Radio City Music Hall
1260 6th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10020
1260 6th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10020
116 people
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The screening rooms were used as offices for some time, One is now used for Rockette training and physical therapy. Another is called the “red carpet room” – it is also used by the rockettes for various reasons. And one of the 2 restrooms next to the staircase (that the RKO execs would have use to cross the roof) has been turned into whirlpool room for physical therapy.
Posts from REndres, oldjoe and RCDTJ sure has taught us a lot about how the Hall works. it sure must be a fasinating place to work.
I did not appreciate how big an operation it really is.
All of that inside behind the operation information is absolutly fasinating. Once again, thanks to all of you for sharing.
I read on the Capitol page it had Magnificent Ambersons for 2 weeks.
I was surprised to see it play more than a week in a 5,000 seat theater when it was such a box office disappointment.
I’d like to know if it was offered to the Music Hall and they decided to pass on it. This would have been unfortunate as it would have been a perfect fit for the theater.
Even in its truncated form I consider it the greatest American sound film.
Peter, I thought that was you. We did do an organ concert sponsored by an organist’s guild which used the curtains and full facility. It even included one of the wittiest commentaries on theatre organs I’ve ever heard by Peter Schickele (P.D.Q. Bach) himself. I was backstage talking to the stage manager after my film cue, and when I went to leave I heard a murmurered “Good Night”, it wasn’t until I was outside that I realized that it was Mr. Schickele. I always regretted the fact that I didn’t get to tell him how much I enjoyed him, and that it was quite a change to get paid to hear him, as I had paid to attend his concerts at Avery Fisher and Carnegie Halls and have several of his C.D.’s.
Vito — the Screening Rooms were rented out for a number of years to CineMix which used them as re-recording studios. The broadcast studio was also rented to Plaza Sound, a recording company which did the tracks for the Macy’s Parade audio as well as recording groups such as Blondie. Involved in both operations were John Jackson, the senior production person a the Hall, as well as Greg Raffa, the music contractor, and Warren Jenkins, the technical director (and the man who brought me to New York). After CineMix outgrew the space, we restored the big room. The smaller one, “Preview B” was still used by us to screen short subjects, film effects and odd material even while it was used by CineMix. I even had the privilege to screen Ginger Rogers footage there for Ginger Rogers!
The problem was that there is no easy access to that level above the auditorium. While RKO execs could cross the roof from their offices over the lobby, and come up to the rooms. The Executive Elevator, which served the Executive entrance as well as the lobby levels, dropped people off at the Studio level,a few steps below the level which also included the rehearsal halls and the broadcast studio. The alternative was to use the backstage elevators, which was impractical when they were in use during the stage shows, and finding one’s way from the top elevator level up a couple of flights of stairs to the Studio level was not for the uninitiated. There were also security issues (one shutters to think how much tighter that would have to be in these times.) Anyone dropped off by the elevators at either end would be free to roam about anywhere in the theatre unless staff was positioned to guide them to the Screening Rooms. It worked for recording sessions, and special screenings (Robert Wise remembered carrying a print of “Citizen Kane” to one of the rooms for the first press screening), but they were designed to be used for in house screenings, and public access is a bit of a problem. (I had payroll records in my office filing cabinets that went back to the time when there were full crews in both of the Screening Rooms, the Main booth and Rear Projection as well, with some swapping between the positions. Quite a time!)
vito – i do not know what the agreement was – but for a screening one would rent the entire hall – plus labor. I am assuming new line did not want to pay for security / ushers for the the mezzazines and well cleaning those mezz’s and lobbys, lounges and bathrooms on those floors.
most agreement with an artist in house are a 85 artist/15 house split – afte the house recoups all costs (labor , advert, etc. ) but this can vary.
Parts of the hall can be rented out for meetings confs etc. the grand lounge and the grand foyer are often used for parties – several times the the great stage has been used for dinner parties, the roxy suite and hold small dinner parties or cocktail parties.
During the run of the Xmas show – there are multiple cocktail parties an various mezzanine levels in the grand foyer before certain show
Thanks for the info, REndres. That would have been my grumbling about the organ recital a few years ago (regarding use of the curtain, mostly). Luckily, the group putting on the organ concert this August – which everyone who frequents this site should attend, if only to support the idea of more specialized and historic presentations – is funding the event to make it open to the public, so the proper lights, sound, curtains, etc., will get used.
Rendres, thanks for that info.
I assumed it would be a very complicated and expensive undertaking to rent the Hall. I never realised one could rent just the lobby space, or as New Line seems to have done, just the orchestra sections. I understand it all a bit better now.
Was any consideration ever given to renting out one or both of the old screening rooms? I should think that would be popular for exibitor screenings, in addition to giving the booth guys a bit more work.
Any more info would be very interesting to be sure. Thanks again
vito — I don’t have the answers to a lot of your questions, but usually the whole Hall is rented. (While I was there someone did rent just the Lobby area for a bar mitzvah, and both Coca Cola and McDonalds used just the Lobby for their new product launches.) New Line would have had the option to use the 2nd and 3rd Mezzanines. And yes, they have been used when digital screenings are projected from the 1st Mez (I’ll have to check, but I think they were for the HBO “Sopranos” premieres.)
Four walling varies. I think the first time the house was four walled was for “Airport”, which in turn led to putting 70mm in. Ross Hunter wanted it projected in 70, and my predecessor had fought it for years.
While I was there the house was four-walled twice. The first time was for the Universal summer run of “McArthur”, “The Sting” and “Smokey and the Bandit”. In that case we were paid by Radio City as usual. When Disney four-walled the house for “Return to Oz” and “The Black Cauldron”, we all went on Disney’s payroll.
There is a minimum crew size starting with Department Heads and Assistants. Again, I’m not sure about all of the changes, since the lighting system is now computer controlled from the back of the house(or wherever). When I was there, a man on the elevator/contour control board was required (and I’m sure still is), and another electrician on the lighting board, since it was located in front of the pit. The fly foor required three men, as opposed to the usual two, since the size of the pieces requires more muscle to get the lines moving. If two pieces are moved at the same time, another three men were added. Load-in and load-out crew requirements were based on the show rider, as well as other crew needs in the house as is standard. If any two of the stage departments were used, the third was also added: i.e. Props, Carpenters and Electrics. While Sound technically falls under Electrics, it is also a separate department as is Projection.
One of the contacts I still keep is with someone who has been a shop steward for Local #1, so if I get a chance I’ll ask him what is being done today. Obviously it’s a very expensive house to use, and I recall grumbling somewhere on this site about the size of the crew it took to do an organ recital, but it kind of goes with the territory when you have a facility this large and complex (and yes — that does impact the ability to show motion-pictures, whether first run or in a retrospective.)
oldjoe brings up an intesting question. Just how does the Music Hall rent out the space. What are the various options available?
When New Line rented the Hall did that include all seating areas, orchestra and all three mezzinees, or can one just rent the downstairs area. What about staffing such as stagehands and front of the house? What happens in a four wall agreement, etc etc.
I understand the need to close off the first mezzanine when a Digital movie is shown but I wonder if the other two can be used.
Any of our RCMH insiders care to enlighten us on how the Music Hall
rentals are handled. Also what happens when a name star holds a one night concert, is that usually four wall or does the Hall collect the money from ticket sales and charge a fee to the talent.
So many questions I know, but I think this would make for some interesting comments.
Bill, I recall being told on many an occasions not to talk to anyone, especially the press, about a movie we had screened before it opened. So it went beyond a question of a “code of ethics”,
the studios were/are a bit funny that way. We even had a few newspaper/TV critics who would get bent out of shape if word got out about a movie before “they” saw it and reviewed it.
A also loved your comments about how great it is to see a movie shown at the Hall, and how wonderful it would be to see that more often and open to the public. The whole idea just makes my heart go
pitter patter. :))
Thanks, REndres. I realized after I posted the question that it might be breaking a code of ethics for a projectionist to comment on how good or bad a movie is before it’s released to the public.
Pete: You were right about the Variety review – not too good. But it sounds as if it’s not really finished yet. I guess I’ll go see it when it comes out and take my chances.
as far a mezzanines being closed for seating …that would have been new line cinema’s call, being that all movie premiers at the hall are basically rentals. i would guess that they did not want to pay for the extra labor to open them or clean them
RCDTJ a 75mm lens would have given you a picture roughly about 27' x 54' which is about what we were running 1.85 at when I was there, and is indeed certainly doable. Perhaps the overall sheet size has been reduced since I was there. At that time it was 35' x 70'. If it is still the matte and not the silver screen used for 3-D the brightness downstairs should be about what it is from the booth.
Bill H. It would be wrong for me to make any aesthetic comment about “Che”. I gather it was one of the most debated pictures at Cannes. Technically, its a very interesting project as Steven is very cutting edge. I’m told all of the picture was shot with natural light, which is amazing considering the range of the story. He also used an anamorphic lens to simulate the look of “Scope” with film. He was able to look at scenes on his laptop at night and send the files back to N.Y. Editing, sub-titling and now the digital intermediate are all being done on site at his headquarters. The project raises the scope of “personal” moviemaking to new levels. In talented hands, digital “democratization” of the motion-picture process may result in some really good pictures.
By the way, another aspect of the digital cinema change is the ability to screen “alternative” content, for better or worse. The Metropolitan Opera “cinemacasts”, as well as those from LaScala and San Francisco are filling houses. Who’d a thunk that the Met live would be selling out in multiplexes in Peoria? And the word is that Sony’s special distribution network will enable the closing performance of “Rent” on Broadway to be seen nationwide.
Vito, it may not all be good —– but it sure as heck is interesting for this old-timer! Glad I’m still around to see it.
RCDTJ, A year or so ago I would have agreed with you. However there is a hugh push for Digital that has been growing rapidly this year.
It seems as though everyone is now aboard the Digital band wagon.
Do us a favor and don’t let them ever take those 5 projectors out of RCMH. Guard them with your life, post youself outside the booth door with a rifle if need be :))
Incidently I would love to be wrong and you wright about Digital growth and the demise of film. Bless you for trying to give us hope.
On that note Vito, when I started in this business 19 years ago, they were saying the same thing about digital…..3 or 4 years….It wil NOT be as soon as people think.
Very true, Vito. We just need to ensure that “showmanship” remains in place, no matter the media the movie is exhibited on.
I am so glad I posed the original question regarding the screening the other night. We sure learned a lot of what whent on that evening and I wish to thank RCDTJ and REndres for their imput. Please guys keep that info coming, I love hearing about what is going on in the booth at RCMH.
Times are-a-changin that’s for sure.
Digital is here to stay and will just keep getting better. We have to acknowledge and accept the changes being made in the way we show movies. What is important is that movie theatres stay strong and survive, The new guys coming in to our industry want nothing to do with film, and as REnders pointed out more and more theatres are no longer putting film in the new locations. Many insiders I know predict that in only 3 or 4 short years, film will have gone the way of Vinyl records and video tape.
Those of us who worked in film will of course be sorry to see it all end, but ya can’t hold back progress, and at least we have our memories.
I wonder why they kept the mezzanines closed at the premiere of Sex and the City. They could have easily seated all those left standing outside in the rain.
First off, Tom from dolby did a great job with the sound. The main issue they were having was that left and right channels seemed to overpower the dialouge at times. After all their tinkering, they ended up at the original levels.As far as 35MM filling the screen goes, I must totally disagree. With a 75MM lens in the machine, we filled the screen fine. It was the same picture size for 35MM and digital. Like I said, the light level was about 8fl with the 5k lamp. That reading was from the booth so I know it was a bit more from down there. Light readings from the booth with one digital projector with a 6k lamp was about 7fl so we did pretty well with the 35MM. I don’t know why at least the 3rd mezz was not opened for seating.
Bill – read the reviews of it (Variety has one, I think). Sounds like a monumental disaster.
Slightly off topic but REndres, is “Che” any good? Hearing about a 4-hour movie brought me back to the days of “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Cleopatra” for a minute there.
Ed, That is an enormously complex question. In all fairness I work for a company that is involved in digital cinema, and I have both 2k digital and 35/70mm capacity in my screening room. I also work with engineers who travel the country to do digital screenings, and indeed, one was at the Hall the other night. The industry is going digital regardless of the subtleties of the situation. I’m amazed that almost all of the screens in Illinois where I vacation each year are now digital.
At the moment most digital cinema projectors are “2K”, and I have done split-screen experiments here with 35mm/2K (granted on a small 14" wide screen). The results were enough to convince a film company to do its premiere screenings digitally. We now have 4K projectors coming on line, and I’ve been screening Steven Soderbergh’s “Che” which is a 4 hour picture in two parts one “flat” one “Scope”. He shot the whole thing with a 4k handheld camera, and is doing subsequent editing and color correction in his office before making the 2k copy used at Cannes. 4K (four-thousand lines of resolutio across the frame) is said to be the equal of full-frame sprocket hole to sprocket hole 35mm, but remember the 1.85 image used for “Sex and the City” projection with optical sound track is considerably smaller.
Now NHK and JVC in Japan are working with 8K digital projection systems. The JVC chip is basically the same size as the 70mm image, and should be able to produce “IMAX” size images (IMAX is going digital by the way.)
As with everything else this oversimplifies the situation. How good is the 35mm print? (Sometimes, not very, when they have to pump out 4,000 copies for a major release.) How well maintaned are the projectors – digital OR film? Theatres that didn’t maintain their 35mm equipment probably won’t maintain their digital equipment either, and it does take maintanence.
There’s nothing wrong with being old school vito — but remember we are at the “Edison” stage of this whole transition, and digital will get better, and should in a well run situation, give a picture closer to 70mm than could have been achieved in the average situation where 70mm was not an option.
Lots of different opinions about the movie and the screening, but all I can say is … Wow! Movies at Radio City again! It felt good to hear about that show.
It goes without saying, but I wish they did it more often and opened it up to the general public.
Is there agreement that digital just generally now offers a clearer, sharper, brighter picture, which seems to be the case in ordinary multiplex auditoriums, and that RCMH may be one of the few, and maybe the only, place(s) where digital is not necessarily preferable to 35 mm?
Thanks Rob for making some sense out of all this.
I had not thought about the problems of using the 7k lamps on a 35mm print. I just don’t get it, forgive an old man but we did just fine for all those years, and now they seem to be looking for much more profection then we ever did.
As for the picture size, I guess if “size matters” they got what they wanted. So more power to em.
It still seems a bit much and unnessary.
But what do i know, I am so old school.
I’m in – I can learn a lot from you guys!