Yes, John. I read the whole thread. No, it's not an acceptable mistake. My point is that I've heard similar stories about just about every lab. I have never used Pro8 myself (I haven't shot S8 in decades), but I have met Phil Vigeant who strikes me as basically a good guy. And I have a friend who's a 'small' customer, experimental maker, who swears by Pro8 after having had inferior work done by several other transfer labs. But he goes to Burbank to be at the transfer sessions, and has cultivated a personal relationship with Phil.
If small gauge film-making wasn't artisanal already, it has become so with the demise of large volume processing services. The people at the labs -- shock! surprise! -- are likely to be as quirky and mercurial as the makers, exhibitors, distributors, equipment techs, etc. etc. Bitching about it won't get you your film made. You have to figure out the unwritten rules of the system. Personally, I do find this frustrating myself. The answer to any question about how to get something done right is likely to take the form of "On the second Wednesday of the month take the back alley by 666 Mephistopheles St, go up the second set of wooden stairs, find the unmarked gray door with a blue frame, knock '16' in Morse code, and say 'Alain sent me' and he'll probably open the door." But it is what it is. _______________________________________________ FrameWorks mailing list FrameWorks@jonasmekasfilms.com https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
