Film-Tech Forums: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

»	Film-Tech Forums » LARGE FORMAT Forum » Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - IMAX 3D question

Author

Topic: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - IMAX 3D question

Jonathan Goeldner
Film Handler

Posts: 20
From: Washington, District of Columbia
Registered: Jun 2008

posted 07-24-2008 09:04 AM

I know I maybe jumping the gun here, but what's the deal with this release, is the whole movie going to be 3D or will select scenes be presented in 3D like the previous film; 'The Order of the Phoenix' was in IMAX.

| IP: Logged

Mike Olpin
Chop Chop!

Posts: 1529
From: Traverse City, MI
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 07-24-2008 02:45 PM

On the teaser, it clearly reads "Selected scenes in IMAX 3D".

The question is really whether its going to be scenes throughout the film (like Superman) or just the ending.

| IP: Logged

John Wilson
Film God

Posts: 2631
From: Sydney, Australia. 8602 m (13844 km) SW of Rockwall. Don't forget your swimmers!
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 07-24-2008 05:19 PM

Do they at least re-use the black slug on these prints or just run off new stock.

If it's the former, that's great. [thumbsup]

If it's the latter that's an awful waste of film just to make more landfill. [thumbsdown]

| IP: Logged

Mike Olpin
Chop Chop!

Posts: 1529
From: Traverse City, MI
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 07-24-2008 06:14 PM

The great thing about the last Harry Potter was that we didn't need any slug at all for it. The newer software used on the MPX system was able to start up the second projector when needed. I don't know if this software update works for the SR, though I don't see any reason why it couldn't. The GT is out of luck since both the right eye and left eye make use of the same rotor.

| IP: Logged

Brian Michael Weidemann
Expert cat molester

Posts: 939
From: Costa Mesa, CA United States
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 07-24-2008 08:37 PM

When a print has concluded its run, the studios either want the prints back, at which time they send cases/platters, or they tell us to junk the print for recycling, and then they have the boxes picked up. For us, it's about half and half, which ones we junk or pack-up/ship-out.

For the last Harry Potter, we were told to junk the main (left eye) print which contained the whole feature. The slug print with the finale sequence (right eye) was the one they wanted shipped back.

So, that indicates that they're preserving the black slug in one form or another.

| IP: Logged

Frank Angel
Film God

Posts: 2878
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 07-31-2008 03:39 AM

With the cost of those prints, one would think if there was even the most remote of a chance that they would at some time in the future rerelease it, that they would keep at least a few of the prints in storage. Aren't all the IMAX prints stored for rotation release? Why not keep at least a few of these studio titles in storage as well?

Plus, when the whole thing moves to those two digital Sony projectors, there will no doubt be some crazies out there who will buy the IMAX film projectors, especially the MPX units, for their "home theatres," ala James Harvey and his Cinerama setup. People will sure be wishing some of those DMR prints would have gotten derailed on the way to the shredder and squirrled away for the next generation of lunatic film collectors. [thumbsup]

| IP: Logged

John Wilson
Film God

Posts: 2631
From: Sydney, Australia. 8602 m (13844 km) SW of Rockwall. Don't forget your swimmers!
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 07-31-2008 05:25 AM

Who's to say they didn't? [Wink]

| IP: Logged

Dick Vaughan
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 948
From: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 07-31-2008 06:06 AM

A certain number of DMR prints are storedfor later use but the majority are recycled. Considering most of them have only a few hundred passes then it does seem a pity but the cost of storage of a 100 1570 prints is considerable.
Don't forget that a single copy of,say,Polar Express takes up 4 45" transport platters and if stored in cases , 4 48" x 48" x 9" cases.

In total a 4foot x 4 foot x 3 foot space with a combined weight of over a 1000 lbs!!!

| IP: Logged

Jeffry L. Johnson
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 676
From: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 07-31-2008 12:43 PM

quote: Frank Angel
James Harvey and his Cinerama

John Harvey.

| IP: Logged

Andres Briano
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 121
From: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Registered: Jan 2008

posted 10-05-2008 02:22 PM

quote: Mike Olpin
The GT is out of luck since both the right eye and left eye make use of the same rotor.

Arrggghhhhh... That IS true! However we get the biggest screens....

quote: Expert Cat Molester
So, that indicates that they're preserving the black slug in one form or another.

That opens a whole other can of worms: Will they send you the recycled black slug on cores (for you to painstakingly put back together yet again) or in shipping-platter+case?

| IP: Logged

Brian Michael Weidemann
Expert cat molester

Posts: 939
From: Costa Mesa, CA United States
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 10-05-2008 05:07 PM

The slug they've always sent us for these prints is in the form of reels, which match up splice for splice to the reels of the main feature print. How they take old slug reels and make new ones with splice markings in new places, that is unknown to me.

| IP: Logged

Andres Briano
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 121
From: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Registered: Jan 2008

posted 10-06-2008 06:57 AM

quote: Expert Cat Molester
How they take old slug reels and make new ones with splice markings in new places, that is unknown to me.

Exactly my point! The only proper way to save a few bucks reusing it, is for them to send it all spliced up on a shipping platter (or 2) with the length accurate to the frame.
I cannot think of any other way that could be cost effective.

Andrés

| IP: Logged

Tim Rectanus
Film Handler

Posts: 46
From: Raleigh, NC, USA
Registered: Jul 2005

posted 10-14-2008 10:48 AM

The cost effectiveness is mostly seen in re using Black Slug from older prints rather than printing new stock. But I suspect it is cheaper to send it out on cores in smaller boxes than to put it all together and send out a shipping case or two to everyone. The added weight and size of the shipping case alone could likely double the shipping rates.

| IP: Logged

Andres Briano
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 121
From: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Registered: Jan 2008

posted 10-15-2008 02:35 PM

The thing is that I have yet to see a reel of black slug with a splice on it. Since every reel is accurate to the frame, they could only theoretically shorten older reels, right?
I was under the impression too, that for each reel of the left eye/bottom deck, the corresponding reel for the right eye was of the same length. If that is the case, there is no good scenario to save money.
If all the above is true, then Imax/DKP should either send all of the black slug spliced together (to reach an X amount of total frames (and regardless of freight value)), or stop matching the lengths of the same reel of both eyes.
Hope this makes sense to the rest of you. It surely wasn´t easy to explain.
Andrés

| IP: Logged

All times are CT (US)

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Copyright 1999-2009 Film-Tech Cinema LLC

Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2
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.