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Michael here. I just got back from a screening of Dreamworks' How to Train Your Dragon at The Grove in LA, and despite technical issues with the screening I greatly enjoyed the film.

First off, the screening was not in stereoscopic 3D. They handed out Dolby 3D glasses, but there was a mixup and the film was projected only in 2D. I kept waiting for them to fix it, and eventually stepped outside to let the theater employees know. Alas, it turned out that the projectionist thought the film was supposed to be 2D, so no fix was incoming. Funnily enough, at least half of the packed audience kept their glasses on throughout the entire film, apparently not realizing that what they were seeing was not S3D. What this says about general audience education regarding 3D is slightly troubling.

Secondly, the film went black and the sound would cut out for 20 seconds or so a few times throughout the film.

But the movie was charming, funny, and at times possessed a real lyrical beauty. The sequence where the hero, Hiccup, rides his dragon for the first time with his quasi-romantic interest gave me chills--I felt like I was soaring through the skies with them. It's different from the banshee flying sequence from Avatar, but is similarly awe inspiring. The CG is incredible throughout the film, especially the Vikings with their knotted beards and fur lined outfits.

....

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 03-08-2010, 10:44 PM:
 
I do not understand. This simply doesn't make any sense whatsoever. Why does a digital movie need a projectionist? Digital movies are supposed to be started remotely from someone's kitchen 20 miles or more away. Any closer and it does not count.
 

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Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 03-08-2010, 10:52 PM:
 
Damn. You know, I forgot to hit the "start" button and select "3D" from my laptop here in Oklahoma, but I was too busy tending to my farm in Farmville on Facebook. Sorry.

 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 03-08-2010, 11:03 PM:
 
Another reason to hate Farmville.
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 03-10-2010, 06:11 AM:
 
Hmmm....he paid an aditional $4 to see a movie in 3D, they gave him 3D glasses but it was only in 2D, and the picture and sound kept blanking out through out the film. He watched the ENTIRE film without yelling and screaming and demanding his money back within the first 5 minutes? And he didn't come back and drive his car thru the front of the theatre?

He's a better man than me.
 

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Posted by Joe Elliott (Member # 4006) on 03-10-2010, 08:04 AM:
 
Reviewer. He got to see it for free.
 

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Posted by Kenneth Wuepper (Member # 1174) on 03-10-2010, 08:21 AM:
 
Or as a stage manager friend of mine says, "Well! We fooled 'em again!" Especially appropriate after the show had some problems and the audience was unaware.
 

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Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 03-10-2010, 08:35 AM:
 
Sounds like they showed it on a DVD
 

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Posted by Todd McCracken (Member # 4718) on 03-10-2010, 10:56 AM:
 
Sounds like they had a 2D DCP (or had both and loaded the wrong one). While it does not take rocket science to show a DCP a QC play-out is always advisable (especially with a 3d package).
Ignore this option at your peril.
 

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Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 03-10-2010, 01:02 PM:
 

quote: John Wilson

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Another reason to hate Farmville.

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quote: Michael Someone

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Alas, it turned out that the projectionist thought the film was supposed to be 2D, so no fix was incoming.

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Digital done bad.

What rock has this 'projectionist' (and I'm using the term VERY lightly here) been under? Every poster...every trailer...every tiny piece of advertising for this movie has IN 3D plastered all over it.

Wake up! Pay attention to your job!
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 03-13-2010, 11:58 AM:
 
And here we see exactly what DCinema engenders -- corporate under the delusion that they don't need trained, living-wage salaried, technical personnel on site. They have been salivated over that prospect since the dawn of automation....the more automation, the less they need to worry about hiring competent employees. They want to run a 25 screen godzillaplex with a single assistant manager who doubles as a popcorn container counter. Digital allows them that delusion.

And sorry to say, it doesn't look like it will get better any time soon.
 

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Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 03-13-2010, 12:53 PM:
 
Hey don't knock us popcorn container counters, it takes a lot of skill and patience to take something like counting disposables seriously and do it accurately You are totally right though, having managerial staff getting distracted from their work by dealing personally with technical issues would potentially cause lots of problems for the business, mainly on the audit side of things. My old company tried opening a digital site with no projection staff and it failed very quickly.
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 03-14-2010, 07:29 AM:
 
Caleb, not meant to disparage any theatre personnel, no matter what their postition; in a well run theatre, everyone needs to work as a team, know their jobs and do them well. My rant goes to corporate who muddy the waters by cutting corners in the worst place possible -- presentation quality, which is the core of the cinema business. It's not the fault of the guy who makes the popcorn who they are paying minimum wage, if all of a sudden he's commandeered into doing booth work or worse, booth trouble shooting with little or no training.
 

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Posted by Joe Tommassello (Member # 4632) on 03-16-2010, 06:09 PM:
 

quote:

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Hmmm....he paid an aditional $4 to see a movie in 3D, they gave him 3D glasses but it was only in 2D, and the picture and sound kept blanking out through out the film. He watched the ENTIRE film without yelling and screaming and demanding his money back within the first 5 minutes? And he didn't come back and drive his car thru the front of the theatre?

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Yeah...and he came to see it in LA from frickin' Spain, too!
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 03-16-2010, 06:27 PM:
 
Why is this in Film-Yak?
 

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Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 03-16-2010, 07:22 PM:
 
For the express purpose of pissing you off.

Sorry John, couldn't resist it.
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 03-17-2010, 03:02 PM:
 
Yeah...not pissed off, just wondering.
 

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