By: Hollie Hojek
hhojek@kcautv.com
For more than 100 years, movie theatres projected images from film reels onto the silver screen. But on Monday, "Norfolk 7" will do what many other theatres all over the country are doing, and switch to a digital system.
"You put the hard-drive in and everything uploads to the server," said Darrin Paul, manager at Norfolk 7.
Monday, the theatre is closing for four days, to switch all the theatres to the digital system.
"Everything will be automated. It will be a lot simpler," said Paul.
Using film, projectionists need some time to start the movie, and monitor it. Now playing a movie can be done with just a couple clicks of the mouse. And it's better for movie-goers too. The switch to digital will bring sharper images to the big screen.
Paul says it's the right time to make the switch to the high tech system, but having worked with film for long, He'll be sad to see it go.
"It's kind of nostalgic for me. I've worked with film for the last twelve years. The thing I'll miss the most about film is hearing the sprockets push the film through the projector...it kind of sounds like tthhhhtthhhhh..."
The film reels will turn for the last time on Sunday.
