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Author Topic: Madea Goes To Jail Jonathan Althaus Master Film Handler Posts: 435 From: Bedford, TX Registered: Dec 2008 posted 02-18-2009 06:31 PM                     We're booked to open 3 prints this weekend. It's a tecnicolor film, so I was expecting it here this evening from UPS, like usual. I get here at 4 and there are 5 cans. 2.5 copies. Not 10 minutes later, as I'm about to call Technicolor, they call me. They notice how only 5 cans were scanned out and are busy looking for the missing can, telling me it will be here tonight, guaranteed. If this had happened with Deluxe, I would be getting that last can Friday morning. Kudos to technicolor. Glad you still care about the theatres.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-18-2009 06:49 PM                     I don't know but up here both deluxe and technicolor seem to go well above and beyond getting prints to theatres as soon as they can with in the limited time frame they have control of  |  IP: Logged Jonathan Althaus Master Film Handler Posts: 435 From: Bedford, TX Registered: Dec 2008 posted 02-18-2009 06:58 PM                     This is the 1st time I've had either company call me about an issue with delivery, yet have had too many delivery problems to count.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-18-2009 07:01 PM                     It might be worth defining delivery problems often prints become available only hours earlier off another screen and print shipping logistics are complex to say the least not to say there are not screw ups  |  IP: Logged Jonathan Althaus Master Film Handler Posts: 435 From: Bedford, TX Registered: Dec 2008 posted 02-18-2009 07:41 PM                     Today's issue seems to have been a mishap at the dock. The UPS truck must not have realized how many cans we had. Several times Deluxe has shorted us prints, but not told us at all. Only when I call do they even make an attempt to locate our film. I was just noticing something Technicolor did that was unusually heplful to us, especially in the major metropolis of DFW where I'm sure they are handling thousands of prints this weekend.  |  IP: Logged Tyler Potts Expert Film Handler Posts: 159 From: Anderson, SC, USA Registered: Sep 2008 posted 02-19-2009 12:27 PM                       Last night I received 1.5 copies of 2 that I need for Madea. I built one, and am going in this afternoon to check to see if the rest has arrived. Then its time to start making calls.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-19-2009 03:06 PM                        I'm a little surprised that Technicolor hasn't gone to the Fox Box or some similar container, although I'm glad they haven't.  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 02-20-2009 12:38 AM                     Mike, how dare you even suggest that obscenity forced upon us all, the dreaded Fox Box!!  |  IP: Logged Jonathan Althaus Master Film Handler Posts: 435 From: Bedford, TX Registered: Dec 2008 posted 02-20-2009 09:35 PM                     Turns out they couldn't find the other can, so they just sent a new copy of the film. And they still have no idea where it is.  |  IP: Logged John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 02-20-2009 11:08 PM                     It's funny...you'd think this would be a case where UPS's seperate tracking per-piece (versus one tracking number for the pair with DHL) would be a win. But my guess in this case is that it disappeared off the face of the earth before the first scan (which just leaves TES and UPS pointing fingers at each other). I'm never sure what to make about of this sort of thing: I mean, did it really leave TES (Wilmington, OH) at 1:01am? On most of ours, we see the origin scan in Wilmington, OH; though possibly it has to do with ground service versus air service. (OH->MA is 2 days by ground, so TES films seem to come ground. But OH->TX is 3 days by ground, I think they go via air). In any case, though, I do know that TES is always looking for feedback on how UPS is doing. (Though in your case, I guess they know the answer!). On boxes, honestly, I somehow doubt that either TES or UPS wants to transport them. I mean, they're a huge pain in the neck (perhaps literally!) for drivers, too. On the other hand, I guess I don't know much about the negotiated discounts between TES and UPS, and whether they're transporting them on conveyer belts (DHL didn't -- they had to move them through their sorting facility by hand!), and if that's a big deal or not, etc., etc. Anyhow, Technicolor has always been historically much more proactive than Deluxe about this kind of thing (shipping verification). So I think you're right to applaud their due diligence here! Of course, it's a lot easier for them, because they use a delivery service with online tracking. Since DFS uses a whole smattering of regional courier services, some (most?) of which don't provide online tracking, it is a lot harder for them to proactively notice a potential problem from the tracking info and flag it for a phone call. Sure, they could call everybody, but that would be a lot of busywork. --jhawk  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Weigel Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1062 From: Edmond, OK, USA Registered: Mar 2007 posted 02-21-2009 12:47 AM                     I wouldn't mind the Fox Box if they would just make that damn handle a little wider so I can actually get my entire hand in it. For now I just grip under the flaps on either side and carry them that way.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-24-2009 10:36 AM                        ....and wheels; put wheels on it!  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 02-24-2009 10:45 AM                     Wheels and a long handle so it could be its own hand truck.  |  IP: Logged Jonathan Althaus Master Film Handler Posts: 435 From: Bedford, TX Registered: Dec 2008 posted 02-24-2009 02:53 PM                     And a motor, so it can drive itself. Up a flight a stairs if possible.  |  IP: Logged John Wilson Film God Posts: 5438 From: Sydney, Australia. Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-24-2009 08:33 PM                     And wings.  |  IP: Logged

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