Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Blacktown Drive- In Cinema - NSW - Australia

This is topic Blacktown Drive- In Cinema - NSW - Australia - Projector type? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Adrian Hauser (Member # 4723) on 06-15-2008, 07:26 PM:

Hi Does any one know what make of Projector they have at the Blacktown DriveIn cinema In NSW Australia?

I am making a BW Flicker Loop to play back for a Feature film Shoting there and need
to know if its capable of playing back a Loop.

The Loop is supposed to 'evoke' the ambient light of a old BW Film being screened there. Therefore slow cuts and not too much camera movement.

Many thanks,

Adrian Hauser

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 06-15-2008, 09:19 PM:

Cinemecannica Vic 8's.

They can run a loop but it'll get continually scratched up the more you play it. Better off making a 5 minute reel and re-threading if you need it to still look nice at the end of the take.

BTW, it's called a Drive-In Theatre...not cinema. [Wink]

Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 142) on 06-18-2008, 05:46 AM:

John is correct, Cinemeccanica Victoria 8. When we ran loops on Vic 8's we'd place a roller on the upper feed spool spindle and loop the film over that, it was far more resistant to any scratching compared to dragging over the top sprocket pad roller assembly.

Good luck with the shoot, we have had a few here at the Lunar Dandenong Drive-in Theatre and ran public domain stuff.

David

Posted by Bill Ryan (Member # 2814) on 06-18-2008, 08:03 AM:

Di did you ever work there John. I certainly did with Max Wienhart in the mid 90's. Vic 8's (or should you say shaker Mechanica's) [Big Grin]

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 06-18-2008, 08:13 PM:

Hi Bill

No, never have worked Blacktown D-In. Remember Max well though. When you rang Val Moron in his day you knew you had someone on the end of the phone who knew what they were talking about.

Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 142) on 06-19-2008, 02:25 AM:

That's strange John; the projectionist at Hoyts Wantirna Drive-in from the day it openned until the day it closed, Noel B. was also employed at Val Moron (2nd word spelt incorrectly on purpose!). Back then they had people in the company that knew their cinemas and what 35mm film-ads actually were.

A couple of multiplexes near our drive-in (recently closed) owned by majors, often had 10 Val Morgan ads on a film, we do a higher gross on the same film in the same week and have one ad on screen from Val Morgan. If only their advertisers knew how they were getting ripped off by Val Morgan in order to please the major cinema companies that bailed them out of backruptcy!

I should have pointed out above that Blacktown is a very pretty drive-in with lawns and palms; it will look good on film.

David

Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 06-10-2010, 01:44 AM:

It has been 720 days since the last post.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 06-10-2010, 01:44 AM:

quote:
Val Moron (2nd word spelt incorrectly on purpose!)

You're assuming I didn't? [Wink]

Posted by Ian Parfrey (Member # 5122) on 06-10-2010, 02:33 AM:

I personally prefer David Koffel Featured Theatre Ads myself.
MUCH better than V.M..well they were in the good ol' days [Big Grin]

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 06-10-2010, 02:40 AM:

Not Chas E. Blanks?

Posted by Phil Blake (Member # 2012) on 06-11-2010, 02:56 AM:

bringing back memories now john , we had Chas E Blanks at our drive in and the opposition had Cyril Cornish.

Posted by Damien Taylor (Member # 4255) on 06-11-2010, 06:03 AM:

Pearl and Dean here! The mother country chose Perth of all places [Confused]

Posted by Ian Parfrey (Member # 5122) on 06-11-2010, 06:14 AM:

..and don't forget Gunn's! [beer]

Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 142) on 06-17-2010, 09:56 AM:

Val Moron had two other divisions to their company outside of cinema advertsing; can you guess/remember what they were?

Posted by Damien Taylor (Member # 4255) on 06-17-2010, 10:56 PM:

Val himself owned a radio station right?

Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 142) on 06-19-2010, 11:41 AM:

They made above ground back yard swimming pools and street directories!

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 06-20-2010, 06:18 AM:

Well, that explains a lot.

Posted by Ian Parfrey (Member # 5122) on 06-20-2010, 06:44 AM:

I'd say one was (is) Val Morgan Retail Media which is a digital shopping centre type thing employing digi advertising screens and the other, if I remember correctly, was a street directory division in the 1910's-20's. Val Morgan is indeed a company with a historical background and the Drive-In ads with Bruce Mansfield and Rosemary Margan will always be part of my memories of the Drive In experience during my youth.

During the Pearl and Dean to Val Morgan transition at Essendon Drive In, it was not unknown to have upwards of 20 minutes of slides and film-ads on top of that.

Getting misty-eyed just thinking about it. Fantastic times indeed.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 06-21-2010, 12:20 AM:

When the Westline opened in 1978, we had 29 minutes of Val Moron slide advertising alone.

Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 142) on 07-01-2010, 12:21 AM:

Wantirna Drive-in had 25 minutes of VM slides too. Val Moron did all sorts of things including the radio station in Melbourne. I can remember the street directory ads on radio into the 1970's so they lasted with that for a while......probably blown away by Melway.

Talking about drive-in memories Ian, remember that night we went out to Clayton Twin Drive-in back in 1984? They were still running Ashcraft Carbons with rotating positives on the Vic 8's. I think we had a whole bag of donuts each!

Posted by Ian Parfrey (Member # 5122) on 07-07-2010, 01:43 PM:

David.

I do indeed. Apart from the donuts, one thing that I remember is the amount of heat those Ashcrafts threw out- but the light output was amazing. It was running at 170-180 amps if I recall correctly. Coburg D.I also had the Ashcrafts on Vic 8's during the Hoyts days. An amazing piece of kit and one that I sadly never got to play with.

Great days.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 07-08-2010, 06:45 AM:

There must have been a memo or study that showed that Drive-Ins around 1984 would survive better if donuts were made available to their patrons. BC+C even sprang for a machine for the Westline.

Yummo.