Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Interlock

This is topic Interlock in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Tom Wyse (Member # 5621) on 02-12-2010, 01:09 PM:

I had to marvel at the photos of that massive (and probably maddening) interlock set up! The most projectors I ever put in a chain was three, but utilized Eprad 2000 automation and a Christie ELF platter. Trickiest part was proper position of the projector motor shut down cue. Once that was fine tuned it worked like a charm for the week!

Posted by Manny Montes (Member # 5639) on 02-12-2010, 01:39 PM:

Largest I've seen was 6 projectors on a single print. It was pretty impressive at the time, it was part of an 11 screen interlock. two screens couldn't be used. One due to location and we didn't have the equipment to get the film to it, and the other was digital only.

We sold out every single auditorium too, and had to add 3am showings

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 02-12-2010, 01:41 PM:

You talking about Joe's video on "interlock 101" in the "Video's tab on the left side of the screen?

Posted by Tom Wyse (Member # 5621) on 02-12-2010, 02:28 PM:

Nope, the still photos. I just watched the interlock 101 today . . . too cool!

Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 02-12-2010, 04:30 PM:

Interlocks? With the product that's currently coming out, it's going to be several months before any of us will be doing it again.

Posted by Tom Wyse (Member # 5621) on 02-13-2010, 07:14 PM:

Interlocking was interesting and gave us a chance to be VERY creative, but I really won't miss it. With digital now gaining strength it won't be long before we'll mention "interlocking films" and the youngsters will look at us and say "Huh?"

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 02-13-2010, 08:56 PM:

quote: Tom Wyse
and the youngsters will look at us and say "Huh?"

..wait until you tell them the stories in running a carbon arc, changeover booth and nitrate ... that'll get the "HUH!" out of them..

I know about this "huh", for in November, had to set up a three machine interlock for "New Moon" and the third machine wasn't in the network-had to start that one manually and by setting up a MUT in the middle of the booth and used the MUT's rollers to guide the film over to that third machine. The kids downstairs had to see this since they couldn't justfiy how I can run a print through three units. .. it was fun, of course.

-Monte

Posted by Hieu Trung Ngo (Member # 3298) on 03-30-2010, 04:08 PM:

At my theatre for Harry Potter 6 we sold 4000 tickets and ran 17 projectors with 5 prints for the midnights (Due to some of the booths being on different floors/enclosed from the others). The other 2 were Digital. It was quite a sight!

Posted by Keith Hoffmann (Member # 5667) on 04-12-2010, 12:52 PM:

Most we have done is 7, and it is always tricky for it to work correctly.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 04-12-2010, 01:58 PM:

I have a customer who, in the Summer, has "free" movies for kids sponsored by the merchant's association. They run 5 screens of a 7-plex. It would help if all were in the same booth! Louis

Posted by Jonathan Althaus (Member # 5042) on 04-12-2010, 04:38 PM:

How many of these interlocks are manual? We don't have the ability to auto-interlock and have to run between projectors and hope the accumulars work correctly. I've done 5 2-screen interlocks in the past 6 months, as thats the most we are currently set up for.

Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 04-12-2010, 04:54 PM:

I ran a five screen manual interlock just to prove to the managers that it could be done. Even after doing it some still didn't believe that it was possible.

You have to REALLY know what you're doing, and you have to have someone who can pay attention and think (and act) quickly in an emergency. Polyester based prints have cut down drastically on the number of in-show film breaks which is good... but a bad side effect is that the new booth blood is not as good at quick repairs as the older folks.

Run some old trailer packs and have someone snip the film with a pair of scissors or something so you can practice getting it back on screen quickly.