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Author Topic: Film cans with pad locks on them Kyle Watkins Expert Film Handler Posts: 185 From: Stuart, FL, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 02-18-2004 06:11 PM                     we got our print of hildago, but the cans came with pad locks on them. I called TES they said that how buna vista is doing this now with sneaks. We wont get the lock code until a 4 hours before the showing. What a buch of crap this is. any one els seen this or we part of the first ones. kyle  |  IP: Logged John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 02-18-2004 06:19 PM                     It's not new. I think it started sometime last year; George Roher reported an instance of this in July of 2003. On the bright side, at least you don't have to wait for someone from the studio to show up with keys (Aaron Sisemore's story). --jhawk  |  IP: Logged Chris Hipp Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1462 From: Mesquite, Tx (east of Dallas) Registered: Jul 2003 posted 02-18-2004 07:16 PM                     Just call BVD and tell them that you have a damaged reel and refuse to play it for a paying audience. After while I am sure they will wise up.  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 02-18-2004 07:29 PM                     The padlock thing is not new with Buena Vista and TES. I get those screenings a lot with Disney studio prints. Their is three different combinations that they are using with those master locks. I had a screening last fall, I got the print in at 9am for a 10am screening. And no call from TES till about 11am. I had the cans open at about 9:05am. Then they called at 12noon to see if we had gotten our print. You got to love TES.  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 02-18-2004 07:32 PM                     An Oxy-Acetylene Torch (also known as a fire wrench and lock cutter) should fix that. It is an amazing tool. It will fit any bolt, nut, hasp, lock, or film can ever made. Brad should like that. He needs some videos for his archives anyway.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 02-18-2004 07:39 PM                     "But the cans came in like that!"  |  IP: Logged Kyle Watkins Expert Film Handler Posts: 185 From: Stuart, FL, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 02-19-2004 12:36 AM                     If i knew the print wount not go to another theater right away form mine I like to some how glue the lock shut, to piss them off Kyle  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-19-2004 02:02 AM                     So, what? A padlock on the can is going to stop a thief from stealing the prints, cans, padlocks and all? Once they get the cans back to their basements they can work on the locks at their leisure. A bolt cutter, an angle grinder or a torch would make short work of that. If this is an anti-piracy measure it makes no sense! 1) People at theaters aren't the ones pirating copies. Shit! Half of them aren't smart enough to pop popcorn without burning it! 2) People who pirate movies wouldn't be using crappy release prints anyway. They'd have to have a telecine to get it onto video. Besides, all they have to do is call up one of their buddies from "The Academy" and have them send over a screener tape? They make more work for US in having to deal with this crap. They make more work for THEMSELVES in having to get somebody to call every theater to give them the combination. I don't know what kind of drugs they are taking but I wish they'd give me some!  |  IP: Logged Wolff King Morrow Master Film Handler Posts: 490 From: Denton, TX, USA Registered: Feb 2004 posted 02-19-2004 04:02 AM                        Edit: My apologies for editing my posts. I was informed by my employers that I am not allowed to discuss anything pertaining to operation, proceedures, profits, or wages of the company I work for on this or any other public media. Please note I was NOT aware of such a policy, so I apologize for the disruption of the thread. Thanks for your understanding on this. -Wolff [ 03-02-2004, 09:44 PM: Message edited by: Wolff King Morrow ]  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 02-19-2004 07:58 AM                     Most of this padlock dealings are meant for keeping the film safe in transit. Those cans go through many hands before they get to a theatre for screenings. Like sitting on a loading dock, the people at the airport, the couriers that deliver the prints. I'm not saying the padlock idea is a great idea. But it's TES/Disney's way to see if there is a problem in getting it from point A to point B. Because if you've seen some of the couriers that move these cans around looking to make a quick buck.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-19-2004 08:05 AM                        Four hours for inspection and platter makeup isn't unreasonable, assuming that the print is either brand new or in good enough shape that it doesn't require major work to make it playable. That doesn't change the fact that this sort of practice is annoying. If this is a four-wall event, you can always add a condition to the rental agreement that a playable print must arrive at least 24 hours prior to the screening. I agree that the locks are useless; if you really wanted to get the print, you could use boltcutters to cut the can latch or hinges and return the film in a different can. I'm sure that no one would notice. Even more useless are those stupid "tamper-proof" security tags that ETS uses on some prints. The cans can still be opened with the tags in place. And, since not all prints are shipped with the tags, the theatre has no way to tell if the can has been opened because there is no assurance that prints shipped from the depot will have the tags. If you are really concerned about security, you can always ship the print back with _different_ locks on the cans and tell the distributor to call _you_ for the combination.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 02-19-2004 08:19 AM                    If you buy the same model lock in the hardware store you'll get a little tool that enables the combination to be reset. So you could in fact send the print back with the the locks it came with but a different combination. Kinda silly though.  |  IP: Logged Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 02-19-2004 09:07 AM                     All the locks we've been getting are just cheap little wire & plastic jobs. I asked another guy I worked with, and we agreed, just cut them off. We never got any combinations or anything. God forbid somebody would get their hands on Catch that Kid before I did...  |  IP: Logged Wolff King Morrow Master Film Handler Posts: 490 From: Denton, TX, USA Registered: Feb 2004 posted 02-19-2004 05:14 PM                        Edit: My apologies for editing my posts. I was informed by my employers that I am not allowed to discuss anything pertaining to operation, proceedures, profits, or wages of the company I work for on this or any other public media. Please note I was NOT aware of such a policy, so I apologize for the disruption of the thread. Thanks for your understanding on this. -Wolff [ 03-02-2004, 09:45 PM: Message edited by: Wolff King Morrow ]  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 02-19-2004 05:27 PM                    I believe the real point of the locks is not to absolutely prevent entry (although it does discourage it) but to make it blatantly obvious if entry has been forced.  |  IP: Logged

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