Kodak has ScreenCheck which helps theaters improve their presentation in just about every aspect, with most of the attention on picture quality. But theaters don't seem to taking to this program very well.

Personally, I think that this point of view is shortsighted and that--with or without the "seal of approval" from THX or Kodak or someone else--theatre which maintain high standards of picture and sound quality and which are well managed are the ones that will succeed over the long term, while poorly managed or poorly equipped theatres will suffer. Even if the average customer doesn't understand _why_ he usually enjoys his experiences at Theatre A over those at Theatre B, he will generally prefer to patronize the theatre which provides the better experience. Of course, this is less of an issue in non-competitive markets, but even then people are likely to attend more often if they enjoy their experiences. Even terrible movies can be fun experiences in the right environment.

It seems that my point of view differs from that of most of the major theatre chains in the US, but I will point out that their business models haven't (for the most part) worked out very well, either, lately.

Today for example I was in an SRD auditorium, the entire show was in SR. Did anyone appart from me give a s**t?

nope.

Your average cinema goer:

"If I can hear the sound and see a picture it is ok"

(the sound maybe analog in a digital auditorium, it may be too loud or too quiet, the picture may have fading at one or more sides of the screen and the framing may not be perfect, there could be scratches on the print. A fire exit sign may be shining on the screen, the main door to the auditorium may be left open allowing extra light into the auditorium.)

Did mangagement and the chains have any less desire to make money in 1969 as they do today? Wasn't their goal the same as it is today-- maximize profits? I can't imagine that it wasn't; I just think in those days, in addition to the profit margin, there was a sense of pride in the work that came down from the top of the corporation. Today, corporations are sold and bought sometimes on a weekly basis, and by conglomerates that many times have no connection with the movie business. There is no continuity and no vision from the top. The conglomerate isn't some guy sitting in a big office with a fat cigar barking orders on how his theatres were to be run and if he walked into one with his wife or mistress and saw a "naked screen" (as the bible called it), a few people's heads would role. He might have been a miserly, penny pinching CEO, but he was in the THEATRE BUSINESS. Today he's replaced by the conglomerate, more than likely located overseas whose main busness might be running parking lots (one time when Kenney owned Warners and some funeral chain!). Where can the vision come from in such an corporate environment? They talk about corporate culture in the FBI and CIA. There is no culture in these conglomerates.

And as I said, this depressing, pervasive, "whatever we do is 'good enough'" attitude is painfully evident in everything from fast food eatery personnel attitudes who get orders wrong 1 out of every 3 times (I've been keeping track) and even big supply companies which can't fill simple orders. We never had trouble placing orders years ago to reputable companies. Now, I am actually surprised and consider it a great success story that an order comes in EXACTLY as I placed it. At this very moment I am looking at five boxes of expensive UPS units that need to go back to a major electronics supplier because a $2000 order was double-shipped. That NEVER used to happen before. It is a fact of life today.

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~Manny.

"The brown acid that is circulating around is not specifically too good."

1) Depending on the situation and/or the audience member's personality, a refund will be requested.

2) The patron will not return to that theatre.

The latter of the two is the most dangerous. No record, no complaint, just one less patron regularly visiting that theatre. That's the fear about D-Cinema... that if the audience is not impressed, it will not return. Cutting corners usually means cutting quality. Without the combination of a projectionist that cares and the ScreenChecks, the TAPs, and you better believe it, the Dolbys, pushing for better, quality presentations... the bar would never get raised.

If you build it, they will come. But if you don't build it right, they won't come back.

Yours, Ted

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