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Topic: Uniforms

Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-10-2000 05:33 PM

Booth ppl. didn't have to wear suspenders. We 'politely' brought up the safety issue. Plus, as you say, they kept popping off.

I used to wear a tie at MH College 'cuz it's supposed to be a 'classy' affair but now I just wear 'nice' slacks and a button down shirt, or something like that.
When I was working on the build-up/screening, the day before, I'd wear any old thing. On the 'money show' I'd dress up. When I thread, etc. I'd tuck it in. There was a couple of times when something bad happened (Phantom of the Opera)and I'd just shuck the thing off and toss it. The boss saw me do that and asked my why. I told him I like my neck the way it is and he loosened up about it. (Not that he ever made a big deal of it.)

Ya' know, when things are new, people get all fussy about things like that. After a while they don't care.

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Joshua Waaland
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 800
From: Cleveland, Ohio
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 01-10-2000 05:53 PM

I used to have to wear plastic-wear Brad. In fact I was just cleaning my apartment and was going to throw them out. Now Cinemark adopted a new logo and we have to wear black pants, black shirt that says "Cinemark Crew" on the back and has purple and black checkers on it. I don't mind it that much except that I am 6'-4" and all their sizes are for average people and everytime I bend over to thread a projector I have to tuck my shirt tail back in. By the end of the night I just let it all hang out. no pun intended.

Joshua

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-10-2000 06:48 PM

Our GM told us that we have to wear our bowling shirts buttoned all the way up to the collar. When everybody complained, she said we don't have to button them up IF we wear a black T-Shirt underneath. I think somebody's pulling my chain, here!

Generally, MY method of rebellion is to come in wearing the shirt all the way unbuttoned. If anybody says anything, I have it buttoned up before the first show starts, or IF I go downstairs. I pretty much stay in the booth, except to go get a Coke. (.... or is that POP-OIL?)

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Carl Welles
Film Handler

Posts: 82
From: Cali
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-10-2000 08:17 PM

At my theatre we are just required to dress "presentably". So that just means nice shirt, pants, underwear, etc...

Ken, what are you doing looking at the projector in that picture, anyway??

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Robert Saba
Film Handler

Posts: 7
From: Mesquite, TX, USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 01-10-2000 08:45 PM

Cinemark Legacy in Plano -- the original idea was that if we were caught with the top button of our uniform undone, we were sent down to concession. Projectionists should be comfortable. Wearing a uniform makes me feel like an usher...

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George Roher
Master Film Handler

Posts: 266
From: Washington DC
Registered: Jul 99

posted 01-11-2000 12:53 AM

In my own opinion, a projectionist should not look like theatre staff or management. He/she must be invisible and totally free to quickly fix an emergency situation without customers distracting him/her with questions and business not related to the booth. He/She must not look messy, but must be as comfortable and relaxed as possible. Projectionists lift and transport very heavy objects, get covered with grease and sprocket oil, constantly run up and down stairs, and are required to spend up to 18 hours in a row in hot, dusty areas that are uncomfortable to begin with.

Not wearing a standard uniform, and getting to be yourself is supposed to be one of the perks of the job.

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Nic Margherio
Film Handler

Posts: 91
From: St. Louis MO, USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 01-11-2000 01:45 AM

AMC requires me to wear a company-logo polo shirt (in a variety of pleasing colors), khaki pants and "dress" shoes. Its very casual and I couldn't be any happier with it. At my theatre, however, I could probably wear just about what ever I wanted and nobody could say anything about it. This dress code, of course, only applies at the large theatres with dedicated projectionists. At the smaller ones where booth staff work the floor, they are required to wear the floor staff uniform.

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Michael Barry
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 584
From: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 01-11-2000 02:27 AM

I've never had to wear a uniform for projection work, except at one place that did insist. Ironically, that was the lowest paying venue ever.

My preview theatrette job, whilst not stipulating a uniform per se, do like me to look 'well dressed'. Once I turned up directly after my graduation ceremony in quite a nice suit; the response from a couple of audience members who were curious about the booth was something along the lines of, 'well, you must be VERY serious about this!'.

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John Wilson
Film God

Posts: 5438
From: Sydney, Australia.
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 01-11-2000 04:51 PM

I was once told by my chief projectionist many years ago, that I would HAVE to wear overalls if I wanted the job. I said OK, got the job and never wore them once. In fact, he ended up dumping them as well.

In olden days with messy carbon arcs etc, ok... but nowadays?

I go by the stipulation that you should look at least as good as the average patron but no t-shirts with advertising on it. You are still, after all, a representative of the company.

-------------------
"It's not the years honey, it's the mileage"
Indiana Jones

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Charles Lubner
Film Handler

Posts: 78
From: Milwaukee, WI USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 01-11-2000 11:58 PM

At Marcus Theatres, the majority of projectionists in the Milwaukee area are Asst. Managers. Depending on the GM, uniforms range from dress shirt and tie to anything casual. In the Chicago area Marcus is all union, and I would assume they are free to wear what they want.

Floor staff at Marcus are required to wear a full tuxedo with a red bowtie. When everyone is wearing one, a theatre can look quite classy. Managers generally wear sportscoat and dress pants/shoes, or a pants suit or dress for women.

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Stephen Jones 1
Film Handler

Posts: 62
From: Tulsa, OK, USA
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 01-12-2000 03:02 AM

I'm the Booth Manager at a Cinemark theatre and I tell my usher-bs that they should be in full uniform whenever they're on the floor (Black Cinemark shirt buttoned top button, name tag, black pants, black shoes). As for the booth I tell them they shouldn't 'look' out of uniform if I see them through the prothole. If other employees see 'em then they complain about being in uniform... blah blah. I do like the short sleeves much better than the suspenders and damn long sleeve white shirts.

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Masao Garcia
Film Handler

Posts: 34
From: Lancaster, CA, USA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 01-12-2000 04:12 AM

My Cinemark usher-bs complain about the top button making them choke if they button it up. I tell them that if they're in the booth, I don't really care. But if they're downstairs, it's the GM's call, and she's really strict about having the top button buttoned. She even went so far as to tell them to wear a rubber band around their neck if the collar was too tight to button. That didn't last very long. I think the new Cinemark uniforms are 100x better than the plastic-forms. I canna count how many times patrons would make a smart comment about their colorful bowties....hahahaha, I'm glad I never had to wear that crap. I'm in the booth a lot (being the Booth manager), and I wear a tie and long sleeve shirt. The tie doesn't get in the way of anything (we have P35C Christies, so no oil). My cuffs do get dirty, though, from cleaning platters, doing maintenance, etc. and I usually roll them up. Back before we became a Cinemark, we used to be owned by Pacific Theatres and Metropolitan, and we had a union projectionist (who kicked so much ass in the booth, BTW) and he came to work in jeans and a T-shirt. It was so lax back then...

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Tim Reed
Better Projection Pays

Posts: 5246
From: Northampton, PA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 01-12-2000 08:11 AM

I'll ask the obvious question: WHO'S THE GIRL?!

Uniforms for projectionists are ridiculous. Booth work is dirty and good clothes will only get ruined. Besides, nobody SEES the operator anyway (or shouldn't).

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Nicholas McRobert
Film Handler

Posts: 38
From: Belfast, N. Ireland
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 01-12-2000 06:31 PM

Two LOGICAL steps for putting uniforms on projectionists: Don't make them wear ties (yeah, they might get in the way because you have oil-less projectors, Masaio, but they are a safety hazard as far as any kind of moving machinery is concerned!) AND make the colours of the uniform *dark*......there's nothing worse than making someone wear a white shirt when it's gonna be covered in crud half-way thru a shift.

Why are all of these people intent on making their employees resemble hamburger chain workers?

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Rick Long
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 759
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 01-12-2000 08:42 PM

Am carefully searching the Brenkert manuals for the number of that part featured in the photo.

If it is part of your job, as projectionist to appear in view of the public, then I suppose management has the right to request that you wear whatever uniform they dictate. Keeping such a uniform clean, while changing a broken inner belt on a Cinemeccanica Vic 5, however, can prove quite a challenge.

An investment in a mechanics shop coat, hung by the booth door, might be well worth considering. Use of large elastic bands around the sleeves while working on unusually dirty equipment will prevent soiling of a long-sleeve white shirt. Fastening the buttons on the front of the coat will prevent a tie from falling into the equipment. Be sure and keep some hand cleaner handy as well.

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