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Topic: Sundance

Steve Kraus
Film God

Posts: 4094
From: Chicago, IL, USA
Registered: May 2000

posted 01-23-2002 09:47 PM

I screened a print today that came to me directly from Sundance.

Their little inspection form indicated "Previously Cut? NO" though this print had been built since there were leader splices. The inferrence is that it had been plattered there at the festival.

It was all very tidy (yes, the leaders were properly spliced on) but I'm still rather surprised. I've done festival screenings via platter and that is really a pain compared to changeover. Further, their paperwork indicated half a dozen screenings or so at 3 or 4 different venues. Do you suppose they are carrying clamped prints all over town? That would make more sense than constant makeup/breakdown. I'm just curious. Any Sundancers present?

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Jeffry L. Johnson
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 809
From: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 01-24-2002 11:11 AM

There is one location that builds all the prints. Then those built prints are moved to the screening locations.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 01-24-2002 03:36 PM

Hmmmm, that idea kind of reeks to me. As standard practice if I do not have access to a platter reel for buildup, I always make it mandatory the film be screened once from the platter deck in which it was made up from to ensure the tension on the wind is even before it is moved. Any idea on how the Sundance actually handles moving prints around? What kind of platters are they running? (Some takeup very loose.)

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-24-2002 04:05 PM

Probably like the Toronto Festival they use the Goldberg platter reel

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-24-2002 04:20 PM

Actually from what I was told they use something that reeks even worse for this sort of operation, and that is 36 to 48 inch reels! I can't claim to have actually seen this, but I was told this by a reliable movie studio source. A customer of ours rents his theatre in Heber, Utah to Miramax for Sundance so they can screen prospective films there. They wanted to bring over a print one day on a 4 foot reel to run there but the theatre only has a platter. The sad thing is that there are really no decent movie theatres to screen any of this stuff in up in and around Park City. Some of it is done with makeshift setups in hotels and some at the local Carmike 4 screener?(might be Cinemark) and other locations. The Park City Public Library also has a 35mm booth there as well.
Mark @ GTS

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Mike Spaeth
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1129
From: Marietta, GA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 01-24-2002 05:44 PM

Mark - it was a Cinemark 3-screener. We closed it and in the next month or so are opening a new stadium seating 4-screener that will be christened "Home of the Sundance Film Festival".

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Ian Price
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1714
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-24-2002 05:58 PM

Up until 5 years ago, Sundance had no, zero film inspection. The films just arrived at the theatres with platters and whoever built them up. I heard that presentation at Sundance was a joke. 4 or 5 years ago a group of projectionists from the Telluride Film Festival went to Sundance and created a film inspection department. Funk Roseman, Barbara Grassia and Bill Hill are the film inspectors. They inspect and build up prints on 13,000' reels for transport about the festival. They have yet to discover the joys of the Goldberg reel. Converting all at once to Goldberg reels would be too expensive, they would have to have a sponsorship. I am also certain that the Egyptian Theatre has two projectors for those prints that can't be cut.

I hear that the hours are long, the work is grueling and the pay is very good. They rarely see the sun and hardly ever get to see any films.

A few years ago Chapin Cutler of the Boston Light and Sound took over the Technical Direction for Sundance and I hear presentation is much better. It had better be, he is our technical director for Telluride Film Festival as well.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-24-2002 08:40 PM

Mike,
I just found out today that you will have some new competition in the form of a brand new, classy multiplex, right down the street from you. All has been signed, sealed, and delivered as of this afternoon. I imagine that construction will start soon after the Olympics or there abouts. Thats all I can tell for now.

Ian, Indeed the Egyptian does have a two machine booth, The Library has only a single Century though. For what they could sell all those large reels for they could easily buy all new Goldberg platter reels. I think one of the other problems though is that they use Eprad Double MUTS and I definately know they have a portable Ernemann with the sidewinder as that was posted here but a Sundance guy about a year ago.
Mark

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 01-24-2002 08:57 PM

For what they could sell that Eprad double MUT, they could buy a good used platter too.

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Jeffry L. Johnson
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 809
From: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 02-01-2003 06:11 PM

http://www.sundancechannel.com/festival/vignettes/index.php

Select "Bill, Festival Projectionist".

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Scott Norwood
Film God

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

posted 02-01-2003 11:24 PM

Do they still put the "Inspected for Sundance by Hill Top Productions" stickers on the leaders? It seems that every print that I have shown that had one of those stickers was in pretty lousy shape, although admittedly most had been to several different festivals by the time I got them.

13000' reels? What a pain! Wouldn't it be easier to use 6000' reels, which at least can be carried around easily and run onto platters quickly at venues which don't have a second machine? How do they deal with last-minute changes in programming (particularly with shorts)?

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 02-02-2003 10:05 AM

They don't have room for platters, even a miniwind, in most of the locations so the DOUBLE MUT is about all there is. They do use a couple of Ernemann sidewinders too. So big reels is what its all about there. Its doubtful that you WOULDN'T see a pring that has not been made up.
Actually the Double MUT is not that bad....perhaps the only other big reel transport than the Ernemann that does keep constant tension on film while its being shown, or rewound. There are very few chances of cinching film on one. As far as print condition when they leave there, I'd ask their overly high priced projection supervisor about why prints leave there in such poor shape. All that is his responsibility....

As for Bill....Projectionist....He claims, or they claim.....
"After projecting films for 40 years, Bill believes he's finally getting it right."

I think Bill should have known what he was doing after about his third day on the job! That would have been 39 years and 362 days ago! If its taken him 40 years to learn it .....oooobooooyyyy. I realize though that is just a tag written by some stupid writer there. Sure makes him look stupid though.
Mark

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

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

posted 02-02-2003 10:34 AM

Mark,

Check out the Kinoton SPT-5000K

http://www.kinotonamerica.com/spt5000k.htm

Look familiar? Incidentally, I'm installing one tomorrow! Also a room where there is no space for a platter or even a second projector (will not with the DLP that is setting next to the 16/35 film projector).

Steve

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Steve Kraus
Film God

Posts: 4094
From: Chicago, IL, USA
Registered: May 2000

posted 02-02-2003 10:42 AM

Why do they always show their products with those stupid wire reels? Are those common in Europe or is that just to show the product better than would be seen with normal reels?

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Jeffry L. Johnson
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 809
From: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 02-02-2003 11:19 AM

I've known Bill for over 20 years. He does "get it right."

Maybe it's that perfectionist trait within us. We're all looking for ways to improve our showmanship and presentation.

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