Ruined film at UGC Cinema (Don Valley)

[snowboarder 10]

Originally posted by chill

It's a shame as when the UGC first opened as a Virgin cinema it was really rather good, it's only since UGC took it over that they have gone to ********.

I saw the last Star Trek film there, and for the first 5 minutes of the film the projector was pointing at the ceiling, I kid you not. And because everything is automated, you have to go and find someone in the lobby yourself to tell them about it.

 

 

true. Pointing at the ceiling eh? That means the projector was probably pulled off its base by a snagged film on the platter system for the previous screening. How anyone could not have noticed that is beyond me.....

 

When I worked p/t as a projectionist about 13 years ago we were on the old changeover system, when each film reel was 20 minutes long and you had to switch projectors with split second timing....could not bugger off for the day or fall asleep in those days. It was also expected from us that we checked the focus every 5 minutes without fail, especially during changeovers, checked the sound constantly, checked picture framing and position, and monitored the film all the way. We had to learn to repair a film break in less than 60 seconds and get the whole system running again with precision timing with the minimum of fusss. Showing a reel in the wrong order for example was an instantly sackable offence, as was showing a film out of rack, out of focus, or without "due care and attention". And I mean INSTANT sacking....

 

This is why I get SO ANNOYED at modern film screenings.....either the projectionist does not give a toss, or the automatic system is badly set-up. It is an ordeal these days......

[Grissom 10]

Lets hope that things get better in the future with digital projection - less to go wrong [i hope !]

 

I go to the UGC with an unlimited card and in past couple of years I've only seen two films go pear shaped - guess I've been lucky !

 

Agree that things were better under Virgin though

[snowboarder 10]

Originally posted by rtapper

Lets hope that things get better in the future with digital projection - less to go wrong [i hope !]

 

 

True, without the mechanics of film, it will be much easier to automate successfully in multiplexes. Computers will run everything to the nanosecond, equipment will constantly monitor itself with auto-focus and various other automatic everythings...

the quality is now better than film anyway....I have a budget priced DLP (digital light processing) movie projector with a 9ft screen and it blows the pants of 35mm film...think what a state of the art DLP system will achieve once they convert...

[Micky 10]

Digital Cinema is not far off, 2 or 3 years I reckon. Will be awesome, no flickers on the screen, absolutely perfect picture every time. No need for film, movies can be transmitted via satellite. Makes sense in the long run for cinema companies, although the initial investment is quite large.

[Rich 12]

I went to see a film at the Odeon in Town once, think it was the first Harry Potter, and for about the first 10 minutes of the film, there was NO sound!

 

Naturally I went and reported this to someone, a whole 5 minutes or so later the sound was back on... WTF?! 5 minutes to fix a sound error in this day and age?! Even I could've done better than that

[snowboarder 10]

Originally posted by Micky

Digital Cinema is not far off, 2 or 3 years I reckon. Will be awesome, no flickers on the screen, absolutely perfect picture every time. No need for film, movies can be transmitted via satellite. Makes sense in the long run for cinema companies, although the initial investment is quite large.

 

At the moment yes but digital light processing technology is already advancing so fast the latest 2004 DLP "budget" high definition projectors are awesome. I say within the next 2 years pure digital projection will hit the UK on the main circuits, as prices will crash by 50% or more by then.

 

The initial investment is large, but thats only for projector and computer terminal. The other fittings remain unchanged, audio system, screen, etc. The long term benefits are tremendous savings for exhibitors as the huge cost of producing each film print will no longer be a factor, but the film distributors will maybe not pass these savings on.....who knows?

[snowboarder 10]

Originally posted by Rich

I went to see a film at the Odeon in Town once, think it was the first Harry Potter, and for about the first 10 minutes of the film, there was NO sound!

 

Naturally I went and reported this to someone, a whole 5 minutes or so later the sound was back on... WTF?! 5 minutes to fix a sound error in this day and age?! Even I could've done better than that

 

TRAIN TO BE A CINEMA PROJECTIONIST TODAY AND LEARN HOW TO:

 

Put together last weeks trailors for films already finished at the start of DAY AFTER TOMORROW to really **** off your audience..

 

Show VAN HELSING with 1/3 of the previous frame showing at the top of the picture for a full 12 minutes, and really get people mad...

 

Show SCOOBY DOO 2 with a mis-managed soundtrack set-up that sounds like a 25 year old C60 cassette tape in distorted marvellous mono sound....

 

And REALLY annoy the poor fee paying public by

forgetting to turn off the lights, forgetting to start the projector, forgetting to open the curtains, forgetting to set the right screen ratio and lens so the film looks all squashed up, forgetting to turn on the sound, forgetting.....forgetting to turn up for work at all........

[ToryCynic 10]

Originally posted by snowboarder

TRAIN TO BE A CINEMA PROJECTIONIST TODAY AND LEARN HOW TO:

 

Put together last weeks trailors for films already finished at the start of DAY AFTER TOMORROW to really **** off your audience..

 

Show VAN HELSING with 1/3 of the previous frame showing at the top of the picture for a full 12 minutes, and really get people mad...

 

Show SCOOBY DOO 2 with a mis-managed soundtrack set-up that sounds like a 25 year old C60 cassette tape in distorted marvellous mono sound....

 

And REALLY annoy the poor fee paying public by

forgetting to turn off the lights, forgetting to start the projector, forgetting to open the curtains, forgetting to set the right screen ratio and lens so the film looks all squashed up, forgetting to turn on the sound, forgetting.....forgetting to turn up for work at all........

 

Lol, that sounds about right for that cinema!

[Missy 10]

i 've read the above posts and feel i have to say that, as someone who visits the cinema regularly that i've had differing experiences in the same cinemas.

 

on the whole, every time i go to ugc the films (well, the ads) start promptly and if something goes wrong, and i go + complain, the staff are usually quite good. Mind you, I almost always visit in the day so maybe it's easier for them to deal with when its quiet.

 

Stuff's only gone wrong a few times there - occasionally the film has been scrolled slightly offscreen. the worst thing that happened was when i went ot see Harry Potter + it just didn't start... after 5 mins I went + complained + they sorted it, moving us to a different screen coz the motor had gone.

 

Someone mentioned on an earlier post that they'd waited 30 mins before someone else went + said something... why didn't you just go straight away yourself?

 

Now, the Showroom, I have had more things go wrong - films starting late, being sent into the wrong screen, at least 2 or 3 times the film's snapped (worst time when i saw Requiem for a Dream + it snapped right at the end emotional climax of the film - ARGH!)

 

At least if i pay my 9.99 a month at the UGC i can go back again and not feel it's cost me any more...

[Trouncer 10]

Has anyone reserved seats on the phone at the UGC ? You phone up and the automated voice say's they will book you the most central seating. Then when you go there you find yourself at the extreme side of the cinema. In a crap seat basically. I wouldn't mind so much but the screening was 3/4 empty so loads of central seats available (which is where I moved to eventually).

 

All that plus an extortionate booking fee for booking over the phone.

 

With respect to problems with watching the film, I've been fortunate but then again I probably don't go as frequently as you guys. However, the general feeling is we should employ more people who care about there profession and customers, than paying for cheap labour and getting crap service. I suppose the only way to show your dissaproval (besides complaining) is not to go to that establishment. I think that goes for everything as well as cinemas.

[Guest]

Originally posted by Cols

Snowboarder

That's one of the reasons why I avoid multiplexes like the plague. They're manned by YTS kids on the minumum wage who don't know or care about any aspect of cinema. They treat you like cattle and you can't get any "normal" drinks or snacks, just bucket fulls of cr*p.

The Showroom.......

That's a real cinema. It's staffed by students who have a real interest in cinema, has a bar and you can get a coffee, fresh orange etc in the ticket area. Best of all, there's no hoards of kids throwing popcorn around. The films aren't half bad, too.

As for home cinema, well I'm a few grand short of a good plasma.....

 

erm you'll find that the Showroom pays £4.50 an hour and they have a lot more porblems with the films than either mainstream cinema.

I really do enjoy watching films in the Showroom more (no idiots or talking) but its getting shabby as hell....

[Guest]

from my experiences:

 

UGC: Brillintly huge screens and loud loud loud. Queues to get tickets, Often an error with the film but rectified pretty quickly, lots of muppets and scallies whose parents have bought them a £9.99 pass to shut them up. They are bored and go to films they don't car about and make a nuisance of themselves, lots of big blokes to tell them to shut up.

 

Odeon: Crap screens and dirty cinemas, Fewer people but equally vocal and talkative during films, Terrible sound (that is not surround sound at most there are 4 speakers. Tend to put big films on the little screens. First showing of Two Towers. turned up at noon and was in the smallest screen, useless staff, often a problem and takes ages to sort. Interesting time keeping on films.

 

Showroom: good staff, no idiots, small screens and geting old, good sound, lots of problems with films