Re: [AMIA-L] Aspect Ratio news from Down Under

[Libby Burke <libbyb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi John,

Re your suggestions about how to complain properly about poor projection
experiences: a couple of years back, Turner Classic Movies sent a program of
"classic films" to be screened at popular mass-market venues--I think they
were trying to raise the profile of their network. The films played at
Loew's Pacific Place, at that time a new "state-of-the-art" complex in
downtown Seattle. I took my husband (an audio guy), who had never seen
"Citizen Kane" on the big screen. When "Kane" started, I realized that the
projectionist was projecting the film to fit the 16:9 (or so) shape of their
"normal" screen, instead of masking the sides of the screen (or even leaving
it open and dark--I'm not sure if they had masking available) to fit the
aspect ratio of the full picture. Thus, the top and bottom of the film were
cut off, and the film assumed an aspect ratio not its own, very
disconcerting. I immediately stormed out and tried desperately for quite a
while to find someone who would lead me to the projectionist to explain the
problem to him. I guess I was hoping that if I could enlighten him as to the
correct properties of the film, we might be able to rescue the screening for
those who had taken the time to come. T'was not to be.

I was not given access to the projectionist (he was "too busy" to be
disturbed), and the manager just looked at me like I was insane when I
explained the problem to him several times. We were not offered a refund,
nor were we apologized to. We actually sat through the film, but it was a
distracting experience to say the least, and the bigger issues of depriving
those not in the know from a proper screening of the film they had paid to
see made me even madder. We spoke with another manager on the way out and
received the same treatment (smiles that said "nuts"). When we returned
home, we went to the websites for TCM and to Loew's and registered our
complaints. We each wrote our own letters. We were never responded to in any
way by anyone other than the auto response one gets when one sends an email
to a site.

I know there are many projectionists out there who do care, we have some
here in Seattle--but there was no one to care at that particular fiasco, nor
did the customer service people take our complaint seriously on the Web.

Thanks for sending those links and the information for the proper circuit of
complaint! I'll use those next time.

BTW, James Bond was a fabulous projectionist at the "Orphans III"
conference!


Libby


-- Libby Burke
Film Archives Project
University of Washington
Manuscripts, Special Collections, University Archives Div.
Box 352900
Seattle, WA 98195
206 543-1879


> From: John P Pytlak <john.pytlak@xxxxxxxxx>
> Reply-To: Association of Moving Image Archivists <AMIA-L@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 12:35:13 -0500
> To: AMIA-L@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [AMIA-L] Aspect Ratio news from Down Under
>
>
> It is very important that industry professionals (including archivists!)
> let theatres know when their presentation quality is below expectations.
> One way is to provide written comments and constructive criticism, similar
> to the SMPTE Theatre Quality Evaluation Program or the THX Theatre
> Alignment Program.
>
> A copy to the Vice President of Projection/Operations/Engineering or
> similar executive at the theatre goes a long way in identifying problems
> that need correction:
>
> http://www.boxoffice.com/giantstop.html
>
> http://www.filmjournal.com/applications/guides/alpha.cfm?PageID=11111170
>
> Many theatre circuits have on-line comment cards to bring problems to
> their attention, and welcome constructive criticism.
>
> John
>
> (signed by:)
> John P. Pytlak
> Senior Technical Specialist
> Worldwide Technical Services
> Entertainment Imaging
> Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
> Eastman Kodak Company
> Rochester, New York 14650-1922  USA
> Telephone: +1 585 477 5325
> Cell: +1 585 781 4036
> Fax: +1 585 722 7243
> e-mail: john.pytlak@xxxxxxxxx
> website: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion