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Author Topic: How steep is the learning curve from 35mm to 70mm? Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-08-2006 12:50 PM                     A "hot tip" just came down the pipe for me. I may have the chance to work in a 70mm theater. All I know is they have Kinoton. I will be finding out more, soon. My question is: How much do you think I'll have to learn to get up to speed, working on a large format system? Most of what I know is from reading. I've operated a Norelco AA-II/carbon arc but in 35mm mode. I'd like to be able to assure the people I'll be talking to that I can make the jump.  |  IP: Logged Bob Brown Expert Film Handler Posts: 146 From: Grand Rapids, MI Registered: Apr 2002 posted 06-08-2006 02:01 PM                        Well Randy, this depends on what kind of 70mm projection system you will be running. I really cannot comment on any other system than the IMAX 70mm system, there you could be running the booth solo, in about 2 weeks, but to fully know the system I would say 6 months to a year and this only depends on your "teacher" Any way good luck !!!!!  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-08-2006 02:23 PM                     I know it's not an IMAX. It's a 5/70. It's this place. I just got handed the training video today. When I get a chance to play it I'll tell you more.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Jorgenson Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1002 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: Feb 2005 posted 06-08-2006 02:34 PM                        For a competent and knowledgeable 35mm projectionist that cares about presentation, it shouldn't take too long. I got up to speed on an 8/70 machine (Ballantyne with Strong lamphouse & platters) in a matter of days, but I did have 15/70 experience prior to that.  |  IP: Logged Richard Hamilton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1341 From: Evansville, Indiana Registered: Jan 2000 posted 06-09-2006 09:23 AM                     Randy, They are running 8/70. I just trained 2 people there on the sound system. If you know film, the projection part will be easy. Do not be intimidated because of the film size! Be intimidated because of the cost of the print!! The theater is set up to do live stuff and presentations up front. I think they have 5 or 8 mic inputs up front. If you take the job...cool, let me know. later, Rick  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-10-2006 11:58 AM                     I just watched a training video on the system. Kinoton MP 75 E projector. Kinoton EMK 1 automation. Couldn't identify the platter. Probably Kinoton. Didn't see the nameplate. I don't think I'll have any problems learning. (But they did a few things in the video that I wouldn't have done. )  |  IP: Logged Joseph L. Kleiman Master Film Handler Posts: 380 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Apr 2005 posted 06-12-2006 12:50 AM                     The Kinoton MP 75 E runs 435, 570, and 870 on one projector, with minor sprocket adjustments.  |  IP: Logged Charles Greenlee Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 801 From: Savannah, Ga, U.S. Registered: Jun 2006 posted 07-12-2006 09:55 PM                        I would love to try my hand at a 70mm system. How much more do the 70mm films cost compared to their 35mm counterparts?  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 07-13-2006 10:16 AM                        quote: Charles Greenlee I would love to try my hand at a 70mm system. How much more do the 70mm films cost compared to their 35mm counterparts? Kodak sells 70mm VISION Color Print Films for just about twice the price per foot for 35mm print film, so it's not the cost of the raw stock that pushes the cost of a print into 5 figure territory. (70mm Kodak VISION Premier Color Print Film 2393 is less than $0.20 (20 cents) per foot) The cost of 70mm prints is considerably higher than 35mm release prints for several reasons: 1. The prints are printed and processed on machines that run much slower than typical 35mm release prints. 2. The high cost of making a 65mm duplicate negative needs to be factored into the cost, prorated over dozens, rather than thousands of release prints. 3. If DTS is used, the time code must be printed from a separate negative, sometimes as a second pass through the printer. 4. Mag striping and sounding have become prohibitively expensive and much less available due to the very high cost of meeting new environmental restrictions on volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Coating, curing, and sounding were labor-intensive, and added days to production schedules. 5. Making 70mm prints is a much more labor-intensive operation than 35mm release prints, that have a very efficient production infrastructure.  |  IP: Logged Cameron Glendinning Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 845 From: West Ryde, Sydney, NSW Australia Registered: Dec 2005 posted 07-14-2006 10:58 PM                     70mm is easy, dont worry you will love it. IMAX is the only one that really requires retraining (4 weeks in my case), enjoy! you will pick it up very quick.  |  IP: Logged John Wilson Film God Posts: 5438 From: Sydney, Australia. Registered: Dec 1999 posted 07-17-2006 06:24 PM                     It's true that to run IMAX you need to basically take 99% of what you know about projection and throw it in the trash can as you won't be using it. Took me 5 days to learn and be confident enough to run my own show. 5/70 is just bigger and is pretty much just an adjustment of what you know...not a re-learning.  |  IP: Logged Cameron Glendinning Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 845 From: West Ryde, Sydney, NSW Australia Registered: Dec 2005 posted 08-02-2006 05:11 AM                     John sssh, It was one month paid training! It might only take a week to pick up, but takes management the other three weeks to relax and get use to the idea  |  IP: Logged Brian Michael Weidemann Expert cat molester Posts: 944 From: Costa Mesa, CA United States Registered: Feb 2004 posted 08-02-2006 05:24 AM                        When I train my guys (for IMAX), they're usually seasoned 35mm veterans. And, yes, that first day I mention that most of the common sense 35 stuff has to be temporarily forgotten about. IMAX (and other large format, rolling loop systems ) is a whole new monster. I've never needed to train anyone beyond, say, six or seven shifts' worth before I'm comfortable letting them run normal shows. Most of the troubleshooting and routine glitch stuff you only learn by doing ... with me only a phone call away, of course! I don't know how many times I've explicitly showed how to switch from chilled water to city water, only to have someone, the first time they need to do it, have no idea how without getting me on the phone. Fortunately, our chillers haven't gone out any time recently enough to remember.  |  IP: Logged

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