A few of the students from the UNM-LA Film Studies class met in the Reel Deal lobby with their instructor, Dr. Cathy Hardy, and Reel Deal owner Jim O’Donnell prior to the film.  (L-R)  Robert Kiss, Logan Caspersen, Jim O’Donnell, Cathy Hardy, Lydia Kenamond and Maegan Carter (kneeling). Photo by Nancy Coomb/UNM-LA

Jim O’Donnell shows the class a hard drive which contains a movie. He explained that the distributor sends an encryption key which unlocks the drive for the time the Reel Deal is renting it. Photo by Nancy Coombs/UNM-LA

Film students, from left, Lydia Kenamond, Robert Kiss and Logan Caspersen examine the projector bulb held by Jim O’Donnell. Photo by Nancy Coombs/UNM-LA

UNM-LA NEWS

On Tuesday evening, Feb. 5, UNM-LA Instructor Dr. Cathy Hardy and her Film Studies students met at the Reel Deal Theater to view the film “If Beale Street Could Talk,”  based on the 1974 novel by James Baldwin and directed by Barry Jenkins. Jim O’Donnell, owner of the Reel Deal, treated the class to a tour of the projection room prior to the film, offering an overview of the movie theater business and equipment.

O’Donnell showed students the old film projectors and talked about the transition from film projectors to digital projectors. He explained that by staying open year round, the Real Deal can function as a “first run” theater and play newly and recently released films from the major film companies.

O’Donnell has invited the UNM-LA film class to tour the projection room and view a film each time Hardy has taught the class.