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Author Topic: Is anyone else missing their prints? James R. Hammonds, Jr Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 931 From: Houston, TX, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 02-20-2003 10:43 PM                     I came in today to see that LIFE OF DAVID GALE had arrived, but not OLD SCHOOL or DARK BLUE. Called TES to inquire and was told that they would look into it and get back to me. This was at 2:30 PM Called back an hour later and was told something about a truck not making it out on time and all the prints coming out of Dallas were being delayed. We were told that they would call us when they knew something. I called back at around 7 PM and was told that they still had no idea whene we would get our prints and they'd call us when they knew. I went into the office and found faxes from TES explaining that due to "unforseen circumstances" that these prints as well as theatres expecting prints of A GUY THING will not be recieving them in their normal window. The fax said that the prints are on their way to the local Airborne Express station, but are not expected to deliver until late tonight or early tomorrow. Does anyone know who else this would affect other than Houston?  |  IP: Logged Nicholas Roznovsky Expert Film Handler Posts: 156 From: College Station, TX, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 02-20-2003 11:23 PM                        This effected our Lake Jackson theater, which is about 45 minutes south of Houston. The manager there called and got the same lame story from TES and was told to expect their prints between 9 and 10 tomorrow morning. I guess it's a good thing that theater doesn't open until noon. It did not effect our Waco location. They received their prints as scheduled. Looks like the ol' Dallas-Houston driver got lost somewhere on I-45. Another quality round of service from the friendly folks at Technicolor. (I choose not to blame Airborne, just because I hate Technicolor and I know it's their fault somehow.)  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 02-21-2003 12:42 AM                     It was the result of an overturned 18 wheeler full of prints. Some 300+ prints killing theaters in 3 states. ...and why exactly was it that TES is not allowed to set delivery dates for Wednesday again? I know damn good and well that *most* prints are ready in time for a Wednesday delivery and that whole "it prevents bootlegging" is just an assinine excuse. If someone is going to bootleg the movie on a Wednesday, they will most certainly do it on a Thursday just as easily. Really now...WHY??? WHAT IS WRONG WITH WEDNESDAY DELIVERIES???!!!  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 02-21-2003 12:51 AM                     I'm not sure if its related or not but here in Wisconsin our prints came in at the very end of our delivery window. I was just about to call when they arrived. Oh, and we got David Gale on Wednesday.  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 02-21-2003 01:20 AM                        I can only think of three prints in the last 10 years that weren't available for my Tuesday morning (self) pickup.  |  IP: Logged Nicholas Roznovsky Expert Film Handler Posts: 156 From: College Station, TX, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 02-21-2003 01:54 AM                        A Wednesday delivery? My God man! That would be in the best interest of the exhibitor! Therefore, it's TES's lowest priorty. I miss Wednesday deliveries. It made life so much easier. By far the worst experience I've had with a delivery was my two prints of The Phantom Menace . They both showed up at 11:35 p.m. - a scant 26 minutes before we were supposed to show them to sold-out houses. (It was Fox, so it wasn't TES's fault - at least far as I can tell ) That was a quick build-up. Just remember to have your orange cans ready Friday morning or the Airborne Express guy has orders to beat you!  |  IP: Logged Josh Kirkhart Expert Film Handler Posts: 165 From: Austin/Houston, TX, USA Registered: Nov 2001 posted 02-21-2003 02:08 AM                     Add me to the list. No Life of David Gale, Dark Blue, or Old School. They say I'll have em' tommorow at 10am like Houston. It really messes with the sleep structure. But that whale of a print 'Gods and Generals' arrived in those damn Fox boxes.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 02-21-2003 03:05 AM                     That's another interesting story. Apparently Warner Brothers felt theaters would have a hard time keeping track of 4 cans to a print and that sending the Gods print in 2 boxes would be easier to keep track of. All I know is that not too many booth stairways are wide enough to carry a balanced load of both boxes (one in each hand), not too many people would want to carry 4 hours worth of film in their hands at one time, and carrying one box at a time puts quite a bit of stress on your back. Awwwww to hell with the theater people, right? When are we going to see those wonderful lightweight, non-shedding and extremely durable PLASTIC cans in widespread use???  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 02-21-2003 03:16 AM                        I hate those boxes! The theater I work for refuses to buy a dolly and I had to carry 4 of those damn boxes all the way from our front door up and around our spiraling staircase up into the booth, one at a time. Carrying two at a time for any decent distance is impossible unless you are a lot stronger than I am. I lifted each box from the bottom and used both arms, so there certainly was no stress on my back. Those handles they include are 100% useless!  |  IP: Logged Gracia L. Babbidge Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 709 From: Bowdoin, Maine Registered: Aug 2000 posted 02-21-2003 03:40 AM                        I agree that those boxes blow! I get very disgruntled when I see a prints arriving in those blasted things. But I don't think that the handle on them is 100% useless. I used the handles when I dragged the boxes containing Gods & Generals (one at a time), from where I set them down after lugging them upstairs, over to the rewind benches. That was after taking a few minutes to sit down and just relax after the exertion of bringing the print upstairs! If I remember it correctly, one should not lift and move anything alone that is more than a third of one's weight.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 02-21-2003 04:03 AM                     Most places I think have a 50 pound weight restriction, which I'm betting those are 50+. Joe, next time take the manager's cushy office chair and throw the prints in them, then roll the chair across the lobby.  |  IP: Logged Don Bruechert Mmmmmmmmm, bird! Posts: 340 From: Manitowoc, WI, USA Registered: Jan 2003 posted 02-21-2003 08:58 AM                        Here's one for you guys - based on the comment of having the orange cans ready for Friday morning pickup. Half to 3/4 of the time they don'tick those prints up for days or even weeks. They sit down in the lobby like we are some big warehouse or something. So I convinced the owner to tell them all that if we didn't have specific instructions otherwise, we weren't tearing down our prints until Friday. They went for it, and so far we haven't had one request for an early pickup. It saves the theatre money when we can tear down during our regular shift, we get to go home on time Thursday nights, and it removes the biggest reason why no one was removing the old splice tape and using new when putting the heads and tails back on - everyone was in a big-ass hurry to get home because we all have to get up at 600 for our day jobs. Now there is time to do it right!  |  IP: Logged Paul Konen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 981 From: Frisco, TX. (North of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-21-2003 09:03 AM                     And then TES calls about 10:30 pm stating that the prints will arrive. One at 8:40 and the other at 9:00. Comes to be about 1:30 am and guess what? There here already ! Nothing like setting far out expectations and then expecting you to feel good about them when they beat it. Yeah Right. I agree with Brad ! Wednesday all the way ! Long time ago received our ETS prints on Wed but that soon stopped.  |  IP: Logged Andrew Duggan Expert Film Handler Posts: 127 From: Albany, NY, USA Registered: Jun 2002 posted 02-21-2003 09:36 AM                        We also got our print of "Life of David Gale" delivered Wednesday. Fairly early in the day as well. Shocking.  |  IP: Logged Nicholas Roznovsky Expert Film Handler Posts: 156 From: College Station, TX, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 02-21-2003 09:42 AM                        Hmm, Technicolor must cut you guys up north some slack. All I know is that if I don't have my orange cans ready for pick-up by noon on Friday, I'll get a nasty call from TES later on that afternoon, as if I'm trying to steal the Holy Grail or something.  |  IP: Logged

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