Topic Closed

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

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » How to thread leader, which way is correct? (Page 6)

This topic comprises 7 pages: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7

Author Topic: How to thread leader, which way is correct? Rachel Craven Madam Moderator Posts: 2190 From: Pensacola, FL Registered: Dec 2000 posted 05-04-2005 01:05 PM                     I have been reading this thread from the beginning and you guys ALL astound me. This thread started out as a question of common and correct practice. Why does anyone, projectionist or tech, have to be bashed? It is obvious that someone or multiple someones in this situation are not correct but no one is perfect, I know I do my best to keep my booth clean but as Scott N. can attest to, its not even close to perfect. The floor needs to be mopped, we need new equiptment (horribly bad), and it would be nice if my projectionists listened to me and just brushed down the projector when threading up as normal practice, etc. My point is, no one is perfect. At least Richard has the common sense to ask people for help, why is he being bashed for it? And as for the tech, like Manny said, he isn't here to tell his side of the story, who knows if Richards account of what the tech said is actually correct? Why not just answer the question and quit the bashing? Let's just put it this way, someone is incorrect and we'll do our best to try and fix it. Well, thats my thought anyway.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 05-04-2005 01:28 PM                     Maybe Richard or Manny can tell the tech in question to come to Film-Tech and tell his side of the story, and we can get this cleared up. Or the owner can come and explain why there is no cover on the port window. Its really not fair to bash someone who isnt here to defend themselves. Trust me, I've made that mistake here, I felt like an idiot later on for doing it.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 05-04-2005 01:46 PM                     quote: Richard Greco "....There are things he doesn't know and tells my higher ups about and they only believe him...." ... called "shit rolls downhill" ... and if you're in the path, you get rolled over in it as well. Been there and done that and it ain't fun being "stunk" upon. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 05-04-2005 02:34 PM                     Well stated, Rachel. Jeremy, I have suggested that many times over the past few years since I've known him but, for whatever reason(s), he chooses not to post. I lurked a long time before posting because I didn't trust the internet. I also remember being very nervous about having my photograph on the site. Meeting fellow Film-Techers at the Dolby training was weird and I remember having a small panic attack the first time I went to Dallas to meet Brad and the gang. But under these current circumstances -- Brad called him a moron who needs to be "outed" and almost everyone else is siding with Richard -- I would not blame my friend for staying away. He'd be walking into an ambush situation.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-04-2005 03:28 PM                        Is it possible that the guy is an electronics wizard and a great technician, but a lousy film handler? That's not necessarily a problem, since he's not a regular operator. Rachel--bug me sometime when you aren't busy and I'll show you at least one booth where you could (literally) eat off the floor. I'll also show you some others where you couldn't!  |  IP: Logged Rachel Craven Madam Moderator Posts: 2190 From: Pensacola, FL Registered: Dec 2000 posted 05-04-2005 04:11 PM                     Scott, I've already shown you 3 booths where you wouldn't want to eat off the floor... but you could in my lobby! I just can't seem to get the guys upstairs to do what I ask...Sad but upstairs isn't my specialty, I know it.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 05-04-2005 07:46 PM                     Scott, he's not a lousy projectionist. Let's not be so quick to pass judgement before we have all the facts. My "idiot tech" began his film career at White Sands missle range in the early 60's working on high-speed instrumentation photography (something insane like 50,000 fps). Finished out with some work on the SR-71 before beginning a career in Chicago where he made thousands of service calls for a host of theaters throughout the midwest and directed/supervised film chain maintainence for WLS-TV7 and WMAQ-TV5 Chicago. Maintainence lead for 90 camera security system for Federal Reserve Bank Chicago. Designed and built the first FM stereo transmitter for a drive-in in West Chicago Illinois, called the "Cascade DI" in 1976. Installed mulitplex theaters in dozens of foreign countries. Designed and installed 35mm special venue automated projection systems for the US government from Alaska to Maryland to Kanahoe Bay Hawaii. His contractors include, The United Arab Emerits, Peoples Republic of Korea, US Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy. He is also THX certified for installation and recertification and has had dinner with George Lucas in his residence. Like any of us, I'm sure he has his faults. I'm really disappointed that several of the people who post here are so quick to point fingers and call names when I have personally witnessed these self-appointed experts having film "walk out" of their projectors, missed changeovers and, let's not forget the cleaning of moving intermittents with toothbrushes and setting of moveable masking with pure white light. I wonder how many of us could run a print of "Star Wars" (for instance) for over a year without needing replacement reels, like my friend did. In all honesty, I'm not sure I could. (Actually, I did pretty good job keeping my "Titanic" print in great shape for nearly a year and I'm sure this will instigate posts about how everyone has returned a print in excellent condition after some insanely long run.) The point is that a person has to do a whole lot more than let leader touch floor before they enter the realm of what I would consider a "lousy" projectionist. Finally, whether that splicer was flung off a platter or fell off a MUT is irrelevant. Splicers don't just fall to the floor by themselves. This "accident" was borne out of carelessness. As far as I know, they don't have earthquakes in Florida... (Fired.) Never mind that...my REAL question is this: Why would a competent projectionist need to take employment at one of Florida's crappiest drive-in theatres?  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 05-04-2005 07:54 PM                     ..with all of these replies pertaining to the subject that Richard has opened this topic with, with all of the yay's and nay's of operating procedures, in which all is right from all parties, it's just how one want's to operate their booth. Big thing that really stuck out on this is from the first comments that Richard made when he saw that tech thread the system which was different that what Richard knows and how to do. Okey, the tech did and said things different than what we know and do. Okey, THAT should have stayed there in that theatre and that was that-not to be "broadcasted" out to this forum and "stirring up the pot" so to say with statements. One thing about these forums is that there is a definite level of standards that the majority of these members are achieving and have set these goals as high standards of operations. Which is also great and fine. Thus, when a member enters into this forum a comment, that member should be careful on what to present, for if a comment or topic is presented in a level below these standards that is acertained here, that member should expect some sort of rebuttal on that topic - like the huge blowup on the usage of opaque tape that went way overboard a few months back-even though the individual that presented this topic was presenting a simple discussion (and I'm sure that the individual that presented this topic is still using opaque tape..for example's sake). If the topic, which is once again below these standards, is in a question form where there is room for improvement and gaining knowledge, then absolutely no problem with this, for that's what we are here for-to help ones to acertain these standards. Just don't drag in someone else's sub-standard procedures into that question-leave them out completely. That doesn't help things out at all when topics include what the other person does. Thus, for a recommendation to Richard: If you see anything out of the ordinary, and like Brad has mentioned.."to edit and not assume.." be more careful and present topics that doesn't demer other individual's operating procedures, from the manager to that technician. Present factual information that one need's help on or has a question on. Not, just "well, this is what he did/does," sort of thing. For all it causes is rile statements from members of this forum against that/those individual(s) and it can make Richard look kinda foolish as a "troublemaker", or "is he's rocking the boat?" especially if his higher up management people knows about FT, read his posts and thus could jepardize his occupation at that drive-in. thx-Monte  |  IP: Logged Phil Hill I love my cootie bug Posts: 7595 From: Hollywood, CA USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 05-04-2005 08:10 PM                  Ya know Monte, your posts are the best example of gobbledegook I have ever read! Yours in Christ, >>> Phil  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 05-04-2005 08:15 PM                     What? You didn't get the secret decoder ring?  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 05-04-2005 08:19 PM                     (LOL)Thx for your vote of confidence, Phil. It's just that I fell into the same situation that Richard did and almost lost my job when I was younger. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 05-04-2005 08:29 PM                     quote: Manny Knowles several of the people who post here are so quick to point fingers and call names Manny, you do realize you are one of these people dont you? I've never seen your technicians work, but I have to agree that leader on the floor is sloppy for anyone, especially a tech. You've never seen Richard's presentation, but you assume he's a careless operator because of an accident involving a splicer. Someone accidentally dropped a splicer, your tech(who seems like an experienced tech) purposely lets leader touch the floor. I'm not taking sides here, I mean I dont drop splicers or let the leader touch the floor, but I've threaded out of frame before. Damn, I guess I'm sloppy.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-04-2005 09:06 PM                        Manny--I'm not perfect. I do run the motor when cleaning the machines and I have also been known to set masking while running white light on the screen for a minute or so. Neither of these habits would meet with Brad's approval, but they work for me and they /don't damage film or equipment/. I'm not sure about your other points, but I assume that they don't apply to me, as I didn't miss changeovers when you visited, nor were there any mishaps. If you really think I suck, that is too bad. There are plenty of people (both on and off this forum) who think that I am perfectly capable of handling film without damaging it or the equipment. In any case, this is a hobby for me anyway, not a full-time career. The points that I attempted to make were a) all other things being equal, film will stay in better condition if it does not touch the floor and if the outermost (=dirtiest) part of the leader is not run through the projector and that b) it's perfectly understandable for a full-time technician to not be as good a film handler as a full-time projectionist. Obviously, I haven't met Richard or this other guy, nor am I familiar with the particular circumstances in question. I don't really care, either. I do think that the point being made in this thread ("keep film off the floor") is valid, however.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 05-04-2005 09:11 PM                     1. Jeremy, you're wrong and you should admit it. I used specific examples without resorting to name-calling. In all of this my point has always been that we should not be so hasty to judge a person or situation. I brought up the point about other people's mistakes as a reminder/illustration that none of us here is perfect. 2. I don't think you suck, Scott. I'm grateful for some of the tips you gave me -- one of which happened to be how to keep leader off the floor when threading changeovers. Now that I'm running changeovers, I'm glad I got to meet you and learn from you. My point there was simply that we *all* have faults. If those flaws don't automatically make *us* morons, idiots or lousy then why should they make someone else a total write-off? (White light can screw up a lens in less than a minute.)  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 05-04-2005 09:37 PM                     Well Manny, you didnt exactly say his name, but you linked to a post that he started. Your link read "fired" and Richard was fired. You also asked why would a competent projectionist need to take employment at one of the crappiest theaters in Florida? Richard took employment in Florida..also, is it crappy because of the projectionists, or because of the tech(your tech) that trained the projectionists? So, since you didnt exactly say his name, I wasnt exactly wrong. I have no problem admitting when I'm wrong, I just dont think I am in this case.  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 7 pages: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7

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.