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This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3
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Author
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Topic: Theatre Staff projectionist Sucks!
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Claude S. Ayakawa
Film God
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Posts: 2738
From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 08-12-2002 02:26 AM
I was looking forward to "SIGNS" since I first heard of the movie and saw the trailer for the first time and made up my mind to see it in the best theatre when it opens in Hawaii. I opened here two weeks ago with the rest of the nation and my favorite theatre, the Waikiki Twins was one of the venues playing the movie. For those of you who are not familiar with the Waikiki Twins, each of the two auditorium can accommodate a little under a thousand people and they both have a 60 foot screen. The two auditoriums are capable of playing films in 35mm and 70mm and it was a pleasure to see a lot of large format films in these houses. Theatre #1 is only set up with SDDS-8 with a Dolby EX unit and Theatre #2 has both SRD and SDDS-8 with Dolby EX. Both of the auditoriums features John Allen's top of the line XL class HPS-4000 sound systems and they are awesome.Until recently Consolidated Theatres (Pacific) had two professional projectionist working at the theatres including Film Tech member Chris Siu but I just learned from my friend Alan Sakaida, Pacific's sight and sound head technician that the Twins now have management personal in the booth running the show at all times. The presentations at the WAikiki has always been flawless until today. The pre show advertisments and the analogue poicy trailer sounded flat with no surround but I had no problem with that but I was shocked when the SDDS digital sound and all of the movie trailers with digital tracks also played with no sound coming from the surround speakers. I immediately complained but nothing was done with the surround sound until the movie was half over. What little I heard when the surrounds featuring Dolby EX kicked in sounded great especially when the alien (s) was breaking into the house. I stayed to watch the trailers and the first 15 minutes of "SIGNS" again at the next show and the presentation this time was flawless and everything sounded great! It was unfortunate that my timing was bad and I had to sit through a sub standard performance because an unskilled person was in the booth It is very sad to see a wonderful theatre fall victim to cooperate greed and play their films in a unprofessional manner. If this trand continues, I think I will upgrade my picture and sound and watch all my movies at home. When I do, it will include a 16 X 9 High definition projection screen and the best sound system featuring both Dolby EX and DTS ES. I have a great system now but if I plan to see all of my movies at home instead of a theatre, I want to get the best equipment I can afford. -Claude
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Antonio Marcheselli
Phenomenal Film Handler
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Posts: 1260
From: Florence, Italy
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 08-12-2002 05:53 AM
Claude,Your story is sad, but it is what's happen every time I go to the theater in my town. Sound devices are often left to their destiny (I saw a 6 screen multiplex with CP500 and SA-10 with no projectionist in the booth: who select EX or no-ex???) and the result is what you've heard. It's funny, I too come to your solution: arrange a hi quality setup Home Theater in my house, partially using professional devices.
It's sad, but sometimes it is the only thing that a real "moviegoer" can do. Bye
------------------ Antonio Marcheselli Florence, Italy
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John Pytlak
Film God
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Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 08-12-2002 08:49 AM
Claude: Certainly, anyone encountering poor presentation should immediately inform the theatre personnel (as you did), so hopefully the problem can be addressed immediately.For persistent or chronic problems, it is also important to document the problem in writing, not only to the local theatre management, but to the circuit management. Here is contact information for the major theatre circuits: http://www.boxoffice.com/giantstop.html http://www.boxoffice.com/issues/jul00/canada.html http://www.boxoffice.com/issues/jul00/europe.html http://www.boxoffice.com/issues/dec99/asia3.html http://www.boxoffice.com/shows/cinemaexpo/2002/european_giants.html In general, the VP of Projection/Engineering, or VP of Operations should be copied on any report of chronic problems. Often it is a tug-of-war between the "bean counters" and the technical people within a circuit. Documentation of problems stemming from poorly choosen cost-cutting methods will help the technical people fight for "Film Done Right". I agree with you that theatres risk losing much of their audience to home theatre unless they have "Film/Digital Done Right". ------------------ John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA Tel: +1 585 477 5325 Cell: +1 585 781 4036 Fax: +1 585 722 7243 e-mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion
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Antonio Marcheselli
Phenomenal Film Handler
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Posts: 1260
From: Florence, Italy
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 08-12-2002 01:14 PM
John,Do you really think that inform the management can solve the situation? Yes, "double-duty" personnel will left unattended the booth. But in my experience managers often do not care about the presentation. I know a very well equipped theater in my town. Biggest screen has SDDS-8, DTS, DD, EX, triamp. The projectionist told me that once he come to the manager asking him a tech because one of the digital player was faulty. He replied "no, it is not possibile". The projectionist replied with the problems encountered. The manager replied "no matter, use analog". So I wonder "why he installed all of that stuff???". I understand that management is the straight line to hit the point but, unfortunately, sometimes the best solution is to build our own home theater! ![](http://www.film-tech.com/ubb/smile.gif) Bye ------------------ Antonio Marcheselli Florence, Italy
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John Pytlak
Film God
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Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 08-12-2002 01:39 PM
Antonio: As I noted, there is often a "tug-of-war" between those who want to cut costs regardless of the effect on quality, and those who really want to have good presentation. When cost-cutting measures result in chronic poor presentation, written customer feedback is one of the most useful tools those in charge of projection can use to get adequate funding. Likewise, customer feedback is helpful in identifying those theatres that have chronic presentation problems needing attention from upper management. Not reporting problems and retreating to the security of your home theatre does nothing to improve the quality of presentation in theatres, which is the industry we all work in. ------------------ John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA Tel: +1 585 477 5325 Cell: +1 585 781 4036 Fax: +1 585 722 7243 e-mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion
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Claude S. Ayakawa
Film God
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Posts: 2738
From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 08-12-2002 03:15 PM
John & Antonio, I believe I was the only person to complain about the sound yesterday at the Waikiki Twins. It is a sad fact that the people who complain the most about poor sound presentation are "Movie Geeks" and Cinema professionals like us who post here at Film Tech. Unfortunately, we are in a small minority group and theatres owners know this and the likelihood that they will do anything about it is nil no matter how many times we complain. On another topic, did you ever notice that more DVD's now are being released in both full screen and original aspect ratio versions with many in full screen only? This is due to the public complaining that they do not like the black bars on the top and bottom of their TV screens. It is a sad fact that many people will complain about how the picture looks but will say nothing about the sound. This is the reason why most people are satisfied with the mono or pseuo stereo that came with their set. While a lot of people now have 5.1 sound in their homes, we are still a small minority group and will remain so because most people are not interested in good sound.Chris, It is very obvious from what you said that the operator who worked at the booth yesterday at the Waikiki Twins did not know or care about how to run films properly at these magnificent theatres. The only people I can fault is the management at Pacific Theatre's head office who seem to be more interested in making a profit than their customers getting their monies worth from an outstanding presentation in both picture and sound when they replaced their professional operators with staff people. -Claude
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John Pytlak
Film God
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Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 08-12-2002 03:35 PM
Claude said: "It is a sad fact that the people who complain the most about poor sound presentation are "Movie Geeks" and Cinema professionals like us who post here at Film Tech. Unfortunately, we are in a small minority group."That is exactly why it is so important for us to speak out when we encounter bad presentation. If we don't write about problems, upper management only hears of problems when passes are given out, and even then, assumes that's all it takes to "solve" the problems. If the audience ultimately goes to other theatres or stays home because of presentation problems, upper management may not make the connection and leave the problems unresolved. Take pride in your expertise and being a "cinema professional" and let theatres and their management know when they fail your expectations. ------------------ John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA Tel: +1 585 477 5325 Cell: +1 585 781 4036 Fax: +1 585 722 7243 e-mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion
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