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This topic comprises 4 pages: 1 2 3 4
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Author
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Topic: US booths like Fort Knox
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Thomas Jonsson
Expert Film Handler
Posts: 216
From: Bromolla, Sweden
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 09-28-2003 03:13 PM
I have been a regular visitor to ShoWest for the past six years. Everey time we (me and one of my employees) also visit either New York or Los Angeles. We have always looked forward to see as many theaters as possible, and hopefully a visit to the booth and a nice talk to the projectionist.
5 out of 10 times we were denied seeing the auditoriums except if we bought tickets (wich we did mostly) But getting into the projection booths seemed like trying to get into Fort Knox, even though we explained who we were.
In New York we didnīt get in anywhere. They were even quite unfriendly. At Sonyīs theater (Lincoln Center?) they promised to arrange a visit if we came back the next day. So we went back, but the answer was NO - we couldnīt see the booth.
In Los Angeles we managed to see ONE booth at a megaplex and Mannīs Chineese mainly because I simply opened the door and walked in. The projectionist seemed quite shocked, but loosened up a bit when I explained who I was.
So my question is: what mysterious secrets are kept behind the closed doors of US booths? Whatīs in there that the rest of the world hasnīt got?
Weīve been to Denmark, England, Holland, Italy. They gladly show us their booths, as we do in Sweden as well. France is also a problem. They understand english quite well up till the point when you ask to see the booth - then they donīt understand a word you say.
I really donīt mean to affend anyone, but frankly it has been very dissapointing to be denied so many times. We really looked forward to meet theater people in their "natural environment" in the US.
Perhaps we just had bad luck, the wrong place at the wrong time?
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Stephen Furley
Film God
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Posts: 3059
From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England
Registered: May 2002
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posted 09-28-2003 04:18 PM
I can't speak for American theatres, I've only been to one, and there I was invited up.
Over here it varies, my first visit to the 'box' was in 1963, aged six. I had been to see Disney's 'The Sword in the Stone'. I got my mother to ask if I could go up; I'm not sure if the regulations had been relaxed by that time, but they let me up anyway. I remember I was amased by it all, carbon arcs of course, glass bulb mercury rectifiers, liquid houselight dimmers all in a traditional outdoor box, with separate rewind room, dimmer room, rectifier room, non-sync room, battery room, film vault etc. and several operators.
Today, small, independant cinemas will often allow visits, multiplexes generally will not, except for organised visits such as those by the Cinema Theatre Association which I used to be a member of, and will get round to joining again sometime. Other places where I have been refused include the news theatre at Victoria railway station on its closing night, by then showing cartoons, which refused due to having a nitrate newsreel in the box, which was the last thing they ran. The National Film Theatre, probably due to being too busy, though they used to hold open days from time to time, and I did get in on one of those, and the Empire Leicester Square, which gave no reason.
Most other single screen and small cinemas have allowed visits, sometimes only by prior arrangement.
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Stephen Furley
Film God
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Posts: 3059
From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England
Registered: May 2002
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posted 09-28-2003 04:51 PM
These days, with the main chains, it's probably a matter of corporate policy, but traditionally, the projection box was the chief's 'castle'; even the manager wouldn't enter without his permission.
As for photography, I've never been refused in any projection box which I was permitted to visit. This is often on a 'personal use only, not for publication' basis, and, obviously, flash photography is not permitted while there is an audience in the house.
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