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Author
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Topic: prints,sound,and the whole nine yards
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John Walsh
Film God
Posts: 2490
From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way
Registered: Oct 1999
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posted 05-07-2000 09:29 AM
I think one reason for so many beat-up film cans and reeels is the shear number required. Distributors are releasing print runs of something like 4000 copies of a feature. If you figure there are about 12 features out at a time, that could be about 288,000 reels (assuming 6 per) and 96,000 cans (assuming 2 per.) I realize this is spread over several exchanges, but it's still a shit load of reels and cans to maintain.While I will nerver stop berating the distributors on the lack of ELR's, it should also be noted that if the labs shipped reels on cores (like they do overseas) and theaters just bought a few split-reels, the whole issue of bent/cracked/falling apart/warped reels would go away. As far as caring about exhibition, I hate to say it, but I feel most of the problems are at the theater. Dont get me wrong; studios and distributors do crappy things, too. But, I've seen people complain about print quality.... then make up a show throwing the film on the floor; lamps too dark; dirty projectors; stereo cells out of alignment; cropped images.
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Dwayne Caldwell
Master Film Handler
Posts: 323
From: Rockwall, TX, USA
Registered: Apr 2000
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posted 05-08-2000 07:14 AM
Hi! Welcome to Techicolor. Can I take your order?Quite frankly, I wouldn't mind seeing some of those old print cans retire. Especially the ones that are hard as hell to close and get the thin flat fastener through the hasp when one or the other won't operate because they're rusted. I've had a few ETS cans like that. No better than Pizza Hut? Probably. Sure does feel like that sometimes. And I can't STAND the shedding that some cardboard linings in some cans do and get that crap all over your reels. As far as reels go, I won't complain as long as I don't have to deal with another New Line reel. ------------------
The man with the magic hands.
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Brad Miller
Administrator
Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99
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posted 05-08-2000 06:35 PM
So long as the depots KEEP THE EMPTY ELRs IN THE SHIPPING CONTAINERS, I have no problem with them. I DO however have a problem when I get them with the 1/4 inch thick layer of "depot dirt"! Personally, I'll just disassemble them and pop it on a 6000 foot Goldberg reel for buildup if the reels are dirty since the inside of them cannot be cleaned thanks to the waffle pattern.Still, there's nothing more aggravating to me than poor film handling and the ELRs, like it or not, DO significantly reduce that. As for print inspection, if Film-Tech were a depot, you could damn well bet ANY theater that laid a scratch on a print would PAY!!! Brain wrap=you buy that reel! Splice=you buy that reel! Unevenly would breakdown=you pay for that print! More than 1 frame left on the leaders=you pay for a new print! Print bags would be mandatory for shipout and return to keep any and all dust off of the prints. Repertory prints would actually be carefully selected and FULLY inspected after EVERY rental. I would have quality people like Joe and Erika looming over the inspectors like hawks, making sure NOTHING got past the inspection stage. I don't care what kind of manpower it would take so long as it didn't go below the break even point. This needs to be done. (And wouldn't it be nice to call the depot and reach someone there that would actually know a bit more than "so tell me again what you say is wrong with the tape?"
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John Pytlak
Film God
Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 05-09-2000 06:57 AM
Unfortunately, prints are almost never inspected today (distributors are unwilling to pay film exchanges for this optional service).  So good projectionists always need to inspect incoming prints carefully.Good projectionists also take pride in the way they handle prints. I suggest that you show that pride by sealing the outer lap of each outgoing reel with an "inspection sticker" that might say something like: "This print was last shown and inspected by Brad Miller, at the Mann Chinese 16 at Arapahoe Crossing, Denver, CO, Phone 303-766-3100. If this seal is not broken, the enclosed inspection report is still valid. We hope you take pride in inspecting this print before you project it too". The inspection report should mention any minor wear, splices, damage, sound problems, etc. that were noted, and other information (e.g., whether the film was treated with FilmGuard). It can simply be a copy of the theatre's print inspection log for that print. The "inspection stickers" could be printed using a computer onto 1 X 4 inch adhesive address label stock, which cannot be removed from the film leader end without tearing, assuring that the print has not been tampered with since last shown. I know many Film-Tech professionals take pride in the way they handle film, and would be willing to put their name on the prints they have handled. We can either continue to complain about the lack of inspection today, or do something constructive to help our fellow projectionists do a better job. Is this idea too naive and idealistic, or is it cool and worth trying?  ------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
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Randy Stankey
Film God
Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 05-10-2000 12:51 AM
You can pretty much tell what prints I've worked on by the label on the tail...<Title> in BIG letters.
"F" or "S" for FLAT/SCOPE, of course.
Sound formats. ("QUAD TRAX" being all four formats.)
<Print Number>
"FILM GUARD", followed by the date it was first applied.
"www.film-tech.com" SOME of the other guys at TT-17 do this too but not all. I kinda' like that idea about the sticker, though.
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Chris Rhode
Film Handler
Posts: 39
From: Tampa, FL, USA
Registered: Apr 2000
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posted 05-10-2000 12:35 PM
I think I am going to start doing that when I break down prints. I try and take excellent care wheen building up films, but the other people could care less. Does anybody else besides me use buildup gloves?? I find it much easier to handle film and when inspecting it for lab splices to cut out.------------------
Chris Rhode chrisrhode@hotmail.com My reputation preceeds me..... in fact, it arrived about 45 years ago!
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Brad Miller
Administrator
Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99
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posted 05-12-2000 11:46 PM
Bruce, a nice idea, but it only takes one pass to completely destroy a print. Plus, the depots frequently renumber the prints 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc when they junk all but a dozen of them anyway, so it would be of no real value.
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