The Procrastinator Pickle History and Background A discussion about the current construction of the Procrastinator Theatre. 30 November 2007

A Twenty Year View ASMSU Films – operating on campus since time immemorial 1991 – “The Procrastinator Theatre” was born Linfield 125

The Procrastinator as a Student Service 2001 - Present Services Services Operating Costs Operating Costs Important to bear in mind that The Procrastinator is a valuable student service only so long as it provides VALUE added to the students 1991 1997 2005 2007 2008 Over the last ten years, services have declines while costs have not.

Planning 2004 – SUB Renovation Project 2005 – Digital Projection 200 Seat Procrastinator Theatre key selling point 35mm projector 2005 – Digital Projection Projection Booth removed from blue-prints

Digital Switch Decision was made assuming technology would be ready and available Technology is ready Not available – may never be available

Digital Cinema - Ready Standardized in 2005 – specification issued by the Digital Cinema Initiatives group (DCI) Top to bottom: print creation, distribution to theaters, exhibition Anti-Piracy Specifications Equipment Specifications $100,000 per screen for equipment (vs. $30k allocated) Over 4,000 domestic screens (including eight at Bozeman’s Carmike Campus Square 8)

Digital Cinema – Not Available (to us) Industry Structure Precludes The Procrastinator Theatre from getting digital prints Key Point #1 Without prints, having the equipment and location is moot.

Non-Theatrical Designation Necessarily a non-theatrical venue Located on a university campus Paid for with student dollars MSU cuts the checks Distributors will not do business with non-theatrical venues (Or, at least not directly) Revenues too small Volatility too high Lots of non-theatrical venues – college campuses, churches, prisons, etc

Non-Theatrical Booking 35mm Prints booked through one of two non-theatrical booking agents Swank Motion Pictures & Criterion USA A “middle man” No direct Distributor-Venue interaction Volatility – when I took over as films chair, we had a print that was supposed to go back to the distributor that I didn’t know about. Ended up keeping the print for four months.

Digital Distribution The Digital Print itself The Authorization Key Controlled by each distributor Neither non-theatrical booking agent can handle digital prints

The Pickle As a non-theatrical venue, The Procrastinator cannot get prints directly from distributors No alternatives for getting digital prints When finished, The Procrastinator Theatre will not be able to book digital prints.

Alternatives to Digital Prints Swank Digital Player – Swank’s “alternative” to Digital Cinema Quality Inferior to DVDs DVDs & HD-DVDs Designed for 32” and 60” TV’s, respectively – not a 30’ screen Lossy compression, limited video resolution

Neither would provide a theater experience Net Result Neither would provide a theater experience Downgrade, rather than upgrade, from Linfield. Original intetnion – creating the new theater

Conclusion Key Point #2 To be an operable and viable movie theater, the SUB Procrastinator Theatre must have a 35mm projector. At this point, a few days ago, I contacted Tom

Discussion.

The Pickle, Part II When the 35mm Projector was eliminated in 2005, so to was the projection booth

2004

Current - 2007 No room for projector

Necessary Modifications Expand Booth to accommodate Projector, platter, build table Fire Suppression HVAC Electrical Access hatch

Current, non-viable plans Proposed Revisions Hatch

Not so fast, there… Seemingly painless – just push out a few walls and chop hole in the floor Cost proposal to A&E Response from A&E Projection Booth Ceiling Supported

Theoretical Future A “guestimated” $30-50k to redesign floor Plus any various “hardship” fines Three to five weeks for structural engineers to redesign structure Graduation Deadline

Where do we go from here? Without remodel, the SUB Procrastinator will not be usable as a viable movie theater