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Topic: How much rolling stock is too much?

Bill Hallsworth
Film Handler

Posts: 34
From: Loganville, GA, USA
Registered: May 2002

posted 05-12-2002 12:43 AM

According to our trailer lists from the high-ups, we should be running seven rolling stock trailers (ads, public service announcements, Fandango, etc.). This adds up to about 6 minutes, then add on the 15 or 20 minutes of actual previews.

Maybe it's just me, but I think that 6 mins. of rolling stock is a little excessive The customers think so, too, and have naturally brought it to our attention.

Any other opinions on that?

Bill

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Jason Black
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1723
From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 05-12-2002 12:51 AM

I'd rather see no rolling stock, or previews for that fact (but that's simply a personal opinion). But, it todays world, you're inherently GOING to see them. They add much money to the bottom line since they are almost always PURE PROFIT. Oh, so you'd like to have your add shwon onscreen? That'll be $XX for XX screens for XX days... And you'll be responsible for the actual cost(s) as well..

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The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese!

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 05-12-2002 07:26 AM

My personal preference limit is for 1 second of rolling stock advertisements. Any more than that and it's annoying. That being said (and knowing that will never happen), I can accept anything that has to do with movies. In other words, a Coke trailer and a moviephone trailer is ok, but once you start advertising for shampoo, those lame "Foundation for a Better Life" ads and especially ANYTHING advertising for television shows, I think that's taking it too far.

But then that's why I don't make those decisions.

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Bill Hallsworth
Film Handler

Posts: 34
From: Loganville, GA, USA
Registered: May 2002

posted 05-12-2002 11:34 AM

I agree totally, Brad!

Whose idea was the Foundation for a Better Life anyway? We could definitely do without those taking up our time...besides, when we get them, they're already covered in enough dirt and dust to throw them out anyway.

Bill

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 05-12-2002 11:45 AM

All of it!

Actually, as Brad said, I can deal with Coke/Pepsi stuff, popcorn stuff, and the like, but not "US Army," "Jordan's Furniture," etc.

The way things seem to be going, though, I'd be happy enough if whoever is responsible for film advertising were to insist that all ads be shot on film. I'm sick and tired of poor quality NTSC->35mm transfers printed on the cheapest possible film stock with shoddy lab work. A lowly 16mm blowup would look far better than any of this if the advertiser is too cheap to go for 35mm.

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Bill Hallsworth
Film Handler

Posts: 34
From: Loganville, GA, USA
Registered: May 2002

posted 05-12-2002 02:26 PM

I don't mind the Coke or Pepsi ads. In fact, the be-drug-free ads we used run (years ago) weren't that bad. Movie previews are must, but there shouldn't be more than 4 or 5.

I do have a problem with running car commercials (like the Jeep Liberty a few months back). If you want to see all that go watch tv.

What about intermission slides? Most places used to have slides or rolling stock...are most of the theaters out there doing both now?

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 05-12-2002 04:05 PM

Actually even though I'm sure this won't accomplish anything, I feel like saying it here anyway.

How hard would it be for these theater companies to get their act together and "book" the ad flights for 4 weeks at a time, all with the same start and end dates? Want your advertisement shown? Would you like all of June or all of July, or perhaps both? There is nothing more aggravating than performing all of the drops on a Wednesday, only to find out the next day at the last minute that another set of ads comes in that must go up, and then of course the day after that on Friday an urgent "you must take this ad down immediately" comes on in. This is not uncommon and is a ridiculous waste of time and unnecessary handling of the film.

Since everybody is overly busy dealing with assembling/breaking down prints on Thursdays (all the fault of Technicolor - this didn't happen before they existed), as far as I am concerned anything extra like advertisements should have a required deadline date to be received by Wednesday! Can't get the prints done and to the theater by Wednesday? Ok, they'll play starting next Wednesday. Such a policy is desperately needed.

That goes for movie trailers too. I'm tired of finding out the theater received trailers on Friday 2 shows into the engagement that "have to be on your new print"!

Don't even get me thinking about those stupid trailers that can only be played on PG rated movies, and then this one can only be played on PG-13 and R rated movies, but this one can be played on PG, PG-13 and R rated movies, but this one over here is only for G rated movies...and of course they never send enough of them or the correct format. Such practices show a complete lack of respect for what has to be done in the projection room to make those "deals" happen.

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Kyle Caudill
Film Handler

Posts: 92
From: Wichita Falls, TX
Registered: May 2002

posted 05-12-2002 06:09 PM

I second that Brad. It is a royal pain in the A$$ when you get the ads on a Thursday and then you do not have enough flat and/or scopes to run. Then you may get 4 seperates one week, but one ad lasts one week, two last 2 weeks, and the fourth lasts 4 weeks. It can get extremely confusing!!!!!Then when you send the tech ads back, they will want them all sent back at the same time sometimes, then others you have to send them back when you take them off. Not to mention certain ads can only play on certain ratings and then BV wont let you play the ads on their films.

Can anyone explain why we have to mail the tech ads back, but can trash coke??

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George Roher
Master Film Handler

Posts: 266
From: Washington DC
Registered: Jul 99

posted 05-12-2002 10:48 PM

One thing Tech did that really annoyed us here was this: One of the Tech ads we were running a while back played for a couple months and didn't change. But at least twice during the run of that ad, Tech sent us new copies of the same ad and ordered us to replace the old ones. They were assuming that the ads would be scratched to hell after a couple weeks. Technicolor seems to revel in creating unnecessary work and unnecessary film-handling.

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Bill Hallsworth
Film Handler

Posts: 34
From: Loganville, GA, USA
Registered: May 2002

posted 05-12-2002 11:50 PM

I've just about had with these mixed flight dates, too. Add this...remove that...keep this one on...it's all pretty confusing, and I have to spend at least 3 or 4 hours each week making sure each print has the correct ads on it...only to change them the next week.

This probably should go in the Film Handler forum, but I think that quality control simply doesn't exist with the Tech ads. All of mine are filthy (straight out of the lab), and they never have enough leader on them Why do they want us to return them? So they can recycle the stock and make more crappy ads? I always throw them away because that's where they belong.

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 05-13-2002 01:00 AM

I actually insisted on keeping the ads in groups that stay together. The ads that are on SPIDERMAN will stay with that movie until it leaves, and then those ads will go on whatever is the incoming movie that week.

Occasionally, a new ad will come in and the customer will request that it start out with a particular movie but, after that, it's all a matter of fate.

Oh, yes...the contracts are monthly & quarterly but they are not yet 100% on the "calendar months" system. The newer ones are, but there are a number of older ones that aren't; we'll have to wait for those contracts to expire.

If there is room in the cans, we are now returning all of the movie previews we played on that print in the can (as a "reel zero")...this serves two purposes:

1. It prevents pileup of used trailers.
2. Maybe the next guy at some 2nd run house will appreciate getting them. I was inspired to do this after constantly hearing about how 2nd run houses NEVER get trailers.

Always label the trailer reel with what's on it!

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~Manny.

Now...where was I ?
Leonard Shelby, MEMENTO.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 05-13-2002 01:10 AM

That's interesting Manny, as that is a practice myself and a growing number of other people I know of are following lately. With 5+ trailers shipping with every print AND tons of trailers coming in every day of the week, there is hardly ever a reason to use a given copy of a trailer on two different movies. So the last night of a run, I pull off the ads, the policy and any trailer I don't have several copies of in the cabinet, and ship the rest back with the print. If reel 1 is short, they are left on the front of reel 1. If not, they go back on one big core in the spare slot. I agree, I'll bet the second run houses really appreciate it.

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Gracia L. Babbidge
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 709
From: Bowdoin, Maine
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 05-13-2002 11:35 AM

It's my own opinion that rolling stock is evil! Thus I'm glad that the only ad I have to place on prints is a Pepsi ad!
I'd be even happier if the 'big-wigs' would stop changing their minds about trailer programming. At the moment their opinion is that there should be no more than 7 minutes total, of pre-feature stuff. So, after a 60 sec. Sierra Mist ad, 90 sec worth of policy

, I'm left with 4.5 minutes for actual previews! Usually meaning only two trailers. I tried to argue that it was ridiculous to put such a limit to our best means of advertising films and draw in more business. Even after I agreed that there is such a thing as too many previews, and pointed out that I didn't get over-zealous with the trailers; they figured that they were still right, and I must be out in left field.

I think that working there is giving me a complex!

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Mitchell Cope
Master Film Handler

Posts: 256
From: Overland Park, KS, United States
Registered: Jun 99

posted 05-13-2002 12:04 PM

AMC in Kansas City started using digital projection for its pre-show advertising about a year ago. Now that they have the system rolling, more and more ads are being inserted where the regular "film" show would have kicked off. The ads I have seen are for TV shows, DVDs (The Mummy Collection), Spider-Man games, and Movie Tune payola promos. Though it is past showtime, the lights are at half brightness, so you can imagine how poorly the weak, digitally projected image looks. This is pulling the fun of going to AMC down. I am getting tired of it. In my area, AMC has stiffled or killed all competition and then raised prices. I hope someone at AMC will take note, because enough is enough.

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Mitchell Cope
Master Film Handler

Posts: 256
From: Overland Park, KS, United States
Registered: Jun 99

posted 05-13-2002 12:10 PM

Oh I forgot, AMC turn your xenons back on. I expect 16 foot-lamberts screen illumination and I have gotten no where near that for "Spider-man" and "Unfaithful". What is wrong with you guys?

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