quote:

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Dear Theatre Manager/Projectionist,

Paramount Pictures “THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON” will be delivered to your theatre by Wednesday December 24.

Special security precautions are in place to protect the film from any possible piracy issues.

Can #1; enclosure trailers, Reels 1,2, 3 projectionist letter, and this instruction letter.
Can #2; Reels 4, 5, 6 & 7
Locked Can #3; Reels 8, 9, & 10

Combination Code available beginning and not prior to Wednesday December 24, 2008 at 12pm (EST), in the following options:

 From your home office. (The code will be delivered to them at 12pm EST of the 24th)
 Calling Deluxe Film services at 1-866-524-3456 (FILM)
 Sending an e-mail with your theatre name, and print numbers to unlockcode@etsdirect.com
 Visiting the following website: www.unlockcode.bydeluxe.com
 Via Fax (if we have a valid fax number for you it will be broadcast at 12pm EST of the 24th).

The systems will be deactivated 48 hours after activation.

To unlock the combination lock:
1) Set combination code
2) Press down silver handle
3) Lift up silver handle

Please return locks with the feature print. Place lock and secure on handle of the film cans when returning prints. All locks are the property of Paramount Pictures. Any locks not returned or altered in any way will be documented and given to the appropriate authorities for piracy investigation.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

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How exactly do they expect us to inspection screen a 10 reel print and get replacement reels on Christmas Eve? I wish Paramount would stop doing this...
 

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Posted by Bernie Anderson Jr (Member # 410) on 12-15-2008, 12:14 PM:
 
Well, at least if they have to do it, they're doing it right and finally listening to us: hold the last couple reel and let us build the first half. Its better than this "hold reel 1 crap". At least this way half of its on the platter.

I'll give you one better. I had a screening of Valkyrie this past week. Print showed up at 4pm for a 7pm show. Both cans were locked and they wouldn't give us the code until 5pm. And on top of it, the print was used! No clue to the condition of the print, no chance to run it. I've had reels show up here that the film was sticking to its self because they didn't process it correctly. I had 500 people coming to see that film too. Its crazy the chances they take with these shows and if you complain, they don't really care.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 12-15-2008, 01:37 PM:
 
If someone would have a problem with an unrunable reel, then maybe they would start to care.
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 12-15-2008, 02:15 PM:
 
Agreed, at least they paid attention and are locking the LAST can of the movie. The only issue with this one is that, ummm, did they forget that NOBODY WANTS TO DEAL WITH THEIR MOVIE ON CHRISTMAS EVE!!!

I wish NATO would grow a pair and put their foot down with this silliness. Had it not been a holiday, this would've been fine.
 

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Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 12-15-2008, 02:22 PM:
 
10 reels, how long is this thing; or have they gone back to sending out prints on 1000 foot reels?
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 12-15-2008, 02:38 PM:
 
159 minutes.

No, that's not a typo.
 

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Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 12-15-2008, 02:51 PM:
 
Then it should fit onto eight reels. I've noticed in the last couple of years that reels seem to be getting shorter; I don't know why. These days, with polyester prints, and no mag stripes, they should be able to make them longer, not shorter.
 

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Posted by Blaine Young (Member # 3992) on 12-15-2008, 03:19 PM:
 
Is 159 minutes verified? I've seen the running time as 166 in some places.

BTW, 159 would actually fit on 7. "The Dark Knight" was 7 reels at 153 minutes.
 

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Posted by Bernie Anderson Jr (Member # 410) on 12-15-2008, 04:01 PM:
 
Nope! Nope! The best was "Arthur and the Invisible" 8 reels and less than 90 mins.

NATO ain't never gonna get a set of balls. They're just as bad as the studios these days.
 

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Posted by Tristan Lane (Member # 1169) on 12-15-2008, 05:14 PM:
 
Quite the opposite thing is happening with Bedtime Stories.
Disney informed us that we would be receiving our digital hard drives on Dec 22, with Keys valid that day as well. They specifically said that they were doing this so that the content could be QC'd early since there is so much new product coming out on Christmas.

Horray for Disney, Boo for Paramount.
 

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Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 12-15-2008, 07:12 PM:
 
Bernie wrote, "I'll give you one better. I had a screening of Valkyrie this past week. Print showed up at 4pm for a 7pm show. Both cans were locked and they wouldn't give us the code until 5pm."

I don't know, Bernie. I think it's par for the course for advance screenings. Print shows up right before the show, or under security, and there's not time to do much, and certainly not to preview it. Since there are only a handful of prerelease prints typically, it's not surprising that you'll get a used one. I think it's basically what you sign up for when you agree to do an advance screening.

I bet people like Bill Gabel can give us their best story of the least amount of prep time before having a print on-screen. My question is whether that number is measured in seconds or minutes [*]

------------------------------

As for Benjamin Button, well...huh.
Has anyone bugged Paramount about this? Or the Paramount people at DFS? I'm curious what they say. It really seems like a strategy that would make sense for a movie opening the Friday after Christmas (like, say, Revolutionary Road or Valkyrie)...

-----------------------------

In re reel breaks, you guys do know that the reel breaks are set relatively early in the editing process, and then they're locked down. (I'm not exactly sure why that is...perhaps it is in part because they are properly placed on scene cuts there the sound and picture change together, which are not always common.) So it's often possible to get a movie down smaller, but it is rarely a priority.

--------------------------

re NATO...we know NATO is ineffective, we know the studios know it. What would be more effective? Well, I'd bet if 100 projectionists signed a letter and sent it to the Distribution VPs at the studios, they'd read it and think about it. Do we care enough?

--jhawk

[*] ok, I'm kidding a little bit here. But if you're in a must-rush and willing to take the risk, I can see skipping the hand-check of R1 and just threading-it-up-and-GO! and handchecking R2 while R1 is running, and that can be under 60sec. I'm sure its happened. Of course this doesn't work if you can't run changeover...
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 12-15-2008, 07:17 PM:
 
I'm just annoyed that I am opening movies on Christmas day AND the day after. Pick a day, folks!
 

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Posted by Andy Muirhead (Member # 712) on 12-15-2008, 08:14 PM:
 

quote: John Hawkinson

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I bet people like Bill Gabel can give us their best story of the least amount of prep time before having a print on-screen. My question is whether that number is measured in seconds or minutes

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I don't want to hijack the thread but the best I did was 17 minutes, was a 6 reeler and the audience were coming in at the same time the print arrived.
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 12-15-2008, 08:40 PM:
 
If your show just HAS to start and you only have 10 minutes prep time on a platter system, you can rip 2 reels of a movie to a platter reel (or overload a Goldberg "trailer drop" reel like I did), drop it on the platter, thread up and start the show.

Then with a simple modification of the MUT and a few tricks, splice on the next reels while it is running and let the spinning of the payout pull the last reels on.

I've only done this once and it was back in the late 80s. I think the movie was Father of the Bride. Regardless, the show went off without a hitch. Not sure if I just got really lucky or if I'm just good. I'm sure Phil will chime in to clarify.
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 12-15-2008, 09:18 PM:
 

quote: Blaine Young

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Is 159 minutes verified? I've seen the running time as 166 in some places.

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quote: Brad Miller

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let the spinning of the payout pull the last reels on.

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quote:

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As for Benjamin Button, well...huh.
Has anyone bugged Paramount about this? Or the Paramount people at DFS? I'm curious what they say. It really seems like a strategy that would make sense for a movie opening the Friday after Christmas (like, say, Revolutionary Road or Valkyrie)...

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quote: Steve Guttag

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I ran this thing last night (all three cans of mine were locked, HA!). I think you'll find that the 166 running time is correct to the end of the credits.

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 12-16-2008, 06:47 PM:
 
Distributors here say 165.
 

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 12-16-2008, 07:18 PM:
 
I'll be honest here...I don't think I have a down to the minute running time. Also, were as my print was a screening one...things could be different...though it was not an EK by any stretch. 166 feels about right though (to the end of the credits). The machines I was running are dead on at 24fps too (strobe verified).

Build up and break down time were nearly instantaneous Ah 2-projectors...my friend!

Steve
 

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Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 12-16-2008, 08:55 PM:
 
But, I was planning on building this movie backwards.
 

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Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 12-16-2008, 09:59 PM:
 
It's just as long backwards as forwards, you're in luck, Jim!

--jhawk
 

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Posted by Chad Souder (Member # 343) on 12-16-2008, 10:41 PM:
 
We did a promo tonight of Tales of Despereaux. Technicolor wouldn't release the combo to the padlock until 3 hours before show time. Its getting ridiculous...
 

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Posted by Jonathan M. Crist (Member # 413) on 12-17-2008, 09:15 AM:
 
In my area Paramount is insisting on a minimum of at least four (4) shows per day for each screen and that the first of the evening shows cannot start before 7PM.
 

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Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 12-17-2008, 09:52 AM:
 

quote:

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Locked Can #3...

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You mean... We're actually going to have to personally unbutton Benjaman??
 

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Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 12-17-2008, 11:06 AM:
 
The rivets attaching film can hasps- etc. are fairly easy to drill out or grind the heads off. Just remove the rivets and replace them before the print goes out. This applies only to newer cans though, older cans use different hardware. Can't do with a security monkey watching either.
 

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Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 12-17-2008, 07:21 PM:
 
Just as in intersting anecdote: Last week I was involved in special advance private industry & press screening of a soon to be released major motion picture. (There's a non-disclosure agreement involved here so that's all I can say)

It was a very important event so I was shipped two prints- - a primary and a back up, which arrived via the same shipper on the same day & at the same time.

One print came with locks on both cans.
(for which I was not provided the opening
code to by the studio security people until
shortly before the screening)

The 2nd print came in two unlocked cans.
Go figure...

This was a changeover screening (as all important ones are )so I didn't need much lead time to get the reels ready for the show. But I was perplexed how the "security" was supposed to work when one set of cans wasn't even locked.
 

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Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 12-17-2008, 08:08 PM:
 
Jim you just posted part of how many of my screenings happen every week.
 

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Posted by Brent Francis (Member # 5008) on 12-18-2008, 08:20 AM:
 
Several times during film festivals I've had film show up while clients were waiting in the theatre. Once, I had two different versions of a reel come in. The difference was that one showed one shot at the head of a reel. The other had the same shot... just longer. I had to figure out which was which while the film was running.
 

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Posted by Jonathan Althaus (Member # 5042) on 12-18-2008, 11:59 AM:
 
On the Despereaux comment, our copy was waiting for me Tuesday night, with the first show late thursday night, and it wasn't locked. I was really expecting to pick Button up from the depot, build and screen by wednesday, but there aint no way thats going to happen now.
 

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Posted by Fred Schoenfeld (Member # 2632) on 12-18-2008, 05:12 PM:
 
For what it's worth... I complained to the NY branch about the release time for the unlock code being Wednesday at noon. They said that it might be as early as 9 AM EST and if we had any problems with the print to call an 800 # that would be manned on Wednesday. If anyone has any more details, please post here for the rest of us. Thanks!!
 

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Posted by Tyler Potts (Member # 4952) on 12-18-2008, 06:29 PM:
 
Who's shipping Benjamin Button, is it TES or DFS?
 

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Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 12-18-2008, 06:33 PM:
 
Paramount uses DFS
 

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Posted by Tyler Potts (Member # 4952) on 12-18-2008, 06:57 PM:
 


[ 03-10-2009, 10:54 AM: Message edited by: Tyler Potts ]
 

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Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 12-18-2008, 07:25 PM:
 
Well, she's probably paranoid about having this happen again and will be extra-careful this year!

Bill, what's your fastest time-on-screen?

--jhawk
 

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Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 12-18-2008, 08:02 PM:
 
I've had prints show up 15 minutes before showtime. And I've had them on screen as soon as I could tread the projector. I see so many Master locks every week, that I could just
I have to go through the same with the lock codes on times. But because our time frame is different sometimes Technicolor and Deluxe calls after the screen has started with the codes. Or they will send 2-3 prints of a title (with locks) and I have to use a selected # print for that screening.
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 12-18-2008, 10:44 PM:
 

quote: Tyler Potts

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And the girl who's going to be building, last Christmas Eve butchered Alien vs. Predator: Requiem. I'm talking backwards reels, reels out of order and two of the same trailer (back to back).

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quote: Tyler Potts

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our GM tends to treat it as if he doesn't want to deal with someone on the floor he puts them in projection.

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quote: Brad Miller

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Then with a simple modification of the MUT and a few tricks, splice on the next reels while it is running and let the spinning of the payout pull the last reels on.

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quote: Bernie Anderson Jr

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You're talking about splicing the remaining reels on while the movie is running. How do you splice the remaining reels on while its spinning with out the print brainwrapping. Interesting idea.

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quote:

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Strong platter (it's only deficiency, I might add!).

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quote: Joe Redifer

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Strong platters are ASS.

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Thanks, Joe. I was counting on that to bring you out!



Good point on the microswitches though. I'd forgotten about that.
 

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Posted by Tyler Potts (Member # 4952) on 12-20-2008, 12:53 AM:
 


[ 03-10-2009, 10:54 AM: Message edited by: Tyler Potts ]
 

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Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 12-20-2008, 10:32 AM:
 
I received notice yesterday that Paramount will be sending "quality control" techs around to different theaters in my area to check the light/sound levels & general presentation for B.B.

I'm to expect mine on the 26th.

I've had these guys stop by before, usually for Disney/Pixar films like Rattatouille and WALL-E, but this is the first time I can recall Paramount doing this.
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 12-20-2008, 10:53 AM:
 
We had a tech come out for one of our sneak previews (the studio pays us to show these, so I guess they want to see if they are getting their money's worth). We gave the tech a soda and popcorn and he basically sat in the theatre munching away, no meter or test equipment of any kind that we could see without being obviously nosey. When he finished his popcorn, he left. He must have like what he saw and heard because we still get more requests for sneaks than we have dates to squeeze them in between the live shows.
 

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Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 12-20-2008, 12:37 PM:
 

quote: Tyler Potts

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but I never want to work with a Big Sky again.

p.s. - 4 more days until Benjamin.

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I think Big Sky makes one of the best high-power lamphouses on the market right now. Can't say anything about their platters, but if someone's doing something with them that wasn't in their design, that's not Big Sky's fault.

I once saw someone put a full, 4-reel shipping can on an ORC platter... yah, it warped. Darned ORC garbage!
 

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Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 12-20-2008, 02:16 PM:
 
Jack, ORC IS garbage!!

I've had some prints arrive to UC Irvine with padlocks, but they have always given me the code in a note attached to the can. Duh.

I did have some prints come in with the plastic seals, and a letter threatening death and loss of women and children if I didn't re-seal the cans with the seals provided in the cans....one small problem, there were NO seals in the cans, they kinda forgot to provide them. So I left a note threatening loss of print and ability to procreate for forgetting to provide the seals.
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 12-20-2008, 06:37 PM:
 
Actually the most reliable platter in the theatres I service is the ORC platter with the strong being #2 lowest amount of parts and service grief
 

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Posted by Brad Allen (Member # 470) on 12-22-2008, 08:32 PM:
 

quote: Frank Angel

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We had a tech come out for one of our sneak previews (the studio pays us to show these, so I guess they want to see if they are getting their money's worth). We gave the tech a soda and popcorn and he basically sat in the theatre munching away, no meter or test equipment of any kind that we could see without being obviously nosey. When he finished his popcorn, he left. He must have like what he saw and heard because we still get more requests for sneaks than we have dates to squeeze them in between the live shows.

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quote: Gordon

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<snip> ....with the strong being #2 lowest amount of parts and service grief

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You're messing with us, right? The Wrong Platter is without a doubt one of the worst abortions around (well the Simplex Air platter was worse) and of all the theatres I have serviced over the years I had more breakdonws with Wrong's than with the AW3's (which outnumbered the Wrongs 4 to 1). I had to deal with those shit platters at the Grande 4-plex. Annual microswitch changes, three of four variacs, one MUT motor, seven deck motors...and this on a theatre that ran 2 shows/day on weekdays and 4 shows/day weekends. I feel for those grinding 5 a day with that crap.

The four plex of ORC's I dealt with was another troublesome booth, aggravated by ORC's shitty support (this was in the mid 80's), they dumped the ORC's for some AW2's that I had rebuilt for them and had no more problems.
 

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Posted by Jonathan Althaus (Member # 5042) on 12-23-2008, 03:01 PM:
 
Just got Ben's Butt in. Can 3 locked, dang it. And now received an e-mail saying Deluxe won't be sending the code til tomorrow at 11 AM!!!!!! How much do they hate us?
 

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Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 12-23-2008, 03:16 PM:
 

quote: Gordon McLeod

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Actually the most reliable platter in the theatres I service is the ORC platter with the strong being #2 lowest amount of parts and service grief

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quote:

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Jack, ORC IS garbage!!

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Funny, how some people seemed to get along with ORC's stuff. I liked their rim-drive platter, too... rock solid, until they finally wore out. When the mut wore out, I put in an old Sword motor & got another 10 years out of it.

ORC's xenon supplies were pretty good, too... probably because they didn't make them.

Everything else.... yah... pretty much garbage.
 

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Posted by Jon P. Inghram (Member # 4125) on 12-23-2008, 11:58 PM:
 
These locks are like the DRM schemes they put on many games: it inconveniences the legitimate users and does nothing to stop piracy.
 

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Posted by Jonathan Althaus (Member # 5042) on 12-24-2008, 12:39 AM:
 
Yeah I hate em, now i have to go in tomorrow and build the last 3 reels on each print, which wont happen until after we open.
 

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Posted by Tyler Potts (Member # 4952) on 12-26-2008, 11:23 AM:
 


[ 03-10-2009, 10:53 AM: Message edited by: Tyler Potts ]
 

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Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 12-26-2008, 11:32 AM:
 
Bummer

Not to be crass, but maybe another approach would be to work on her training?

I suppose you guys didn't have time to pre-screen prints given the unlock code and all.

--jhawk
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 12-26-2008, 01:14 PM:
 

quote: Tyler Potts

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I expressed to our GM to NOT LET BUILD

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If she had probs on last year's showings, why wasn't she retrained up to now?

Sounds like another cinema that I know of : they got a girl who is lazy as a rock: won't check her threading, scratching prints every time she did booth and the company won't let her go due to the "hope" that she'll come around and improve herself .. like "No wonder why your business is hurting-company is too personal with their operations!"

Yep - main reason why a lot of cinemas switching to digital: eliminate these "booth clowns" ...
 

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Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 12-26-2008, 01:38 PM:
 
Improve herself?

We have an expression where I work: "It doesn't get better"

We very often find that to be the case.
 

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Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 12-26-2008, 02:55 PM:
 

quote: Jack Ondracek

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Funny, how some people seemed to get along with ORC's stuff. I liked their rim-drive platter, too... rock solid, until they finally wore out. When the mut wore out, I put in an old Sword motor & got another 10 years out of it.

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You need to take a peek in the "Reviews" section on this site.

quote: Tyler Potts

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The girl I expressed to our GM to NOT LET BUILD as she messed up a movie last X-Mas, messed up a pretty full house of Benjamin Button. She had a backwards reel 7 where 4 should be. I start checking the splices with reference frames and she built the print 1-2-3-7-6-5-4-8-9-10. Lost that first show, got it fixed in time for the next, and I'll be talking with our GM tonight on keeping her out of booth.

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quote: Monte L Fullmer

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Yep - main reason why a lot of cinemas switching to digital: eliminate these "booth clowns" ...

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quote: John Hawkinson

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Not to be crass, but maybe another approach would be to work on her training?

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quote: Brad Miller

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This job isn't meant for everyone.

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