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Topic: Brockovich thumps

Mike Hurley
Film Handler

Posts: 7
From: belfast maine
Registered: Feb 2000

posted 03-17-2000 06:52 PM

Anyone else having opening night sound problems with Ms. Erin B's new movie. We're thumping away!

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Tyler Skinner
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 115
From: Pa
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 03-17-2000 06:59 PM

If you are using Base extendors turn them off, We got a Memo from the Studios stating that if we don't have Digital Houses we are not to play this under any circumstances and if we use Base Extendors to turn them off because it will effect the Dialogue. They also wanted all our techs to perform A- and B- chain alignments on our houses that we show this.

Anyone else get this?

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Nic Margherio
Film Handler

Posts: 91
From: St. Louis MO, USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 03-18-2000 01:22 AM

Yes, see my post "SDDS and the 8-Channel difference, er, joke."

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Erika Hellgren
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 168
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-18-2000 01:33 AM

I thought the memo that came with that print was the best one I've seen. The guy who wrote it obviously had a clue what the hell he was talking about. I also enjoyed his comments about "little old ladies with umbrellas".

Even if the movie itself is a dud, I really appreciate it when moviemakers take the time write memos like that, and I get a feeling of pride when showing those prints.

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John Wilson
Film God

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

posted 03-18-2000 01:39 AM

A dud? Do you mean business wise or story wise? This was supposed to top Pretty Woman's box office. It doesn't look too bad in the trailer.

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Tom Ferreira
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 203
From: Conway, NH, USA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-18-2000 05:11 AM

Thanks for posting this-I thought I had blown a speaker. Someone complained about the thumping, and I was frantically trying to make adjustments. I watched the film, and didn't really find it that much of a distraction.

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Mike Hurley
Film Handler

Posts: 7
From: belfast maine
Registered: Feb 2000

posted 03-18-2000 06:15 PM

We had two reels sent in 3 and 6 and so far the thump is gone so it seems to have been bad reels.. we could not adjust it out in any fashion.

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Erika Hellgren
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 168
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-19-2000 04:01 AM

John, I meant a dud as far as content. Even if the movie sucks, I'll still feel good about running the movie because the director (or whoever) gave a shit about how it was projected.

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-20-2000 01:36 PM

I suggest you have a bad reels. I've seen this before and our print of Erin Brockovitch had a bad reel, too. We replaced the reel and everything's fine.

We also had this problem with Ninth Gate.

I believe it's because of poor processing. Mr. Pytlak said it's because of an improperly applied redeveloping agent that they use on the soundtrack. The long and the short of it is that it's bad film. Replace it. Technicolor usually gives us little trouble when we call for replacements due to lab errors. If you are "firm but polite" when you call you can even have the new reel(s) sent by courier so they'll be there by the next afternoon.

It's happened to us so many times that we hear the noise and immediately call for replacement. (9 times out of 10, Technicolor made the print.)

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 03-20-2000 02:32 PM

If it is a problem with the soundtrack application, the distributor will usually replace the print. Soundtrack application involves precisely applying a narrow bead of a viscous, caustic soundtrack developer over the analog soundtrack during processing, at up to almost a thousand feet per minute, and then after the silver has redeveloped, washing it off without staining the picture area. The proposed cyan dye tracks will eliminate soundtrack application and the problems that can happen occasionally.

For more information on cyan dye analog soundtracks, which will begin to be implemented in January 2001., see the Kodak web site:
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/support/sound/index.shtml

Red LED analog sound readers are required for Cyan Dye soundtracks. Using tungsten "white light" readers with cyan dye tracks will produce unacceptably low output and high noise level.

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Professional Motion Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com

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