Cinema Experience Down The Drain

[bentrein]

With the experiences below, I'm not (necessarily) calling for a discussion, but I want to know if people are as annoyed as I am by the current changes in the cinema. For you who haven't noticed anything, let me elaborate.

When I came here first in 2002, the cinemas (including the one I now frequent in Central BangNa) were surely rivalling the quality of the cinemas back home - Holland is where I'm from. However a few months ago something annoying started happening: between 4 to 10 times every movie, a huge handwritten code appeared through the picture on the screen.

I'm a movie lover, to the point where I lose myself in the story; almost forget where I am. I go to the cinema, because the experience of the movie is so much better than at home - only with loads of money and a big house can the quality of a cinema be reproduced at home, and I'm not filthy rich. An interruption like I mentioned above throws me out of the story, and annoys me terribly.

I went to the management, to complain, and they told me that this writing is done by the company who provides the movie - some people I've talked with suspect its done by the translators, but I can't be sure about that. The management - naturally - wouldn't give me the name of the company, nor could they promise that it wouldn't happen again.

It did happen again. And this time I got upset, and asked for my money back. TIT - this is Thailand - I didn't, but the manager did grant me a free ticket for another show.

If you think I'm a whiner, please answer only once. Everyone who is also annoyed by the interruptions, complain, and ask your money back (though don't expect to get it)! Only this way we can force the cinemas to force their suppliers not to write on the reel!

[chownah]

Could this be a projectionist issue? I know nothing about projecting commercial film but my overactive mind has come up with the theory that when they change reels there is probably an overlap so the last few seconds or minutes of the first reel are the same as the first few of the second reel. It is also my theory that there are two projectors and you start the projector for the second reel while the first reel is still running and this gives you a few seconds or minutes to synchronize the two and then you do something like a fade to switch between the two.....and.....here is the punch line.....you need to completely fade out the first reel before you get to the bitter end of it because that is where someone always writes a note so it is easy to verify exactly what is contained on that reel.....but.....a lazy or stupid projectionist might forget to completely fade out the first reel which would then display the distracting information.

Pretty good for someone who knows absolutely nothing about how movies are projected....huh? Anyone know if there is even the slightest possibility that my overactive imagination has come up with the answer?

Chownah

[bentrein]

To Chownah:

Pretty good indeed. I'm not entirely sure how the projections are done here in Thailand. I know in the cinema I frequented in Holland, it was with one projector, two reels and the second reel started running at a certain strip/indicator of the first reel. Usually this reel change is notable by a little Arial font text starting with (usually) OV-andthenacodeforthemovie in the top right corner of the screen. This happens with normal movies in the beginning, and once MAXIMUM twice during the movie. But it's rather unintrusive, as it's only in the corner.

The case here is not projectionist; it's firtly full automatic these days - probably even the rewinding, and rerunning. The management obviously was aware (when I spoke with them) that somebody has written with pen/pencil on the reel and didn't wipe it off; and probably the film was copied with that text on it, so the cinema can't wipe it off.

To emperor_tud - and anyone who notices it: Please complain about it, and/or ask for a refund...

[jasreeve17]

Bentrein, sorry about your experience.

It's unacceptable, here or anywhere.

I used to work in the film / broadcasting industry before I decided to become a loser and live here....

So, you should complain to the film content owner (Universal, Fox, etc), or distributor. They will have a local office and they will be interested. They spend millions on these productions and they don't want them <deleted>*ed up by the locals. It is 100% a local thing, in the pre-presentation stage locally - adding subtitles or cutting out beer logos etc. It just shouldn't happen. The studos (well the distributors) give a perfect film, at great expense, to the local distributor (some two bob Thai company) who change the film for various reasons (some legal, some to localize and some "because they know better") before it gets to the cinemas. It's basically an example of bad and lazy workmanship that wouldn't be accepted in Europe / US / Japan, etc etc..... because once they change the film, in whatever way, their next job is to check it to make sure that the viewing experience for the customer is perfect. But TIT, and they obviously don't bother. Which once again is just not an acceptable excuse.

The cinema should also care and 1) give your money back. 2) get a film in the correct condition from the local distributor / post production house that f*ked it up.

(I know several post production houses in Bangkok and they are good and professional, so probably not their doing.)

To change reels you get a little black dot in the corner. (nearly a good idea, Chownah)

[DaveBKK]

It's done to track the pirating of the movies. The studios want to know which theaters are allowing cam filming or copying of the movies. It won't change anytime in the near future.

[bkkandrew]

It's done to track the pirating of the movies. The studios want to know which theaters are allowing cam filming or copying of the movies. It won't change anytime in the near future.

Or maybe they are playing the pirated movies...

[The Coder]

I've noticed this recently too and thought it is probably a unique watermark so they can track piracy down to a theatre. It doesn't bother me that much, certainly a lot less than some thai flipping open their phone with bright lcd and checking for sms messages every 5 minutse.

Another change in the theatres has disappointed me however. I like to be in the theatre before the movie starts to settle into just the right mood; 10 or 15 minutes would be perfect. But nowadays they don't let you in until the very last minute and in some cases they are rolling before you even enter and sit down. Maybe it's just me, but I really don't like having to wait in the hectic outside instead of the peaceful confines of the theatre.

[vegas]

I've been watching movies here for 17 years and always remember seeing it. Annoying but what can you do? I've never heard a Thai mention it so I guess it doesn't bother them either.

[Jockstar]

Didnt bother me. Happens so fast.

[lomatopo]

It's done to track the pirating of the movies.

This is correct. Honestly it doesn't bother me as it is hardly noticeable. If you blink you'll miss these "messages". Now if they'd just get rid of those subliminal messages like, "go buy popcorn now", I'd be happy.

[bentrein]

It's unacceptable, here or anywhere.

Thanks for your lengthy reply. The last time I went to the cinema (this Friday) I asked the management - again - to call their provider and tell them that the customers are complaining. They wouldn't promise me that, nor would they give me the phone number of their provider, so I could go and complain myself. Not that I really expected them to give me that...

The management also said that this happens everywhere in Thailand, so all the major cinema chains must have the trouble... I know it's a long way around for me, but could you ask around among your post production house friends who is the most usual provider for the major (hint hint) cinema chains in Thailand? And - if not get back to me with it - drop them a line saying that it's not good what they're doing?

And then a note on the 'anti-piracy' comment. As TIT, I believe you, but it can not be effective, as all movies are available pirated before they come out in the cinemas here. The pirated copies guaranteed come from somewhere else than being recorded in Thai cinemas. I have had the odd drunken night where I saw pirated movies, and they don't have the scribling on the screen!

[DragonQuest]

ignore it man, i see it sometimes too, it goes by really fast, it can be anything really.

[leisurely]

I'd say ignore it too. We use the same one as you I think Mr OP and the only code I've ever seen is 'E15'. it lasts around 10th of a second and then disappears.

I should say the E15 appears on each film that we see

[tuky]

I used to work in a Cinema 15 or so years ago in Aust.

Back then they weren't using two reels for the film, only one reel and even that is not what you'd expect. If the same picture was showing in more than one of the cinemas they moved the same film from one projector to the next via a system of rollers and the film then rewound as it landed on the second reel.

[DragonQuest]

for the first time in my life i seen a movie actually stop in the middle of the movie lol everyone was pissed, after 5 min he got it rolling again, this never happen back home only in the LOS lol

[Jimjim]

for the first time in my life i seen a movie actually stop in the middle of the movie lol everyone was pissed, after 5 min he got it rolling again, this never happen back home only in the LOS lol

This can happen anywhere (problems with a reel stopping a movie). It's not a unique TIT problem. Sorry to disappoint those who like to complain about everything with TIT. I've watched movies all my life and it happened to me twice in the U.S. In Bangkok it may have happened once to me. I have a hazy memory of that happening but not sure.

More annoying than the lettering on the screen a couple of times during the movie is when the speakers cut out (volume gets real low, possibly the surround sound malfunctioning?) in BKK cinemas for a few seconds at a time, or even longer. Now, this IS something that seems to happen in almost every movie I've watched in BKK, and that is far more annoying than a few figures on the screen a couple of times during the film.