Present
Status and Objectives
Suggestions
Time Scale
Conversion Numbers
Environmental Update
Cyan Print Densities
Conclusion
Actions
Date of Next Meeting

1. STATUS and OBJECTIVES

   Ioan Allen noted that MGM and Disney / Buena Vista Pictures had issued press releases prior to ShoWest announcing their plans for cyan dye sound tracks: MGM: 100% cyan on Soul Plane on May 28th and all subsequent releases in the US. Disney: 100% cyan on Mr 3000 in September, and all releases worldwide from January 1st , 2005. (Both releases are available on www.dyeytracks.org)

   The principal objective of this meeting was to plan how to get out the news of these releases to the remaining theatres that still need to install the necessary red readers. Probably 80% of theatres were now equipped (but see #4 below), thanks to the good work of NATO. The problem was the remaining 20%, mostly probably not NATO members. Labs were helping by putting fliers with prints. Articles were being published in Box Office , Film Journal and the Los Angeles Times.

2. SUGGESTIONS
   • Byron Berkely - independents; Box Office list (B.P.).
   • Regional NATO members (M.A).
   • Owner and operations people - ten different ways (M.A).
   • Bottom-up (service people) rather than top-down (J.C).
   • Concern that service people had been saying this for ten years and were no longer believed (W.A.).
   • ITEA dealer list? They probably know already.
   • Customer databases from Dolby, USL, BACP, with the two press releases and a cover letter. (B.P.)
   • Distribution by NATO, with the opportunity to outreach to non-members. (W.A.)
   • Letter content should not scare theatres but should be explicit (S.C.).
   • "Plays badly or not at all" (I.A.).

3. TIME SCALE

   Walter Cook asked how long it would take until 100% conversion. Ioan Allen expected the last 5% would wait until the very last minute, some until the day they received a print that would not play.

   Cal Orr quoted a "mom & pop" theatre in Missouri that found they could just turn up the fader. One problem was with B-run movies where the letter was no longer in the film can. Another was finding service people in rural communities to install readers.

   John Pytlak mentioned active discussion that had been taking place on the Internet on Film.Tech , which has over 2000 members. Most were in favor of dye tracks but there were one or two die-hards who did not. (Dye-hards? - AJM). Big Screen Business was distributed to thousands. Performing arts theatres were concerned that they would not be able to play classic movie tracks. There was a perception of poorer distortion and noise performance, but this was not true.

   Ioan Allen noted that old silver tracks play well on red readers with slight distortion heard on a few of them.

   John Fithian quoted "old plays on new, but new does not play well on old".

4. CONVERSION NUMBERS

   Ioan Allen indicated that it was now much more difficult to estimate the number of conversions from the number of red LED units shipped (107,000) as the oldest were now ten years old and were being replaced. Instead of quoting a number it was best to say "the vast majority of theatres in the U.S." were now equipped. Good figures were quoted for Canada, and many European countries, some of which were probably higher than the U.S. . Brazil was now 60%. Some countries in Africa for example might never convert and it would be necessary to make a small number of silver or better, High Magenta track prints for them.

5. ENVIRONMENTAL UPDATE

   Ioan Allen had recalculated the drinking water equivalent of the water used for sound track fixing and redeveloping. This was equivalent to the drinking water requirements of a town of over 100, 000 people.

6. CYAN PRINT DENSITIES

   Ioan Allen mentioned a discussion at another industry meeting on dye tracks held in Burbank recently, at which it was proposed to standardize the aim density for cyan tracks at for example, 2.14 +/0.1 Status A Red. The lab people attending the current DTC meeting pointed out that differences in printer characteristics mean that each lab had different print aim densities. Howard Flemming of Deluxe agreed the discussion should be re-opened on this. Deluxe had an aim density of 2.4. Shawn Jones of NT Audio recalled that the rationale was for compatibility of negatives for both High Magenta and Cyan tracks. Ioan Allen suggested that this discussion continue off-line.

7. CONCLUSION

   Ioan Allen felt that the end of this long hard road was now in sight. He thanked all present for their support and hard work over the past seven years - Kodak, Fuji, Agfa, Technicolor, Deluxe, Fotokem, Ultra Stereo, BACP, other equipment manufacturers, NATO, and John Pytlak for his work on the Internet.

8. ACTIONS
   • Write uniform dye tracks history piece (I. Allen)
   • Compile mailing list (B. Pinkston / M. Anderson)
   • Details of cyan test films posted on DTC website (J. Pytlak / S. Chavez)

9. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

   During ShowEast, Oct 25-28, Orlando, FL.

A. Masson, 4/28/2004