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Author Topic: Sony dropping Technicolor as of 1/7/2003 Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-20-2002 06:49 PM                        We just received a fax from Sony Pictures stating that effective Tuesday, January 7, ETS will be handling their prints. Playdates commencing on or before January 6 will still be delivered and picked up by Technicolor. ETS is also supposed to be providing a 24-hour customer call center, exclusively for Sony, for replacement reels etc.  |  IP: Logged Rachel Craven Madam Moderator Posts: 2190 From: Pensacola, FL Registered: Dec 2000 posted 12-20-2002 07:48 PM                     YEAH! That's all that really needs to be said.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 12-20-2002 07:49 PM                     ETS and Sony have been planning this for awhile, expanding their depots and such. It is good to hear that a date has been set instead of "first of 2003". Sony is very good about keeping tons of prints. I think they actually have their own special warehouse up in Ohio that TES runs for them. This will be quite a bit of work for ETS receiving and cataloging all of those incoming Sony prints. Anyone know how long the transition will take?  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 12-20-2002 08:46 PM                    probably shouldn't be to hard for them since TES still uses the grey cans. Just rip off the orange sticker and put the print tracker lables back on. I'd probably say that they already have the print tracker lables and data bases ready. It's just a matter of relableing the cans. No more Friday pick-ups for Sony films once they get things rolling again.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-20-2002 09:29 PM                        Will this affect Sony Pictures Classics releases as well, or will they continue to be handled by Reel Easy?  |  IP: Logged John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 12-20-2002 09:32 PM                     Wow. Sounds like the 24x7 ETS support will be the most interesting part. At least compared to the "hands off; call your booker" policy they have now. It's also going to be interested to see how ETS integrates a centralized model, since, at least around here, the studio bookers tend to know the delivery personnel (for the local shipping companies that ETS outsources to) by name... --jhawk  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 12-21-2002 01:23 AM                        Let's hope that this doesn't change ETS. Don't want to see them become anything like TES!  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 12-21-2002 01:56 AM                     I used to have one foot in the ETS camp and the other in the TES. I haven't had nearly as many problems with TES that some people here have. However, when we got our Gangs of New York prints in this week NONE of the reels had reel bands and unlike ETS the leaders were not secured adequatly with tape. The leaders were a tangled mess. I certainly hope TES isn't dropping reel bands, its one of the things they had over ETS.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 12-21-2002 09:56 AM                    I wonder what made them decide to change. Probably just a matter of pricing; I doubt exhibitor complaints about reels, bands, and pickup policies matter much to the people that decide these things.  |  IP: Logged Bernie Anderson Jr Master Film Handler Posts: 435 From: Woodbridge, New Jersey Registered: Apr 2000 posted 12-21-2002 10:10 AM                        Dustin said: >However, when we got our Gangs of New York prints in this >week NONE of the reels had reel bands and unlike ETS the >leaders were not secured adequatly with tape. The leaders >were a tangled mess. I certainly hope TES isn't dropping reel >bands, its one of the things they had over ETS. You have to remember too, that if they are in a certain can, that doesn't mean that either TES or ETS actually delivered it. Some times you get these fly-by-night couriers that bicycle prints between two theatres with out any exchange getting invovled. I would bet if you looked at the shipping invoice it came from another theatre directly like an AMC or a Loews. I had a print of Greek Wedding starting at my theatre in it's 6 month. Why? I don't know. But my print was shipped from Loews Newport Center Mall (hello booth ushers) in Hoboken. It didn't have any leaders attached to the print at all. I was lucky that they were in the can. If it wasn't for that, I would have been guessing. As it was, the print was supposed to be there by midnight. Then they said, 10AM, then 12PM. Well. It showed up around 3PM with one show already cancelled. And this was all because they didn't take it apart at the first theatre. My prints are in the cans the night they leave. At the door for pick up. I will not do to "you" what has been done to me. As far as reel bands...I remember a time when all the info was put on the reel band, not a sticker that is taped over the splice. If they're gonna do that instead of putting the sticker on the band, not to screw up the tie, I rather them not put on any reel bands. Half the time they don't tie the damn thing anyway. I've delt with TES for about 10 years now. I can't wait to see them go and I'm glad someone like Sony is not putting up with their crap anymore. MGM I hear wants out too but TES made such a great deal that they had no choice. After all, this was Disney's baby.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-21-2002 10:34 AM                        Reel bands are a good idea, but they need to be _good_ reel bands, not TES's cheesy version. The cardboard is too easy to tear, and I usually end up having at least one string break for every print because the ID stickers are usually placed directly over the string catch. If they put the sticker over the section of the band where the title/number of reels/etc. information should be written (before putting the band on the reel), that would work fine. I do use the reel bands (and I fill in the "reel number" circle since TES never does), but I'd really like to see TES get better bands and ETS start using them. I really have a hard time believing that a dollar or two for reel bands is too much to spend to protect a $1-2k print. ETS and TES both have their good and bad points. ETS has better reels (though the quality seems to be going downhill), but TES has 24-hour service for replacement reels, etc. TES charges less for shipping, too, but they won't let nearby theatres transport the prints themselves. ETS (well, actually, their subcontractors like "Film Transport" in MA and "Highway Films" in the DC area) sometimes delivers prints on Wednesday (especially to the larger multiplexes), which I suppose is an advantage for some people. I usually work at a 6-plex on Thursday nights, and usually only have 1-2 makeups and 1-2 breakdowns, so Thursday evening delivery isn't an issue. My prints area always in the lobby and ready for pickup on Thursday nights, so Friday morning pickups are fine. I realize that those who work in 30-plexes can't always do this, but it's a nonissue for me.  |  IP: Logged Ray Brown Expert Film Handler Posts: 111 From: Dayton, WA, USA Registered: Sep 2002 posted 12-21-2002 11:09 AM                        quote: Reel bands are a good idea, but they need to be _good_ reel bands, not TES's cheesy version. I agree. 20 years ago every print had the HEAVY cardboard type bands with HEAVY strings . The only print I have seen with the old style bands lately came from Sony Pictures Clasics (Reel Easy).  |  IP: Logged Charles Everett Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1470 From: New Jersey Registered: May 2001 posted 12-21-2002 11:47 AM                     Dustin's theater got Gangs of New York with tangled leaders and no reel bands. That wasn't just Technicolor . . . that was Miramax!  |  IP: Logged James R. Hammonds, Jr Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 931 From: Houston, TX, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 12-21-2002 02:20 PM                     I really dont see what Miramax has to do with anything in this case Charles. That could have happened with an MGM or Lions Gate, or Universal print for all that matters. You must have some personal beef with Miramax since you like to flame them every chance you get. Get over it already. Also does ETS make their own reels or do they get them from somewere else? I know Technicolor has reels that say "Technicolor" on them, but the reels with ETS prints usually have Warner Bros, Paramount, or 2oth Century Fox on them. Either that or they are some generic reel, and from time to time, I have even seen the crappy black Technicolor snap-together reel. I once got a print that was shipped in a cardboard box on cores. I called ETS around the time we were supposed to lose it to find out if they were ever going to send reels to break them down on, and I was told they dont handle that and I would have to get them from the distributor if I wanted them.  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 12-21-2002 02:54 PM                        It's nice to see this change. However... finally having attained the lofty status of an olde pfart in this business... I can say that I'd prefer to have our local National Film Service branch back, please . Time was when we could take a leisurely ferry ride to Seattle, drive about 6 blocks to the depot, exchange prints and sometimes actually make the next ferry back. Now that our traffic rivals Los Angeles', I'd sure prefer the old days, when it didn't take 6 hours at 20 mph to do the round trip! Ah, well... at least they won't be banging on my door on Friday mornings anymore  |  IP: Logged

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