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Author Topic: THX reel inspection/grading of Gladiator
John Walsh
Film God

Posts: 2490
From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way
Registered: Oct 1999


 - posted 05-07-2000 09:38 AM      Profile for John Walsh   Email John Walsh   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I had to send back reel 6 of "Gladiator" because of drop-out on the SR-D track. The replacement reel had a sticker on it from THX. The sticker said the reel was graded "B-." Anyone know exactly what that means (besides that it's not as good as an "A+!") What factors are they taking into consideration?

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 05-07-2000 01:21 PM      Profile for Scott Norwood   Author's Homepage   Email Scott Norwood   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
This must be one of the reels that was actually screened by the TAP people. There used to be some written explanation of this on (I think) the THX web site, although I don't know if it's still around. If I remember correctly, they take off "points" for things like lab splices, high Dolby Digital error rates, etc.

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999


 - posted 05-07-2000 05:28 PM      Profile for Steve Guttag   Email Steve Guttag   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
For goodness sakes......my print of Gladiator has the hippy, hippy shakes.....

Compared to U-571 (which was crisp and steady) Gladiator is rather soft and shakey...credits and all.

Steve

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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99


 - posted 05-07-2000 06:28 PM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
B- is still a good reel. I used to know what each rating meant, but have forgotten and don't think I ever wrote it down.

No steadiness problems here Steve. Send your print back!

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Tom Ferreira
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 203
From: Conway, NH, USA
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 05-08-2000 07:46 AM      Profile for Tom Ferreira   Email Tom Ferreira   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I also had a reel of Gladiator that had the TAP inspection sticker on it-I meant to ask you guys what this meant. The irony is that the reel that the film with the sticker on it came on was broken in half and cracked. BTW, my print is very steady, and seems to be shedding less than other films.

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Chris Rhode
Film Handler

Posts: 39
From: Tampa, FL, USA
Registered: Apr 2000


 - posted 05-08-2000 07:47 AM      Profile for Chris Rhode   Email Chris Rhode   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Out of the 3 prints of Gladiator that I got, two of them dropped out of SDDS twice through the whole movie and the other one just decided to go south because I ran that film-guard on the print when we got it. Is this normal???

------------------
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


 - posted 05-08-2000 01:05 PM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
You've got a bad print or most likely, a failing SDDS unit. I've performed QC SDDS tracking reports on the first performance of a brand new print with no FilmGuard and then went back 4 months later after applying FilmGuard and the error rating was substantially lower. It's not the cleaner, it's your SDDS. SDDS is a patheticly unreliable format, there's no getting around it.

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999


 - posted 05-08-2000 04:26 PM      Profile for Steve Guttag   Email Steve Guttag   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Oh come on Brad...you have been putting that Anti-SDDS additive into Film-Guard since moving to CO...fess up!

Steve

------------------
"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99


 - posted 05-08-2000 04:31 PM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
LOL!

Actually, that's not a bad idea. Hmmmm

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Chris Rhode
Film Handler

Posts: 39
From: Tampa, FL, USA
Registered: Apr 2000


 - posted 05-08-2000 05:16 PM      Profile for Chris Rhode   Email Chris Rhode   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Well you are probably right about the failing SDDS unit. I agree wholeheartedly with you when you say that sdds is the anti-christ. I've been trying to convince my manager to get some Dolby-digital readers or some DTS units for our large houses but they can't do that because we have a contract with Sony... we get a discount on an already over-priced piece of crap, and they get to reem us when these things break down because they won't do anything to get them repaired.

I hope that sony gets out of the theater business.

------------------
Chris Rhode

chrisrhode@hotmail.com

My reputation preceeds me..... in fact, it arrived about 45 years ago!

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 05-08-2000 05:46 PM      Profile for Scott Norwood   Author's Homepage   Email Scott Norwood   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hey, Brad -- you could charge extra for the "anti-SDDS" version of FG. You could advertise it as a way to "rid your theatre of unwanted pests!" Sort of like a "PIC" for annoying sound equipment.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99


 - posted 05-08-2000 06:42 PM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
I will start formulating this immediately!

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Chris Rhode
Film Handler

Posts: 39
From: Tampa, FL, USA
Registered: Apr 2000


 - posted 05-09-2000 07:49 AM      Profile for Chris Rhode   Email Chris Rhode   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Brad, if someone were to put too much film guard on the print, would it distort the light as it was trying to shine through the sdds track??

------------------
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


 - posted 05-09-2000 09:21 AM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
It's not a problem with any digital format, but there is a specific point where too much is nothing more than a complete waste of FilmGuard and is actually not as effective as following the enclosed directions. On average, one ounce of FG is all that is needed for a week's worth of running. Only in extreme circumstances would more be needed.

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Ted Costas
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 119
From: Hollywood, CA, USA
Registered: May 2000


 - posted 06-05-2000 12:51 PM      Profile for Ted Costas   Email Ted Costas   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Sorry it took so long to get back to you all regarding TAP Grading... A very basic approach would be, if there is anything distracting, picture or sound, it cannot be a Select Print Reel. Select Prints are composed of "A" or "B" graded reels. "C" graded reels are deemed acceptable for general release by lab standards, meaning a lab splice is acceptable, a single, short digital reversion is acceptable, a miniscule amount of horizontal or vertical unsteadiness is acceptable, and so on. A "Rejected" reel is any combination of the above, and / or any badly distracting defect. The following is TAP's current reel grading standards:

"A" = Perfect reel, including built-in problems approved on the internegative.
"B" = Minor negative or positive dirt. Reels given "A" or "B" grades are set aside for L.A./N.Y. select release prints.
"C" = A moderate amount of positive or negative dirt, or quick scratches. Minor developer rubs.
Splices (clean and well-made with a mild pop in the sound). Minor color and/or density shift from what
was approved on the original answer print (not by no more than 2 points) . A single, quick digital reversion.
"RP" = Reject Picture. Multiple combinations of "C" grade problems. Excessive negative and positive dirt or scratches.
"RS" = Reject Sound. Any reel with a major sound problem, including prolonged and/or repeated digital errors / reversions.

Regarding the "B-" in the Gladiator reel, that is a reel that is deemed borderline Select Print quality. We put the "minus" on the reel to say, "Hey, it's a good reel, and Select Print quality, but there is something wrong with it, so keep it out of Theatres that Ridley Scott may be going to." In other words, the filmmakers would know why it's a "B-", but very few others would.

Hope that helps.

Yours, Ted Costas
Manager, THX Theatre Alignment Program


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