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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Ground Level   » The "2wenty" becomes the "Firstlook" (Page 1)

 
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Author Topic: The "2wenty" becomes the "Firstlook"
Cory Isemann
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 500
From: White Plains, MD, USA
Registered: Jun 2004


 - posted 01-06-2006 11:08 AM      Profile for Cory Isemann   Author's Homepage   Email Cory Isemann   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Has anyone noticed the change?

WOOP DE FREAKIN DOO!!

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Paul Linfesty
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1383
From: Bakersfield, CA, USA
Registered: Nov 1999


 - posted 01-06-2006 12:05 PM      Profile for Paul Linfesty   Email Paul Linfesty   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Well I have noticed that this 20 minute pre-show balance has been shifting more and more towards outright commercials rather than "infomercials" as originally promised.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 01-06-2006 12:25 PM      Profile for Mike Blakesley   Author's Homepage   Email Mike Blakesley   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
It's probably so they don't have to stick to the 20 minute limit. "The 3hirty" doesn't have quite the same ring.

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Cory Isemann
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 500
From: White Plains, MD, USA
Registered: Jun 2004


 - posted 01-06-2006 12:38 PM      Profile for Cory Isemann   Author's Homepage   Email Cory Isemann   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Mike Blakesley
"The 3hirty" doesn't have quite the same ring
Haha [Smile]

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Jesse Skeen
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1517
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Aug 2000


 - posted 01-06-2006 12:39 PM      Profile for Jesse Skeen   Email Jesse Skeen   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I assume the increased ad revenue will result in lower ticket prices? [Smile]

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 01-06-2006 12:44 PM      Profile for Scott Norwood   Author's Homepage   Email Scott Norwood   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I saw the "new and improved" AMC version last week and am at a loss as to why anyone would want to advertise on it. The picture quality is [bs] and often doesn't synchronize properly with the soundtrack. The show that I saw had a mix of 16x9 video material and 4x3 video material, all presented in 16x9 (i.e. in some shots, people would look stretched out and fat--like showing a flat print with a scope lens).

Do they have no quality control at all? (Wait...don't answer that.)

If they are going to show ads, they should at least have minimal technical standards for them.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99


 - posted 01-06-2006 01:01 PM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
What I am still in amazement at is the fact that these boneheads can't figure out how to make their show END at the same time. The 2wenty is sometimes 19 minutes, sometimes 23 minutes, yet it always starts 2wenty minutes before the advertised showtime. MORONS!!!

It's a good thing I'm not working at a theater with this stupid thing. I would set the timers to start precisely on the advertised showtime and that's that!

I can hardly wait for the 4ourty! [Big Grin]

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Evans A Criswell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1579
From: Huntsville, AL, USA
Registered: Mar 2000


 - posted 01-06-2006 01:54 PM      Profile for Evans A Criswell   Author's Homepage   Email Evans A Criswell   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I don't care what they call that thing any more -- it's the main reason I dislike going to the local Regal Hollywood 18. I like the slides with music softly playing in the background much better, or nothing at all. There's no real reason to get to a theatre early any more. I find the sound loud and "harsh" and irritating compared to the movie sound. I'm sure it's a matter of time before it'll be in every theatre.

My movie attendances are down to 8 this year from 20 last year (compared to 80 in 1998). Way to go! If this obnoxious advertising trend continues, maybe I'll just wait for DVDs every time. Of the 8 times I went to theatres this year, only one of those was going alone.

I was an avid movie-goer and have been driven away for the most part. If they'd taken all that money they spent on digital projectors for ads and spent it on maintenance of the projector and sound equipment, things night have been different. It's obvious to me that the theatre companies care very little about getting a good image on th screen and having good sound any more.

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Cory Isemann
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 500
From: White Plains, MD, USA
Registered: Jun 2004


 - posted 01-06-2006 02:22 PM      Profile for Cory Isemann   Author's Homepage   Email Cory Isemann   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Brad Miller
The 2wenty is sometimes 19 minutes, sometimes 23 minutes, yet it always starts 2wenty minutes before the advertised showtime.
I noticed this early on when the program first rolled out. I was told that, depending on what ran at the end, would be the 'virtual' start time.

Example: since we don't show rolling stock anymore, the coke ads and PSAs or whatnot run at the end of the "firstlook", into when the 35mm would be started. Theoretically the total run times would equal that of if you were showing all rolling stock / policy on 35mm.

Did any of that make sense?

It's still a pain in the ass though.

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Eric Hooper
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 532
From: Fort Worth, TX, USA
Registered: May 2003


 - posted 01-06-2006 02:37 PM      Profile for Eric Hooper   Email Eric Hooper   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Evans,

Good for you! [beer]

What everyone else here should realize is that this is also becoming the views of the general public, too.

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Adam Wilbert
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 590
From: Bellingham, WA, USA
Registered: Mar 2002


 - posted 01-06-2006 02:43 PM      Profile for Adam Wilbert   Author's Homepage   Email Adam Wilbert   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I saw Syriana last weekend at a Regal and was treated (punished?) to the first three ads three times in a row.

Kernals of the Carribean
Shelby's Grocery Regal Platinum Mastercard ad
The "who wants popcorn" movie points rewards club ad
Kernals of the Carribean
Shelby's Grocery Regal Platinum Mastercard ad
The "who wants popcorn" movie points rewards club ad
* a preview of the firstlook features coming up to break the pace *
Kernals of the Carribean
Shelby's Grocery Regal Platinum Mastercard ad
The "who wants popcorn" movie points rewards club ad

It was awful. I don't remember that happening on the 2wenty.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99


 - posted 01-06-2006 05:02 PM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Adam Wilbert
I saw Syriana last weekend at a Regal and was treated (punished?) to the first three ads three times in a row.
It worked, you remembered the ads! [Big Grin]

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Mark J. Marshall
Film God

Posts: 3188
From: New Castle, DE, USA
Registered: Aug 2002


 - posted 01-06-2006 05:20 PM      Profile for Mark J. Marshall     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Ours end at exactly the scheduled start time... One way or the other.

We have the "upgraded" stuff now. The projectors are the same. Looks like they just added two small servers to the rack. The picture looks *SLIGHTLY* better than the old system, but it still looks like crap in the front ten rows or so. I don't think anyone noticed that it got better, or cares that it still sucks.

I hear people talk about the new system as "the high-definition upgrade".
[Roll Eyes]

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Mike Olpin
Chop Chop!

Posts: 1852
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Jan 2002


 - posted 01-06-2006 08:55 PM      Profile for Mike Olpin   Email Mike Olpin   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The content varies from rating to rating, and therefore so does the start time. Most DCN clients are synced to the same time on a regular basis. Generaly it runs like this:

Ads
Ads
Ads
---START TIME---
Coke- 2 ads
First Look/2wenty Recap
Policy trailer
Digital Trailers
PSAs
Cell Phone Reminder
---35MM START---

For the Last few weeks, we have been running a digital trailer for "Wedding Crashers: uncorked in theatres ONE NIGHT ONLY!". The trailer was about 2 minutes long and only programed on PG13 and R rated films. Because the DCN clients are all on the same watch, this causes the PG13 and R rated preshows to end two minutes later than G and PG rated ones.

The only major difference between First Look and the 2wenty is that first look goes out to Regal, AMC, and Cinemark. The 2wenty was exclusive only to Regal.

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Robert E. Allen
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1078
From: Checotah, Oklahoma
Registered: Jul 2002


 - posted 01-07-2006 12:17 AM      Profile for Robert E. Allen   Email Robert E. Allen   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
When I was with Regal last year I learned they grossed about $8 million annually on the pre-show ads and are not about to drop it regardless of the complaints.

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