quote: Paul Mayer

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I'll be there, for anything that doesn't require a badge

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Badges? We don't need no stinking badges!
 

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Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 03-09-2009, 05:09 PM:
 
Todd =
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-09-2009, 05:25 PM:
 
Nope! I'll be in Washington DC planting software bugs in Steves Digital Presentation !

Really though, my wife is getting her right knee replaced that week so I don't think I'l be there... BTW: The left knee she had done in January was beyond sucessful. We were already out hiking last weekend and she was complaining that the right knee now hurt more than the left knee...

Mark

Mark
 

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 03-09-2009, 08:46 PM:
 
I figured you'd like that one Mark!

Good luck on your wife's surgery...see if they have an extended warranty!

Steve
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-09-2009, 08:54 PM:
 
Thanks Steve!

Nope, no warranty on stuff like that and she has to go through all the therapy stuff associated with it after the surgery. Once she's done with that though its more or less back to normal. In replacement knees its generally just the plastic joint spacer that eventually wears out. Her left knee replacement has a thicker spacer (18mm) then normal(6 to 8mm) because they had to remove some arthritic bone. So they are saying it'll last her her the rest of lifetime. The right one should get a normal thicknes spacer so it's possible she may need that one replaced in 15 or so years. Its pretty amazing though... she got to the point that she couldn't even go shopping at the store... now the new knee is at about 97% recovery and she has far greater knee flex. Almost 120 degrees after the therapy was over compared to about 87 degrees with the old knee. Now I can't keep her down.. the next surgery will do that though for a short while! Then its back to exploring mines and riding horses for her.

Mark
 

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Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 03-11-2009, 11:03 PM:
 
This is kinda odd. I never realized that Showest was running into April this year. I will be in Vegas from April 1st through the 4th. On vacation and uhhh... kinda getting married too..

For those of you not aware, my previous ten year marriage went out the door back in 2007. I met someone who makes me very happy and since we both were married previously - we decided to go out to Vegas and get married.

I was on the phone with a friend in Vegas today who thought I was going to attend Showest and get married (like I would plan these two things together!). That's when he informed me that Showest is running up to April 2nd. I had no idea.

Anyways - maybe I'll run into a few people out there. Wait, never mind, other than the marriage ceremony - we won't be outside the hotel much.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 03-11-2009, 11:12 PM:
 
Yea, good luck on that one Mark - you got a great wifey there!

Wanted to go, but money's tight right now.

(maybe ShowEast??? ....)

-Monte
 

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Posted by Joshua Lott (Member # 240) on 03-12-2009, 12:29 AM:
 
I do want to be there... But it looks like I will be waiting another year

Being to far away to drive sucks.
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 03-12-2009, 01:18 AM:
 
Once again...it's put off until next year. Last year it was a theatre remodel, this year it's a house remodel and a vacation. One of these years.
 

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Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 03-12-2009, 10:09 AM:
 
Strange to see THIS convention overlap April Fool's Day! Louis
 

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Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 03-12-2009, 02:49 PM:
 
Louis, I think April 1st is the scheduled day of the Digital Cinema group's seminar. They will make a presentation of the benefits of TV vs. film...
 

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Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 03-13-2009, 08:44 PM:
 
Gonna be ridin' a motorcycle that weekend...

I forgot about ShoWest long time ago.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 03-13-2009, 10:19 PM:
 

quote: Tim Reed

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be ridin' a motorcycle that weekend...

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..lucky one you are. Be that way...!

-Monte
 

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Posted by Jim Bedford (Member # 4) on 03-17-2009, 09:25 AM:
 
Luci and I will be there for the duration. We're driving in Sunday and staying at the Flamingo.

Someone told me that you can now get a room there for $65/night. This is likely to be the cheapest we get by at Showest in many moons.
 

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Posted by Clint Koch (Member # 1179) on 03-18-2009, 10:17 PM:
 
USL, Inc. will be there as always. Stop by the booth for some swag.
Clint
 

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Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 03-19-2009, 05:43 PM:
 
Harrahs, Stations Casinos, and MGM Mirage are all planning Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings in the next few weeks. Should be plenty of discounted or comped rooms available here this year.

Gaming revenues are way down, consequently everyone is comping and discounting rooms to at least to keep the occupancy rates high. People are still dropping money in the casinos - just not as much. It's a good time to come to 'Vegas - we're rediscovering our roots and getting back to being a good deal compared to other vacation destination cities. Weather's been great too these last couple of weeks.
 

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Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 03-24-2009, 11:23 AM:
 
Big questions of the day:

Does anyone know where I can get two floor passes for April 1st for Showest?

Also - what is going on that day - anything interesting?

Thanks......
 

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Posted by Clint Koch (Member # 1179) on 03-24-2009, 11:39 AM:
 
Dennis, I can take care of that for you. I just sent you an e-mail. Contact me.
 

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Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 03-24-2009, 01:51 PM:
 
Regrettably my current money situation will not allow me to go this year...too bad as I was looking forward to the USL swag.

What really sucks is my mom now lives just outside of Vegas which would mean I have a nice room and food for free.

Last time I went was 2003 I think.
 

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Posted by Mike B. Smith (Member # 2829) on 03-27-2009, 06:28 PM:
 
DTS will be in Palace Room 4 just like last year, I should be there all week, stop by and say hello.
 

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Posted by Shane Cooper (Member # 2510) on 03-27-2009, 11:51 PM:
 
I will be there for the duration. You know...if you need a black friend.
 

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Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 03-28-2009, 12:47 AM:
 
I have been to every show since 1982.

I'm arriving Sunday and will be at the USL booth when you can find me and buying drinks after hours.

Come on by.
 

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Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 03-29-2009, 08:18 PM:
 
I will be there as well. Arriving Monday, departing Friday. Staying at Bally's.
 

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Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 03-29-2009, 09:14 PM:
 
I'll be at the trade show Tuesday & Wednesday. Perhaps I'll get into some of the screenings or other events those days. Unfortunately I can't get away for the full show. I really like going to the indi film night on Monday night.
 

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Posted by Shane Cooper (Member # 2510) on 03-30-2009, 11:49 PM:
 
Ran into Jim Bedford and his wife at the Indie night event. How awesome is that?!?
 

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Posted by Joshua Waaland (Member # 287) on 03-31-2009, 08:54 PM:
 
I will have to put it off for yet another year. Every year it comes around and I don't realize it until it's too late. I have never been, but maybe some day. Besides, I was just in Vegas last October for the welding industry's trade show and have no desire to go back again anytime soon. Being solicited by three hundred pound hookers showing me their boobs at two AM is not a memory I want to revisit again.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 03-31-2009, 09:03 PM:
 
Sounds fun .. now let's get some picts posted of the fun that is going on down there... we outsiders wanna see the action!

good luck all! - Monte
 

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Posted by Jim Bedford (Member # 4) on 04-01-2009, 03:37 PM:
 
Hi Shane. Good seeing you too. Thanks for being my friend.

Showest gleanings: They say 3D will take over the world in the next year and Jeffrey Katzenberg wants independent cinemas to pay for their own digital and 3D upgrades.

The first gleaning above is bullshit (maybe partially true for animation but WTF cares about 3D gimmicks in a live action film) and Katzenberg is the frontrunner for being the Asshole of the Week. Cheap greedy bastard. . . and stupid about exhibition too.
 

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Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 04-02-2009, 04:36 AM:
 
I'm home from ShoWest. Wish I could have stayed for the whole show, but reality calls.

Tuesday Night we saw The Soloist with Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx. It was a good movie with a very interesting, and somewhat depressing story. Jamie Foxx was fantastic and has to be the first serious contender for the 2010 Oscars. Downey Jr. was also very good. The movie did seem a little too long, but I'm not sure where they should cut.

Wednesday morning we saw Sony's product reel.

• Angels & Demons looks decent; perhaps a bit more action packed than Da Vinci Code.
• Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 looks like a very tense thriller. Travolta looks like he's in top psycho form.
• Year One looks like a steaming pile of shit to me. I'm not much of a Jack Black fan and this one isn't going to win me over. Currently the R rating is under appeal, but from the clip I have a feeling it's going to stand - which I'm dreading.
• The Ugly Truth: we saw an extended clip where Katherine Higle is wearing vibrating underwear at a dinner meeting and a kid gets a hold of the remote. Everyone was laughing very hard.

Wednesday evening we watched The Proposal with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. It was very funny pretty much from start to finish and it had a decent story. It should do very well and have great word of mouth.
Wednesday night after I left, my boss went to a screening of The Battle for Terra. He said it was terrible, although he only stayed for 10-15 minutes. The movie was presented in a new 3D technology, XpanD, and he said it made him sick.

Wednesday afternoon there was a panel discussion about digital projection.

One exhibitor from down south talked about the need/value of getting 3D installations right away, but really felt exhibitors should hold out for 4K systems. He also took a nice shot at Fox for not paying for 3D glasses for RealD locations as other studios have done.

Paramount and Fox sparred back and forth about the logistics of their various agreements over virtual print fees with exhibitors who self finance. Paramount seems to have a better plan where they treat it more as an addendum to the master contract between the exhibitor an the studio.

I did get the sense there was not as much emphasis on digital projection this year as in the past couple years, but it does seem there is a good deal of momentum toward 3D. In fact, I heard one of the Disney execs said at a presentation of a product reel that they feel they are getting very close to the point where 3D only is a real possibility. But apparently he got some negative feedback and left that out of the same presentation to the other half of the convention.

I didn't get to spend much time at the trade show, but in my one walk through I didn't see anything particularly new or exciting. There were noticeably fewer exhibitors this year. And most seemed to have pretty much the exact same thing as the past few years.

For those who are really into sound/speakers, you might want to check out Meyer Sound. They were showing their speakers which have amps in the actual speaker. I didn't really get to hear a good demo, but Jerry Harrah is very high on them.
 

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Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 04-02-2009, 11:49 AM:
 
Trade show highlghts:

Who wasn't there:

-Neumade
-Big Sky
-Smart (for obvious reasons)
-Goldberg
-SPECO
-EV
-Tivoli
-David Tyson Lighting (Dave was sick and couldn't make it out)

Companies that displayed any 35mm equipment:

-Kinoton (no platter or large reel stuff on display)
-Christie (the cineX projector)
-Strong (one console with an Apogee hanging from it)
-Cinemeccanica

There were a few new (to cinema) sound equipment companies such as the aforementioned Meyer Sound (whose speakers I have worked with in a live touring pro sound environment and liked them) a Chinese company that was showing some new power amplifiers and I believe a couple of speakers as well...

The other 'big thing' aside from digital cinema and 3D were electronic signage using LCD screens - even our beloved Jack Roe company was hawking their new electronic signage system (which was quite good).

The economy has definitely taken its toll on some of the companies as well -

-Eisenberg was there in their usual spot but no hot dog grill again this year

-Pepsi's booth was easily half as large as it was the previous year, and they had no fountain setup, what few products they had were being poured from bottles. (Coke was up in its full sized booth fountain and all, plus their specialty drinks and Odwalla Bars)

Well, time to go back and get my last minute schwag on before heading back home...

-Aaron
 

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 04-02-2009, 12:28 PM:
 
Thanks for the update Aaron!

Goldberg often does not show. Generally, only when they have a new product out...after all...who is going to buy reels because they saw them at the show?

I'm surprised Big Sky was not there. They normally have a brisk group through their booth and they have a varied array of equipment, including sound.

I'm also surprised that Strong brought the Apogee instead of the PR2000.

EV hasn't been to the last couple of shows...that company is really messed up right now...my last recone order has been botched an amazing number of times!

I hope everyone had a good time.

Steve
 

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Posted by Dominic Espinosa (Member # 2122) on 04-02-2009, 02:15 PM:
 
Indeed, much smaller this year than last year.
Not much swag out either.

Overall I have to say I was impressed with the Sony 4k presentation of "The Soloist" with the exception of the contrast.

In my opinion it was significantly smoother and richer in color than any of the 2k's I've seen but the contrast was so poor that the darker scenes were really awful.

Interesting thing though is all the manufacturers, Sony included, claim 2000:1 contrast ratio. Though Sony was the only one who wouldn't provide the ANSI contrast ratio. Which leads me to believe they may be dubiously inflating the ratio.

But I digress...The studios even cut back this year, not the usual foodfest, it seems their cash all went in to booze.

At any rate, it's ShoWest, and it's fun but tiring...Very tiring.
And while many of you didn't miss too much, we did miss you there!
 

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Posted by Tristan Lane (Member # 1169) on 04-03-2009, 12:36 PM:
 
The trade show was "more of the same". Like Aaron said, There was quite a bit of offerings for digital signage software and hardware by some of the film folks. Big Sky and Jack Roe were both there with digital signage solutions.

The Meyer Sound booth was interesting.

Delegates only recieved one goody bag this year instead of the normal 3.

quote:

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-Strong (one console with an Apogee hanging from it)

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quote:

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-Christie (the cineX projector)

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Actually like the Apogee, Christie isn't manufacturing that projector. The projector on display was a P35GPS. It also had an over-under 3D lens installed in it
 

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Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 04-03-2009, 12:59 PM:
 
Sorry I didn't make it this year - Absolute Hell at the airline made it impossible to get out of the building this week.

Oh well. Next year.
 

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 04-04-2009, 05:24 PM:
 
Though I also hear that Strong is not manufacturing the Apogee anymore, they still have it on the price sheet. I suspect it is a matter of how many castings they have left.

For now, it appears that you can have a new Apogee, if you really want one.

Steve
 

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Posted by Paul Goulet (Member # 297) on 04-04-2009, 06:21 PM:
 
any Ron Purtee sightings?!
 

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Posted by Paul Goulet (Member # 297) on 04-07-2009, 11:04 AM:
 
does Charlie Wolk still go?
 

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Posted by Clint Koch (Member # 1179) on 04-07-2009, 03:19 PM:
 
Charlie Wolk has not been to the show for the past few years (I think it has been 4 or 5 years).

Aaron, Big Sky was there. Spoke with Mark Smith and stopped by his booth.
 

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Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 04-08-2009, 06:16 AM:
 
Thanks Clint for the passes!

Stacy and I enjoyed the Trade Show. We spent more time seeing Las Vegas in general though.

I went back over to Paris and Bally's to see the stuff out front (Transformer cars and BumbleBee under the arch).

Vegas is a great place to visit, just not a nice place to live. I'm sure Paul Mayer will disagree.

Anyways - I visited the theatre I opened back in 2002. Wow, they did not take care of my baby. It was sad...........

Highlights:

Getting married at Wee Kirk of the Heather

The Ferrari Dealership at the Wynn (what a ritzy place!)

Phantom of the Opera at the Venetian

The Gondola ride

Staying at the Mandalay Bay - nice diggs!
 

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Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 04-08-2009, 11:36 PM:
 
Hardly, Dennis!

I don't much like it here either, and haven't in years, like since around 1979 or so. Only thing keeping me here these days is the headquarters job at Allegiant Air. We're opening a new maintenance base at LAX in May and will have two aircraft based there. Still looking for a way to get permanently back to SoCal.

Will try for ShoWest again next year though!
 

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