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Author Topic: IMAX film length
Jonathan Althaus
Master Film Handler

Posts: 435
From: Bedford, TX
Registered: Dec 2008


 - posted 02-02-2009 06:44 PM      Profile for Jonathan Althaus   Email Jonathan Althaus   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I thought I read somewhere that IMAX platters can only support 160 minutes of film. Is this true at all? and if so, Watchmen is 165 minutes without trailers.

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Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004


 - posted 02-02-2009 07:35 PM      Profile for Monte L Fullmer   Email Monte L Fullmer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
They have the capability in doing changeovers with a two, "SR" unit setup.

Also, the platter system that they use, also have extra large diameter decks to handle 3hr DMR prints.

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Jonathan Althaus
Master Film Handler

Posts: 435
From: Bedford, TX
Registered: Dec 2008


 - posted 02-02-2009 07:38 PM      Profile for Jonathan Althaus   Email Jonathan Althaus   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
OK, thanks Monte. Hope Watchmen lives up to the hype or there's going to be a lot of angry butt-sore customers out there.

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Bob Brown
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 146
From: Grand Rapids, MI
Registered: Apr 2002


 - posted 02-02-2009 10:29 PM      Profile for Bob Brown   Author's Homepage   Email Bob Brown   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Well, not quite 3 hours. With the upgrade to the QT, here is what can be handled... It's true that SR's and MPX machines can do change overs, so those projectors could, in theory, do a 5 hour show. The GT projectors are limited to the constraints of the platters so they cannot do change overs.

First. The 150 min platters are 71.5" in diameter, or 1809 mm

The 150 min. platters will only hold:

a.) with clamps 143 minutes

b.) with platter bolts 158 minutes

Usually what they will do is speed up the credits and make them in columns so it will help get it under the limits of our platters.

Hopes this helps..

-Bob

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 02-03-2009 04:34 AM      Profile for Mark Gulbrandsen   Email Mark Gulbrandsen   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
They should speed up the credits on ALL movies. Its such a waste.

Mark

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Caleb Johnstone-Cowan
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 593
From: London, UK
Registered: Mar 2006


 - posted 02-03-2009 08:57 AM      Profile for Caleb Johnstone-Cowan   Email Caleb Johnstone-Cowan   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Why not play the credits on a separate 35mm reel?

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Dick Vaughan
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1032
From: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK
Registered: Jul 2000


 - posted 02-03-2009 11:01 AM      Profile for Dick Vaughan   Author's Homepage   Email Dick Vaughan   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Because not all IMAX theatres have a 35mm projector

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Caleb Johnstone-Cowan
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 593
From: London, UK
Registered: Mar 2006


 - posted 02-03-2009 03:21 PM      Profile for Caleb Johnstone-Cowan   Email Caleb Johnstone-Cowan   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Didn't realise that, have always seen a 35mm ad reel before IMAX shows and assumed this was the standard set-up.

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Jonathan Althaus
Master Film Handler

Posts: 435
From: Bedford, TX
Registered: Dec 2008


 - posted 02-03-2009 03:47 PM      Profile for Jonathan Althaus   Email Jonathan Althaus   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Every IMAX film I've seen here in Dallas has been all IMAX, no ads from a 35 at all. Just the IMAX logo bouncing around screen.

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Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004


 - posted 02-03-2009 05:07 PM      Profile for Monte L Fullmer   Email Monte L Fullmer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Like the one IMAX in our area: It was opened as a straight IMAX building (having SR's with the platter), but later on, a Simplex 35 with a high speed intermittent assembly was added behind a CHR SLC-45 console.

This was done to give the complex near by, another screen to open a big movie if needed.

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Tristan Lane
Master Film Handler

Posts: 444
From: Nampa, Idaho
Registered: Feb 2002


 - posted 02-04-2009 01:19 AM      Profile for Tristan Lane   Email Tristan Lane   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Monte - actually, It was a Highlight II console with a Technalight reflector. The high-speed intermittent was removed when the reflector was upgraded. I also changed the XL head to a 1060.

I wonder if the old Mark1 and Mark2 equipped theaters will be having intermissions? Maybe someone else knows, but does the Mark2 support the 1809 platters?

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Jeffry L. Johnson
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 809
From: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Registered: Apr 2000


 - posted 02-06-2009 04:35 PM      Profile for Jeffry L. Johnson   Author's Homepage   Email Jeffry L. Johnson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Tristan Lane
does the Mark2 support the 1809 platters?
The MkII Reel Unit can be modified to handle 1740 mm (68.5 inch) platters that will hold a maximum of 157.5 minutes of film.

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Caleb Johnstone-Cowan
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 593
From: London, UK
Registered: Mar 2006


 - posted 03-06-2009 07:16 PM      Profile for Caleb Johnstone-Cowan   Email Caleb Johnstone-Cowan   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
For Watchmen they did what Bob said above about the credits, three columns for the cast and five for the crew, and possibly took out the visual effects credits as well.

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John Wilson
Film God

Posts: 5438
From: Sydney, Australia.
Registered: Dec 1999


 - posted 03-08-2009 05:43 PM      Profile for John Wilson   Email John Wilson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hopefully they also took out that piece-o-shit 'song' (if you can call it a song) that opens the credits as well.

At least it clears the cinema quickly by having it there though.

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Caleb Johnstone-Cowan
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 593
From: London, UK
Registered: Mar 2006


 - posted 03-08-2009 07:33 PM      Profile for Caleb Johnstone-Cowan   Email Caleb Johnstone-Cowan   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The My Chemical Romance cover of Bob Dylan? Almost certain it was still there, sadly they cut the Leonard Cohen song instead.

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