my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Which Projector Do You Start the Night On? (Changeover) (Page 2)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1  2  3

Author Topic: Which Projector Do You Start the Night On? (Changeover) John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 05-24-2003 12:18 PM                     Comments about lamp life in the context of 2k changeovers surprise me, since I'm of the impression most people who do 2k changeovers leave the lamps on. We strike both lamps before the show (simultaneously), and wait until the end of the last show to shut them both off. I guess that if turning off our arcs didn't cause a sound system noise, we might turn one off earlier than the other...but it does. We do have remote format control and light control on either side of both projectors (and volume control for non-sync but not film), so it's comfortable for us to start from either left or right. Generally generally we run our trailer reel on the left and reel 1 of the feature on the right. Primarily so that, for those rare occasions where our trailer reel is missing a trailer for one of the immediately upcoming films (e.g. next weekend), we stop the trailer reel right after the "Friday and Sunday" datestrip, and changeover to the slide projector, which is to the left of the left MP projector, and show a brief slide describing the upcoming feature. Similarly, if we have 16mm elements (generally shorts), since our 16mm projector is to the right of the right MP projector, we might end up starting on the right to ease 35/16 changeovers, which are not automated in our booth. --jhawk  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-24-2003 12:27 PM                     Once you have done the last changeover most people will turn off the outgoing machine so it will end up with fewer hours  |  IP: Logged Robert E. Allen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1078 From: Checotah, Oklahoma Registered: Jul 2002 posted 05-24-2003 12:28 PM                     When running changeover I always started with the left machine (as you face the screen) as the center panel had all the controls for both machines, lights and curtains and you could control both machines from that position.  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 05-24-2003 12:31 PM                     In a Carbon Arc Manual house, I usually started on the left machine. On accasion, I started on the right. There is really no specific reason why I started on the left machine, other that is just seemed "natural" to me.  |  IP: Logged Fred Georges Master Film Handler Posts: 257 From: Lombard, IL, USA Registered: Jun 2000 posted 05-24-2003 01:03 PM                     I always started a show on # 1 (Left)After replacing our magnarcs with Xenon I left both lamps on during the show. When we finally ditched our Nitrate setup and went to 6000ft. reels the lamps were cycled.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 05-24-2003 01:27 PM                       Whichever provides easiest/quickest access to house and sound controls. Otherwise, I start on the left (#1). In certain drive-ins, however, I would start on whichever machine put the intermission clock on the machine closest to the door, so curious passersby had a good view of the works in operation.  |  IP: Logged John Stewart Film Handler Posts: 67 From: Austin, TX, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 05-24-2003 01:29 PM                     I start on the right hand machine since it is closest to the dimmer and curtain controls. If we are running a festival off the platter, which feeds only the #1 (left machine), I dim the lights, open the curtain and make a mad dash around #2 to start #1. No automation at all here. John  |  IP: Logged Gerard S. Cohen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 975 From: Forest Hills, NY, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 05-24-2003 04:41 PM                     I always started on the left machine, and loaded the reels in the bins from left to right. That's the way we read, in languages using the Latin alphabet, so it seems natural. (If you took a poll, would most Israeli projectionists start on the right, since Hebrew reads from right to left?) Since the theatres where I worked changeovers had two or three shifts daily, it was an advantage to have all operators start the same way, as it avoided mistakes when the operators changed over between shifts. I think it was standard practice in NYC to start on the left for uniformity of operation, especially important when relief or emergency replacement projectionists would take over.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 05-24-2003 04:54 PM                       Gerard, the L to R reading order is logical, indeed, that's the way it should be. Although, I'm sure many of us have seen the odd booth that is numbered "backwards". I heard somewhere one school of thought suggested the projector closest to the door should be called #1. Maybe that's what they were thinking?  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 05-24-2003 06:12 PM                    I always start on the right machine (#2) for a couple of reasons. First of all it's what I'm used to because the post production center I used to work at had the dimmer controls to the right in all three booths. So despite having dual controls at my screening room I still stick to this and I do so when I work in other booths, too, unless there is a benefit to starting on #1. I think sticking to a routine as much as possible lessens the chances of error if one briefly spaces out. I like to keep my inspected, ready to run reels (on house reels) in order for the same reason. Secondly, at my place the right machine is a bit more centered and has virtually no keystoning so all the better for logo & opening credits and roughly 50% of closing credits (assuming equal odds on whether a film has an even or odd number of reels) to run on that machine.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Sisemore Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day! Posts: 3061 From: Rockwall TX USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 05-24-2003 06:50 PM                     When I ran changeover at the Sonomarin D/I, I started with the cartoon reel on the left machine, and just continued alternating machines thru the first feature, intermission clock, and second feature, etc. until the night was done. Where things ended up depended on the number of reels in each feature. I am not 100% sure how I ran 2000' changeovers in Cloverdale and Novato, but I believe it was starting the feature always on the left machine. -Aaron  |  IP: Logged Darren Crimmins Expert Film Handler Posts: 130 From: Dallas, TX, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 05-24-2003 08:39 PM                     I also have never worked a change-over booth either, I but I was thinking about what Leo said about being able to see the left projector (or the reel) to know when the cue marks are coming while threading the right, but while threading the left, you are blind. I am just curious (knowing really nothing about changeovers), would it make any sense to look at the length of the odd reels versus the even reels and put whichever has smaller lengths on the left projector, so you can always see the shorter reels from the right projector versus the left? So if the odd reels were generally shorter, than have the odds on the left so easier to see and less chance of missing the change. I might be coming out of left field about this, but I was just curious.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 05-24-2003 08:45 PM                     Nah, it doesn't matter. You aren't really paying attention until you get to within an inch of the core anyway, so how much film was on the reel at one particular point in time is somewhat irrelevant. That being said, the one thing I really dislike is not being the one to load up the film onto the supply reel. I've worked changeover houses that had different sized hubs for what appeared to be identical 6000' reels...so you had to prestrike the lamp and assume the position for what could be 3-4 minutes, glaring at the corner of the screen in case you happened to be feeding from one of those large hub reels. The nice thing about automated changeovers is that you never have to really worry about it. Even if you space out, when the other projector fires up and does the changeover, that'll zap you back to reality! Then you've got 10-20 minutes to get the next reel set (assuming shipping reels).  |  IP: Logged Craig Hanham Film Handler Posts: 79 From: Wellington, New Zealand Registered: Oct 2001 posted 05-25-2003 01:09 AM                     In the projection room I use most I start on the left machine (Proj. 1), due to the position of dimmer, curtain, rack controls. I occaisonally start on proj. 2 but its a hassle as the projector cotrols are on the left of the machines, so a bit of reaching through the pedastal to reach motor start is required, with judicious threading to get a good start squence. Comes down to ease of operation really.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 05-25-2003 01:13 AM                     I'm in the "balance the lamp life" club. I don't prefer to start on either machine. The only time I keep reels associated with a particular machine is if I'm trying to suss out a damage issue. So the booth I just install has four projectors that are 35mm capable (two 35/16 and two 35/70)...now which order do you use? Steve  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1  2  3

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.