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This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3
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Author
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Topic: Observations of Film Handler's forum
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Travis Cape
Expert Film Handler
Posts: 122
From: St. Louis, MO, USA
Registered: May 2000
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posted 05-09-2000 10:17 AM
I have spent some time looking through the comments. I am the manager of the Hi-Pointe Theatre in St. Louis. We are 78 years old and still going, struggling though. I appreciated the comments concerning changeover marks. Yes, we all have a platter, but some of of would prefer to run reels when the time and event allows. It gives you the time to observe your equipment in action. I'll post a pic soon. We have the smallest booth with the most equipment. Dual XL's, RCA 9050's, ORC 1600 lamps, Irem N75 rectifiers, and a Christie AW3 platter. Of course, we are independent, a chain wouldn't allow such a mixture of projection equipment. If anyone comes to St. Louis look me up.
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Dustin Mitchell
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1865
From: Mondovi, WI, USA
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 05-11-2000 10:20 AM
*groan* Platter vs Changeover debate-againSo I assume you guys are talking about 2000' reels and not 6000', since using 6000' foot reels is not much better than platters (you're only saving one splice). So tell me, how many 2000' reel changeover systems can a projectionist realisticly handle? Four? So a 12 plex like my theatre would need to have 3 projectionists on duty at all times-even when say only 28 people show up for the first set of shows (assuming you have to start all the movies, which usually ends up happening even with low attendance). That means payroll costs for weekday matinees would double. Hmmm. Not to mention we would need to buy 12 more projectors-18 since I don't think our Christies could handle changeovers. That's a lot of expensive equipment. Look, the button line is that in the hands of competent operators platters are an amazing labor and time saving mechanism that does not detract from the presentation of a movie. It must also be pointed out that an incompetent operator will make a changeover system be a horrible presentation. In the end, MONEY DOESN'T GROW ON TREES. Its easy for us to sit here and say, "Well if the multiplexes would improve their presentation," or, "if the prices at the concession stand were lower..." but in the real world things are not always so easy. Our theatre has a very good presentation in my opinion, especially compared to our shitty competition. But our competitor does more business than us. Why? Bookings. They get all the big movies. People come to see the movie. They don't even know the difference between platters and changeovers.
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Kyle Smith
Film Handler
Posts: 21
From: Branford, CT, USA
Registered: Oct 1999
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posted 05-11-2000 12:03 PM
Having worked in various cinemas, one using reels and carbons, the others using platters and xenons, I have to say it's much easier with the platters/xenon, especially in the multi-plex. Here in Southern CT, we seem to have an overbuilt situation. At one time, Showcase Cinemas in Orange pretty much dominated the market. Since then, Showcase has added a (now) 12-plex in North Haven and a 5-plex in Milford. They also have a 4-plex in another part of Milford. On top of this, Hoyt's has built a 12-plex in Branford and O'Neill's has built a 12-plex in Westbrook. Further, Madison has an independent two-plex that receives first run movies. What does it seem to boil down to? A very watered down crowd in each and every auditorium I look into, with the exception of opening nights for the higher anticipated features. On one hand, it disgusts me to no end to see the quality of presentation degraded so dramatically (in most but not all of the theaters), because I am a stickler like most of you, for perfection in projection. Watching these "kids" pay no attention to their splices and threading, being more concerned with how fast they do their job rather than how accurate is extremely annoying and makes for redundancies on my shift, like fixing out-of-frame splices and the like (doing this in a 12-plex with no timers can be challenging in between shows). On the other hand, economically speaking, CT's not the easiest state to do business in with all the taxes. Owners don't really have much choice but to prioritize budget and make sacrifices. So I understand where they're coming from in that respect. It's just too bad that they "don't show 'em like they used to". Unfortunately, it's not only the exhibition business I've seen suffer in the past few years. It's many industries.
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Scott Norwood
Film God
Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 05-11-2000 04:24 PM
As one who's spent the last couple of years running changeovers and who is now working with platters and automation, I'll add this: I wouldn't even consider anything less than a two-machine booth in a single-screen house, even if I were going to put a platter alongside the projectors. The redundancy is absolutely essential, since a dead projector would mean zero revenue for the night in a single-screener with a one-machine/platter setup. At least with reels, a regular feature could be run in two parts, with a one-minute intermission for the reel change, if one projector were to bite the dust for a night. Platters are also a waste of time for short runs, and trailer changes can be a pain. Even with automatic lens turrets, it would be quite a feat to run, say, an Academy-frame short, flat/1.85 trailers, and a scope feature in one program without a second projector...
On the other hand, there's no way that I'd want to run a multiplex without platters and automation. Automation and start timers (and a good operator) are the only hope of putting on a good show in a multiplex, and platters allow the operator to devote more time and attention to focus and other tweaks on all screens, rather than having to constantly thread up additional reels. Still, if I were building an "ideal multiplex" (yes, it's an oxymoron), I'd put two machines in the booth for the largest screen for both redundancy and screenings/film fests/etc. There's no point in making up a print for a platter if it will only be shown once, and the thought of putting automation cues on "rare" or "archival" prints for special screenings is pretty offensive to me (and many of these prints aren't allowed to be run on platters, anyway).
Basically, each system has its own uses for which it is well suited. Although I'd prefer to run an all-manual single-screen booth, I can certainly appreciate both systems.
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Jason R. Weinsteiger
Film Handler
Posts: 34
From: Kutztown, PA, USA
Registered: May 2000
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posted 05-13-2000 12:06 AM
dave sayeth:"The music industry went through the same thing a few years back, putting just about EVERYONE who wanted to release an album into the stores. eventually they had to stop and only produce the most quality of artists." ----- when did they start that? hehehe jasoN ------------------
"That's what life is - a series of down endings. All Jedi had was a bunch of muppets." -Dante Hicks
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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!
Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 05-13-2000 12:04 PM
Why must you all tanunt me so?!?1?Scott...have you ever run an automated changover plex? It really and truely is easier than the platter versions. At least with a changeover plex, you will be forced to go by each screen at least once during the show...and maybe, by accident, someone might just look out the port (obstructed by the slide projector, I know) and make sure that the frame and focus are still good. The bottom line is platters do not save on either labor or time, they actually increase both. As a generalization, the changeover theatres I attend do a better job than the platter ones...a better quality of operator probably is the difference sure, but then again, the changeover houses seem to get more than their fair share of those....coincidence, I don't think so. Steve ------------------
"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"
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