It's 11:00 AM and I have been here since 8:30 AM. I have built up Rosetta, I have torn down All About My Mother. I am waiting for The Cup.

The booker's assistant called and told me that they had lost the print. Then he called me and told me that they found the print and that the ETA was 1:00 PM. Our first show time is 1:00 PM. We have unusually short intermission times in that house this week.

Needless to say I am all wound up. I have never called in to work sick and I have never missed a show because the print was late. I don't want to start now.

Have you all missed a show because a print was late? What did you do? What did you do for your audience? I am thinking of giving everybody that shows up a pass to see the film later and then deducting the full ticket cost from our film rental.

I am sick and tired of films arriving late. I know I work for an art house but that means I should get my prints early for screenings and such. I want to change my play dates to Thursday through Saturday, but I know that that will not fly.

I want to back charge the distributors the costs associated with late print arrival. Do you think I can get away with it?

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I want it all, and I want it buttered!

The print came from Pacific Place 11 in Seattle, WA. It is in good shape. On the plus side, they spliced the head and the tail. The reels were in order and well marked. On the minus side, They use white splicing tape and they didn't tape the reel securly.

We are good to go and will not have to give out passes.

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I think it depends on the amount of crowd you are having for the movie to vary on what you do. Obviously, most people don't want to foot the bill for a sold out show. Its kind of a gray area, but yes, some sort of restitution should be paid to an audience.

Its definitley much better PR for the manager to be doing the apologizing, instead of uniformed staff member.

But, yup, its the art movies that are usually late.

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If ya smell, what the Zach is cooking.

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I was tired and went home, knowing I can build up in 20 minutes, no problem.

BIG PROBLEM. I should have checked it, I know I am a dumbass for not checking it. I came in one hour before first show and began to assemble it, when i realized the bad news... EVERY SINGLE REEL HAD THE HEADS AND TAILS ATTACHED TO ALL THE WRONG PLACES... No joke, they were all at the wrong reels and not even at the right ends of them. four of the reels were cut in the wrong places, off by about 300 feet on each of them, because they didnt mark the joints and didnt take the time to go looking for them.

had to cancel first show, and had 53 extremely pissed off customers who went next door to go see it.

Took three hours but I got it up for the second show. The DTS disks didnt even come either.

HERES WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY IT HAPPENED....

There werent any prints to get to me in advance as it was still running in the full pricers... so a theater had to break it down and then technicolor had to transport it to me. The previous theater decided to do a crap job and "let the next guy deal with it". I found out who had it last... and loe and behold.. the shocking news... IT WAS OUR COMPANIES FULL PRICE THEATER IN THE SAME DAMN TOWN!!! The poor schmuck was me and the jackass that did this has noooo idea the pain and torture that is coming his way.. I am not going to fire him... i will run him through one of my simplex tanks!

When i ran it through the film guard... THE MUD, THE UNHOLY MUD that came off. Good god that print was dirty, and I counted 27, that 27 splices NOT at the joints in this print. What the hell are they doing out there? I havent had a static or brain wrap in six months!!!!