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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Distrib Getting Rid of (repertory) Prints (Page 1)

 
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Author Topic: Distrib Getting Rid of (repertory) Prints
Martin McCaffery
Film God

Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 02-18-2010 11:09 AM      Profile for Martin McCaffery   Author's Homepage   Email Martin McCaffery   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I was booking kids shows for this summer and one of the distribs (who will remain nameless) informed me they only had a few titles on 35mm. Word had come down they didn't want to store them. I have the option of DVD or harddrive. Only 2 of the 5 films I wanted were available. One of them is in current release the other came out last year. Two of the films not available I showed on 35mm last summer and one of the unavailables came out at Christmas. None of the films are "classics" or more than a few years old.

I asked if this policy applied to all of their films and was told yes, even their "art" division. Their non-theatrical distrib may have the 35mm prints, but we all know what shape they end up in pretty quickly.

I guess this is one way to force digital upon the small indies. Anyone else running into this problem?

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Jonathan Smith
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 201
From: Youngstown, OH
Registered: Jan 2010


 - posted 02-18-2010 11:31 AM      Profile for Jonathan Smith   Email Jonathan Smith   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I'd be pissed if I were to run into this problem myself. Thank God I haven't!

If I did, I would be inclined to pay a personal visit to the print depot with a lead pipe with an IATSE logo stamped on the front!

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Sean McKinnon
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1712
From: Peabody Massachusetts
Registered: Sep 2000


 - posted 02-18-2010 12:29 PM      Profile for Sean McKinnon   Author's Homepage   Email Sean McKinnon   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
If I did, I would be inclined to pay a personal visit to the print depot with a lead pipe with an IATSE logo stamped on the front!
There are a couple people doing federal time for visiting an AMC and a Loews manager in Chicago with a lead pipe among other things. I don't know if they had stamped IATSE on it or not though!

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Martin McCaffery
Film God

Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 02-18-2010 01:36 PM      Profile for Martin McCaffery   Author's Homepage   Email Martin McCaffery   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
If I did, I would be inclined to pay a personal visit to the print depot with a lead pipe with an IATSE logo stamped on the front!
Alas, the nearest depot is about 200 miles from here.

Just heard from another theatre that another big distrib is doing the same thing.

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Scott Norwood
Film God

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


 - posted 02-18-2010 01:42 PM      Profile for Scott Norwood   Author's Homepage   Email Scott Norwood   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
So, who are these distributors and what titles are not available?

There are still many theatres with no video projection capability at all, so there should be a demand for prints for that reason alone (reliability and image and sound quality notwithstanding).

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Bill Gabel
Film God

Posts: 3873
From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA
Registered: Jan 2002


 - posted 02-18-2010 02:06 PM      Profile for Bill Gabel   Email Bill Gabel   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The studios don't want to pay print storage anymore.

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Rick Raskin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1100
From: Manassas Virginia
Registered: Jan 2003


 - posted 02-18-2010 02:07 PM      Profile for Rick Raskin   Email Rick Raskin   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
If I did, I would be inclined to pay a personal visit to the print depot with a lead pipe with an IATSE logo stamped on the front!


And why, pray tell, would you want to blame someone else for your actions?

I don't think the IA would give a damn about the availability of prints. They'd be more interested in running whatever media were available. That is, assuming there is even a projection local left in your area.

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Bernie Anderson Jr
Master Film Handler

Posts: 435
From: Woodbridge, New Jersey
Registered: Apr 2000


 - posted 02-18-2010 02:15 PM      Profile for Bernie Anderson Jr   Author's Homepage   Email Bernie Anderson Jr   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Too bad, they won't sell "us" those junked prints.

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Jonathan Smith
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 201
From: Youngstown, OH
Registered: Jan 2010


 - posted 02-18-2010 02:34 PM      Profile for Jonathan Smith   Email Jonathan Smith   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Guys, I'm joking.

If someone has actually done that, they were out of line.

I herald back to a different time where the employers were screwing the employees just as much. When they did strike, they meant it, because their kids were going hungry.

Just saying. . .

BTW, there is a print local in my area, Rick, the Local #160. There's one in almost every industrialized city. Everyone ought support their union. They really are in everyone's best interst; they're in the interest of better projection.


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Martin McCaffery
Film God

Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 02-18-2010 03:20 PM      Profile for Martin McCaffery   Author's Homepage   Email Martin McCaffery   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Bill Gabel
The studios don't want to pay print storage anymore.

Yup, that's what they said. I did offer to store a few for them.

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Bill Gabel
Film God

Posts: 3873
From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA
Registered: Jan 2002


 - posted 02-18-2010 03:37 PM      Profile for Bill Gabel   Email Bill Gabel   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Before TES & ETS ran their depots NFS ran many of the depots. When they closed hundreds of smaller studio films sat in their former depots waiting to be destroyed. I saw hundreds of cans sitting there in Pico Rivera.

It costs alot of money to keep these prints in storage. This is one of the ways the bean counters have found to keep their jobs and cutting costs for the studios.

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Ian Parfrey
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1049
From: Imbil Australia 26 deg 27' 42.66" S 152 deg 42' 23.40" E
Registered: Feb 2009


 - posted 02-18-2010 04:10 PM      Profile for Ian Parfrey   Email Ian Parfrey   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Bill Gabel
This is one of the ways the bean counters have found to keep their jobs and cutting costs for the studios.

Ah yes, the Bean Counters.

No disease in the history of the world has caused more pain and suffering than those [sex] ers.

Now if this is how the studios think they can force digital on exhibitors then they are very much mistaken because -:

1. Many exhibitors can't afford the conversions. There is a financial crisis guys caused in a large part by bloody bean counters.

2. Just because the studios want something doesn't mean everyone will dance to their tune because, hey, they need the exhibitors just as much as the exhibitors need the studios.

3. There will be a huge market just sitting there for an independent studio to tap into if they cater to those exhibitors still unable to afford the digital conversion and are willing to supply product on 35mm.

4. With Ratzenberg et al pissing off the exhibitors the way they are and the backlash with "Alice" in the UK, they may well find a big fat rough-ended pineapple up their collective arses if the continue to force these issues.

...but then again, this may be just what they want.

Does this sound like an over reaction?

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Demetris Thoupis
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1240
From: Aradippou, Larnaca, Cyprus
Registered: Apr 2001


 - posted 02-18-2010 04:24 PM      Profile for Demetris Thoupis   Email Demetris Thoupis   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
In Cyprus actually I am not sure if its the actual distribution who is enforcing it or a law but normally after 5 year run the print should be destroyed and signed by an authority that it has been destroyed. It breaks my heart everytime I see prints cut to pieces!! The way they are destroyed are placed on an a flat surface and an x shaped blade comes down chopping the reels in 4 [Frown]
Demetris

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Tony Ratcliff
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 216
From: Madison, IN, USA
Registered: Mar 2002


 - posted 02-18-2010 04:30 PM      Profile for Tony Ratcliff   Email Tony Ratcliff   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I actually ran into a little of this last summer.
A couple of the films I wanted were "not available" until I told them I could do DVD.
They told me that there were only a small number of 35mm prints and they went fast.

So I'll not be surprised to find the situation worse this summer.

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Jeremy Weigel
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1062
From: Edmond, OK, USA
Registered: Mar 2007


 - posted 02-18-2010 06:47 PM      Profile for Jeremy Weigel   Email Jeremy Weigel   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
So if you're able to do DVD/Blu-Ray do they apply the same terms as to 35mm?

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