my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Print Delivery Cut-Off Time for a Rental? (Page 1)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Author Topic: Print Delivery Cut-Off Time for a Rental? Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-12-2004 09:23 AM                     I just got word that my theater will be showing a movie for an outside organization. The details are complicated but essentially, it amounts to a rental. I have a concern about print delivery since THEY will be supplying us with the print instead of using our usual channels. Of course, I need time to get the print ready to show. I know how long it will take for ME to get the print ready. (Platter System) However, I want to tell the presenter that I need the print in my hands NO LATER THAN a certain time before the show. Yes, yes... I know. In the film business, we regularly have to do things at the last second. My goal here is to prevent that last second situation by making it clear to the presenter(s) that, if they don't have the print(s) in my hands before a certain time, they jeopardize the quality of their performance/presenation. My question is: Is there a customary cut-off time for print delivery in such a situation? Certainly, in a professional/studio situation, the projectionist has to be ready to run any given reel of film at any moment but I am not in that situation. I know that I am comfortably able to get a print out of the can, onto the platter and onto the screen in just a couple hours. However, I think I want to tell these people that I need the print in my hands NO LESS THAN 24 HOURS before showtime. If they want the print pre-screened the print will have to be in my hands no less than 48 hours prior. The same goes for trailers, previews, rolling stock ads, video media and music. I want to tell them: * If the print/media is in my hands 48 hours prior, they can have a pre-screening. * If the print/media is in my hands 24 hours prior, the show will go normally without a pre-screening. (Barring any unforseen circumstances.) * If the print/media is in my hands LESS THAN 24 hours prior, they'll get what I can give them. * If the print/media is in my hands less than 3 hours prior, they seriously jeopardize their presentation. Is this reasonable? Any thoughts, comments & ideas? T.Y.F.Y.S.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 10-12-2004 10:33 AM                        The actual "deadlines" you give depend on your work schedule, but the ones you suggest seem reasonable. It really depends on "what else is on your plate" in terms of workload.  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 10-12-2004 12:12 PM                     Is this a new print or an old archival print? If it is an old print, it make take a lot of work to get it ready to run on a platter. Do the renters know what 35mm is? I have seen rental people show up with 16mm or video and get a rude suprise that we don't have the equipment to run it. If they are clueless, just telling them 35mm may not be enough. /Mitchell  |  IP: Logged Greg Routenburg Expert Film Handler Posts: 178 From: Toronto, ON, Canada Registered: May 2003 posted 10-12-2004 01:07 PM                     You want to prepare for the worst, consider the time it will take to revise all the reels, especially if the film is on older stock and may be in rough shape. 24 hours ahead I think is more then reasonable.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 10-12-2004 01:25 PM                     I don't know. Randy will most probably bootleg the print (since all projectionists do). As such, he shouldn't be allowed to touch it until 1 hour before the show. Plus he needs security guards harassing him and getting in his way the entire time, and the cans need to have a fake title printed on one side and the real title printed on the other side. No one ever thinks to look at the other side of the can. Randy, I always request 24 hour prior. That's enough time to do any repairs if needed and do a check screening. If they deliver "same day as show", I tell them if anything is wrong, no matter who's fault, tough. No refunds, no apologies, pay up, get out.  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 10-12-2004 01:33 PM                     Is this a normal film that the organiisation are hireing for the event, or is it something they have in their possesion, something from their archives, for example. If the latter take care, and get it in your hands as soon as possible; absolutely anything could turn up. Do you know anything about the organisation? Do they know anything about film? If not, it might turn out to be 8mm, triacetate that's totally gone to vinegar, something so badly damaged that it will never go through a projector, two inch quad video tape, a 'borrowed' print of a feature that they have no right to be showing, if it's old it could even be nitrate. I've seen all of these things, and more, turn up for speciial events.  |  IP: Logged Chris Trainor Expert Film Handler Posts: 161 From: Greenville, RI, USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-12-2004 02:45 PM                        I used to run 'Bollywood' movies once a month... typicially the print would arrive about 45min before the patrons... I told them that if there are any problems it's not 'my' problem. We tossed it together, ran it, broke it down and sent them on their way. The upside is that we never did actually have a problem. We did this monthly for about 2 years. The last 6 months was nice because they just sent us the built-up copy of the print, no make-up/break down needed. Just tossed it on the platter. --Chris  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-12-2004 08:50 PM                     The whole story: There is a local group who calls themselves a "Film Association". They have a "film festival" every year but it's really a "video festival". They rent a hall somewhere, set up a video projector and a player then put on their little festival. I've never been to one of their events but I understand it's pretty nice for what they are doing. Mostly, they show stuff from ameteur film makers, underground stuff and a few small-distribution independants. They've been doing this for about three years, now. Well, THIS time they booked an independant title but neglected to notice that the film is really on FILM! The title they chose is one that (I'm told) has been getting some notice on the REAL festival circuit. It's pretty much a coup that they could even book it. BUT... they don't have a projector to play it on. They tried calling the local commercial theaters but as you can guess, the only way they could get one of those places is to buy out a house for one or more shows. (Not counting "special discounts".) No matter how you slice it, that route would be WAY too expensive. Mercyhurst to the rescue! I don't know who called who first but the result is that Mercyhurst offered them the use of our theater in exchange for some undisclosed compensation. (Mercyhurst wants this film festival to happen in OUR venue next year, if that's a clue.) So, here I am dealing with some "film people" who really don't know much about real film. That's the reason why I'm trying to come up with some cut-off times... Especially because the "festival" is happening this coming Saturday! Because the movie has been playing festivals, I'm expecting that the print will be new or close to new. Appearently, it was hot shit at Sundance. (I don't know how good it really is. I'm just relating what the local buzz has been.) Judge for yourself: The movie is called, Saw from Lion's Gate. IMDB Link Basically, I want to: (A) Cover my ass. (B) Know what I can demand in the furtherance of (A). (C) Know what demands I can make stick. I guess this means I have to demand the print be in my hands no later than 5:00 PM on Friday unless they want to pay me some serious overtime. To answer the question: Making movies is NOT my only job. I have lots of other things to do in an ordinary day. This film is just another thing I have to do in my normal work week which averages 60 hrs. BTW: Who is handling print delivery for Lion's Gate (MGM) these days? I sincerely hope it's ETS! We've got a good relationship with our local ETS courrier. They'll deliver to our door. Technicolor films are delivered by DHL and they have to drop them off at our mail room. If it IS coming from Technicolor, I'll have to call them and request a special drop-off at our door. The mail room closes at 5:00 PM Friday!  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 10-12-2004 08:58 PM                     Call Technicolor and explain what's going on. They may be able to set you up a special one time earlier delivery. Regardless, odds are that the print will be in physically good condition with minimal, if any, repair work needed since the prints were just recently made.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 10-12-2004 09:15 PM                    Maybe you'll get the print I had last Friday. I don't remember anything about it. I guess that means it was ok.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-12-2004 09:39 PM                     Well, Steve, I guess that means I'll get a print in such stellar condition that I could probably eat ice cream off the film cans! (Not that I'd WANT to eat ice cream off them... But, if Steve had them last I could! )  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 10-12-2004 11:15 PM                    Would that that were true. I deal with what I get.  |  IP: Logged John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 10-13-2004 01:34 AM                     Realistically, for "special events," I don't think you can expect to reasonably receive the print 24 hours beforehand on any kind of consistent basis. I think mandating 4 hours before the show would be reasonable for you, but of course, a lot depends on your showtimes, your own work schedules, and the delivery windows, etc. A lot of times it just ends up being day-of. Since you're dealing with Technicolor, you should be able to give them a "needs to be here by" time and they should be able to meet it for you. BTW, I believe TES has a flag in their database to indicate venues that require special arrangements for out-of-window deliveries (and those outside business hours). There's also a flag for "closed on government holidays." It might be a good time to check and make sure your account is set up properly. --jhawk  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 10-13-2004 02:47 AM                        quote: Randy Stankey Because the movie has been playing festivals, I'm expecting that the print will be new or close to new. Even if it is nearly new, that doesn't necessarily mean that it'll be problem free. If the main run of release prints has been done and you get one of those wet out of the fixing bath, so to speak, it should be fine. But if it's some sort of showprint, then as Stephen points out, there are all sorts of potential banana skins to slip on. I had one for a gala premiere (which took place at my theatre because location shooting for the film had taken place locally), which I made the mistake of rehearsing in a screen that had Dolby digital, when the actual show took place in one that didn't. Problem - the SR track was about three seconds out of sync on one reel, something which I only found out when 200 VIPs were watching it. Another time, a print which had come as part of a 'Highlights from the London Film Festival' package turned out to be sepmag, and we had no followers. A third had two copies of reel 4 and no reel 5. And so on and so forth. The up side, though, is that showprints doing the festival circuit will only have been handled by professionals and run on properly looked-after equipment, so they should be pretty clean. As well as everyone else's suggestions, if I was in your shoes I would send the hirer a technical specifications sheet stating exactly what formats you can cope with (gauges, ratios, speeds & sound formats), and making clear that if the materials they supply do not comply then you won't be able to show it. I would also put on the sheet very clearly if you are not able to show the film without cutting the leaders (like archives, some studios and distributors insist that showprints be run with changeovers, without cutting the heads and tails); or if you can run changeovers, put on the sheet that it is the hirer's responsibility to notify you if they don't want the heads or tails cut.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 10-13-2004 08:23 AM                    quote: Leo Enticknap showprints doing the festival circuit will only have been handled by professionals and run on properly looked-after equipment, so they should be pretty clean. Hahahahahaha.  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.