Film prints in theaters

[MrsMiniver]

Originally Posted by ZoetMB

I actually thought I was going to see Gravity in 70mm IMAX. The theatre I went to was equipped for it (or had been). But it played, as I wrote, in double-projector IMAX. I looked up at the booth from the auditorium to see whether the 70mm IMAX projector was still there, but I couldn't tell for sure since the booth was dark. But I think it's inevitable that 70mm IMAX is going to disappear. It will probably last a bit longer in museum IMAX theaters, because they keep recycling the same IMAX films and because they don't have the budgets to upgrade (downgrade?), but once Kodak stops making 70mm film or stops making movie print emulsions, it's going to be gone.

Do you mind if I ask you which IMAX theatre you saw it at? I knew going it was digital as I read that it was an "all digital" release. I also saw it at a theatre that was built for IMAX 70mm. I spoke with the manager he said film will never play again in theatre as they stripped out the projector. He said that the digital projectors were installed before The Dark Knight Rises and IMAX left them in for that one release and one release only.

I also found out from a current IMAX projectionist in a museum type theatre that they use new 70mm prints for their documentary film every six months. They have been running the same movie for 28+ years and are now on prints 64 and 64 of the movie, they have two different prints which are alternated every other hour as they cannot rewind in time for the next showtime. The heat from the IMAX projector fades the image over repeated use is what I was told. I was astonished at this information as I thought they would be using the prints for years, I guess not.

But you are right, IMAX 70mm is almost all but gone, the worlds largest IMAX screen in Australia has recently converted to digital...so sad

[time_shift]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

This our future movie watchers. Do you seriously think the best way to enjoy movies is on a 4 or 5 inch screen? TV sales are plummeting. All the investment seems to be going towards tablets and smartphones. I even read that flexible smartwatches could soon have video watching capability (2 inch screen)
All this dictates how the slightly older generation access their media. It always has a knock on effect, just look at mp3 and the way younger people listen to music. It's a crapfest and movies are heading the same way. Screens will eventually get that small, older people won't be able to get any enjoyment from tv series or films.

TV sales are plummeting because the HDTV boom is over. For the most part, most everyone owns a HDTV, and unlike smartphones/tablets, there's no real reason to upgrade every 1-2 years. Rather, your average household will use a TV for it's lifespan, which is usually about 5-10 years, if not longer.

Otherwise, I have to imagine TV sales suffered a similar decline in the mid/late '70s, after the Color TV boom had ended.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by time_shift

TV sales are plummeting because the HDTV boom is over. For the most part, most everyone owns a HDTV, and unlike smartphones/tablets, there's no real reason to upgrade every 1-2 years. Rather, your average household will use a TV for it's lifespan, which is usually about 5-10 years, if not longer.

Otherwise, I have to imagine TV sales suffered a similar decline in the mid/late '70s, after the Color TV boom had ended.

I think colour TV was way softer since it was backwards compatible (for stations). In 2009 the US transitioned from NTSC to ATSC that meant that people that needed to watch OTA either needed a converter for their old TV or a new TV (which many did), Even some people with cable and SAT did not realize it would not affect them and so bought new TVs thinking it would affect them (the public announcement on Network stations did not go into great details). You also had the aesthetic factor (bigger TV picture wise but it was now super thin and did not take much place in the room and a fraction of the weight of the CRT)

[Flatnate]

My father in-law is still watching his 32 inch tube tv, and his converter box just crapped out... So, what did he do..? Buy another converter box of course. *rolls eyes* I think he just doesn't want to buy a new tv stand.

[BozQ]

Originally Posted by MrsMiniver

But you are right, IMAX 70mm is almost all but gone, the worlds largest IMAX screen in Australia has recently converted to digital...so sad

I know I'm quoting an old post. But I just saw this.
That really is very sad.
I guess I was lucky to watch The Dark Knight Rises in 1570 then.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by BozQ

I know I'm quoting an old post. But I just saw this.
That really is very sad.

Are you and Mrs.Miniver thinking that the behemoth projector pictured here - https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...89830&page=115 has been removed?

Boz, how’s this make you feel?...http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013...s-lost-forever

[BozQ]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Are you and Mrs.Miniver thinking that the behemoth projector pictured here - https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...89830&page=115 has been removed?

Okay, so I just took her word for it without really looking it up. I found this link after a Google search.
http://www.imax.com.au/news/2013/03/...ection-system/
I guess they're still around for now.

Boz, how’s this make you feel?...http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013...s-lost-forever

[/QUOTE]
I don't have any comments for that.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by BozQ

Okay, so I just took her word for it without really looking it up. I found this link after a Google search.
http://www.imax.com.au/news/2013/03/...ection-system/

I guess they're still around for now.

Hey, no problem Boz. I thought it was I who had missed something the theater had done in the interim since they posted that clip on YouTube.

[BozQ]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Hey, no problem Boz. I thought it was I who had missed something the theater had done in the interim since they posted that clip on YouTube.

That clip actually was from Melbourne. The one I went to was at Darling Harbour, Sydney. Two different parts of Australia.

Anyway, I don't think I'll be visiting Australia soon. Went there with my wife as a married couple, came back as a family. You know what I mean.

[saprano]

What's the specs of this new laser projector? Anything less than an IMAX camera is a fail.

[BozQ]

Originally Posted by saprano

What's the specs of this new laser projector? Anything less than an IMAX camera is a fail.

Gonna need you to elaborate on the last part.

Beyond that, IMAX hasn't revealed much. It's still work in progress and they don't expect it to roll it out until Q4 2014.

I think their priority is to provide bright images for the giant screen and 3D more than being particular about digital resolution.

[singhcr]

Originally Posted by saprano

What's the specs of this new laser projector? Anything less than an IMAX camera is a fail.

I doubt it will reach that level of detail. An IMAX negative is, what, 18K? Let's assume that the theatrical print will lose half of the detail of the negative so we're still talking 8K here. I would be very shocked if the laser projector was anything higher than 4K. It is a sad day for movies once again.

[saprano]

Originally Posted by BozQ

Gonna need you to elaborate on the last part.

Beyond that, IMAX hasn't revealed much. It's still work in progress and they don't expect it to roll it out until Q4 2014.

I think their priority is to provide bright images for the giant screen and 3D more than being particular about digital resolution.

Resolution.

[saprano]

Originally Posted by singhcr

I doubt it will reach that level of detail. An IMAX negative is, what, 18K? Let's assume that the theatrical print will lose half of the detail of the negative so we're still talking 8K here. I would be very shocked if the laser projector was anything higher than 4K. It is a sad day for movies once again.

That's what I'm thinking too. Oh we'll. The digital transition is nothing but a downgrade in all aspects.

[Penton-Man]

Another One Bites the Dust - Queen - YouTube

http://variety.com/2013/film/news/te...es-1200981010/

[singhcr]

Thanks for the article. That is sad indeed.

[BozQ]

That's a huge punch to the gut. Very disappointing. I am really going to miss the look of film very soon.

[saprano]

It's more than sad and disappointing. It's a f'n disgrace.

Lets not forget the only reason this is being done; money. Money which these companies have billions of from us. Anything to save a penny will do.

I hope no one thought the digital camera change was to improve picture quality for us?????



lol....lol....lol....lol......





No.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by saprano

I hope no one thought the digital camera change was to improve picture quality for us?????...

My friend, you would not do well in the RED forum.

[BozQ]

I remember many years ago, when I first bought Star Wars Episode III on DVD, I felt unsettled watching it.

The image was crystal clear (for DVDs) at the time, but I felt detached. It took me a while to realize that digital cinematography and direct digital production was "too perfect" for my liking.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not here to bash digital production out right. I'm thankful for digital filmmaking technology. The significantly lower production costs mean more aspiring independent filmmakers are able to scale greater Heights in their story telling. Without technology, I wouldn't be studying and learning film production in school. It was only a dream for me to shoot anything on film. But I had to make do with DV tapes. Still, without technology, I probably wouldn't be here discussing in this forum. Although I have decided not to pursue this career path, I have never regretted learning and found a whole new level of appreciation for movies.

But film production is something I fear only very few directors and cinematographers will aggressively push for now.

Sometimes it's the simple imperfections of film productions that create that sense of escapism while watching a movie. Take the opening crawl for Star Wars. Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith scrolled so perfectly while the older movies had these little wobbles due to an untuned film perforations. Then there's film grain, specks, dusts and colour reproduction is something digital can only emulate. Perhaps, we have Blu-ray to blame as well. Who could forget the early days when ignorant consumers would ask why is the video so grainy or why are the black bars still there.

I know I'm ranting and whining here. And I don't expect everyone or anyone to agree with me. I'm powerless to this change any more than how animated features are computer generated and no longer hand drawn or global warming from happening. It is happening, right? Right? Never mind.

My two cents. I'm out, for now.