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Topic: Will green band-cutting be allowed to continue?

Jesse Skeen
Phenomenal Film Handler

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

posted 01-06-2001 06:56 AM

Has anyone else working for a theater that cuts green bands heard anything about no longer being allowed to do that? I REALLY do not like cutting them off for aesthetic reasons (mainly the beginning of the soundtrack also gets cut off) and was going to write a well-worded letter to someone at the company regarding this, but I'm hoping now I won't have to do that (don't want to bug them) if the studios are going to stop the practice.

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John Walsh
Film God

Posts: 2490
From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 01-06-2001 08:12 AM

How theaters present a show is up to each theater. There is no "law" about about keeping the rating, or putting on "R" rated trailers on "G" rated features, or whether to allow in underage kids to a "R" film, etc. The theaters have been "self-policing" themselves to avoid the government stepping in and doing it for them.

However, some recent trailers have gone beyond what some people feel is acceptable, and the goverment has begun to think about regulation.

A theater that really tries to "self-police" themselves and keep within generally acceptable guidelines helps the industry as a whole. No one want to have regualtions forced on them.

I feel you are right: cutting off the ratings (while a minor issue) is poor practise, and is another step towards screwing up the industry for the rest of us by justifing the goverment stepping in.

An old joke:
Q: What is the scariest thing you can ever hear?

A: I'm from the goverment, and I'm here to help you.

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 01-06-2001 08:48 AM

The rating bands were put on the preview for a reason. And they should remain on the preview for the same reason. I am opposed to cutting them off. It strikes me as a "cheap shot" by the theater chains and owners if the rating band is removed.

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Randy Stankey
Film God

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

posted 01-06-2001 10:01 AM

I've always thotught that IF you are going to cut off the bands, you should have a strip and the beginning of your program that says sometning like, "All previews are approved for XXX audiences." (XXX being the rating for that particular audience... "R-Rated" or "G-Rated, etc.)

THEN the theatre should make a policy to check trailers before showing them and stick to it.

I don't see why places like Filmmack couldn't sell that kind of a film strip. It wouldn't be all that expensive.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-06-2001 12:20 PM

This topic has been rehashed several times
For our Canadian projectionist members remember that in at least Ontario it is an offense to show the MPPA rateings as they are usually in conflict with the Provincial Film Review Board rateings

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 01-06-2001 07:06 PM

Gordon, I didn't know that. Thanks for the info.

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John Walsh
Film God

Posts: 2490
From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 01-06-2001 10:46 PM

Gordon;

How do the patrons know what the trailers are rated? Do they post a sheet in the lobby, or do operators have to put on a Provincial Film Review Board rating snipe in front of the trailers?

And, what about the rating that is placed at the end of American films? Does it also have to be removed?

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William Dickson
Film Handler

Posts: 41
From: Riverside, Ca. USA
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 01-07-2001 11:46 AM

The way I got our chain to change the policy to allow green bands to remain on was to put a series of trailers on a film where the sound started in the green band and when the vice president of ops. visited I had him watch the trailer bundle. The next day the policy changed.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-07-2001 01:04 PM

The film review board issues what are called censor bands for all trailors and features
You cannot put trailors of a higher clasification on than the print
Only poster have stickers attached with the rateings
The MPP at the end of the feature cannot be shown

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Jesse Skeen
Phenomenal Film Handler

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

posted 01-08-2001 04:40 AM

By the word "allowed" I didn't mean by the government, but if the studios will be doing something themselves to discourage the practice. To me it constitutes altering a film for presentation, and as far as I know theaters aren't "allowed" to cut parts out of movies they don't like. With studios making a bigger deal out of the ratings than they used to, it seems they are going to want green bands shown since they often indicate the rating of the film advertised and have been adding the reasons for the rating as well.
The "Miss Congeniality" trailer is the best example I have right now of looking sloppy with the green band cut off. Not only does the sound start immediately, but there is NO black space in between the green band and the first frame of action, so I had to splice it literally on that first frame. I saved an unused copy of this trailer to show some people from the company the next time they come to visit.
BTW if you don't mind me asking, what chain did you get to change the policy? I know of three US chains that have had this policy, plus I've seen it done other places by people who weren't sure whether or not the green bands were part of the preview.

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Carl King
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 199
From: Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 01-08-2001 09:27 AM

Here in New Brunswick, Gordon, there are also carboard bands that are wrapped around each reel with the rating from the Maritime Film Classification Board. These by law must accompany each reel of film or trailer. In actual practice this seldom happens. Trailers almost never have the bands with them and the prints usually don't either. Quite often the bands arrive days or even weeks later.

Regarding the green rating section on trailers and prints: They are American and do not apply in New Brunswick so as often as I can I cut them out and trash them. I always do this on trailers and very often do it on prints.

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William Dickson
Film Handler

Posts: 41
From: Riverside, Ca. USA
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 01-08-2001 12:30 PM

Jesse,
If your question about getting the policy changed was directed to me, the company is called UltraStar Theaters. It is a fairly new company which helped make it easier to get the policy changed since I can actually talk to the owners and V.P. of Operations.

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Kevin Crawford
Expert Film Handler

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

posted 01-10-2001 09:45 PM

Jesse, for your own sake don't write a letter.

Remember the problems that arose a few years ago, about certain things that were not delivered to the theatre. As I recall, it was asked if the company would fire you. They did not, because what you did was not controlable by the company.

Remember, "Be careful of the toes you step on today. For they may be attached to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow."

I do agree that cutting the bands off looks like crap and promotes bad presentation. But don't lose your job over it.

Besides, your theatre will probably be owned by another company soon. And they don't remove the green bands.

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John Pytlak
Film God

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

posted 01-12-2001 09:20 AM

IMHO, the MPAA rating tags should be left on for US theatres. One compromise would be to shorten the tags to only a few seconds on the screen, but in no case should any modulated soundtrack be cut off the head end of a trailer.

------------------
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 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com

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Ian Price
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1714
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-15-2003 04:15 PM

Bump for William Leland III in regards to his Green Band question posed in the THX Trailer Placement thread.

[ 01-15-2003, 06:20 PM: Message edited by: Ian Price ]

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