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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Digital Cinema Forum   » Change Over To Digital Cinema (Page 1)

 
This topic comprises 6 pages: 1  2  3  4  5  6   
Author Topic: Change Over To Digital Cinema
Stephen Jones
Master Film Handler

Posts: 314
From: Geelong Victoria Australia
Registered: Jun 99

- posted 06-30-1999 12:02 AM      Profile for Stephen Jones   Email Stephen Jones   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
A few years ago , here in oz a company under the name of satilite cinemas (think thats what they called themselves) set up small 60 to 90 seat cinemas in outback towns to show movies in towns where a cinema has closed some time ago or didnt exsist.It operated as a franchise,it didnt last long because film distributors did not want to commit new releases to the format.The method of projection used was S V.H.S. and a video projector with a surround sound system.Of coarse they have all closed and some remained open by converting to film.As you all realise this wont happen with digital cinema as the quality will be far supperior than S V.H.S and film.I predict that in 5 yrs things will start to move along by then they shoud have worked out format etc and also the cost will start to come down to a point where it will be affordable for the majors to change over.After 5 years I feel that any new multiplex cinemas built will be digital or part digital. Excisting multis will change over as they upgrade the projection equipment they currently use.Country locations will change over when the cost comes down further which it will, I think that in ten years film will start to fade out and by twenty years gone altogether. I dont like the idea of me not showing film but I have be realistic about it and take what comes, I have 25 years of working left before am able to retire I may just make it but who knows perhaps I am wrong about what I said above but I dont think I am to far wrong.

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[This message has been edited by Stephen Jones (edited 06-30-99).]

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John Wilson
Film God

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

- posted 06-30-1999 12:41 AM      Profile for John Wilson   Email John Wilson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Which part of Australia do you live in?

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John

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Greg Mueller
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1687
From: Port Gamble, WA
Registered: Jun 99

- posted 06-30-1999 10:01 AM      Profile for Greg Mueller   Author's Homepage   Email Greg Mueller   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Could you please define "far supperior to film"

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Stephen Jones
Master Film Handler

Posts: 314
From: Geelong Victoria Australia
Registered: Jun 99

- posted 06-30-1999 08:20 PM      Profile for Stephen Jones   Email Stephen Jones   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
In reply to your question Greg over the next few years improvements in technolgy with digital cinema will no doubt make it comparable to 35mm as has happened with other things such as D.V.D etc.As with most of you I prefere 35mm film any day and always will but I have to be realistic and not bury my head in the sand hoping it will go away because it wont mainly because cinema chains and distributors will fight tooth and nail for it,even though the cinema chains in my opinion have hurried along digital cinema because of sloppy presentation damage to film and equipment caused by inexperienced bio staff which is their fault after all they say you dont need much experience to be a projectionist(This is the case here in oz I dont know what the story is in the U.S)I may have rambled on a bit but this is how I feel about major chains and their atitude to people with regards to bringing in new ideas they only worry about dollars and cents not the human factor eg high unemployment etc. At least they cant take away the memories of how things used to be.

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Ian Price
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1714
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 99

- posted 07-01-1999 09:37 AM      Profile for Ian Price   Email Ian Price   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Stephen,

It sounds like the only difference between a large Australian Cinema and a large American Cinema is your use of the word BIO. Other than that it sounds like business as usual. Low pay, no training, sloppy film handling and all the free popcorn you can eat!

I have often wondered why a person who strings cable to people’s houses makes more than projectionists do. A car mechanic makes more than a projectionist. In Denver some of our fast food servers are making as much as projectionist.

The time when Projection was considered a profession is long gone. The good news, for those who want to learn, is the pay for technicians is still good. Keep learning! Fix everything you can, then make them pay you what your worth.

The cinemas may or may not convert to electronic cinema. However all of that equipment in the booth will still need service. And a manager will be no more able to service his video projector than his projector head.

Ian

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Ian Price
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1714
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 99

- posted 07-01-1999 09:39 AM      Profile for Ian Price   Email Ian Price   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Oops!

[This message has been edited by Ian Price (edited 07-01-99).]

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System Notices
Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi

Posts: 215

Registered: Apr 2004

- posted 03-07-2005 02:03 PM      Profile for System Notices         Edit/Delete Post 

It has been 2076 days since the last post.

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Mitchell Dvoskin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1869
From: West Milford, NJ, USA
Registered: Jan 2001

- posted 03-07-2005 02:03 PM      Profile for Mitchell Dvoskin   Email Mitchell Dvoskin   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I predict that in 5 yrs things will start to move

Well, now that it is 6 years later, and all of Austrlia has converted to Digital, how do things look... [Big Grin]

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Rick Hunter
Master Film Handler

Posts: 452
From: Melbourne, Australia
Registered: Feb 2003

- posted 03-08-2005 02:50 AM      Profile for Rick Hunter   Email Rick Hunter   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Do a Google or look at http://www.domain.com.au/Public/PropertyDetails.aspx?adid=2004607143&n=

The ad for the 'cinema' in St Helens, Tasmania.

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Ian Bailey
Master Film Handler

Posts: 317
From: Nambucca Heads, Australia
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted 03-08-2005 03:15 AM      Profile for Ian Bailey   Email Ian Bailey   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
COME ON D-CINEMA!!!!
With the garbage product that we get for 80% of the year the only way anyone can make any money is to be able to run their business with minimal staff(SAD BUT TRUE!!)
A Good Example: The only movie that's really made any money down here since Christmas is Aviator- and guess what, it was only brought out as a LIMITED RELEASE.This problem hopefully would be solved with D-CINEMA.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

- posted 03-08-2005 01:59 PM      Profile for Mike Blakesley   Author's Homepage   Email Mike Blakesley   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Digital cinema won't make the product any better. You'll still have film companies dictating that you must play X product for X number of weeks at X percent. You'll still have them saying "NO, you can't interrupt the fourth week of your run of 'Star Wars XVIII' to play the 'Michael Jackson In Concert At Folsom Prison' special."

It will help with the problem of not enough prints...meaning that Die Hard 13 will be able to play every single theatre in the country that's willing to pay 70%, and be on DVD (or whatever format they've foisted on us by then) two weeks later, after the "theatrical run" ends.

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Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004

- posted 03-08-2005 11:50 PM      Profile for Monte L Fullmer   Email Monte L Fullmer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
(can you imagine Mike converting his Roxy over to DLP projection? He'd go bankrupt in a heartbeat, even though it would look great in his "little palace")

..gotta have the Big BUCKS for the conversion, let alone the percentages and "house nut" arrangements, or just find a rich relative, a good powerball winning ticket, or a lucky investment to pay for digital. Plus the tekkie's visit(s) to service that stuff, which runs into the thousands per hour, or even the day.

..a rich man's dream.... - Monte

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Ian Bailey
Master Film Handler

Posts: 317
From: Nambucca Heads, Australia
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted 03-09-2005 03:28 AM      Profile for Ian Bailey   Email Ian Bailey   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
At least you should be able to get the print you want when you want it!Not months after all the hype and advertising.
Monte-it costs me thousands already just to get a tech in the door as I am 700 klms from the nearest capital city.That's why I live on this site so i can learn as quick as I can to do my own repairs.It cost me nearly $3000AUD just to have two XD-10's and two CSP1200's installed some three months ago and they are still not working properly!

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Stephen Furley
Film God

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

- posted 03-09-2005 05:19 AM      Profile for Stephen Furley   Email Stephen Furley   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
So how much it it likely to cost you to get somebody to your door who can install, service, maintain, repair a digital projector? At least with a film projector you're more likely to be able to fix a problem yourself.

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

- posted 03-09-2005 06:31 AM      Profile for Steve Guttag   Email Steve Guttag   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
You don't have CSP1200s and XD10s working properly? Just what can go wrong there. Both are brain-dead easy to get up and running.

Whats the deal?

BTW...I've installed DCinema projectors (and many video projectors) in theatres...I'm supposed to charge $1000s per hour or per day? cool!

Steve

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