Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: dont bother to cue in some theaters?

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Posted by Derrick Huggins (Member # 4670) on 05-02-2008, 11:38 AM:

Hey was wondering if anyone else has problems with getting owners to fix automations? we have a 6 plex and only 3 of the theaters have the automations working properly with cues. i personally cue the 3 screens that i can properly, however the other projectionists do not bother to cue anything., they start the show, and manually turn down the lights, at credits, either the ushers have to call up for the lights, or they simply wait until the entire show is finished for the lights to come on to clean. oh btw, we use Electronic cue inputs (eprad ultimation 2000) but many of the cards are bad, and in 2 screens the lights will not come on at all until you do it manually. im just curious if any other low budget theater runs like this...

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 05-02-2008, 12:23 PM:

Well, with only six screens, one projectionist who is attentive should be able to manually run shows competently, but if they just let whatever happens happen, then at the very least he should be reading them the riot act. On the other hand, if he's not fixing malfunctioning equipment, he probably couldn't get a flying duck about shabby showmanship.

Do the automation systems that are not functioning at least kill the image and sound at the end of the show or does the screen go white and runout thunder happen as the tails run out?

One good thing about digital, it might finally put these sorry ass excuses for theatre owners out of their misery and out of business.

Posted by Derrick Huggins (Member # 4670) on 05-02-2008, 12:31 PM:

well the 3 screens when cued properly, will cut off at the end, however, when i am not working, yes all 6 screens will do the thunder sounds, and white screen as the tails runs out. the managers there could care less about that, and while the owner may agree that it shouldnt be done that way, its not worth the price to fix them, or worth paying a manager to be on top of the projectionists that work there to have proper presentation.

Posted by James Westbrook (Member # 3690) on 05-02-2008, 01:37 PM:

That depends on what brand of automation and it's age. It may also depend on the cue-detector. I've had a few cue detectors changed out to new ones as my old ones are no longer supported by the company.

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 05-02-2008, 02:13 PM:

In all the locations I worked the lights would always come up once the film tailed out. There may have been one or two that didn't and that always confused me. Cue or no cue, shouldn't the automation be set to bring the lights up once the projector stopped? Why would anybody NOT want that to happen?

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 05-02-2008, 03:10 PM:

In many countries (the UK, for example) it is required that lights come up full on a film break or fire alarm cue. Not repairing an automation is not an option. Louis

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 05-02-2008, 09:06 PM:

(pretty sad - exhaust probs, now funky automations there...and nobody cares...*sigh* )

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 05-03-2008, 12:22 AM:

Hey! You paid for the automation systems. What's the sense in spending the money to buy them if you're not going to keep them working?

It would have been whole lot cheaper in the first place if you never spent the money to buy them at all. Now that you have them, it's like throwing good money after bad if you don't keep them working.

I find that most people who don't use automation systems and/or who don't fix them when they break just don't understand the concept of what automation does for you. They can't understand why they must be bothered with having to stick little metal foil tabs on the film and they'll find any excuse not to do it.

What's worse... You still have to cue every print, whether it's in a working house or not. What happens when the prints get moved around?

Why bother putting cues on the film at all if half of them aren't working?

You might as well just rip all the automations out of all six theaters and auction them off on eBay. What doesn't get bid on, can be sold for scrap.

Shit! If you look at it that way, you've got at least a couple of tons worth of scrap metal sitting there in your booth. With attitudes like your boss has, what the hell is he doing in the theater business in the first place?

Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 05-03-2008, 03:49 AM:

Yes.

I service a 4 plex that has Jacro automation, they have never used it. It works perfectly adequately, it's just the operators don't see the need as it's 4 screens all in one booth. I'm inclined to agree on that one.

I also service another 4 screener, this one is a conversion of a 1930s art deco building. All 4 have automation of one description or another although there are all different. About 5 yearsa go one of the automations failed, I have attempted repair without success (it's a very old Cinemation and some parts are not available), they have never replaced it. It makes the operators life difficult as the booths are spread out all over the building and the timings could be arranged with more consideration.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 05-03-2008, 04:30 AM:

The main boards on the Ultimation 2000 are not that expensive... I think Eprad may do a repair/exchange on them but I'd have to double check on that to be sure.

Mark

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 05-04-2008, 09:58 AM:

When a cinema begins to "fail," one of the first things to "go" is the automation cues. No one who knows/cares is left in the building. Sometimes I can encourage a new hire, but usually it is just the beginning of the end. Louis