Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: booth supplies

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Topic: booth supplies

Brooks M. Davies
Film Handler

Posts: 28
From: Killeen, TX, USA
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 07-09-2002 07:01 AM

This being my first post i hope its in the right place. My question is how does a projectionist get the supplies needed to make the booth better. For example, more media cleaners, platter covers, etc. We are a wallace "Hollywood" theater 14 screen all with stadium seating. WE use all strong simplex equipment and have been open for 3 years. The theater is the only "nice" theater for about 45 min drive, the other being a cinemark tinsletown in roundrock. Our theater does huge business and does concession numbers as high as 60-80k on normal weeks and did 110,000 on the 4th weekend. so the money is there. Being in this business for a few years i know the theater business is a little stingy when it comes to spending money, but dont they want to make it the best they can?? we dont have SDDS or DTS just digital. We have 2, yes 2, media cleaners for 14 screens. i've tried every way i know of to get the supplies, such as begging, pleading, crying and even finding a neumade splicer on ebay at half the price then telling the manager yet nothing. yes we get the "must have" supplies all be it, they will be the cheapest you can buy, such as splice tape-its packing tape with yellow paint that comes off as soon as you play it and is so stiff it jumps the rollers!. I cant blame our GM he tries, and the problem is over his head, and we have a great presentation with what we have but, it could be better, we recently got film guard and that really made a difference (we had to beg) and now were out so no telling how long it will be before we can get more.so any help in dealing with the corp. giants would be great. Thank you all for all the help i love this site! wish i had it years ago-yeah im a little slow to find things.......

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William T. Parr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 823
From: Cedar Park, TX
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 07-09-2002 08:07 AM

Hey Brooks,

Talk to your manager and have them place an Order with Richard Tucker. He is the person who does the service calls on your theatre, he can also get you supplies. If not there are plenty of Web based supply places you can order that stuff from. www.cssinc.com is one of the as is cinemadealer. Have order from both personally as well as Richard with no problems. If you need Richards phone number, e mail me off line and I will pass it too you.

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Gerard S. Cohen
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 975
From: Forest Hills, NY, USA
Registered: Sep 2001

posted 07-09-2002 11:15 AM

i've found in such situations the service technician can be a supportive resource in mediating your requests, mediating with managers and corporate offices. Of course, much depends on the tech's status within the corporation and his willingness to be
of assistance. Through my theatre's tech I got a film cleaner,
conversion of fixed platter brains to drop-in ones, a superior sound system, etc. Talking over your needs, and how the improvements would
benefit the theatre's business, will rehearse him for the conversations he will have with others in the company on your theatre's behalf.

BTW, thanks for the update on Killeen! I was stationed for a year at
Camp Hood, right outside town in 1948-9, but don't remember there being a cinema in town back then--or if there was, I didn't notice. Seems the town's grown some!

Gerard

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William T. Parr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 823
From: Cedar Park, TX
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 07-09-2002 11:41 AM

Hey Gerard,

1948 and 49. Well I know in the 70's and 80's,UA had several theatres in Killen including the UA Cinema 4 at the Mall of Killen. The 440 Drive In, The Killen Drive In. Showplace Cinema 3, Northside Twin and the Center 3. All survived until the Late 80's early 90's as did the UA Howard Twin in Taylor. All of the UA Theatres in Killen were bought by John Treadwell who was in the Dallas office with UA. They were later called Escape Theatres and used the Old UA Escape to The Movies Neon signs that had the UA and United Artist stuff removed. Sometime in the mid 90's Hollywood bought the theatres and then Wallace bought Hollywood. The gentleman that services the Killen Theatre knows Scott Wallace. Worked for him as a Tech when Act 3 was still around so have no doubt that he can be of service. I know Richard has some film cleaners laying around that Wallace has been stock piling at one of the theatres. Heck I was trying to get a few of them off Wallace myself through Richard. He could probably be very fluential at getting some of the supplies that Brook is needing.I did buy an old Altec A5 from the Cinema 4 in Killen from Richard. In the Crossover box there was a note that said Ben Kehe United Artist Theatre Engineer ws here on April 12th 1981. Killen Tx. Killen has grown quiet a bit since you were there last Gerard.

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Mike Spaeth
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1129
From: Marietta, GA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 07-09-2002 01:16 PM

Brooks -

Just a word to the wise ... posting revenue numbers on a public forum may be a security risk. At the very least ... if someone from your corporate office sees it, it may put you in the hot seat.

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Brooks M. Davies
Film Handler

Posts: 28
From: Killeen, TX, USA
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 07-09-2002 03:38 PM

First of all thanks william, Im pretty close to tucker and yeah he has helped us out like getting the film guard, and some more "luxury" items, but when asking for more film cleaners, he never really seemed interested before, mabey now, i can put a little more pressure on him, lol, as for the numbers or totals its public knowledge, i "overheard" this info to a customer so im sure there "a little off", william knows the business that we pull in, william if your around town give me a call come up and visit, id like your opinion and input on our booth. Tucker says he likes it and our proj. team really takes pride in what we have but, man it would be nice to have more, but i guess thats everything in life!. the boys with the most toys......or something like that

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Pete Wolla
Film Handler

Posts: 71
From: Tioga, ND, USA
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 03-28-2004 06:51 AM

My search for platter covers brought up this thread.I was playing mystic river to the top platter last night . The print was recieved with lots of dirt on i cleaned a lot of it by hand ( don't have a media cleaner)when I built it .any way I was thinking how to keep the dust off it on the top platter so I made a cover out of two posters taped together covers it up on the platter. Hope fully it won't get anymore dirt on it. A question about the sound of Mystic River some patrons said some of the dialog was hard to understand . I didn't really notice that when i watched it . i'm thinking it it may be the Boston accent . As never had complaints about other movies. any thoughts thanks

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