8mm Forum: Visits to Projection Boxes

8mm Forum

my profile | my password | search | faq | register | forum home

next oldest topic

next newest topic

»	8mm Forum » General Yak » Visits to Projection Boxes

UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!

Author

Topic: Visits to Projection Boxes

Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

posted November 06, 2007 07:16 AM

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Thought it would be nice to start a new thread about our visits to projection boxes at our local cinemas and photos we may have been able to take.

Here is a snap from ours which I visited recently and had a play with one of the projectors out of hours.

No where as good as Super 8mm this 35mm obviously….Cough cough!

EE.
[Big Grin]

[Big Grin]

| IP: Logged

Mark Howard
Film Handler

Posts: 85
From: Manchester, U.K.
Registered: Jul 2007

posted November 06, 2007 09:04 AM

Author's Homepage

Email Mark Howard

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Nice picture Lee. As a lad all those years ago I had the opportunity to start the projector for the opening screening of Star Trek the Motion Picture at my local cinema (the Classic in Bury - sadly demolished now). It was a great experience but when I actually got into the booth I was really disappointed at how cramped, tatty and old it all was. I'd love to have a run around a modern multiplex but for whatever reason I've never got round to doing so.

| IP: Logged

Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

posted November 06, 2007 09:15 AM

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

The very Cinema Mark
Best wishes.

| IP: Logged

Mark Howard
Film Handler

Posts: 85
From: Manchester, U.K.
Registered: Jul 2007

posted November 06, 2007 09:56 AM

Author's Homepage

Email Mark Howard

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

That's the baby! Many a happy hour spent there, and the Odeon too. Thanks for the blast from the past. Mark

| IP: Logged

Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 525
From: Dallas, TX, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 06, 2007 12:17 PM

Author's Homepage

Email Brad Miller

Edit/Delete Post

There are a TON of pictures of projection booths on the main site www.film-tech.com Just click on the "pictures" link.

You guys will also probably get a kick out of the "booth training seminars" in the "videos" section. [Razz]

[Razz]

| IP: Logged

Mike Peckham
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1461
From: West Sussex, UK.
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 06, 2007 12:45 PM

Email Mike Peckham

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Here's the projection box at my local cinema - The Worthing Dome ;

I understand the projectors are pre-war but are still running films everyday. The cinema itself, which was originally built in 1911 as an Ice Rinc with "Electric Theatre" has recently undergone a massive refurbishment and has been returned very much to how it was in 1921 when the Ice Rinc eventually became the auditorium.

You can check it out properly here; http://www.worthingdome.com/

Mike [Smile]

[Smile]

--------------------
Auntie Em must have stopped wondering where I am by now...

| IP: Logged

Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

posted November 07, 2007 07:06 AM

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Now thats what I call a projection box !!!

| IP: Logged

Hugh McCullough
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 156
From: Old Coulsdon. Surrey. UK
Registered: Oct 2006

posted November 07, 2007 10:23 AM

Author's Homepage

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

If you want to see projection boxes, both old and new, please go to www.cinephoto.co.uk
Thank you.

--------------------
EIKI Ex 6100 xenon machine.

| IP: Logged

Michael O'Regan
Film God

Posts: 3085
From: Essex, UK
Registered: Oct 2007

posted November 07, 2007 02:26 PM

Email Michael O'Regan

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Hi Mark,

"CRAMPED, TATTY AND OLD"

That's good old projection boxes for ya!!!!

Hi Mike,
nice pic - and Lee, I agree with you - that's a proper projection box!!

-Mike.

[ November 07, 2007, 04:37 PM: Message edited by: Michael O'Regan ]

| IP: Logged

Claus Harding
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1149
From: Washington DC
Registered: Oct 2006

posted November 07, 2007 11:03 PM

Email Claus Harding

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Here in town (Washington DC) we have one classic place left:

The Uptown.

A grand old curved Cinerama-screened place with a balcony, decent decor, two Century CCs (if I remember right) with 5000W Strongs behind them, and a booth so small they had to carve a space in the ceiling to make the reels rotate freely.

The best in town run this room. I have yet to see a glitch between reels in 20 years of viewing.
I watched 'Alien' there in 70mm when it was on its first run.
It has never been as scary since.

The sound system has been updated along the way, and I do belive they have run most everything by now: optical mono, 35 mag Stereo, 70mm 6-track, all the Dolby variants along with THX and Sony Digital.

I still weep for the second-best cinema in town.
Because it is gone, and because it is where I trained around 1984. Huge flat screen, done with two Norelco 35/70 machines; the most awesomely heavy-duty, yet delicately accurate film devices I have ever touched. They had run from when I was about 2 (1962), and would most likely be running after I died, given just a little care. I wish I had pictures....

Best,
Claus.

--------------------
"Why are there shots of deserts in a scene that's supposed to take place in Belgium during the winter?" (Review of 'Battle of the Bulge'.)

| IP: Logged

Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

posted November 08, 2007 03:33 AM

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Mike. It was so nice to see real projection equipment and it was certainly built to last. The projectors in the image I put up are always giving problems and they have been having issues with guides recently. I don’t think nylon is up to heavy use, but my friends Ross projector is still running the same parts as the day it was sold. Sometimes I wonder if we are going backwards.

If any of you are like me looking at 50 in a couple of years. I tend to get very nostalgic and reminisce about the old times and perhaps this is why film and projecting it is so magical to me even today in this world of HD DVD and the like.

| IP: Logged

Graham Ritchie
Film God

Posts: 4001
From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006

posted November 08, 2007 01:08 PM

Email Graham Ritchie

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Claus
You mentioned an interesting point, and that was the cinema itself, many had what I call "real character" they were picture palaces it wasn't just the film you went to see but to take in the surroundings as well, from the twinkling stars in the ceiling. It must be at least 4 yrs ago at a convention in Wellington that we were treated to a visit to Peter Jacksons private preview theatre, what impressed me was the beautiful screen curtains with pre-show alternating coloured lighting, it must have lasted at least 5 minutes, before the lights started to dim and the curtain would slowly rise "very impressive" it's something that has been lost with the modern cinema which is as interesting as sitting in a departure lounge at an airport.

Graham. [Smile]

[Smile]

| IP: Logged

Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 08, 2007 01:58 PM

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

How right you are Graham. Entering a modern stadium cinema is like walking into a cold black tomb. One reason the home cinema is gaining so much popularity. People are just fed up with the sterile atmosphere of the multiplexes, and the manners of the popcorn-munching, cell-phone addicted public who inhabit them.

--------------------
The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj

| IP: Logged

Michael O'Regan
Film God

Posts: 3085
From: Essex, UK
Registered: Oct 2007

posted November 08, 2007 02:44 PM

Email Michael O'Regan

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Hi Lee,

I'm looking at 50 in 5 yrs time.

Theres no doubt about it - I worked as a cinema projectionist from '79 - '84 - its the main reason I collect film( as opposed to plastic discs).

-Mike.

| IP: Logged

Lee Mannering
Film God

Posts: 3216
From: The Projection Box
Registered: Nov 2006

posted November 13, 2007 08:00 AM

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Paul.
I read in the paper today that the UK is one of the most expensive places to go to the Cinema in the world. This could also be a reason many get into home Cinema here in what is fast becoming one of the most expensive places to live in the world.

| IP: Logged

Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 13, 2007 09:56 AM

Send New Private Message

Edit/Delete Post

Not only to live Lee- but to visit! The almighty dollar is now down to 42 cents on the pound. That means anyone visiting the UK from the USA is paying 2.5 times as much as in the USA!
I guess cinemas are still making money though. I read in the Orlando Sentinel today that they are building a new 12 screen multiplex right in the heart of downtown Orlando. I hope its not all digital!

--------------------
The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj

| IP: Logged

All times are Central

Move Topic

Delete Topic

next oldest topic

next newest topic

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Visit www.film-tech.com for free equipment manual downloads. Copyright 2003-2019 Film-Tech Cinema Systems LLC

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2