Hou, TX AOTC Imax in Galveston!

For those of you that are getting tired of driving to Dallas (Plano) to the conventions, on the site there is a message board that has some discussion on bringing the show to Houston (Pasadena convention center). So be sure and chime in there!

 

Thanks for the heads up, Buck! Do you know whereabouts specifically the Houston discussion is on that board?

 

does any one know yet if it will be anounced when it will come to dallas or san A, my best friend and i are planning to see it and we want to know when and where since houston is out...oh and by the way, i have my death star all powered up and its aimmed at Jillian's so if there is a good reason why i shouldn't fire tell me now.

Yoda

 

Why you shouldn't fire at Jillians...


Jillian's has nothing to do with Imax or even showing movies.

The theater is owned by Edwards Cinemas...

Jillian's is the Giant CHuck E. CHeese for grownups thats on the other side of the shopping center.

 

After I made that previous post, I looked through the forums there and couldn't find it!
I know it WAS there at least. We could always start it as a new topic and with lots of support, bring the expo closer to home.

Rally the troops!

 

Thanks, Buck, but I didn't see it, either. I will look into this further.

 

Well San Antonio is much better than Dallas but i feel a strong urge to bust things coming on and NOW I know where to direct my fury. (Maniacal laughter)

 

Doesn't look like the IMAX AOTC will be coming to Houston, or anywhere in Texas, for that matter.

Hopefully somebody over at Marq E (really the best spot for this release) will wise up and get with the program. This is such a sure-fire moneymaker I can't understand why ANY IMAX exhibitor wouldn't jump at the opportunity to show AOTC in IMAX format.

Still, although IMAX is a BIG image, it's not a WIDE image. Unless I've misunderstood the entire process, the IMAX version will basically be a giant pan & scan of AOTC (aspect ratio of 1.33:1, just like a TV), rather than a giant scope image (2.35:1), as seen in theaters earlier this year. Add that to the fact that 20 minutes of the film are lopped off AND the widescreen DVD is coming out the same month, and it may all end up being much ado about a very big little.

 

Fuzz_ball the Edwards Mar*que will not ever get AOTC. They are not associated with IMAX anymore. The main reason we won't get AOTC is the theaters don't have the equipment to show the movie. The was an article in the Chronicle last week that goes into detail. The bottom line is they don't have the equipment and are more interested in short films like 30 to 45 minutes long. Finally, LFL waited too late to make the announcement as most of the other theaters had already set their fall and winter line up.

 

I've since read that article (thanks for mentioning it!). All I can say is -- MAN, are these guys LAME or what?!?

I wonder why the Marq E isn't affiliated with IMAX Corporation anymore? Might it have had something to do with the Edwards/Regal buyout and licensing agreements, etc.? (Why even HAVE an IMAX screen if you're not going to use it to make money the best way?) The movie exhibitors in this town always seem to be behind the curve.....a shame, a real shame. The exhibitors who doubt this could pull in audiences for 13 weeks seem to forget the fact that if you're the ONLY theater in the entire state of Texas to exhibit AOTC-IMAX, fans will drive from miles around to see it. Man, theater owners are a chicken**** bunch.

What sort of equipment beyond what they currently have would be needed for AOTC-IMAX? I'd really like to know. We're talking exhibitors who already have IMAX projectors and screens, not your average multiplex exhibitor. I know it's a recession, but jeez, if exhibitors don't continually spend on upgrades and don't offer the right titles at the right time, it's no wonder there's no audience for a film. I feel like grabbing the lapels of these guys and shaking them!

Oh well, at least I'll have my widescreen DVD to keep me occupied.

Too bad, Houston IMAX exhibitors! You could have had my money and a lot of other people's, but you were too scaredy-cat to make money!

 

Here's the lowdown on the equipment, a long but informative rant about the large format theaters that some are unfairly bashing:

Imax format is known as 15/70; the film is 70mm wide (twice what they have at conventional theaters) and 15 perforations (the little holes at the edges that the sprockets go in) per frame. This makes the actual image on the film about 10 times larger than conventional 4/35 film. The film is a LOT bigger than what you see at Tinseltown.

At 24 frames per second, this measures out to 6 feet of film per second, which is 360 feet of film per minute, which is just about 3 miles of film for a 45 minute feature.
3 miles of film weighs roughly 300 lbs., not counting the (50 lb) 5' diameter platter to hold it on (the film has to run horizontally rather than vertically due to the weight it puts on the reel unit)
It takes a lot of heavy-duty and specialized equipment to run film of that size, and an expensive service contract and experienced staff to keep it running.
If you have an Imax system, who else is going to have parts or know how too fix it? No one else, that's who, so you have to pay their prices for parts and service. (they do a really good job and I must say that Imax service techs are some of the hardest working people I know)

New Imax film is shipped in boxes of 6 min reels. Due to the high speed the film runs at, the splices must be near permanant and so once a film is assembled, it must be shipped whole in a huge crate that will keep it all together and safe from water and anything that might wrinkle or otherwise mar it- because once a film is damaged it will not run through the projector and you have $25,000 worth of film you can't use.

Yes, that's right: a new print of a 45-minute 15/70 film costs about $25,000!

For nearly 30 years, the only films being made in 15/70 format were 30-45 minute documentaries; this was because shooting, editing, and distributing a 15/70 film is extremely expensive, and the reutrn on the investment is low because there are only a handful (less than 300 Imax theaters worldwide at present ) of venues to show them at.

Because of this, Imax did not bother to engineer a reel unit that would hold more than 45 minutes of film- no one made 15/70 films that were longer than that.

Recently, Imax has decided to go more 'commercial' to make more money, so they began building platter and reel units that would accomodate two hours of film.

Unfortunately, this has only happened in the last 6 years or so and most Imax theaters, who have paid upwards of $5 million for their systems, do not have the money or inclination to spend another $150,000 (plus lost ticket sales during the installation down time) on a reel unit that may or may not bring in that much more money.

I know that HMNS for one makes bank on their Imax theater, the system is paid for, and showing AOTC or even Apollo 13 is not within their educational non-profit mission, so why spend $150,000 or more to buy something they don't need? (or have room for- that booth is one of the smallest Imax booths around)

Edwards Inc. decided that they were not making money fast enough with their Imax system, sued Imax, and lost their projector. Blame their lack of patience and business sense for not having AOTC in Houston, blame LFL and Fox for assuming everyone (most of whom sign film lease contracts a year in advance) would just drop whatever obligations they already have on a month's notice and show this edited and cropped version of EpII seven months after it's original release.

In short, blame the ego-driven marketing and budget types at Fox and LFL for not bothering to find how this would work out (or not) before making such a big deal out of it. They should have waited a bit until there were more theaters ready and willing to show it.


Anyone who wants more detail (lord knows why you would, after this post ), or maybe a tour of an Imax projection booth, PM me and I can put you in touch with people who can set that up.

Also see www.1570.c

 

its been confirmed on the home page, Clones is going to be at Dallas, so thats where i'll be something in November.

Yoda

 

IB420,

Thanks for all the info explaining why AOTC won't be shown in Houston. The Chronicle should of talked to you for their article. I talked to someone at HMNS and he told me some of what you said but this really explains why there is such a huge cost involved. After reading your post I now know that IMAX is not at fault. It sure is a shame we won't get to see it. Well I guess a road trip to Dallas may be in my near future.

 

Here's the list of IMAX theatres that are showing AOTC. As Yoda4982 said, Dallas is now listed.

http://www.theforce.net/episode2/imax/

 

Well, it would be great to have yall come to Dallas and make a big event out of it!

 

Perhaps we should see if anyone is interested in making a group trip of it.

Although, I must add, if I make the trip up there, I'm going to be spending a whole day of it.

And don't say "I told you so," Charles.



BEAT ou!

 

is the imax really showing aotc in pan'n'scan version??? give me a break! i refuse to see aotc butchered like that...only 35 days till aotc on dvd!!!

 

Why would I say anything like that?

 

Because you know me too well. It's all your fault. Oh, and I haven't consented to it yet.





BEAT ou!

 

You know, consentual is always best... err, I mean.. I'm up for a trip!

 

I ain't saying nothing about you two but I'm up for a trip.

 

i'll be up in dallas regardless of what y'all do november 8-9th.

 

I want to go?

 

I can't believe we're not getting the IMAX version! I mean, aren't we the 4th largest city in the USA?? I couldn't see New York or LA not getting it... But it would be fun to all go together to see it in Dallas.

Leiatheprincess

 

There is still hope...