I think TW missed the point of the typewriter vs. PC analogy. The point wasn’t what is communicated with each device – it was the longevity of the device itself and how often it may need to be replaced. No one knows how long DLP projectors will last before needing to be rebuilt or replaced. Only time will answer that question and the economic questions too.
As far as the concern about American workers losing their jobs in shipping and film manufacturing due to digital technology; many workers may be already losing jobs in shipping and overnight transportation because of e-mail. That’s a digital revolution too, yet all of us obviously use it without apparent regard for it’s economic affect on others. By the way, when I was managing movie theatres, the theatres paid for the shipping of prints. The distributors have never been concerned about that cost because they’ve never born it.
Finally, the digital revolution is simply a part of the forever on going “technical evolution”. I don’t believe Henry Ford was being driven by “laziness and greed” when he developed the first automobile assemby line. He was simply looking for better way to run his business, and in doing so actually made his product more affordable to the public. Progress will come, things will change, and yes, some people will be left behind, unless they change with it. It’s been that way through all of human history. I would have hated to be a candle maker living next door to Thomas Edison, or a calligrapher in the time of Guttenberg!
The typewriter vs. the computer is a good comparison. I too believe that the transition to digital (which I do not oppose in principle) is inevitable. But it will take decades given the very slim margins theatres operate under. Very few theatres make a reasonable profit, if any, at the box office. Their profit center is the concession stand. That’s why it costs $9 for coke and popcorn! These folks just don’t have money to throw around.
Theatre owners were burned in the 1950s with 3-D and Magnetic stereo sound. They were told that all movies would have mag stereo and many would be in 3-D. So, they bought the equipment but the industry didn’t deliver the product. In the late 1970s and 80s, many theatres installed 70MM projection equipment only to be left holding that bag too as by the early 90s, 70MM prints were generally a thing of the past. Theatres have bought into so much stuff that didn’t last, they are going to proceed with great caution at completely changing the way they get the picture to the screen.
A good point has been raised about the life expectancy of digital projectors. I spent 24 years in projection rooms and most projectors I ran were over 25 years old. They had been rebuilt every few years, but that was much cheaper than replacing them. Of course it’s too early to even speculate but as mentioned earlier, will DLP projectors have the same track record? Also remember, digital projection isn’t going to save the theatre owners any money. They will still be charged the same film rental percentage rates they are being charged now. Most exhibitors have already eliminated the projectionist “position” by staffing the booth with a manager or 16 year old kid who doesn’t know an aspect ratio from a focus knob. So any money they are going to save in the projection booth has already been factored in.
I’ve seen Digital Projection three times on a 30 foot CinemaScope screen. I want to know if digital can give us good images on an 80 foot screen before I get too excited about it. Picture quality in theatres could be improved right now in hundreds of theatres if 70MM prints were made available.
The Avalon was originally built as the Chevy Chase Theatre. It was twinned in the early ‘70s not in 1985 under RKO Stanley-Warner’s ownership. The second auditorium was added where a dance studio originally was located. The main auditorium never had a balcony. The story goes that a balcony was planned for but the builders ran short of money and had to eliminate it. The projection booth was high enough above the floor that you could see there was plenty of room for a balcony if they had desired one!
I occasionally worked at the Uptown has a projectionist from 1982 until 1985. It was the only job where I would have worked for free! The Uptown is easily one of the five best movies theatres in America. I make it a point to see everything they show. It’s important to support places like this with your patronage.
I think TW missed the point of the typewriter vs. PC analogy. The point wasn’t what is communicated with each device – it was the longevity of the device itself and how often it may need to be replaced. No one knows how long DLP projectors will last before needing to be rebuilt or replaced. Only time will answer that question and the economic questions too.
As far as the concern about American workers losing their jobs in shipping and film manufacturing due to digital technology; many workers may be already losing jobs in shipping and overnight transportation because of e-mail. That’s a digital revolution too, yet all of us obviously use it without apparent regard for it’s economic affect on others. By the way, when I was managing movie theatres, the theatres paid for the shipping of prints. The distributors have never been concerned about that cost because they’ve never born it.
Finally, the digital revolution is simply a part of the forever on going “technical evolution”. I don’t believe Henry Ford was being driven by “laziness and greed” when he developed the first automobile assemby line. He was simply looking for better way to run his business, and in doing so actually made his product more affordable to the public. Progress will come, things will change, and yes, some people will be left behind, unless they change with it. It’s been that way through all of human history. I would have hated to be a candle maker living next door to Thomas Edison, or a calligrapher in the time of Guttenberg!
The typewriter vs. the computer is a good comparison. I too believe that the transition to digital (which I do not oppose in principle) is inevitable. But it will take decades given the very slim margins theatres operate under. Very few theatres make a reasonable profit, if any, at the box office. Their profit center is the concession stand. That’s why it costs $9 for coke and popcorn! These folks just don’t have money to throw around.
Theatre owners were burned in the 1950s with 3-D and Magnetic stereo sound. They were told that all movies would have mag stereo and many would be in 3-D. So, they bought the equipment but the industry didn’t deliver the product. In the late 1970s and 80s, many theatres installed 70MM projection equipment only to be left holding that bag too as by the early 90s, 70MM prints were generally a thing of the past. Theatres have bought into so much stuff that didn’t last, they are going to proceed with great caution at completely changing the way they get the picture to the screen.
A good point has been raised about the life expectancy of digital projectors. I spent 24 years in projection rooms and most projectors I ran were over 25 years old. They had been rebuilt every few years, but that was much cheaper than replacing them. Of course it’s too early to even speculate but as mentioned earlier, will DLP projectors have the same track record? Also remember, digital projection isn’t going to save the theatre owners any money. They will still be charged the same film rental percentage rates they are being charged now. Most exhibitors have already eliminated the projectionist “position” by staffing the booth with a manager or 16 year old kid who doesn’t know an aspect ratio from a focus knob. So any money they are going to save in the projection booth has already been factored in.
I’ve seen Digital Projection three times on a 30 foot CinemaScope screen. I want to know if digital can give us good images on an 80 foot screen before I get too excited about it. Picture quality in theatres could be improved right now in hundreds of theatres if 70MM prints were made available.
The Old Town is now being used for live performances.
The Apex closed with a 70mm engagement of MGM’s “Logan’s Run”.
The Avalon was originally built as the Chevy Chase Theatre. It was twinned in the early ‘70s not in 1985 under RKO Stanley-Warner’s ownership. The second auditorium was added where a dance studio originally was located. The main auditorium never had a balcony. The story goes that a balcony was planned for but the builders ran short of money and had to eliminate it. The projection booth was high enough above the floor that you could see there was plenty of room for a balcony if they had desired one!
I occasionally worked at the Uptown has a projectionist from 1982 until 1985. It was the only job where I would have worked for free! The Uptown is easily one of the five best movies theatres in America. I make it a point to see everything they show. It’s important to support places like this with your patronage.