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Author Topic: US booths like Fort Knox Thomas Jonsson Expert Film Handler Posts: 216 From: Bromolla, Sweden Registered: Sep 2003 posted 09-29-2003 03:03 PM                       As "strangers in town" we had no idea at all what theaters was worth looking at, so we simply drove around LA and mostly walked in NY, and dropped in at places that looked interesting, and finally ANY place that would let us in. That´s why we couldn´t announce our arrival, which ofcourse would have been a good idea. However, after reading all replys I can understand there are difficulties, and I respect that. Thank you for explaining. And thank you very much for all invitations!!! We will be most happy to visit you if we get there. If you ever come to Sweden, you´re more than welcome to visit us. In all fairness I must say, that our visits to the USA are the No 1 event of the year for us. Most theaters we have seen are great, and the presentations definately OK. If I should name a favorite it must be the CineramaDome in Los Angeles. Too bad it´s such a long trip to make, but I would really have wanted to see Mad Mad World next month.  |  IP: Logged Steve Anderson Expert Film Handler Posts: 168 From: Nashville, TN Registered: Feb 2000 posted 09-29-2003 04:32 PM                        Good Lord!!!!!!!! It was a joke. I can't believe you thought someone would do that. P.S On special days we play a game with the audience "catch the old Xenon bulb"  |  IP: Logged Adam Martin I'm not even gonna point out the irony. Posts: 3686 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 09-29-2003 04:44 PM                     quote: I can't believe you thought someone would do that. Dumber things have been suggested. Like having a news crew come into the cramped booth to do a story on the technicians changing the 15K lamps in a 3D Imax projector.  |  IP: Logged Ken McFall Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 615 From: Haringey, London. Registered: Apr 2001 posted 09-29-2003 04:46 PM                     Can't understand why anyone would want to look in the projection room anyway! After all everyone knows we just inseert a tape and press play! I had the BBC in for two days doing some filming and they were taken back as to what was in the projection room. Just to explain they were filming for a comedy show where they were watching an audience, with infa red cameras, talking thru the film. The film would stop without notice and a video insert was projected with two 'Super hero's" pointing fingers saying "there's too much talking going on....." The Hero's would then run into the auditorium and attack.... sorry interview the audience..... Not seen it broadcast yet so I'm sure it will be much funnier on the night than it was to work it! They had no idea what was involved with showing a film in a cinema. I was asked to stop, rewind, don't show the ads & trailers.... then yes, show the ads & trailers. They were really shocked to find that once remove from a show things could not so easily be inserted again! Talk about living on another planet.  |  IP: Logged Phil Hill I love my cootie bug Posts: 7595 From: Hollywood, CA USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 09-29-2003 05:06 PM                  Gee Adam, when I put kids on a platter for a ride, I ALWAYS remove the center ring/payout and replace it with a special "single-prong" holder. When you sit them down on that, they don't fall off. >>> Phil  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 09-29-2003 09:34 PM                        quote: If you ever make it to Seattle, WA..... I guess we're a bit more friendly here to people in the trade that some others. Peter makes a good point. I haven't been anywhere near the Seattle or Tacoma locals since 1978, and I haven't had any trouble visiting any booth I was ever interested in seeing. ...Matter of fact, my daughter and I once were allowed to repair a small problem at a trade screening at the Seattle Cinerama, where the platter had decided to toss the last 1/4 of "Pearl Harbor". Granted, it's unlikely it would have happened if the projectionist hadn't been out of town, but I wouldn't have been totally surprised if they hadn't just shut the screening down rather than let an "out of towner" in their booth. ... on the other hand... it did have two of the decks tied up... guess it was better to chance it than dump a show or two until they could get someone in there to fix it. Over the years, we've been as accommodating as possible at our theatres... especially when kids are involved. Today's generation can literally grow up without ever seeing motion picture film, now that there's none of it in the classroom. I used to be able to relate the workings of the booth to a classroom projector by explaining that everything was pretty much the same... just bigger. Now, I find it really wakes people up to see that we really don't just plug in a DVD and hit the play button. It actually helps us relate the cost of a ticket to what it takes to run a theatre. As for the PR value of a booth tour... just look at Mom & Dad's faces as their kid leaves the booth with a foot or two of an old trailer. For that matter, give them a chunk of it as you send them out the door. Even better, let one of them hit the "start" button at showtime and explain to them what they just did. I've had adults mention these visits to me, some years after I showed them our "engine room". Personally, even some 8 or 9 years later, I remain impressed that the chief engineers of a couple of our State ferry boats have let me downstairs to see their engine & control rooms, even though the the doors all say "crew only". If you have the time, the inclination and your company policy allows... these things can work for you.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-29-2003 10:28 PM                     years ago in an old Carbon house the manager used to give kiddy booth tours so I would always leave the peerless door onpen on a light arc facing the booth door to create a discouragement I still have the boss bring tours of 30 + people into the Imax booth usually as I am shifting a print and that is a small room  |  IP: Logged Aaron Sisemore Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day! Posts: 3061 From: Rockwall TX USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 09-29-2003 11:16 PM                     quote: I visited the El Capitan in Los Angeles... I was at the El Cap in 1998 when they had 'Hercules' there, and after the show, I tried to get a booth tour, spoke to 3 people, showed business cards and everything, and the last guy I spoke to said that it was 'union regulations' prohibiting anyone from entering the booth (a total load of , I know of many union shops that have let me in no questions asked)... One of these days, I'll get in If anyone is in the area of any of the Cinema West theatres and wishes a tour, just let me know and I will escort you through... -Aaron  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 09-29-2003 11:41 PM                     I don't mind giving tours in a booth. Never have worried about it. But now, it is no more than two people at a time since it is a small booth. Some big corporates are not as forgiving as most people are when it comes to a booth tour. I know Cinemaorgazmasmelleyplex in my area is so stiff-lipped about it that you would think you are asking for a gallon of blood to see their junkhouses. Jack said: quote: Personally, even some 8 or 9 years later, I remain impressed that the chief engineers of a couple of our State ferry boats have let me downstairs to see their engine & control rooms, even though the the doors all say "crew only". Absolutely!!!! Most of the engineers are great people. There are three of them that are good friends of mine. I spent many-a-hours in the engine and control rooms of the ferries over the years. I can say I only ran across one of the whole bunch that was a complete dork. And other engineers agreed with me, too.  |  IP: Logged William Hooper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1879 From: Mobile, AL USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-29-2003 11:50 PM                        I'm in venues where I'm running relief or a special event show. I tell folks (or management) that I'm very busy, & that I can't handle distractions or sudden problems. Especially if running 2000 foot changeovers &/or carbon arc in a booth that must be put back up to speed mechanically. No visitors during the show or in the 1/2 hour before, but they're very welcome afterwards.  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 09-29-2003 11:55 PM                     I think most of the independents that are community orientated and are in touch with the community with an idea of providing a service will allow booth tours if they are arranged in advance.  |  IP: Logged Ron Keillor Expert Film Handler Posts: 166 From: Vancouver, B.C. Canada Registered: Jul 2003 posted 09-30-2003 12:20 AM                     The lousy employee relations of at least one company so terrifies them that they almost actively discourage attendance at their theatres by ex-projectionists and -managers for fear of sabotage. This is highly unlikely, the ex-es want nothing to do with the company anymore and are quite happy to see it waste money on inefficiencies and inability to do routine maintenance because of neophyte, entry-level wage staffing.  |  IP: Logged Bob Peticolas Film Handler Posts: 73 From: Mesilla, New Mexico Registered: Jan 2000 posted 09-30-2003 01:45 PM                        Since we are a Film Society, we activitly encourage booth tours. It's a great way to get new members. If they have kids, I'll give them a full tour and description of how it works. Then, if they're still up there at show time, I'll have the kid(s) turn on the light, start the projector, and dim the house lights. (This is all on three close together controls, so it's no problem for even the youngest to do it.) As our booth window is rather large, they can see the screen and exactly what is happening. The smiles on their faces are worth it!!  |  IP: Logged Aaron Mehocic Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 804 From: New Castle, PA, USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-30-2003 07:11 PM                     I've only been bitched at once for unauthorized people up in the booth with me. As it turned out the kid was a former employee of the theatre in question, but nobody on staff worked here back in those days except me. He just simply wandered up looking for me but ran into a manager coming out of the office with a handful of change. I'm sure that was kinda scary for the manager. I think Paul is right on when he says independents booths are more easily accessable due to the fact that we are more community oriented. In terms of how old one must be to gain access to the booth, I'd say no younger than junior high. Just this summer we did a tour for pre-school kids and it was a joke. Those little bastards had no clue where they were or what they were even looking at. Another operator conducted the tour while I did make-ups (thats right . . . Friday morning ). Anyway, two three-year-olds ran over to see what I was doing, getting right up eye level with the Potts table as it was rewinding a reel at full speed. It was an accident waiting to happen, and the dumb-shit chaperon had no idea of the danger either . Many of my close friends are also friends with the management crew and are permitted to vist me upstairs at any point so long as they tell the box office person they are there. When I give booth tours to scout troops, or youth groups the manager just locks the office door and its no problem. One thing I do joke about is both access points to the booth are guarded by cameras, the doors are bugged with alarms, and motion detectors hang throughout . . . talk about working for NORAD .  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 09-30-2003 09:34 PM                        quote: One thing I do joke about is both access points to the booth are guarded by cameras, the doors are bugged with alarms, and motion detectors hang throughout . . . talk about working for NORAD Could it be that the owners might be concerned about the theft of some useable audio equipment? Those amplifiers can be used for lots of neat things... and there are plenty of stories about amps, processors and even stage speakers being gone for some time before anyone notices. Aside from the studios' dire warnings about print security, that's reason enough for me to have all those NORAD gizmoes in my booth. Just before I did that install, some lowlife stole my boxoffice ticketing computer & a real nice touch-screen monitor.  |  IP: Logged

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