Movie Prints

[Federico Casal]

Hi, I've been having this question on my head for several months...

 

How does the theatre business work really? Does the studio company pay the theatre to show it, and get the profits for the number of showings/tickets bought?

 

And, a hypothetical question... Imagine that I own a cinema which shows old films, and imagine I want to get a new fresh print of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Is it possible to ask Warner to print you a copy of 2001? How much would it cost? Or what other alternatives are for art houses that show old films but their prints are very bad?

 

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lol:

[David Mullen ASC]

Theater owners basically rent the prints and then share the box office profits.

 

You can rent a print from whoever owns "2001" (Warner by way of Turner by way of MGM?)

 

As for ordering a new print to be made, you can't do that, only the owner of the film can do that, so you'd have to convince them.

 

However, the expense would be so high that you wouldn't make your costs back from a screening if you paid for it. So the studio would look at the quality of the print in their vault and make a determination as to whether they needed to strike a new print or restore the title. Sometimes you can't simply strike a new print because the master elements are in need of restoration first. This is particularly true for old 3-strip Technicolor movies.

 

There some new 70mm prints of "2001" made just a couple of years ago.

[Federico Casal]

Theater owners basically rent the prints and then share the box office profits.

 

You can rent a print from whoever owns "2001" (Warner by way of Turner by way of MGM?)

 

As for ordering a new print to be made, you can't do that, only the owner of the film can do that, so you'd have to convince them.

 

However, the expense would be so high that you wouldn't make your costs back from a screening if you paid for it. So the studio would look at the quality of the print in their vault and make a determination as to whether they needed to strike a new print or restore the title. Sometimes you can't simply strike a new print because the master elements are in need of restoration first. This is particularly true for old 3-strip Technicolor movies.

 

There some new 70mm prints of "2001" made just a couple of years ago.

 

Thank you! You'll be happy to know that I'm only 16 and I'm already reading your Cinematography Third Edition book!

[Chris Keth]

Thank you! You'll be happy to know that I'm only 16 and I'm already reading your Cinematography Third Edition book!

 

That's a good place to start.