8mm Forum: PLEASE WILL THE LAST PROJECTIONIST TURN OFF THE LIGHTS

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Posted by Den Brown (Member # 819) on June 23, 2012, 06:21 AM:

.

2 hours, 49 mins, 37 secs....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01jxvnq/Today_22_06_2012/

http://www.thelastprojectionist.co.uk/

.

Posted by Desmond Godwin (Member # 2530) on June 23, 2012, 05:38 PM:

I believe that this film is being shown in Digital format which kinda defeats its purpose. In the last year or so most of my local cineplexes have been converted to Digital and so im reluctant to go to these cinemas anymore. Big screen video does nothing for me. Going to the cinema is all about watching celluloid film being projected onto the screen and put up there by the mechanical working projector machine. Nothing compares to it. That enjoyment has now been slowly taken away from me. Im just happy that up to now i have lived through an era where 35\70mm film was king. I believe that digital cinema's won't last. Like the film projectionist the magic is gone...

[Frown]

Desmond

[ June 23, 2012, 07:25 PM: Message edited by: Desmond Godwin ]

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on June 23, 2012, 06:48 PM:

It's a sad fact of life Desmond that nothing stays the same,along
with technology moving the rate it is,this new fad of dvd in
cinemas will be superseded by something else that can make
even more money for the suits in tinseltown.What they don't
realise,or don't want to,is the mystique of moving pictures and
the magic that is created,or used to be,by the skills of the
projectionist and his team.I know in my own trade how skills
have been devalued or lost through so called "modernisation"
They have lost the knowledge that the ancient races had on
how to make proper concrete,the Romans made concrete that
has lasted for millenia,whereas modern concrete lasts but a
couple of hundred years at best."Damascus steel" was made
in the Middle East from 1100 to 1750,but they lost the
technology,this was a highly tempered but flexible steel for
sworsds etc that could cut through stone and inferior metals.
The same thing is happening now,new techno,somehow is seen to be better than what you had so junk it.All those beautiful
projectors that will be destroyed and the men who used them
chucked onto the scrapheap of life.In less than fifty years the
public will have forgotten film ever existed.

Posted by Desmond Godwin (Member # 2530) on June 23, 2012, 08:08 PM:

Hugh, yes time and technology march on but as you point out down the ages its not always for the better! I agree with you that tinsel town sees more money in the new digital formats and
they are bringing it on to the detriment of the 'genuine' cinema
lover (like myself) and countless others who enjoy going to the cinema to see 'film' projection and not millions of square pixels produced from a DPL chip or an LCD panel! Give me the fluid motion of film anytime. The knowledge that every frame you see is passing thru the projector gate and the amount of work the projectionist and his team have done to put it out there. Now the local manager at the cineplex can pop in the disc
push the play button and go back to his office and look over his revenue savings since he put the film projectors and the
operators on the scrapheap!

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on June 23, 2012, 10:02 PM:

quote:
Now the local manager at the cineplex can pop in the disc
push the play button and go back to his office and look over his revenue savings since he put the film projectors and the
operators on the scrapheap!

Nothing could be further from the truth. Digital costs more. There are no discs. You can't just pop the movie in and press play. There are now all sorts of security steps that must be taken.

Seriously, you have no idea how far off the mark you are.

Posted by Claus Harding (Member # 702) on June 24, 2012, 12:15 AM:

I have heard some stories of the "time lock" functions on the files where you have 15 mins before a screening to unlock/check things when you hit the right code...to me, that is just bizarre. Everyone is a criminal now?

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on June 24, 2012, 03:11 AM:

The hard drive for a feature delivered to a cinema has an inbuilt knowledge of its showing location and the date period of its licence to be shown.

There is no checking method to run a film until the date comes round, and even then it still needs a code inserted which is sent direct to the cinema manager via an email.

By the way, the trailers and the advertising "reel" arrive on USB sticks.

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on June 24, 2012, 03:51 AM:

quote:
There are now all sorts of security steps that must be taken.

Well..."security steps" ain't film projection.
[Wink]

Posted by David M. Ballew (Member # 1818) on June 24, 2012, 04:13 AM:

Although I respect every opinion I've read here, I have to say that for me, the play's still the thing. Not the storage medium, not the projection format.

I am a huge movie buff, but like most every casual moviegoer, I go to the movies looking for an interesting or amusing story told clearly and creatively. I'm also looking for compelling personalities: charismatic actors and actresses playing well-written and stimulating characters.

Although I am well aware of technical and aesthetic nuances in the direction, the photography, the music, the editing, and the various mise en scène elements of a film, to me the joy of cinema lies in having my mind and my heart engaged by a rewarding narrative, be it fictional or factual, and by people who speak to our shared humanity.

I will add that I'm the biggest film geek I personally know. I've collected Standard 8, Super 8, and 16mm over the years, and I worked as a projectionist in several fine multiplexes during my college days. As some of you know, humble Standard 8 silent still holds a special place in my heart.

But we must surely concede that digital projection, for all its perceived faults, has all but eliminated bob and weave, tramlines, reel-change cue marks, emulsion blotches and dust. And even the greatest film purist here must surely recognize harsh economic reality: not many cinemas can justify sequestering an employee in the projection booth in this era of advanced automation, when there is so much to be done in concessions and on the floor.

Last of all, let us remember that one reason film projection required such intensive training and professional commitment in decades past was because there was an overriding safety issue. In the days of nitrate film, an incompetent person in a projection room could very well mean fiery disaster for a theater, and injury or death for its patrons. Happily, all this is now a thing of the past.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on June 24, 2012, 04:20 AM:

Michael,that's it in a nutshell.People that are the mainstay in the
running of a cinema,are the first to be jettisoned in the name of
progress.Brad,don't try to kid us digital costs more,the whole
argument of the pro digital boys has been the cost of 35mm
film prints.

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on June 24, 2012, 05:22 AM:

quote:
But we must surely concede that digital projection, for all its perceived faults, has all but eliminated bob and weave, tramlines, reel-change cue marks, emulsion blotches and dust.

I have to say that none of these things have ever spoiled a film for me, ever.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on June 24, 2012, 06:23 AM:

All the things that make a film worth watching!

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on June 24, 2012, 01:34 PM:

quote:
Everyone is a criminal now?

As far as the studios are concerned, yes.

quote:
The hard drive for a feature delivered to a cinema has an inbuilt knowledge of its showing location and the date period of its licence to be shown.

Again, absolutely not true. The hard drive that contains the files for the movie are exactly the same between every theater running the same version (language) of the film around the world. It is only the decryption key that is specific to each server for each auditorium that is different.

quote:
There is no checking method to run a film until the date comes round

The servers do this on their own, however I've found GDC servers to fail at this. Sometimes you can have a corrupted ingest and the GDC has no idea until it starts playing the movie and then you refund the auditorium.

quote:
and even then it still needs a code inserted which is sent direct to the cinema manager via an email.

That is the decryption key, or KDM. It isn't always sent to the manager via email, but in some cases it is. The good systems out there the manager doesn't have to deal with it at all.

quote:
By the way, the trailers and the advertising "reel" arrive on USB sticks.

Nope, only the occasional last-minute trailer will arrive this way. (Each advertising company is different, so there is no rule on that.) Most trailers are about 4GB each, so you can typically only send one trailer per USB stick. The good systems download trailers (and most movies) via satellite and hard drives are simply used as backup if needed. Most systems out there though receive a hard drive each week with the latest trailers on it, just like how dts used to issue a new disc each week to 35mm theaters with all of the latest trailer audio on it.

David Ballew's post is dead on the money. Very well written David.

quote:
Brad,don't try to kid us digital costs more,the whole
argument of the pro digital boys has been the cost of 35mm
film prints.

What I wrote was: "Nothing could be further from the truth. Digital costs more."

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on June 24, 2012, 03:55 PM:

Well Brad,where is the benefit of the digital age,where complexity
seems the order of the day,I like the bit about "refunding the
auditorium".Once upon a time,if there was a breakdown in the
programme,a cartoon or newsreel would be shown until order
was restored,and the show resumed,now it appears its easier to
"refund the auditorium" and if someones evening out has been spoiled,what the hell.A case there of film and an operator being
superior to a preset machine,but then the paying public must
take what they are given.I still can't figure if digital costs more
why junk film?

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on June 24, 2012, 07:27 PM:

Out here the switch to video projection from film for the exhibitor is an expensive exercise. At the moment its roughly around NZ$80.000 per screen. Compared with a brand new Kinoton 35mm projector complete wth automation and lenses "the lot" is around NZ$40.000. A Xenon lamp for the Christie video projector the local multi-plex uses, is about $1800 for a life of only 500hrs. Compared with say a Kinoton 35mm xenon lamp eg the "XL" extreme life is about $800 and thats a lamp that will last you at least 3000hrs plus.

Those prices will change, the video projectors and lamps will come down in price but at the moment the running cost is much higher compared with film. The thing is the film companys still charge that % "their cut" for every seat sold wither its film or not. Those folk, the film companys are the ones that make the money, especially with a new big budget movie where that % is high, with older movies a lower % is better money wise for the cinema if the numbers coming are good.

The cinema makes its $$$ with the popcorn and all the other unhealthy stuff they sell "not so much with the movie" As far as realability is concerned, in the 12 years of projecting film we only ever refunded once and that was because of a power cut to the mall, we never lost a session and had to refund and that must run into many "thousands" over the years with the film projectors themselves. They just ran and ran and still would have been going if we had not closed down [Frown]

with video only time will tell [Roll Eyes]

. The biggest crime an exhibitor can make out here is to loose a session and have to "refund", thats a "no no" situation.. unless you want a lynch mob chasing you. [Smile]

Graham.

PS. About 99% of people that go to the cinema think its a video projector and dvd...pop the disc in...and press play and thats why I used to enjoy showing folk around the projection room, a working museum sort of speak [Smile]

it was a lot of fun and always folk would say.... Wow [Cool]

.... thats interesting and it was [Frown]

Posted by Desmond Godwin (Member # 2530) on June 24, 2012, 07:42 PM:

quote:
Seriously, you have no idea how far off the mark you are.

Desmond..

[ June 25, 2012, 02:45 PM: Message edited by: Desmond Godwin ]

Posted by John Hourigan (Member # 111) on June 24, 2012, 10:25 PM:

I've found the difference between the casual film goer and a film collector is that the casual film goer watches the movie while the film collector watches the movie projector! [Smile]

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on June 24, 2012, 10:39 PM:

There are movies that in my "one eyed" view, should only ever be shown on a film projector. A good example of that, were the films of David Lean we projected last year "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Doctor Zhivago" in particular. Even though the prints were old, they were amazing to watch and probably for the last time projected here in NZ on the big screen on film [Cool]

. I wonder how all that fancy video automation stuff could or would handle the Overture..the Intermission...the music, the lights, etc etc that needs to be done just right for that kind of presentation. [Roll Eyes]

Graham.

PS. John when I was very young growing up in Glasgow as a kid I was fasinated just by the fact the light from the projector ever reached the screen through all the smoke, "cough cough" as almost everyone back in those days smoked...there were some real dumps [Big Grin]

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on June 25, 2012, 12:44 AM:

quote:
I like the bit about "refunding the
auditorium".Once upon a time,if there was a breakdown in the
programme,a cartoon or newsreel would be shown until order
was restored,and the show resumed,now it appears its easier to
"refund the auditorium" and if someones evening out has been spoiled,what the hell.

Remember, the studios think everyone is a pirate. As such they have devised this system as a false sense of security for themselves to "prevent" bootlegging. When something goes wrong, the studios just write it off as a business expense in a manner of speaking. "It happens." The blame in this example would go to the theater owner that bought the GDC server since it has so many quirks to it. Had they bought Dolby, the problem would have never existed in the first place.

quote:
I still can't figure if digital costs more
why junk film?

Because the studios are tired of paying billions a year into making film prints that the theaters damage when they can simply pay next to nothing to distribute via hard drive AND gain the false sense of security about "preventing piracy".

quote:
A Xenon lamp for the Christie video projector the local multi-plex uses, is about $1800 for a life of only 500hrs. Compared with say a Kinoton 35mm xenon lamp eg the "XL" extreme life is about $800 and thats a lamp that will last you at least 3000hrs plus.

Those numbers are not accurate. Let's use Christie as an example, and let's choose their most expensive bulb.

A CXL-60 was originally designed for film, but works just fine in a digital projector.

A CDXL-60 was originally designed for digital, but produces more light in a film lamphouse (just like how it produces more light in a digital projector). It costs about $100-200 US more and burns for a couple hundred hours less than the CXL-60. (I don't have exact prices handy.) However at the end of the day, if the screen or 3D requires the extra light, the option is there for BOTH foramts. Remember, a bulb is not a bulb. Some are brighter.

Yes the CDXL-60 bulb costs more, but the fact of the matter is EITHER bulb will be brighter in a DLP Christie projector than in a film lamphouse. The problem with your comparison is you are not comparing fairly. It sounds as if you are comparing a 3000 watt film bulb to a 6000 digital bulb. If the digital screen is running 3d, of course it will need a larger bulb (just as 3d film would). But from the sound of it in this example the film system was simply under-spec'd. So what's the issue here? Digital DOES produce more light using the same bulb (of any size or type) than 35mm.

Your comments about the film companys making a ton of money at the first of the run vs. the end of the run are of course spot on. If you want to see some fun with film, watch this video:

Studio Movie Grill Arlington

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on June 25, 2012, 02:35 AM:

quote:
I've found the difference between the casual film goer and a film collector is that the casual film goer watches the movie while the film collector watches the movie projector!

Love it

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on June 25, 2012, 03:28 AM:

THE PLAZA SUPER CINEMA at STOCKPORT will be screening it on 13th July. The cinema will be projecting a film copy of this flick at 2:30PM and 7:30PM. As mentioned before a visit to this cinema is a step back in time when presentation was everything, its even equipped with a delightful cafe and Compton theatre organ which will be played before the film.
Happy days!

Posted by Desmond Godwin (Member # 2530) on June 25, 2012, 04:19 PM:

quote:
There are movies that in my "one eyed" view, should only ever be shown on a film projector. A good example of that, were the films of David Lean we projected last year "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Doctor Zhivago" in particular. Even though the prints were old, they were amazing to watch and probably for the last time projected here in NZ on the big screen on film . I wonder how all that fancy video automation stuff could or would handle the Overture..the Intermission...the music, the lights, etc etc that needs to be done just right for that kind of presentation.

Graham. I agree with you when you say certain films should only be viewed in their film format. Im happy to say that the ones you elude too i have seen in the cinema and if i might include 'The Ten Commandments' and Ben Hur. Tho they now go back some years i can still see them bright sharp and steady images on the 'Big' screen. At that time there was a 2 projection set-up and the projectionist was kept busy but never was there a flaw with picture or sound, these people were professionals! The curtains would close for the intermission
and the overture would play. Take me back there...
To-day would i go to the Cinema to see any of the above classics in 'Digital' format? the answer is no.

Desmond

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on June 25, 2012, 05:44 PM:

Brad
The price tag of NZ$1800 was given by the folk who service the local Reading cinema. The screens are of average size and for the most part still running Kinoton 35mm as well as the one Christie digital projector. What surprised me, when I was told of this by the tech guy that services the place was the short "500hr" lamp life. During the school holidays the place is doing well but outside of that the numbers during the day are low. When I went to see Hugo in 3D there were only a dozen folk watching it, which in my view makes running a projector like that, lamp wise either in 2D or 3D expensive to run. If they went digital in all screens that cost would add up even more than if they stuck for the most part with 35mm.

I like the video, thats one nice projection room, what was the reason behind having all the platters in one place rather than placing them next to the projectors? when the place went digital what happend to all the projection equipment?

Graham.

PS. Brad has any of the manufactures of digital projectors ever given any indication of the expected life of these things?

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on June 25, 2012, 08:11 PM:

What really annoys me with all this digital,computerised crap,
is the way people who have worked unsociable hours in these
establishments are cast aside in the name of progress,because
profit is the watchword regardless.Well we all know that these
so called safeguards and codes are soon cracked and overidden
in Gt Britain it's one of the things we're really good at.It's high
time that there was a law passed that made companies who make people redundant for corporate gain,eligable to pay their
unemployment benefit for a set period of time.I hope they lose
money hand over fist,and if their protection codes are anything like the one that Sony used to encript their dvd releases with
for anti piracy,that took a whole 15 mins to crack.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on June 26, 2012, 01:16 AM:

Most manufacturers won't quote an expected lifespan, but the general off-the-record number is 10-15 years, which I personally agree is reasonable given the technology.

Obviously film equipment lasts MUCH longer, but that is because it is purely a mechanical system. It was only a matter of time though, as the studios are so paranoid about people copying their (crappy) movies and they don't want to spend the money on making film prints that this was inevitable.

All of the platters were put into the center of the booth because the theaters can fit more shows in a day this way. As soon as it drops in one auditorium, it is re-threaded into the next auditorium where customers are already seated. The films rarely sat "not moving" for very long. It also made interlocking super easy, as it was essentially "built in" to the system. This became a pretty standard setup for our installs, although each platter array was slightly different due to the constraints of the booth.

We also did "delayed interlocks" for those cases when a studio wouldn't release 2 or 3 copies of the film to the theater, we had a design that could hold 4000 feet of film in 1000 foot increments to have multiple auditoriums with staggered showtimes.

That's one thing digital certainly helped out on though...it makes that sort of scheduling effortless. Those booths with the platter arrays required TRUE professional projectionists because there were so many things that could be done wrong.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on June 26, 2012, 03:33 AM:

All a bit of a downer this little digital lot, but thank goodness we can continue to screen reel film at home or out and about. Nothing quite like the clatter of a movie projector and a film winding its way through a mechanism.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on June 26, 2012, 11:29 AM:

I read an article in the paper last week that said that even digital camera sales are now in a severe decline. Apparently most people now prefer to use cell phone cameras, and even though the quality is abysmal compared to a real digital still/movie camera, they dont care, convenience being everything. So we have gone from 35mm film to digital cameras to cell phone cameras.

Posted by Desmond Godwin (Member # 2530) on June 26, 2012, 02:28 PM:

quote:
All a bit of a downer this little digital lot, but thank goodness we can continue to screen reel film at home or out and about. Nothing quite like the clatter of a movie projector and a film winding its way through a mechanism

Perfectly described Lee, Im with you on this one..

[Smile]

Desmond

Posted by Laksmi Breathwaite (Member # 2320) on June 26, 2012, 04:13 PM:

Desmond, and Hugh, I'm with you and Lee LONG LIVE FILM!!!!

quote:
Brad,don't try to kid us digital costs more,the whole
argument of the pro digital boys has been the cost of 35mm
film prints.

It is a known fact that films are shot mostly digitally now because film is not cheap. A photo of the Mona Lisa will never be worth more then the real painting . And digital films and computers get sold at yardsales dirt cheap these days. Only films become more valued as they grow in age.
Yeah in the future we will have movies down loaded in our heads. I saw a OuterLimits once that every one was wired to the stream and no one could do anything for themselves. The stream got a virus and that was it every one was helpless. Except this one guy who was normal and was not wired because of a birth deffect, He ended up saving the whole digital world because he could still think. Then there was another story about the last big war and there was no more power and this guy wanted to see movies show the world , and he took an old projector and wired it up to a old surving
bicycle and peddled the film reels around to show the movie to a camp of people. He even used a candle in a lamp with mirrors to project the light. Try doing that with a digital hard drive?
What will happen in the future we can only guess???????????

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on June 26, 2012, 06:04 PM:

You're not wrong there Laksmi,what I'm waiting for,and it will
happen,is when they attempt to screen the big film and things
start to go wrong with the little codes etc which means no movie.
I can imagine some audiences won't take it too well and will
probably wreck the auditorium or cinema as it used to be called.
I suggest they keep a copy of the "Kaiser Chiefs" number handy
"I Predict A Riot".The fun is about to begin.

Posted by Bill Phelps (Member # 1431) on June 26, 2012, 06:25 PM:

I was just thinking if all of the sudden we no longer had electricity I could take my hand held viewer with a 50' reel outside, point it at the sun and still watch my movies!

I guess that is why I love film because it is something I can hold in my hand...it is real.

I understand that digital is the new way and I can't change that and that's OK. I don't have to like it. And I don't.

Bill [Smile]

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on June 26, 2012, 06:33 PM:

If you can get the dvd of "The Men Behind The Movies" Reel Four, disc two has an excellent documentry from 1949 on all aspects of running a large cinema. I managed to get a copy from Derann long ago, its well worth getting.

Here are a couple of photos from the past you might find of interest.

Look at how smart those projectionists are dressed, shoes polished etc.

Graham.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on June 26, 2012, 06:45 PM:

Great pics Graham and very nostalgic for an age when people knew how to dress for work. Why do I keep getting the feeling that the best of, not only the cinema, but also just about every aspect of modern life, is now far behind us! [Frown]

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on June 26, 2012, 06:55 PM:

Well at the end of the shift boy's,there's still our intrepid little
band thats getting bigger all the time,by younger people,so that
proves we're not alone............there is intelligent life out there.

Posted by Desmond Godwin (Member # 2530) on June 26, 2012, 07:17 PM:

WoW they are great pics Graham. 35mm carbon arc projectors. Those guys look busy and that equipment of the day would certainly have kept them on their toes. I only had an opportunity once to see a carbon arc 35mm projector.We had been working on the premises disconnecting the electricity supply and removing the metering. I wanted to set-up home in that projector booth,but sadly a few days later the building\cinema was demolished... [Frown]

Desmond

[ June 27, 2012, 02:51 PM: Message edited by: Desmond Godwin ]

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on June 27, 2012, 05:41 AM:

That's very true Paul,change and modernisation isn't always for
the good.On the subject of dress,I remember when I was
apprenticed in the building trade,some of the older gents all
wore collar and tie to work.Nice dress I suppose gives an air of
confidence and authority.In the cinema projection room,it would
be mandatory to be clean and presentable as the conditions
would be very clean and dust free.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on June 27, 2012, 11:27 PM:

I wonder if the legendary Graumanns Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard has now gone digital. I certainly hope not.

Posted by Laksmi Breathwaite (Member # 2320) on June 28, 2012, 12:11 PM:

Hey Bill I want one can I put a 200" reel on it?

quote:
was just thinking if all of the sudden we no longer had electricity I could take my hand held viewer with a 50' reel outside, point it at the sun and still watch my movies!

WHERE CAN I BUY THIS HAND HELD VIEWER? Whats the brand name and name? I will google it and see eBay for it.

Posted by Colin Robert Hunt (Member # 433) on June 28, 2012, 03:33 PM:

Hi Laksmi. Those hand held viewers that I have experienced over here in england where called under the name of Ajax and best be avoided due to the scratching of film and the limited 50 foot replay. This inclides the toy projectors you see on e-bay a not good choice unless you want very scrached film. Best stick to the named projectors you can trust because there are some real shredding machines out there.

Posted by Bill Phelps (Member # 1431) on June 28, 2012, 05:40 PM:

Colin...yes you are correct as they are not very good to film after repeated viewings.

Laksmi...Melton viewer from the 50's. Castle put out special 50' reels made just for this unit but it did not take off like they expected. I have it just for the novelty and it only takes 50' reels.

But...my comments about using the viewer were meant to convey the point that film is real and I could still watch my movies when everything else fails...as long as the sun is in the sky....

Bill [Smile]

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on June 28, 2012, 05:51 PM:

That sounds like a cue for a song Bill.

Posted by Bill Phelps (Member # 1431) on June 28, 2012, 06:04 PM:

Osi or Mr. O'Regan...where are you!

Bill [Big Grin]

Posted by Desmond Godwin (Member # 2530) on June 29, 2012, 02:56 PM:

quote:
That sounds like a cue for a song Bill

Desmond...

Posted by Laksmi Breathwaite (Member # 2320) on July 02, 2012, 01:26 AM:

Hey Bill and Colin I had a toy projector that you would put a 50 reel on and crank with a batterie for the light it was nice and I would love to have that as a novelty.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on July 11, 2012, 03:02 AM:

A little reminder they are projecting the film at STOCKPORT PLAZA CINEMA Friday 13th July 2:30PM and I understand it will be a 35mm film print they are using.

Posted by Ken Finch (Member # 2768) on July 14, 2012, 12:20 PM:

I wonder if "The Last Projectionist" will be available on DVD!!
I do agree with the majority of comments made. I fear this move to digital will mean the end for the independent cinema owner because of the cost of the installation and the cost of continous upgrading at short intervals. There is also the question of archiving. The permanence of the digital image is unknown and the format is constantly changing as amateur movie makers have discovered. There will shortly be no choice but to use a digital format, only to find that there is the added expense of having to change it again after increasingly short periods of time. At present, film production companies have large archives of films to call upon to increase profits by making them available on whatever is the latest domestic digital format but how will they be able to do this in the future? Thousands of silent films were lost forever when studios dumped their archives when sond began and more were lost to silver reclamation of more recent years. Look at the recent history of the camcorder formats. I have had to replace my camcorder 3 times since using video and if I have to change the current one it will be a different format again as mini DV is now obsolete and the analogue formats are long gone. My Pathe Lido camera works just as well now as the day I bought it. Unfortunately the cost of film and the processing is now beyond my means. Hey ho, thats "progress" I suppose, or is it really. It seems to me these days that profits for shareholders is more important than anything else these days. I am getting cynical in my old age. Ken Finch,

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on July 16, 2012, 08:09 AM:

Well, we both took some time out to go and see the film and made a day of it. As usual the presentation at The Plaza Cinema was exceptional and the Compton theatre organ played for us twice. They started the programme with a Pathe newsreel followed by a short film I have never seen before title ‘Short Circuit’ which I guess dates from the late 70’s. It followed a chap who had lots of old film posters around his house and loved going to the movies, unfortunately when he set off for the cinema every one he went to was boarded up or closed down. A nicely made short film this and one we hope to see again sometime.

Ah yes, The Last Projectionist’ nearly forgot that. Well, we felt it was all a bit unfinished really. It was good to see Les Castree in it who many will have seen over here but the film was just a little disappointing although parts of it were interesting to us as film projectionists come cinema enthusiasts. It would have been nice to have heard more about the old equipment perhaps, and my guess is that like me you will have seen many amateur cine films which have charted the cinemas rise and fall over the years already, so other than the fact this doc kept on a bout digital killing film nothing much new for me anyway. It was nice to see and hear the old stories and see old pictures but these were a little sparse. They also went on to explain Imax on film was about dead and Dig Imax had arrived. Still, it was a good day out and the Plaza Cinema did a grand job.

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