News

• A tweak to the scheduler, and my own schedule for PIFF
  February 9, 2010

  I've tweaked the automatic scheduler to schedule a 12-minute break between screenings; until now, it would schedule you for a screening that started one minute after a previously-scheduled screening.

  This is a baby step on the way to considering distance between theaters, something that my PIFF friends have asked about, because PIFF is using Cinema 21 again this year, and there's one film that's only screening there. (Until I can add the full feature, I chose 12 minutes, because Benefactor members of the Northwest Film Center have a seating section reserved until 10 minutes before showtime, and this gives me two more to move between theaters at the Broadway!)

  If you've already used the automatic scheduler, this won't affect your schedule, but if you re-run it, it will. Let me know if this new feature works especially well (or badly!) for you!

  Since the press screening schedule seems to be final, I've let the automatic scheduler generate my schedule for PIFF - looks like I'll get to see 70 of the 83 films this year!

• Cinequest schedule is open
  February 4, 2010

  I've just finished entering the schedule for Cinequest 20 - looks like a lot of great films, and I'm sorry I'm missing it again this year.

  I still need to double-check everything. I know that some of my theater assignments are different than the official grid, but I'm working on a fix. As usual, some of the special events (Maverick Spirit awards, the 3D movie) don't have a published length, so I've guessed. If you see other problems, please let me know via the Feedback page.

• PIFF33 schedule is open!
  January 26, 2010

  I've just finished setting up the schedule for the 33rd Portland International Film Festival. The links back to the film descriptions on the PIFF site aren't there yet, but I'll get those included as soon as I can. (I've heard that the paper schedules are available at the NWFC office, and should be everywhere shortly.)

  Here's a tip for die-hards like me: If you plan on going to the press screenings and want to use the Automatic Scheduling feature, don't bother picking screenings yet. Enter your priorities on the Films page now; then, after the press screenings are over, go to the Schedule page and select only the press screenings you attended (and unselect any future screenings). Use the Automatic Scheduling link after that, and it won't bother scheduling you for any of the films you've already seen.

  See you at the movies!

  Updated 2/4 11:30PM: Press screenings include the switch to Sons of Cuba on 2/12; main schedule includes the added Heiran screening on 2/25, and excludes the two cancelled Heiran screenings on 2/19.