8mm Forum: SOLO Dark

This is topic SOLO Dark in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by William Olson (Member # 2083) on June 04, 2018, 08:46 PM:

Anyone seen SOLO and thought the cinematography was on the dark side? Pun intended.

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on June 04, 2018, 10:13 PM:

I didn't think it was unusually dark. I saw it on an iMax screen and it looked great!

Did you see this thread?
http://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=004851

Posted by William Olson (Member # 2083) on June 05, 2018, 08:21 AM:

I didn't see it in IMAX. No doubt it looks best in that format. I know that many many theaters and patrons are complaining about how dark it is. I found it difficult to make out what was on the screen most of the time. The producers and, specifically, the cinematographer are blaming less than ideal digital projection in the theaters. Although there may be some truth to that, the cinematographer admits to experimenting with low light cinematography for this film. As a product manufactured to make money, the creators of this film should have taken the current state of theatrical digital projection into account. I know this smacks of compromising artistry for the lower common denominator but this is show business.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on June 05, 2018, 11:13 AM:

That MUST have been a great pleasure to see it in IMAX, espcially with those shots of the Mellenium Falcon, (my vote for the most AWESOME and Iconic sci-fi spaceship EVER!!), looping and swooping about on the screen! [Smile]

Posted by David Baker (Member # 3259) on June 05, 2018, 11:17 AM:

Yes , In IMAX 3-D at that !

Posted by Larry Arpin (Member # 744) on June 05, 2018, 06:55 PM:

When I first saw the trailers I was thinking maybe it will look better in the theater. Not so. I was straining to see in the darker scenes.

Where have the DP and producers been for the last several years. There have always been problems in projection before LOW lite digital projection. Ideal projection is carbon arc but I've seen problems with that too. I blame the DP, original directors with agreeing to shoot it that way, Ron Howard for continuing that look, and the producers for going along with that look.

Janice saw it at an Imax theater and I bet it was laser projection or dual projectors.

I thought the movie was entertaining and it is a shame it was shoot this way.

Posted by David Hardy (Member # 4628) on June 11, 2018, 11:58 AM:

Thats very strange indeed. I just saw it at one of the Digima's in Aberdeen Scotland on 4K and the image looked excellent.

I enjoyed the movie too and that is something of praise coming from me as i am not really a Star Wars franchise fan. [Smile]

Posted by Rob Young. (Member # 131) on June 11, 2018, 12:46 PM:

Another case of calibration being so important, more so now with digital projection.

Directors of Photography relay upon the cinema presentation being up to specification.

Sadly, this is usually not the case and reason to complain to the theatre management.

Tell the theater owners that it isn't right.

https://www.slashfilm.com/solo-projection-problems/

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on June 11, 2018, 03:54 PM:

Yes I have read of cinemas leaving the polarising filters on for non 3D films causing a great light loss.

Posted by Thomas Murin, Jr. (Member # 1745) on June 13, 2018, 04:36 PM:

Ron Howard has confirmed that the movie was NOT photographed "dark" and that the problem is with theaters not projecting it properly.

It's the same old "Dim the bulb" issue that they did with film projectors. This does NOT extend the life of the bulb despite what managers have been led to believe.

Those who have seen Solo properly projected say it looks as good as any Star Wars movie.

Posted by David Hardy (Member # 4628) on June 14, 2018, 09:22 AM:

I can confirm that following a conversation yesterday with a friend of mine who is still in the Digital movies exhibition trade that it is indeed a failure to remove the 3D polarising filter that is the most common cause of the projection of light loss on some movies.

I remember this happening when i was still in the trade.
Our ones were swing away from the front of the lens filters not unlike what we do with scope lenses.

Posted by Steven J Kirk (Member # 1135) on June 14, 2018, 09:40 AM:

Does anyone know even if there IS a designated projectionist in these modern digital multiplexes? Or is it just one man visiting a whole circuit and not catching problems regularly.

Posted by David Baker (Member # 3259) on June 14, 2018, 11:16 AM:

Steven ,
I can tell you now in the USA it's the THEATER MANAGER that starts the digital movies , " Projectionist " does not exist anymore .

Posted by Steven J Kirk (Member # 1135) on June 15, 2018, 11:11 AM:

Wow, that's what I feared. No doubt the same in the UK.

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on June 15, 2018, 11:51 AM:

So sad...and the cost of going to the movies is ridiculous. I was fortunate to see Solo in iMAX projected correctly, but it appears this is not the case for many. In the case where the movie was shown with the 3d filter left on the projector...the theater should have issued refunds.

Posted by David Hardy (Member # 4628) on June 15, 2018, 03:08 PM:

I can confirm as an ex Cinema Projectionist here in the UK that the majority of cinemas have no projectionist at all.

The shows are now the responsibility of the management teams. We all got the boot !

The projection boxes ( booths ) are now unmanned !

All the more reason the price of admission is a rip off ! [Big Grin]

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on June 15, 2018, 04:40 PM:

If you wonder where the projectionist has gone, then check this out..

https://youtu.be/L0wZxAVber4

Posted by William Olson (Member # 2083) on June 15, 2018, 11:20 PM:

Here at the Overlook Drive-In in Poughkeepsie, NY I man the booth. Only one digital projector but I make up the playlists which consist of 2 features plus coming attractions and those ever popular Drive-In snack bar ads of yore. I also jump start cars and loan out portable radios to those who do not want to used their car stereos. Believe me, It's a handful. I don't know how a projectionist here dealt with all this when they projected film. My hat is off to all film projectionists.

[ June 16, 2018, 09:23 AM: Message edited by: William Olson ]

Posted by Larry Arpin (Member # 744) on June 16, 2018, 12:25 AM:

I just remembered something coming home. My son and his friend wanted to go to the theater and we chose Safe House. Released in 2012 about the time everyone was switching over. I had heard AMC swichted over all theaters to digital. To my surprise I saw a 35mm projector in the booth. I thought what a treat. Then I saw someone threading the projector. Guess who? One of the concession employees. The show was flawless nonetheless. After the show I saw the employee and asked if he always threads the projector and he said he does everything.

So don't the film makers know there are no more protectionist? So how can they think things would go OK.

Posted by David Baker (Member # 3259) on June 16, 2018, 08:55 AM:

Larry - Projectionist belonged to a " Union " with the MPA so now with digital projectors showing films on data boxes with codes , they are no longer needed and that means a " Union " is no longer needed to protect the projectionst's benefits and wages .

Saving the Theater owners lots of money with less employees to pay , but more profit for them . ( Although I'm sure ALL theaters had to go in debt for the Digital Projectors they were forced to buy ! )

Have you ever seen one of the Digital boxes a film's data comes on ?
It's about the size of a VHS video tape and has a number code that must be entered to release the data into the projector to show the movie . That code is good for one week . After that , it disappears and if you want to show the movie for another week , you must pay for another code to unlock the data box .

Pretty easy with no film to splice , repair or thread . [Frown]

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