Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Prints of "Benjamin Button" to be locked...Here we go again...

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Topic: Prints of "Benjamin Button" to be locked...Here we go again...

Blaine Young
Master Film Handler

Posts: 477
From: Kirkland, WA, USA
Registered: Sep 2006

posted 12-15-2008 11:19 AM

Received this last week...

quote:
Dear Theatre Manager/Projectionist,

Paramount Pictures “THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON” will be delivered to your theatre by Wednesday December 24.

Special security precautions are in place to protect the film from any possible piracy issues.

Can #1; enclosure trailers, Reels 1,2, 3 projectionist letter, and this instruction letter.
Can #2; Reels 4, 5, 6 & 7
Locked Can #3; Reels 8, 9, & 10

Combination Code available beginning and not prior to Wednesday December 24, 2008 at 12pm (EST), in the following options:

 From your home office. (The code will be delivered to them at 12pm EST of the 24th)
 Calling Deluxe Film services at 1-866-524-3456 (FILM)
 Sending an e-mail with your theatre name, and print numbers to unlockcode@etsdirect.com
 Visiting the following website: www.unlockcode.bydeluxe.com
 Via Fax (if we have a valid fax number for you it will be broadcast at 12pm EST of the 24th).

The systems will be deactivated 48 hours after activation.

To unlock the combination lock:
1) Set combination code
2) Press down silver handle
3) Lift up silver handle

Please return locks with the feature print. Place lock and secure on handle of the film cans when returning prints. All locks are the property of Paramount Pictures. Any locks not returned or altered in any way will be documented and given to the appropriate authorities for piracy investigation.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

How exactly do they expect us to inspection screen a 10 reel print and get replacement reels on Christmas Eve? I wish Paramount would stop doing this...

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Bernie Anderson Jr
Master Film Handler

Posts: 435
From: Woodbridge, New Jersey
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 12-15-2008 12:14 PM

Well, at least if they have to do it, they're doing it right and finally listening to us: hold the last couple reel and let us build the first half. Its better than this "hold reel 1 crap". At least this way half of its on the platter.

I'll give you one better. I had a screening of Valkyrie this past week. Print showed up at 4pm for a 7pm show. Both cans were locked and they wouldn't give us the code until 5pm. And on top of it, the print was used! No clue to the condition of the print, no chance to run it. I've had reels show up here that the film was sticking to its self because they didn't process it correctly. I had 500 people coming to see that film too. Its crazy the chances they take with these shows and if you complain, they don't really care.

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 12-15-2008 01:37 PM

If someone would have a problem with an unrunable reel, then maybe they would start to care.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 12-15-2008 02:15 PM

Agreed, at least they paid attention and are locking the LAST can of the movie. The only issue with this one is that, ummm, did they forget that NOBODY WANTS TO DEAL WITH THEIR MOVIE ON CHRISTMAS EVE!!!

I wish NATO would grow a pair and put their foot down with this silliness. Had it not been a holiday, this would've been fine.

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Stephen Furley
Film God

Posts: 3059
From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England
Registered: May 2002

posted 12-15-2008 02:22 PM

10 reels, how long is this thing; or have they gone back to sending out prints on 1000 foot reels?

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John Wilson
Film God

Posts: 5438
From: Sydney, Australia.
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 12-15-2008 02:38 PM

159 minutes.

No, that's not a typo. [eyes]

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Stephen Furley
Film God

Posts: 3059
From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England
Registered: May 2002

posted 12-15-2008 02:51 PM

Then it should fit onto eight reels. I've noticed in the last couple of years that reels seem to be getting shorter; I don't know why. These days, with polyester prints, and no mag stripes, they should be able to make them longer, not shorter.

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Blaine Young
Master Film Handler

Posts: 477
From: Kirkland, WA, USA
Registered: Sep 2006

posted 12-15-2008 03:19 PM

Is 159 minutes verified? I've seen the running time as 166 in some places.

BTW, 159 would actually fit on 7. "The Dark Knight" was 7 reels at 153 minutes.

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Bernie Anderson Jr
Master Film Handler

Posts: 435
From: Woodbridge, New Jersey
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 12-15-2008 04:01 PM

Nope! Nope! The best was "Arthur and the Invisible" 8 reels and less than 90 mins.

NATO ain't never gonna get a set of balls. They're just as bad as the studios these days.

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Tristan Lane
Master Film Handler

Posts: 444
From: Nampa, Idaho
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 12-15-2008 05:14 PM

Quite the opposite thing is happening with Bedtime Stories.
Disney informed us that we would be receiving our digital hard drives on Dec 22, with Keys valid that day as well. They specifically said that they were doing this so that the content could be QC'd early since there is so much new product coming out on Christmas.

Horray for Disney, Boo for Paramount.

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John Hawkinson
Film God

Posts: 2273
From: Cambridge, MA, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 12-15-2008 07:12 PM

Bernie wrote, "I'll give you one better. I had a screening of Valkyrie this past week. Print showed up at 4pm for a 7pm show. Both cans were locked and they wouldn't give us the code until 5pm."

I don't know, Bernie. I think it's par for the course for advance screenings. Print shows up right before the show, or under security, and there's not time to do much, and certainly not to preview it. Since there are only a handful of prerelease prints typically, it's not surprising that you'll get a used one. I think it's basically what you sign up for when you agree to do an advance screening.

I bet people like Bill Gabel can give us their best story of the least amount of prep time before having a print on-screen. My question is whether that number is measured in seconds or minutes [Big Grin]

[*]

------------------------------

As for Benjamin Button, well...huh.
Has anyone bugged Paramount about this? Or the Paramount people at DFS? I'm curious what they say. It really seems like a strategy that would make sense for a movie opening the Friday after Christmas (like, say, Revolutionary Road or Valkyrie)...

-----------------------------

In re reel breaks, you guys do know that the reel breaks are set relatively early in the editing process, and then they're locked down. (I'm not exactly sure why that is...perhaps it is in part because they are properly placed on scene cuts there the sound and picture change together, which are not always common.) So it's often possible to get a movie down smaller, but it is rarely a priority.

--------------------------

re NATO...we know NATO is ineffective, we know the studios know it. What would be more effective? Well, I'd bet if 100 projectionists signed a letter and sent it to the Distribution VPs at the studios, they'd read it and think about it. Do we care enough?

--jhawk

[*] ok, I'm kidding a little bit here. But if you're in a must-rush and willing to take the risk, I can see skipping the hand-check of R1 and just threading-it-up-and-GO! and handchecking R2 while R1 is running, and that can be under 60sec. I'm sure its happened. Of course this doesn't work if you can't run changeover...

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 12-15-2008 07:17 PM

I'm just annoyed that I am opening movies on Christmas day AND the day after. Pick a day, folks!

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Andy Muirhead
Master Film Handler

Posts: 323
From: Galashiels, Scotland
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 12-15-2008 08:14 PM

quote: John Hawkinson
I bet people like Bill Gabel can give us their best story of the least amount of prep time before having a print on-screen. My question is whether that number is measured in seconds or minutes

I don't want to hijack the thread but the best I did was 17 minutes, was a 6 reeler and the audience were coming in at the same time the print arrived.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 12-15-2008 08:40 PM

If your show just HAS to start and you only have 10 minutes prep time on a platter system, you can rip 2 reels of a movie to a platter reel (or overload a Goldberg "trailer drop" reel like I did), drop it on the platter, thread up and start the show.

Then with a simple modification of the MUT and a few tricks, splice on the next reels while it is running and let the spinning of the payout pull the last reels on. [Big Grin]

I've only done this once and it was back in the late 80s. I think the movie was Father of the Bride. Regardless, the show went off without a hitch. Not sure if I just got really lucky or if I'm just good. I'm sure Phil will chime in to clarify. [Razz]

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John Wilson
Film God

Posts: 5438
From: Sydney, Australia.
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 12-15-2008 09:18 PM

quote: Blaine Young
Is 159 minutes verified? I've seen the running time as 166 in some places.

From our classification board...

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON Film (35 mm)

Classification M
Consumer Advice Sexual references and coarse language
Category Film - Pub Exh
Version ORIGINAL
Duration 159 minute(s)
Date of Classification 10 December 2008
Author DAVID FINCHER
Publisher CEAN CHAFFIN, KATHLEEN KENEDY, FRANK MARSHALL
Production Company KENNEDY/ THE MARSHALL COMPANY
Country of Origin USA

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