|  IP: Logged

 |  IP: Logged

We refuse to spend extra time and expense breaking down a print because Technicolor screwed up. They have to deliver the print elsewhere?? Not our problem. We tend to experience these little demands occasionally, being a small independent, but I have found that by being insistent that we are keeping the print, they go bug someone else. On the other hand, if you're an easy mark........

I am fortunate to be backed up on this by our Managing Director and owners. I realize that may not always be the case elsewhere, but it should be.

Josh

 |  IP: Logged

Actually, Technicolor has been fairly good about that to us, and we have not had any problem with them as we did in the past.

quote:

---

We tell them what time the print will be ready for pickup. If they come early, they just simply wait until the appointed time.

---

There was an old episode of Star Trek where Scotty tells someone something to the effect of "You didn't tell the captain exactly how long it would take, did you? Jeeze. Then how do you ever expect him to think you're a miracle worker when you can't finish early?!"

In Arizona, we regularly had promotion pre screenings. About one a week was normal. The revenue that they generated by filling up our large auditiorium on a tuesday or wednesday(which would have otherwise only been at about 20% capacity) more than made up for the extra man hours required to build up and break down the screener print. Not to mention the positive word of mouth that was generated around town for when the movie went wide. (A free movie always generates positive feedback, even for Fredie Got Fingered! ) The best part about getting a new release print for the regular opening, is getting paid to screen the same film again. (except for Fredie Got Fingered ).

Anyway, I have no problem circuiting prints. I know the headaches of not getting a print untill friday morning or afternoon because another theater wouldn't share theirs.

I had to shovel that print together at warp speed to make my showtime. Meanwhile, I was running 9 other movies at the same time.

Now, THAT was a wild day! But, I still hit my schedules perfect without any print damage to the warp speed build-up! Damned the torpedos - full speed ahead!

Anyway, I don't blame Technicolor.....they did their best to get me the print as soon as they could. As a matter of fact, I thank Technicolor for doing their best!

This brings a chuckle when I showed Josh a little off-the-wall trick (even Brad would puke at if he saw it) at the Fargo Theatre in Fargo, North Dakota. Josh had a dismayed look on his face, and said, "How dare you".....

Josh, I thought you were going to throw me out of your booth. But you didn't. Probably because I was your ride home in the single-digit temperatures in your North Dakota Ice Cube. Jeeze, that was a cold night....

Adam, get off your butt and send a picture of yourself to Brad for posting. If you don't, I'll skin your backside! That's an order!

ps: if you don't have a digi camera, I'll take your picture and send it to Brad.

Just this past week, we didn't receive our Blade 2 print until AFTER the first scheduled show. ... wait, that wasn't technicolor though, that was from ETS. I've actually never had a problem with technicolor and find that their 24/7 phone number really helpful. I just wish their marketing services was also 24/7.

Arthur, my reply was directed more towards John T. and Paul T.

-adam

Adam- Just wait awhile! Your time will come.

Getting back to TES, I will give credit where credit is due. As of the last several months to a year I have actually had few problems. Whoever is in charge has finally taught the ladies who answer the phone not to be rude, and over this last year calling in to TES has been quite pleasurable. VERY friendly folks there now answering the phones and my requests were taken care of in a zippy manner.

Here is my list of current problems with TES (for those interested)...

*Someone needs to explain to the people putting the reels together that at least one of the drive holes in the core MUST be lined up with one of the drive holes in the reel. I mean really, is this that hard? When the reels are assembled incorrectly, I have to disassemble them and reassemble them properly, which is just adding unnecessary wear to the life of the reels. Those extra couple of seconds would far more than pay off with respect to the cost of replacing reel flanges.

*Someone also needs to explain that there is a certain way the paper reel bands should be applied. As there are many things that greatly annoy me in regards to the reel bands, I have broken them down further:

#1 The bands need to be placed on the reels in the same direction of the film when it unwinds. How annoying!

#2 The label that tells the movie title and reel number should NEVER EVER be placed over the string catch UNDER PENALTY OF DEATH!!! My solution is to rip those bands off and promptly throw them in the trash, mutilating them as much as is humanly possible whenever I see that.

#3 The label I was speaking of above needs to go on the proper side of the reel band. STOP LOADING THE BANDS ON THE REELS BACKWARDS! How can we possibly be expected to use the reel bands when the string catch is underneath the band?

#4 When a string breaks during mounting and is no longer long enough to wrap fully around the reel, GET ANOTHER ONE! Using tape to secure a reel band is incredibly stupid. If I have to use tape, why not just tape the leader down and forget about the band? (And as for that one guy who keeps cutting the strings off 2 inches away from the catch and using the label to hold everything together, this guy needs to be fired without consideration for re-employment.)

#5 The sticker goes about 2 inches away from the string catch where the printed "SUBJECT" is on the reel band. This allows the projectionists to roll up the bands around the head leader and stuff them into the reels so that the reel numbers may be easily identififed. Placing them here also guarantees that the label will always be there in the future (unlike putting it over the string catch!!!)

*Stop using broken reels on new prints! AAAAAAAAAAARGH! This is just inexcusable.

*Get rid of the latest translucent clip together reel design. It is a joke and it sucks very much. Go to the clip together reel that ETS is using please. They actually stay together, there is always a drive pin hole available when using film mounted on the older cores and the flanges are not warped.

Now what kind of a pattern is there to all of this? Simple. TES' problem nowadays lies within the boneheads running the mounting/packing floor. With the exception of the choice of reel design, EVERY significant gripe currently is being caused by careless people mounting the cores of film onto the reels and packaging them into the cans.

Where is Brad Carroll anyway? Come on guy, I know you read these forums and you've managed to get most of the other problems taken care of. It's time to hit the packing floor and straighten them out.