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Topic: Coolest/funniest stories in the booth...

Paul Harnden
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 107
From: Chandler, AZ, USA
Registered: Oct 2001

posted 12-13-2001 11:49 PM

Yeah, I always get "Ah come on man!" One time I freaked out one person that asked after they had watched their flick by asking, "Didn't you see her?"

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Tom Sauter
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 163
From: Buffalo, NY, USA
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 12-14-2001 08:59 PM

Before I was a projectionist and just an audio service tech on call, I was called to a nearby theatre that was having "sound problems." I stuck my head in the auditorium and sure enough something was amiss. I climbed up to the booth and said to the projectionist, "Man! Something is way out of wack in here. I can't understand a single thing those people are saying!"

The projectionist replied, "Tom, the film is in Polish. We just can't seem to get the audio level high enough!"

Got called to the same theatre not long after that and found that the rewind bench was broken. The projectionist on duty was resourceful enough to play the 6000' reels backwards through the idle projector! She had just enough time between shows to rethread both machines.

My all time favorite (which I may have told here before) was when our exciter power supply went out. Hmmmm.... 7.2 volts.... Ran to my car, yanked the battery, my jumper cables, and the toolbox. Picked up some big carbon resistors in the shop and hooked her in. I set dolby level with the house amplifiers off just in time to start the show!

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Richard Topping
Film Handler

Posts: 13
From: Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
Registered: May 2001

posted 12-16-2001 12:06 PM

While'st training some years ago, I was looking for a spot light switch in the booth. Flicked this switch what I thought was a light switch and both projectors shut down. Took the projectionists on duty a few minutes to spot that I had turned off the extracts!

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Tom Kroening
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 214
From: Janesville, WI USA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 12-18-2001 09:10 AM

Randy, I'm going to have to take Paul and Daniel's side on this one(although i've never done it myself). I can remember all the times the movies were staggered back and forth on opposite ends of the booth...what a pain in the @$$! I always wanted to get a booth scooter or something so i could get around faster. With care it could be just like a handicaped person's electric chair or a golfers golf cart. Booth's are HUGE these days and i'll bet you that when those segways come out someone is going to try one up in the booth. Working at a 20 and 18 plex when the power has gone out is NOT fun. You'd be more likely to trip over your own feet while you are booking from projector to projector than to run into one on a scooter. Of course if you are just messing around and practicing your tricks or what not, keep that stuff on the ground floor :P

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Randy Stankey
Film God

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

posted 12-18-2001 10:01 AM

My first booth, in Erie, PA, was a 17 screen. It was about 200 yards long. (Yes, I measured it.

) I have never had a hard time getting from projector to projector. One "guy" can run that booth alone and will never have to do anything more than a moderate "hustle" to get two movies started at the same time even if they are at opposite ends.

The Cinemark in Norfolk, VA is an 18 screener, divided up into two booths. It's an all-stadium design but you'll never have to go up or down more than a few steps at a time to get to a projector. Again, one person can run that booth alone. It is a larger building and you will have to hustle a bit harder to do the job. Still, I have been able to run that booth myself without any problem.

The Cinemark in Orlando, FL is a different story. It's a 30 screener and it's divided up into 3 booths on two levels. You really need at least two guys to run this booth. It's a good idea to have 3 on Fri or Sat nights. It may remotely be possible to run this one alone but I wouldn't recommend it. It's just a bit too hard to keep an eye on everything when the place is divided up into levels like that.

In all but that last booth it's possible to keep all your movies on time by starting one projector 1/2 to 1 minute early and the other 1/2 to 1 minute late.
There are physical/health requirements to be a projectionist: You have to be able to walk up and down stairs. You have to be able to lift and carry 50 pounds of weight (up and down stairs) without assistance. You have to be able to work while reaching above your head as well as stooping down. You need to be able to work in the dark. I don't see why we can't add the abilty to hustle from one end of the booth to the other to that list. If you can't fulfil those requirements you really don't belong in the booth.

If you can't cover a distance of 200 yards in two minutes you have a real problem.

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Don Sneed
Master Film Handler

Posts: 451
From: Texas City, TX, USA
Registered: Aug 2001

posted 12-18-2001 06:20 PM

As a young projectionist in the early 70's, projectionist use to put their name & city on the lid in the film cans, I too did this with my high school graduation year, Sr."73", ten years later I was working at a drive-in theatre in Houston, open the film can & saw my name & graduation date, along with about 20 others.....what are the chances of that with thousands of film cans.....my name was on the top of the list...look like I started something !!!

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David Scholmz
Film Handler

Posts: 15
From: Seattle, WA, USA
Registered: Dec 2001

posted 12-22-2001 05:40 PM

Well my story is pretty good...It was prom night and we just dropped off the limo and my friends and i and our dates were still dressed up....we all went into the theatre(which we all worked at :-) ) and disengaged the alarm and went on to Theatre 1...the biggest one...I went up top to start the film...(Scary Movie) as I began to start the movie my friends date came up in the booth w/ me..not really knowing what she wanted i just started a friendly conversation...well all in all we started makin love up top.. (dont worry old folks..i had the rubbers) We were up there for a serious 30minutes and our friends were beginning to think what we were doing...well when we came back down my date and my friend were goin all out on the seats and so was my other friend and his date....it was really awesome...lol after that we moved ourself over to consession and "bought" some gummy worms....
well that was my fav time in the theatre.......heh i still remember it. =)
oh..so the next day I come into work and my asshole assistant is flaring because there were broken reels......lol well i didn't notice it but i broke a few reels while doin my girl up there....lol i just acted like i didnt know.

this post has been rated R for mature geeks only

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Jerry Chase
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1068
From: Margate, FL, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 12-22-2001 06:04 PM

"well all in all we started makin love up top.. (dont worry old folks..i had the rubbers) "

OK, I'm a mature geek. I get the rated R. Tell me, how does this in any way relate to moviemaking, movie showing, or any sense of professionalism? Just asking.

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David Scholmz
Film Handler

Posts: 15
From: Seattle, WA, USA
Registered: Dec 2001

posted 12-22-2001 07:37 PM

Well it relates to the coolest/funniest stories.....cuz it was DEFENATLY the coolest :-)
keep it real mah man..dont get all out of whack cuz mine is better than yours
........hehe
jk

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 12-22-2001 08:07 PM

quote:
DEFENATLY

Awesome. I think we all know what kind of person we're dealin' with!

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Jerry Chase
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1068
From: Margate, FL, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 12-22-2001 08:44 PM

Two points if someone new can quote the source, finish the quote, and place this in context (decipher what I am trying to say):

"I’ve been up and down the four corners of this great big ol’ world. I've seen it all, I've done it all. I've fought many a good man, I've laid many a good woman, and if there's one thing I've learned, its..."

(No cheating or helping from any of us old farts.)

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Mike Spaeth
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1129
From: Marietta, GA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 12-22-2001 09:27 PM

I'm with Jerry on this one.

David - we "bought" gummi worms?

You should've been fired the next day. This is a professional forum ... please try to at least act like you have a tad bit of professionalism. Plus ... I'm gonna call b.s. on the story. Scary Movie was released on July 6, 2000. Who has Prom in July?????

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 12-22-2001 09:48 PM

I'm sure the Regal 7 plex he was managing was important enough to have a print of the film before it was even finished.

Related topic in the Yak forum "David Schmolz".

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Mike Spaeth
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1129
From: Marietta, GA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 12-22-2001 09:58 PM

That's kind of funny. I didn't realize that "Regal" had GM's that hadn't finished high school yet ... must've been a special exception for this "special" person. But wait - we're all just jealous because our stories aren't as good as his!

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Jerry Chase
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1068
From: Margate, FL, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 12-22-2001 10:05 PM

His was obviously better than mine, since I didn't write one.

Too bad he didn't bother to check, but trolls rarely do.

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