quote: Thomas Pitt

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The cinemas probably have some agreement with the CD producers to play the music in 'public performance' before a movie

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quote: Thomas Pitt

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The cinemas probably have some agreement with the CD producers to play the music in 'public performance' before a movie, otherwise it would violate the 'private home use' license agreement for the music on CD.

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Most of the places I've worked for over the years have simply played pre-show music from CD's, LP's, Cassette and yes, even 8 Track cartridges.
(Ouch! I've been doing this for a long time!)

In the past, I don't recall any of them worrying about licensing. But I think that situation is changing. I'm aware of several SF theaters recently receiving letters from ASCAP informing them to "cease & desist" from using music CD's unless they pay a yearly licensing fee. The fee stated in the letter I saw was was several hundered dollars per year and was ascessed based on the number of screens and seating capacity of the theater(s).
 

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Posted by Hugh McCullough (Member # 1542) on 04-13-2008, 05:52 AM:
 
In the UK cinemas pay an agreed annual monetary sum to the Performing Rights Society.
This covers the cost of any royalties due on the non-sync music.
 

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Posted by Ron Funderburg (Member # 4561) on 04-13-2008, 10:25 AM:
 
Barry, thanks this a great help it isn't my Drive-In it is reopen I'm consulting on and will do the booking for. The drive in has been shuttered for 20 years and the new owner is doing things right so this will help a great deal!
 

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Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 04-13-2008, 10:34 AM:
 
At one theater chain, they had old PC's with Media Player, which were distributed to each auditorium. The PC's were networked to the internet. The home office could upload / change the playlist whenever they wanted, such as to play Christmas music, etc.
 

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Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 04-14-2008, 07:29 PM:
 

quote: Barry Floyd

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I believe Rodeo Jack also uses Drive-In Radio at his theatre.. I'm sure he'll chime in here if he sees this.

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I think I've used 'Drive-In Radio' about as long as Barry... maybe just a year less. I think his service is first class. It's entertaining, and drives customers to your concessions. Very responsive company and well worth the money.

Jack (big fan)
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 04-14-2008, 11:26 PM:
 
Barry, do you supply your preshow for the Twin Hills DI outside of Lexington KY? I was there last year and forgot to as the owner what service he used. If that was you -- AWESOME, bro! I was very impressed. I used to do preshow for non-theatricals when I was young, ambitious and had time. Loved putting them together.
 

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Posted by Barry Floyd (Member # 385) on 04-16-2008, 10:02 AM:
 
Frank,
Sorry... it wasn't me. I don't own or work for Drive-In Radio, I'm merely a customer on their subscription service. Could I do it... yeah, but for me it's totally a matter of convenience and time. I used to be a full-time disc jockey in Nashville and when I gave it up 5 years ago to go into the drive-in business, I was making a heck of alot more money than I do with both the drive-in and my day job. I enjoyed it immensely, but definely got burned out on the hours and the lugging around of equipment.

I've got a picture on the "Photos Page" of our website where Bill Booth from "Drive-In Radio" and his family came out to our theatre last summer to watch Hair Spray. First time I had seen him in several years.
 

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Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 04-16-2008, 08:19 PM:
 
Barry, I had a face for radio.

quote:

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The drive in has been shuttered for 20 years and the new owner is doing things right so this will help a great deal!

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Ron, as long as he's going first-class, you'll want to get him fixed with some first-class screen advertising trailers:

Screen Attractions produced the first new intermission clock in over 25 years... as well as a compliment of rolling stock generic policy and institutional trailers. The best custom merchant and special-announcement trailers, too, at the lowest prices on the market - all in Dolby SR stereo. What a combination!
 

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Posted by Ron Funderburg (Member # 4561) on 04-16-2008, 10:55 PM:
 
Tim, Barry, Jack,

Thanks it is all good for me and I will be well armed at our meeting on Monday! Projection and sound ordered, Concession about to get bids on. they close on the 20 year closed property in about two weeks and then the fun really begins!

I saw True Grit at this drive in forever a go!!!

Ron
 

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Posted by Barry Floyd (Member # 385) on 04-17-2008, 09:10 AM:
 
Ron..
If you want an actual demo CD,... just holler.
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-17-2008, 10:28 AM:
 
This thread reminds me of my days of working in the drive-in here, in the mid/late '70s. It was owned by the parents of a friend of mine. Since I worked at the music store and was doing the DJ gigs at the time, I had access to all the pop music of the day...so we would create our own pre-show tapes using our DJ equipment. We would do our own commericals - we'd bring in friends to read scripts we wrote, some of which were actually pretty good. It was good for business at the drive-in too, because our friends would come to the movies an hour early, buy snacks and sit in their cars waiting for their "moment of fame" to come up on the pre-show. Fun times. All those tapes are lost to the ages - I wish I had a few of them.
 

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Posted by Ron Funderburg (Member # 4561) on 04-17-2008, 12:23 PM:
 
Barry, thanks they are sending me a Demo CD out already. I am hopeful it will be here in time to take with me Monday!

Mike, yes I have similar experiences if we knew how important to you some memories would be we would be better at saving things connected to them. I have a splicer that sits on my desk at home, the old glue type unit it means the world to me and I would give that up for much of anything. When I left as City Manager from a job the projectionist all chipped in and bought it for me.
 

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Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 04-19-2008, 10:18 AM:
 

quote: Mike Blakesley

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so we would create our own pre-show tapes using our DJ equipment

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quote: Jack Ondracek

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Does anyone remember the 7" reel tapes that Coca Cola used to provide drive-ins?

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YES, Jack!! They called themselves "Alliance Drive-In Theatre Recording Service," or something like that, out of Kansas City. I have a feeling DITMCO might have been involved somehow, but that's just conjecture.

I had a few of those Coke tapes until the mid-80s. The ones I had were recorded on LUBRICATED tape... so I used them to rewind a bunch of carts at a radio station I worked.

I did dub the audio to cassettes before cutting them up, however, but they have long since been lost.
 

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Posted by Geena Phillips (Member # 3726) on 06-17-2008, 05:00 PM:
 
At one time, I had five full CDs of really good music playing. Then, our CEO knew a fellow owner who got pinched by ASCAP, and he got all antsy. Now, if we're lucky, the MovieTunes disc fails to show up (MT really is a terribly run outfit), and I have the "pleasure" of playing public-domain music I've downloaded. >sigh<
 

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Posted by Michael Brown (Member # 890) on 06-17-2008, 06:05 PM:
 

quote: Hugh McCullough

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In the UK cinemas pay an agreed annual monetary sum to the Performing Rights Society.
This covers the cost of any royalties due on the non-sync music.

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quote: Tim Reed

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I had a few of those Coke tapes until the mid-80s. The ones I had were recorded on LUBRICATED tape... so I used them to rewind a bunch of carts at a radio station I worked.

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