Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: CENTURY BELMAR Denver, CO photo tour

This is topic CENTURY BELMAR Denver, CO photo tour in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 01-21-2009, 08:37 PM:

Joe, it's been said before...but you have too great a sense of humor not to be writing professionally for sitcoms or something.

[thumbsup]

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 01-21-2009, 08:48 PM:

Why thank you! But it is Lakewood, Colorado. Wait until you see the next batch o' pics to go up.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-21-2009, 08:56 PM:

Looks just like the Century booth around here... ours just don't have Joe's added humor....

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 01-21-2009, 09:16 PM:

Century actually builds fairly good booths for the most part. Dolby Digital and THX in every house, CP650's, etc. The Century in Aurora isn't anywhere near as impressive since they have movable versions of all different digital formats scattered about, not sure about the one in Boulder.

I know that the typical Cinemark builds are way below Century standards. I am amazed that Cinemark held onto the THX license.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 01-21-2009, 10:54 PM:

Oh I imagine Cinemark will dump all those THX certifications soon enough. All it will take is one bean counter at a board of directors meeting asking, "what's this line item: THX re-certifications? Do we really need to be paying this much money for that? Isn't what we're doing at our other theaters good enough?" The bean counter will get a huge bonus for saving the company so much money. Or maybe he'll get fired and the CEO will take credit for the great idea.
[Razz]

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 01-22-2009, 09:18 AM:

What exactly does a THX certification do for you other than bragging rights? The public has no idea what it means other than they think it's good. They probably wouldn't go to a theatre just because of a THX sign or stay away if it didn't. That being said, it probably is a waste of money since the only ones who really know what is involved are trade insiders.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 01-22-2009, 09:52 AM:

Actually, THX does gets its following from the consumer side of things. It has a brand-recognition...just like Dolby did in the 70s/80s. After all, THX will certify ANYTHING (somewhere, there is a Joe R. spoof on the THX thing...I think for the THX contest some years back).

Unlike most theatre, a THX theatre is supposed to be checked annualy. As such, problems that creep up will be caught (increasing HVAC noise, HF response decreasing). Presuming the rules are being followed (a big presumption in many cases), then there is pretty decent chance that the THX certified room will have a good sound system and tuned reasonably well.

Come on, how many of you have gone into a theatre for a screening and found that the room was NEVER tuned? I've found that rooms set up by even prominate people didn't tune the room (and it needed it). This is particularly true when a theatre goes in and time is tight. Now with cut-n-paste capability...I'm seeing that too (or their analyzer really sucks).

Steve

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 01-22-2009, 02:59 PM:

quote: Joe Redifer
But it is Lakewood, Colorado.

I copied and pasted the Denver bit from above the photos.

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 01-22-2009, 06:57 PM:

What is the fee for a THX certification test, either for the first time or a recertification?

How many people would arrive and say ""Oh! No! this dump isn't THX certified" and drive across town to a theatre that is THX.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 01-22-2009, 09:09 PM:

I don't know what the initial certification fee is...however we charge our regular rates for recertifications. The tests are pretty comprehensive (A-chain [mag and optical, if applicable], B-chain, picture, HVAC, RT-60...etc.). I find it takes me a bit over half a day to do a theatre and often there are repairs, tweaks, etc that need to be done.

As to those being turned away by lack of THX...that is silly...if one is desiring THX, they would seek it out first...you'll never know the customers that you never got. Conversely, a good experience in a THX house reinforces the brand.

I've seen and heard the comments too many times not to believe if affects a percentage of people.

More importantly, the requirements for THX are actually very good for theatres to follow anyway. When designing a theatre, they also give architects a game pland to achieving a superior theatre.

What seemingly ruined the THX brand in cinemas is when they allowed the fox to guard the hens...that is let in-house techs do the recertifications. You can't have a person on the payroll in that position. They will not be truthful in their reports (if they want to continue to draw a paycheck). Also THX got a bad reputation for certifying theatres that didn't really pass the requirements...thereby confirming the belief that they just wanted to take the money.

Steve

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 01-23-2009, 02:12 AM:

quote: Steve Guttag
Also THX got a bad reputation for certifying theatres that didn't really pass the requirements...thereby confirming the belief that they just wanted to take the money.

Yes, I arrived at this conclusion a loooong time ago when the Mann Bowles Crossing 12 opened up in Littleton, CO. It was the state's first all-THX 12-plex. However you could CLEARLY hear the projector running from anywhere in the auditorium and there was little to no subwoofer presence. Even with the acoustical foam applied all around the port windows at a later date, you can still hear the projectors pretty easily the sound is still poorly tuned. The THX certification was dropped when Mann sold the theater.

When I worked for the Mann Chinese 16 in Aurora, Colorado, a re-cert was never done. Ever. I bet the paperwork was just sent in without sending anyone to check out the auditoriums. Lord knows our in-house tech wasn't going to do it.

All of this plus that fact that almost any consumer audio product these days has a THX certification was the basis for my THX ad which proudly states "We'll Certify Anything!" They actually called me at home when they saw that. They liked it.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 01-23-2009, 09:14 AM:

Oddly...and stupidly enough...there is NO specification for the noise transmission from the booth to the theatre...though there should be. We measure Noise with the HVAC on and off. There should be a measurement with the projectors on and off too!

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 01-23-2009, 10:29 AM:

Interesting. I guess THX thought everyone would be using video projectors or something and that nobody would ever stand within 15 feet of the port glass and talk.