This is topic WB Hands Out Night Vision To Harry Potter Exhibitors In UK in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 05-31-2004, 08:30 PM:
 
Interesting. Especially the part that talks about using codes printed on the film to trace the pirates back to Britain.

Link here.

Harry Potter and the wizard idea to foil cinema pirates

Martin Wainwright
Monday May 31, 2004
The Guardian

Cinema ushers across Britain go into action today with a new piece of equipment which makes their ice-cream trays and hand torches look tame.

Military-style night-sights have been sent to every outlet in the country showing the new Harry Potter film, The Prisoner of Azkaban.

Staff have been instructed to spend all two hours and 22 minutes of the film scanning the dark - for pirates making illegal copies.

"I've never known a company to go to such lengths to protect a film," said Jamie Graham, manager of the Vue cinema at Cheshire Oaks, Wirral, where the red monocle devices are ready for action.

The precaution has been taken by the film's distributor, Warner Brothers, after an epidemic of poor-quality, grainy versions of the two previous Potter films.

Surreptitious recording from cinema seats, sometimes interrupted by the head of the person in front shifting and blocking the action, has become a serious menace, according to the industry.

Most cinemas now screen an appeal to audiences to shop any neighbour suspected of filming, along with warnings about mobile phones and adverts for popcorn.

Mr Graham said: "Video piracy is rife everywhere, and with the UK screening the film four days before the rest of the world, Warner was concerned the movie would end up on the internet."

Pirate DVD versions of the boy wizard's earlier adventures were traced to Britain through codes imprinted on the films as a security device.

The night sights, together with the coding and experiments with watermarks, have added significantly to distribution costs. But Warner sees the investment as negligible compared with the threat to the whole industry.

Staff at the Vue will be "very discreet" with their potentially frightening cyclopean attachments, Mr Graham said, but action against offenders would be swift.

Much like the battered young wizards on screen, who are constantly being whirled about by baddies, pirates will be "hauled out of their seats and reported straight away to the police".

Edit: Wait, Ushers carry TORCHES in Britain's theaters?? Weird.
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-31-2004, 08:53 PM:
 
This kind of action will be the end of cinemas. Mark my words. You cannot treat people like criminals and expect for them to return!
 

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Posted by Dean Kollet (Member # 1789) on 06-01-2004, 12:49 AM:
 
I can't wait till the person with the night vision goggles looks at the light from the booth...can you say ouch? I know they have filters...but still...

and yes, I would be pissed if some schmuck was doing this...does the film company not realize that it's mostly people on the inside anyways. (am I the only one who thinks that theatre manager or actual projectionists play these films after hours and record them?)
 

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Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 06-01-2004, 02:32 AM:
 
Gee, some exhibitors have a hard enough time returning their DTS discs, let alone night vision goggles.
 

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Posted by Dick Vaughan (Member # 540) on 06-01-2004, 02:37 AM:
 
Brad

Exactly my thoughts. If I was in an auditorium where staff were walking up and down the aisles spying on me and my family throughout a film that would be my last visit to that theatre.

I took my kids to the 10.05 screening of HP3 yesterday morning at the Vue Cinema in Leeds . Didn't see any sign of anyone with night vision devices there

quote: Mark J. Marshall

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Edit: Wait, Ushers carry TORCHES in Britain's theaters?? Weird.

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To help show patrons to their seats. Not so widespread now but in the days of continuous performances when customers could arrive and leave at any point in the rolling programmme it was very useful. This is from the days when ushers were both well trained and helpful
 

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Posted by Dan Harris (Member # 1759) on 06-01-2004, 04:08 AM:
 
The advice note from Warner with the print also tells us to "confiscate and erase tapes found in any recording device removed from the auditorium".

Our senior management have told us specifically not to use the night vision goggles, not to search any customer or their bags, and not to confiscate tapes or equipment but to just call the police instead. We do regular screen checks, and because (here at least) the entrance is at the back in the center, you have a clear view over the whole auditorium.

Regarding torches, this has become less widespread with the installations of step and aisle lights, but they do come in handy now and then. Obviously not high powered, but those little Maglite-type ones with a precise beam.
 

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Posted by Carl Martin (Member # 1146) on 06-01-2004, 04:43 AM:
 
i don't care how precise the beam is, it's still a distraction to those who came on time.

and a nightvision camera trained on the audience would be less distracting than ushers on patrol.

carl
 

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Posted by Mark Hajducki (Member # 1732) on 06-01-2004, 08:08 AM:
 

quote: Dick Vaughan was the last to post

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Wait, Ushers carry TORCHES in Britain's theaters?? Weird.

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In some parts of the UK it is (or at least was) a requirement for cinema ushers to carry torches. I will try and find the exact wording.
 

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Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 06-01-2004, 09:51 AM:
 



 

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Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 06-01-2004, 10:58 AM:
 

quote: Dan Harris

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The advice note from Warner with the print also tells us to "confiscate and erase tapes found in any recording device removed from the auditorium".

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quote: Mark J. Marshall

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Edit: Wait, Ushers carry TORCHES in Britain's theaters?? Weird

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Ya, that way when you find the person taping the film, you can burn their camera on site, it also keeps the mosquitoes away

(BTW, I know that flashlights are called torches in Britain)

On another note, one idea I thought of is what if you put a bunch of infrared leds behind the screen in various places, you can't see them when they're on but they show up as a bright white light on most camcorders, you could even make them spell something out.

Since we're sort of on the topic of flashlights (or torches), here's something to check out, I bought one of these 4 LED flashlights from allelectronics.com for 12 bucks, they're about the same size as a mini-maglite and they fit in all the maglite holders, but I use mine all day every day and I only have to change the batteries every other month.

quote: Ken Layton

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Night vision goggles----another useless thing we can just shove over into the corner of the booth and forget about it.

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If I got a free pair of night vision goggles and management told me not to use them in the theater, rest assured, they'd get used. I'm not one to just let a really interesting and potentially fun piece of technology sit around, I'll walk around the building at night with all the lights off pretending I'm playing a Tom Clancy game
 

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Posted by Andrew Lee (Member # 1330) on 06-01-2004, 11:53 AM:
 
There are in fact two companies working on camcorder defeating technology for this application. This technology shows some promise, but alas with every development in this area, the bad guys will find another way.
 

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Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 06-01-2004, 02:46 PM:
 

quote: Rob Butler

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I know that flashlights are called torches in Britain

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Yeah, me too. I'm just givin our friends across the pond a hard time. I just though it was funny how I asked and they all basically said "Yep, we carry torches."
 

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Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 06-01-2004, 03:05 PM:
 
Most all special venue "theatres" at the parks such as 6-Flags, Disney, etc have "spy" nightvision or IR cameras to insure "proper" patron behavior. It's the "improper" behavior that's fun to watch.

It's amazing what goes on in those darkrides and simulator capsules when "they" think no one is watching. Some rides need to be called "stimulator" rides.

>>> Phil
 

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Posted by Rob Butler (Member # 2274) on 06-01-2004, 03:38 PM:
 
I know that most of those rides have IR security cameras set up throughout the whole ride, this is nothing new, IR cameras are basically just like night vision scopes except that they feed directly to composite video, the ride can be completely dark and the operator can still clearly see every nook and crany of the ride. I found this out first hand once when I was 17 on the Haunted Mine ride at Canobie Lake Park in Salem NH, they had this miner who faded into a ghost, I was curious of how they did this, needless to say, paying 15 bucks to get into the park only to be kicked out less than an hour later just to get a look at an old Panasonic CRT video projector really wasn't worth it.
 

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Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 06-01-2004, 07:03 PM:
 

quote: Mark J. Marshall

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Surreptitious recording from cinema seats, sometimes interrupted by the head of the person in front shifting and blocking the action, has become a serious menace, according to the industry.

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ACK! With this type of "real theater atmosphere" included in the copies which can now be reproduced at home, this will SURELY bankrupt cinemas if we don't do SOMETHING about this MENACE!

Besides, there's "probably" a bootleg of the HP3 screener floating around "somewhere" on the internet already.

=TMP=
 

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Posted by Andy Muirhead (Member # 712) on 06-02-2004, 06:54 PM:
 
We have one of the night vision scopes. When I took it into the hall just out of curiosity, I became all self conscious because I thought customers would think I was videoing the print.

They look just like camcorders. Great little toy but absolutely useless for the suggested use. These things cost £300 each, and If they are sent out to every cinema in the UK with HP3, that must be about 350-500 sites. Do the math. I wonder what precautions the studio's are taking with their screener DVD's? I would suggest fuck all, because everybody knows that all pirate copies are made in cinemas.
 

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Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 06-03-2004, 01:31 AM:
 

quote: Andy Muirhead

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I wonder what precautions the studio's are taking with their screener DVD's?

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quote: Dan Harris

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The advice note from Warner with the print also tells us to "confiscate and erase tapes found in any recording device removed from the auditorium".

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Again, this smacks of a publicity stunt. I imagine that Warners are rich enough to have corporate lawyers who have doubtless told them that any such action would incur criminal responsibility on a number of counts (ranging from straightforward theft to assault or GBH, if any attempt were made to relieve a customer of his or her camcorder involuntarily). Presumably the managers of all the big cinema chains have told staff to ignore these notes.

Put one of these night vision scopes in front of a camcorder and you could shoot some interesting footage of, err, 'activities' in the back row, though...
 

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Posted by Michael Harlow (Member # 1353) on 06-03-2004, 04:28 PM:
 
I have the night vision stuff from WB. Not used it! Had the standard letter from WB about piracy. Ignored it!
 

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Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 06-03-2004, 06:10 PM:
 

quote: Leo Enticknap was the last to post

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I wonder what precautions the studio's are taking with their screener DVD's?

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The last set of Screener DVDs I got had nightvision glasses packed with them.

>>> Phil
 

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Posted by Darren Briggs (Member # 1071) on 06-06-2004, 06:30 PM:
 
We have the glasses and I would suggest you use them if you have a pair.
It would certainly F**K up your relationship with Warners if your site was found to have had a twat of a pirate in.

If people are not bothered about less people coming to see filmsin cinemas, feel free to take your camera in yourself and make your self job less!
 

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Posted by Andy Muirhead (Member # 712) on 06-06-2004, 07:21 PM:
 
So does anybody know which UK site the alledged camcordering of the last HP occured? Or is that, as I suspect, bullshit.
 

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Posted by Alexander Smith (Member # 1769) on 06-07-2004, 11:39 AM:
 
At the risk of adding further fuel to the discussion here.

A "friend of a friend" (and I trust the source) told me today
that illegal copies of Potter3 were available in the UK on the
day of the cinema release.

I've not actually personally seen one of these discs yet, so
I don't know if it's a screener or something that's leaked out
of the studio.

Alex.
 

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Posted by Rob Butler (Member # 2274) on 06-07-2004, 04:03 PM:
 
I'm pretty sure that night vision goggles give out a pretty large amount of infrared radiation, if so, wouldn't using one of them in a house with an IR hearing impared system be a bad idea?
 

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Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 06-07-2004, 05:12 PM:
 
Alex, I can vouch for the info from your friends friend, they are available at a well known market in Scotland, apparently the stall had one of those in car DVD players going, and my friends friends said that there was no way that this was camcordered........

Imagine my surprise....
 

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Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 06-07-2004, 07:21 PM:
 
Actually Night Vision Goggles give out NO IR. They are different from IR viewers in that they rely on the electronic amplification of the existing light... like the "star scopes" used by the military and law enforcement.

>>> Phil
 

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Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 06-07-2004, 07:51 PM:
 
Phil,

some night vision devices have an IR illuminator that floods the area with invisible IR light that can then be amplified. But this is only necessary in circumstances where there is absolutely no light at all... for example in the middle of a cave... at night... on the dark side of the moon.

But that certainly won't be necessary in a theater while a movie is running as there's tons of light reflecting off the screen.

Mark
 

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Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 06-07-2004, 08:05 PM:
 
Ummm, please spare me the lecture and go re-read my post...I thought we were talking about movie theatres and not 2 people f*cking in the park.

I have done TOO many venues and I certainly know the difference.

Thanks!

>>> Phil
 

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Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 06-07-2004, 08:16 PM:
 

quote: Phil Hill

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Actually Night Vision Goggles give out NO IR.

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quote:

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* Removabe night vision monocular
* Built-in sensor system protects image intensifier tubes from bright light
* Individual objective lens focus
* Built-in infrared illuminator for operation in total darkness
* Black metal housing
* 3-position rotary switch: all power off - system on - system on plus infrared illuminator on
* Comfortable and safe fully adjustable headmount with flip-up storage capability

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Not trying to insult you, Phil, but I'm not sure what I'm missing either.
 

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Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 06-07-2004, 08:43 PM:
 
No insult taken... you are just missing the point of this discussion....

Thanks for the link... I guess I was totally stupid in thinking we were talking low-light levels as in THEATRES, NOT total darkness...

>>> Phil
 

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Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 06-07-2004, 09:07 PM:
 
I love it when two people argue the same point at each other, and just don't get it.

Yeah, as I said, it would be not necessary to use the IR illuminators on the goggles in the theater, but my point was that most goggles had them. I wonder how many ushers would know NOT to turn them on... and what would happen to the assisted listening devices if they did.

Makes me want to go buy a pair and see what happens.
 

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Posted by Alexander Smith (Member # 1769) on 06-15-2004, 03:03 PM:
 
Does anyone else wonder what WB are going to do with many
thousand (UK and USA) night-vision monocles, once Potter3
has finished it's run in cinemas? I'm assuming they'll want them
returned...

Should we look out for them (the monocles, not dodgy DVDs) on
eBay?

Alex.
 

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Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 06-15-2004, 04:57 PM:
 
Presumably they'll send them out again with whatever is the next blockbuster they get paranoid about...
 

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Posted by Alexander Smith (Member # 1769) on 06-16-2004, 10:24 AM:
 
Ok. Suppose cinema "A" accidently damages the monocle, pretends
not to notice and sends it back to WB.

WB, the recipient of thousands of these things, aren't going to
check them _all_.

Upon the release of Potter4, the same monocle is sent to cinema
"B"...

Let the mud-slinging begin. :-)

Far fetched? Perhaps. There will be _alot_ of cinemas involved
in this so it might happen.

Alex.
 

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