BTW, Bob, you're just as reclusive as Brad. Where's your mug shot?

We went to find our badges and sign in to the convention. We discovered that our $350 badges didn’t cover the swag bag or any films or meals. It just let us into the Trade Show and a couple of seminars. As you will later read, we didn’t let that slow us down much.

We then went in to the ballroom where we ran in to Chapin Cutler and Russell Alan who were doing the set-up in there. The Ballroom is where they do dinners, luncheons and breakfasts and distributor product reels. It is 300 feet long by 200 feet wide and has no supporting columns. The main screen was 58 feet wide for flat only. They had no scope material. We watched a video loop of a rock concert as they were adjusting the sound from 80 QSC amps and hundreds of speakers.

We then repaired to the digital video rooms where we met Chuck Collins of Digital Projection. They have Digital Cinema projectors available now. We also visited Sony, JVC and NEC. Sony and JVC are using DILA chips with higher resolutions than the DLP chips from the others. Stay tuned.

Then the trades show opened and we got to visit with Bobby Pinkston and Lonny Jennings from Dolby. We ran into Clifton Cloud from ACE Audio Visual and others.

We had dinner at the Japanese place at Bally’s and caught the bus to the Orleans, which has a Century Cinema in it. This was the Independent film Showcase and cocktail party. We ran in to Mark and Doug, our bookers who introduced us to all the distributors like Sony Classics, Fox Searchlight, and others. We then tried to watch an awful film called Sexy Beast with Ben Kingsley. We had to walk out and go and get some sleep.

Tuesday morning I had breakfast with Jon Busch, who is director of projectionists for the Telluride Film Festival and then we went to Bally’s and ran into Jim Bedford of Telluride and talked to him through lunch. Then we went to the trade show.

Tuesday we had a mission. Our drapes in our theatres are old, moldy and teal. They are water stained and need to be replaced. So we thought we would take our square footage to be covered and ask how much it would cost. It wasn’t that simple. There is a process. You have to design it, and you have to have plans. (We do, but not in our back pocket) You have to send out for bid and then plan for a general contractor. We spent one hour with the first guy learning and then spent the next four hours of the trade show visiting with all the great many drape and panel companies.

Tuesday night we had an expensive dinner at the Provencal restaurant in Paris. It was very nice. Then we went to Spy Kids. (A description of that event appears elsewhere.)

Wednesday started with the Technical Breakfast for the Telluride Film Festival. It was great to see all of those people. Then I met Ky at a seminar.

The Primacy of Theatrical Exhibition was the title. The panel consisted of the director of films like Miss Congeniality and Mystic Pizza, Dr. Armand Aserisnky, and Richard Brown. This was a great panel and very reassuring. They all insist that the movie theatre isn’t going away. But they also stated that they didn’t think it mattered if the picture was presented on film or electronically. They did make a vast distinction between movie theatre and what we can offer and television. They think it is important that we leave our house and engage in social interaction at some place like a movie theater. Those theatres give us an excuse to leave our lives. They give us permission to eat things that we don’t usually eat. And that a shared experience is fundamentally more real than a solo experience.

After that we went directly to the Technicolor Electronic Distribution luncheon. Thanks to Tim Rust for inviting us and placing us in the VIP list. (A detailed description of this lunch appears elsewhere.)

We then went to the trade show without an agenda and just looked around.

Wednesday evening we met at the Bourbon Street bar for the second annual Film-Tech Drink. I'd estimate that about 45 to 55 people were around at the peak time. Those in attendance included Sam Chavez, Larry Shaw, Gordon McLeod, John Eickof, Steve Guttag, Kelsey Black, Ky Boyd, Dave B. form CPI, Gordon Bachland, Tim Dulin, The entire QSC crew was also there and handed out t-shirts to all that attended (Thanks Guys!). There were others in attendance that unfortunately I didn't have ample time to talk with. It was great meeting Gordon McLeod, Steve Guttag, John Eickhof and David Bevilacqua from CPI. A glass was raised to John Paytlak and his wife. The usual suspects were there from the Telluride Film Festival. Many low quality beers were drunk. Next year David Bevilacqua and I are planning to secure a suite so that we may be more social and drink better bitter. Yes, Aaron, I will make sure to order "Nukies". Many thanks to the whole gang from QSC for showing up, showing the colors and passing out t-shirts to us all. It is this kind of support and friendship that breeds loyalty and QSC has that. The only thing missing was Brad Miller himself. Many people showed up just to meet him
There were a great many people that said to me, after I introduced myself, yes, I read Film-Tech. There are a great many lurkers out there. The industry is paying attention.
After the Drink, a few of us went to the Rio to quaff some Nukies and gorge ourselves at the seafood buffet. It was a bacchanalian feast the likes we had never seen before. At one point, Ky had three plates of food going.

Thursday we got up early, went to breakfast at the boulangerie and went to the trade show one last time. We talked to our cinema supplier, at the American Cinema Equipment booth and visited the CPI booth as well.
After saying our goodbyes we went to the airport, suffered the usual 2 hour delays getting into San Francisco and drove up to work at our theatre in the evening. Although Ky professed that conventioning is hard work, he did ask if we might visit Show East this year. So I guess he had a good time.

Next year we gotta get Bradly out there... what's up with that? Come on Brad... Maybe you don't realize the importance of this web site, its value to the industry, but you, my friend, have got to show your face at the show. We need our leader shouting out, "Strength and honor" on the showroom floor, to unify the troops. I didn't make it to the film-tech drink, but next year, let's plan early, get a confirmation from Brad, and watch the film-tech-ers take over the show... talk about a show of force.

How many of you would make it if Brad said he would?

That's what I thought.

"What we do in life, echos throughout eternity." Next year, a hero will rise... right Brad? Make your reservations now.

Yours,

Ted Costas
Manager, THX Theatre Alignment Program

How many people thought Ian was shorter than Ky?

Ian, you are not aware but I saw you twice walking the floor, and I had no idea it was was You. Unbelievable! Promise next time I will say "Hello".

Ian are you Ian?

Is it really, you? Does California really exist? Or, do most people from the left coast really believe that that the right coast is imaginery?

I am 6'4" and recently 300 lbs. Ah, to be 260 again! Ky is a wee lad of 6'1" and 150 lbs. And much like Pinky and the Brain, Ky would be the brains of the outfit.

In my mind, I am wearing Armani, driving a Mazda Miata or a Vespa with the requisit Italian girl on the back. In reality it is Target, a 6 year old Dodge Caravan named Norge, (because I fit) and a dog eared cat of 14 named Athena.

Things I missed at the show that I wish I didn't include meeting many more people in the industry. I missed seeing the Sony QXGA video demonstration. I missed the Warner Bros. product reel with Harry Potter and AI.

Harry Potter and AI I will see at the commercial plex, I hope to see the Sony demo on the West Coast this year, and perhaps I will meet more people at Show East?