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Then the studios started asking that certain trailers play with certain films. That was all right because they would include their trailers in the film cans or send you a specific trailer for a specific film.

Then the theatre chains started to pay attention. Now United Artists has a person whose main job is to program trailers to play with film. They send a sheet out each week to each theatre telling them exactly which trailers to play with which films in which order.

This led to Star Wars EP1 having (I swear) 8 trailers on the head of it. Most of them were inappropriate to the film. The new system leaves nothing for the theatre personnel to decide. In fact the memo about what trailers to program with Star Wars was quite emphatic about what would happen if they deviated from the program.

There is precious little creativity left in the exhibition industry. If a corporate type sees any creativity going on they will stop it or co-opt it for there own purposes. Once one good idea is force on all the other theatres it is no longer fresh and then we have the same problems again. I thought that when the corporate theatres cut their staffs to the bone that creativity would migrate back to the theatres. All the creative people have left the theatres and now it will be a while before they return.

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So if any of you guys are keeping the trailers that came with the film, please put'em back in the can....somebody else needs them!

Now having ranted, I realize that all the people on this forum are genuine professional film handlers and that most of the film problems in this industry stem from the uncaring, un-knowing high school kids who staff the booths....and who don't even know this forum exists, much less read it. But if any of you kids are by chance reading this, please, when you ship out a film, please, remember that YOURS is not the only theatre to use a print, and TAPE DOWN THE END OF THE FILM WITH A NEW PIECE OF TAPE, DAMMIT! OLD TAPE DOESN'T STICK! And CLEAN YOUR PROJECTORS! There, I feel better.

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Mike Blakesley
www.goforsyth.com/roxy

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When I srtarted working at TT-17, we just picked 3 trailers that came in the can. Shortly after that, they started sending us E-mail that told us what three trailers to play.....Then it went to 4, then 5, then 6 PLUS the theatre POLICY trailer, PLUS "Coca Cola" running stocks PLUS "Will Rogers" running stocks, PLUS the digital logos. Last year, 'Godzilla' had TWENTY SEVEN minutes of trailers!!! Now we have a contract with N.C.N. to play pre-show running stocks! (When will it end??? -- When the previews are longer than the MOVIE???)

I liked Lucas' limitation of 8 minutes. I've always said that I'd play 20 trailers if they were all 1/2 minute long!!! I say that there should be a time limit. We'll play as many trailers as will fit in that limit. That would get the studios to quit making those 6 minute long 'Titanic' trailers!!! When Lucas put that limitation on, the studios were QUICK to put out 1 minute versions! I wish more people would do that!

There are two show times posted for every showing in the newspaper. One show time would be for 1:40pm and the other time would be 2:00pm. In England they have no ads on the telly. You have to purchase a license to watch television in your own home. England actually has Television License Police who drive around and see if you are watching a television without a license. The license costs $800 per year. They do have many ads in the movie theatres. At that earlier show time they would start the pre-show. There would be a PSA followed by a nice car ad and then a trailer. Then there would be a condom ad and another trailer. The ads are very well produced and are made for the cinema.

During the ads, the usherette would come in the auditorium and try to sell us some more concession items. She would have a tray of candy and chips. For drinks you had to go back to the stand.

Those people, who liked the pre-show, knew to arrive at the earlier show time. Those who didn’t care for the pre-show would arrive closer to the later show time.

At a few minutes before 2:00pm the lights came up, the curtain closed and there was a moment of perfect peace. Then the curtain opened right at 2:00 on the nose and the feature started.

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Tom F: The Last Castle (DreamWorks) had an attached trailer for A Beautiful Mind (Universal). I didn't know why until I saw the credits on the trailer. Turns out DreamWorks co-financed A Beautiful Mind and will release it overseas.

Randy S: What trailers are 30 seconds long? TV commercials. Another reason I am glad I got rid of my TV almost 3 1/2 years ago. Also, the trailer programming on Star Wars Episode 1 made every trailer a TV commercial.

Ian: BBC doesn't run adverts. ITV, Channel 4, and most of the satellite channels do. Same with radio. The license fee covers part of the BBC's overall budget.

Gordon: Loews started using rolling stock ads in its US theaters after Loews bought Cineplex Odeon.