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Topic: Northern California Earthquake

John Pytlak
Film God

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

posted 09-05-2000 11:11 AM

How did Film-Tech Forum members from Northern California fare in this weekend's earthquake? Hope you and your theatres had little damage or disruption.

BTW, does anyone have any good "earthquake" stories regarding theatres? Do you take any special precautions in "shaky" territory?

Someone once showed me some photos of a projector and platter that had toppled, saying it was caused by a film jam with polyester film. Of course they really were taken after an earthquake. (But tension-sensing failsafes are still a good idea).

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John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment 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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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 09-05-2000 11:39 AM

I just can't help myself here.....I just keep thinking of Peter Sellers holding the projector down everytime the train went past the theater in "The Smallest Show On Earth".
Mark

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Kevin Crawford
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 207
From: Sacramento, CA, USA
Registered: May 2000

posted 09-05-2000 11:48 AM

I didn't even know there was an earthquake until I read it in the paper.

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Rory Burke
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 181
From: Burbank, CA, USA
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 09-05-2000 12:10 PM

Last June while in Mexico city, I got hit at around 4:00pm by the 7.1 "Puebla" tremblor. Being a seasoned Earthquake vet living here in Calif for over 22 years now (Loma Prieta, Yucca valley, Northridge earthquakes etc etc) nothing compared to an eathquake in Mexico city. Something about the ground moving under you while it is technically almost a mile high to begin with I.m sure different phenomenons are present than the kind we get in Calif....The theater I was to service was in no condition shortly following the shake.
The theater was in the epicenter, the city of Puebla, located 2 hours south of the capital in a beautiful Colonial stone building. The structure suffered much damage...the projection booth was remenicent of Hiroshima.
Projectors moved over 3 feet + from their spots. Sound racks toppled over, surround speakers fell off the walls and yes even a front channel set fell through the screen off the baffle wall. Most damage was structural in nature though and it took the theater 3 weeks to get shows back on the screens.

IT would take more in Calif i think to yeild results like these. Construction is far superior and earthquake concious in the states. There was something really scary about hearing the stone crack off the walls of the buildings and hear and see them fall to the ground. And the funny thing....no after shocks either...that was the first for me...... Thank God for safety standards.

Rory

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Aaron Sisemore
Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day!

Posts: 3061
From: Rockwall TX USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 09-05-2000 10:30 PM

I was standing in the living room when the quake hit, all it did was shake the house a bit for about 5 seconds.

I know that there are a couple of single screen theatres in San Francisco (The Coliseum, for one) that had closed permanently after the Loma Prieta quake as there was too much structural damage to safely open the place... It has sat there closed since.

Aaron

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Scott D. Neff
Theatre Dork

Posts: 919
From: San Francisco, CA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 09-06-2000 06:44 AM

I was at this very computer when the quake hit.

Our theatres were unaffected to the best of my knowledge, although they're fairly far from the epicenter...

I wonder how the Uptown 4 in Napa (nearest to the Epicenter) faired? Is it even still in business? I'm sure the Cinedome was fine.

And more about the Coliseum in San Francisco - it's my understanding the UA still owns the building and the property, and just keeps it closed because the costs are too much to retrofit for earthquake safety.

And didn't the FOX Oakland close because of the 1989 quake? I've never seen or heard of any MAJOR damage from the quakes outside of structural damage from old or poorly designed construction. Never really heard about toppled projectors or the like.

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Scott D. Neff
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www.cinema-west.com

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Ky Boyd
Hey I'm #23

Posts: 314
From: Santa Rosa, CA, USA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 09-06-2000 03:32 PM

Scott,

Didn't UA sell the Coliseum to some community group in SF a while back? I know the Coronet was sold the Goldman Institute on Aging. If they didn't sell the Col they should - I'm sure they could use the money.

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Scott D. Neff
Theatre Dork

Posts: 919
From: San Francisco, CA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 09-07-2000 02:42 AM

I'm not sure about the Coliseum sale.

Two years ago one of my former managers was working for UA and was under the impression that it was still owned by them. He even made comment that the DM for UA (who might not be a VIP PDQ :0) err... anyway... said whenever a new DM was appointed... they were supposed to inspect the Col along with the other theatres in their territory.

But I'm sure he could be wrong.

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Scott D. Neff
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www.cinema-west.com

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