Whoever said that hosting screenings was easy is mistaken.  Just ask our new friend Pete from the Plaza Theatre in Calgary.

Day 1:
Due to time constraints, our dvd disc was not fully tested out to make sure it is compatible with the equipment available at the Plaza.  “It is just a dvd disc, what could go wrong?”  Surely those words were lost in a puddle of sweat when the dvd disc’s aspect ratio would not match up properly when hooked up to a $30k projector!  While trying to figure out the aspect ratio, the projector decided to go into a standby mode that they were unable to get it out of.  Thank God for back up equipment, we then decided to go with a lower key projector that was able to display the picture, still not in the correct aspect ratio but at least it displayed the image.  All good?  Sadly no, 45 mins into the picture (after a 15 minute delay in start time and impromptu apologies on stage for the ‘technical difficulties’) the disc started skipping!  Many screenings under my belt, not one disc skipping issue!  Kulwant Neote, my acting manager in Alberta, got up on stage to explain the situation, ‘it was not our dvd disc’…’it was the equipment’…’we are offering full refunds’…  Things seemed bleak but the audience responded with ‘no refunds are needed’ and an undeserving applause.  Turns out almost everyone was impressed with what they saw up until we decided to stop beating the dead horse and call it a day.  A few refunds were given but mostly everyone either wanted to come back or watch the online screener of my film.  Many kind thanks to everyone and their patience.  Shout out to Al, another technician at the Plaza who tried desperately to get things working in Pete’s absence.

Day 2:
This time no taking chances, Pete and I came to the conclusion that the technical difficulties that we could not get around (the dvd disc skipping) were due to unclean dvd player heads.  That pesky dust did a number on my morale, that is for sure.  The night before, I watched the entire dvd disc on a residential dvd player and there were no skips!  We borrowed the dvd player (which belonged to Kulwant’s family) and hooked it up at the Plaza.  Pete, wanting to make sure we have a successful screening this time around sat in the poorly ventilated projector room on a crate making sure he is there in case of an emergency.  No problems today, with less than a minute to go in the film, I go upstairs to shake Pete’s hand on a job well done when the disc freezes!  After hitting play repeatedly we were able to finish the screening with that one and only glitch.  I guess I celebrated too early.

Conclusion:
So what went wrong?  The dvd disc played fine at Kulwant’s home with no skips.  The same dvd player was used on Day 2, but there was a freeze point.  Could it be bad luck?  Or a combination of factors?  We cannot say for sure, but that same dvd disc has been used a few more times since with no problems.  Pete took the onus upon himself to make sure the entire technical difficulties fiasco was due to the equipment at the Plaza.  Although I appreciate Pete putting the onus on himself and the theatre (he even offered to come up on stage and apologize), things like this happen and I am not in the business to hold grudges but to instead make friends.

Pete has offered free movie vouchers to anyone not satisfied with the Plaza Theatre after Day 1’s screening, you can contact Pete here.

If anyone came to see the film on Day 1 and wants a refund or watch the film in its entirety may contact me at anytime.

Shoutouts to Kulwant Neote, The Neote Family, The Neote Family DVD Player, Pete, Al, The Plaza Theatre, the Audience, and their Patience.

(The Calgary Public Screenings took place July 25th & 26th 2009)

Thanks Everyone!

mani