Page 15 - RD_2015_12

The ‘scope screen there is some
eight metres wide and BluRay
blown up to that size through the
available digital projector was not
going to be satisfactory. So I was
rather pleased to get the call to meet
with the PIAF Film Program man-
ager (Tom Vincent) and his able
assistant (Elliot Chambers) some
months ago to give them a run
through on what facilities the venue
could offer them.

As I said the theatre is well
equipped and can do all 35 mm
ratios from Academy through to
CinemaScope, it has a Dolby sound
processor with surround sound, ex-
cellent masking tab setup, nice cur-
tains and good dimmable house and
curtain lighting. Thus one is able to
put on a very good “show” much
like cinema was before the advent Balantyne 35 mm projector. Note film feed to and from
of the complexes and common platter at far end of projection room.
width screens on which ‘scope looks like a poor relation.
In the past eight or so years the 35 mm plant (a Ballantyne Pro 35 with a Super Lumex lamp) had
only been run for around five hours so I was very pleased to see the machine run like clockwork
yet again. The xenon lamp struck immediately it was switched on….. a welcome relief from some
of my recent experiences with cantankerous digital projectors. I simply cleaned it and lubed a few
stiffish rollers, loaded a couple of test reels of film onto the platter, threaded up and shot a brilliant
‘scope image out onto
the curtains to open in
that time honoured
“real cinema” tradi-
tion to reveal a big
bright image on the
screen. The PIAF
people were im-
pressed enough to go
ahead then and there,
and to engage me to
do the 35 mm ses-
sions, as well as one
BluRay session for a
school group.

The titles to be
screened were Dingo,
The Tracker and Ten

REEL DEALS March 2017 15