc which must be included in all communications.
Is your system that simple?

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 03-05-2006, 06:43 PM:

..ususally, with first run houses, they get a trailer list from their home offices on which trailers to play with what films - and ususally the film ratings for the movie's trailers are assigned to match and be lower than the film's rating.

Also, for these first run houses, recommended trailers are placed within the cans that are suitable withthe ajoining feature and the operator can choose any of these trailers if there are not trailer list issued from the home office.

Lesser first run and discount houses simply use good common sense to program the appropriate trailers to the movies that they need to go on since they don't have the issued trailer list.

But unfortunately, errors slip up when the operators don't know what the trailer's content is and place the wrong trailers on certain movies..and that is with the family based movies.

With "G" rated films, it is a little tough on this with very few movies with the plain "G" rating that trailers are issued, but if any "PG" films that are permissable to be incerted on "G" movies can be used that are assigned on this list.

Called "being careful" in this area with screen advertisments.

Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 03-05-2006, 11:42 PM:

To be more explicit about it, there are no laws governing film ratings in the US. The system is entirely voluntary.

Furthermore, trailers are rated and the rating of a trailer is almost always G (meaning it can be shown on any film), even if the rating of the movie that the trailer is for is more restrictive.

So many/most theatres will apply some programming judgement beyond the ratings (which are effectively meaningless for trailers), to avoid programming the wrong kind of trailer on a kids' movie.

There are also the rare "red band" trailers, which are not appropriate for G movies. You tend to see around 1/year or so.

--jhawk

Posted by Joseph Pandolfi (Member # 223) on 03-06-2006, 07:35 PM:

Most of the times we build them before the print arrives to save time on a 2K. Then when it arrives we'll take what is in the can that we need that are tails-out and splice them in a seperate reel in reverse the reel on to the original 2K. Add the attached trailer as the last one and set it aside. Then I'll build R1, R2 on a 6K reverse it and add the trailer pak. My preference is if either or both R1 or R2 come tails out, i'll build a 6K from R2,R1 all the tails-out trailers and add my 2K reel on.

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 03-06-2006, 08:33 PM:

I read somewhere that many theater leases explicitly prohibit the showing of NC-17 movies. This would of course only apply where the exhibitor doesn't own the building. Anyone know if there's any truth to that?

Around here Regal and Cinemark seem to be pretty careful about programming appropriate trailers to go with the feature. Cinemark has a large whiteboard in the booth listing all the trailers playing with each feature.