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Author Topic: Projectionist test Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 04-20-2005 02:16 PM                     Here's a good test, take a more seasoned projectionist, one that already knows how to build, breakdown, thread, and do minor maintenance, have him/her read this thread. If any of it is confusing to him/her, then imagine how confusing it would be to a newbie.  |  IP: Logged Kris Dirix Film Handler Posts: 54 From: Antwerp / Belguim Registered: Feb 2005 posted 04-20-2005 02:30 PM                     I hate tests.  |  IP: Logged Tracy Bellar Film Handler Posts: 72 From: Sciotoville, Oh. Registered: Mar 2005 posted 04-20-2005 02:44 PM                        Most Important thing is to know how to shut down a projector get lights up without a cue. How to start and run manually if needed. proper cue placement.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-20-2005 05:08 PM                     I never intended this test to be given to anybody unless they've been taught the material. Even though I put information on a passing score at the top of the first page, I never intend to flunk anybody who takes it. A long time ago, I had to take the Pennsylvania projectionist's license test. That test is so easy as to be silly. (It's mostly just a formality, if you ask me.) Still, where I worked, there were a few people who were worried about not passing it. So, me and another guy sat down and started writing up a "practice test". The idea was that the practice test would be harder than the real test. If you could pass it with an 80% or better, you should be able to pass the real one with no problem. There have been few times when the test has been given in an official capacity. Mostly, we just sit down and read the questions aloud then discuss them. On one occasion, I gave out the test to everybody and let them work out the answers as a group. Then they all came back and we discussed what the right answers should be. I'd say the majority of people laugh at the sucker answers. The people who fall for them are the ones who see the test and try to be big shots but really don't know the answers. I think some questions that seem like sucker questions... How many sprocket holes in a SCOPE film?... How many sprocket holes in a FLAT film?... SHOULD remain as a way to reiterate that all standard 35mm films (that you are likely to see) have four sprocket holes per frame, no matter what the screen aspect ratio. I also pick and choose which questions make it to any version of the test I actually administer. As I said above, if there is anything you don't like about it, feel free to leave questions out or modify them. Simply put, I look upon this like the question pool for the Amateur Radio license test. One last thing... There will ALWAYS be at least one question with "fratistat" in the answer!  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 04-20-2005 09:29 PM                     ...wonder if there should have been the question on this test to identify "fox" sprockets and when are they used...lol -Monte  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-20-2005 10:36 PM                        When I train new projectionists, I always show them what happens when they put the wrong lens with the wrong plates. We don't have turrets here, but we do have 1.37,1.66,1.85 and 2.35. Everyone makes mistakes, and I want them to know what's wrong and what to do when they've made one.  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 04-22-2005 09:19 AM                     You mighn't want to add a question to determine if the person can tell which is head and which is tails on a piece of film with no leader. It may save you an upside down reel in some future buildup.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-22-2005 10:07 AM                     I actually have charts for that. I have: Head/Tail. Scope/Flat. Aspect Ratio Comparison. Including what it looks like when you use the wrong lens. (Via Photoshop) Automation Sequence.  |  IP: Logged Rick Raskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1100 From: Manassas Virginia Registered: Jan 2003 posted 04-22-2005 05:38 PM                     Tests can be too subjective for this skill set. What is important to you may not be so to me. IMHO, the best way is evaluation by observation. Or as we used to say in my former life, MBWA (Management By Walking Around).  |  IP: Logged Bryan Fournier Film Handler Posts: 61 From: Greensboro, NC Registered: Dec 1999 posted 04-23-2005 01:51 AM                     Randy, Pretty good test overall. Obviously, the projection craft is mainly a hands-on skill, but having knowledge of the proper name of various pieces of equipment is helpful. Telling the tech your having a problem with the "round black thing" can be a problem. BTW, are you still involved with The Carolina theatre in Greensboro? I will be relocating to the area in June and would love to tour this historic venue. Thanks  |  IP: Logged David Yauch Expert Film Handler Posts: 206 From: Mesa, AZ, USA Registered: Oct 2004 posted 04-23-2005 04:40 AM                     I actually just recently took my projection test for the theatre I work at. There was a written section(a lot of vocab, emergency contact info, etc..) and then a much larger hands on section where you are required to demonstrate basic operations, troubleshooting, and competence in filmwork. The hands on included naming all of the parts to the projector, cleaning/threading a projector, starting a movie, manual starts, interlocks, center drops, print cleaning, and splicing. Of course I passed!  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-23-2005 09:39 AM                     Everyody who takes the test this year has been working in the booth at least since the beginning of the school year. They should know the material. However, they only work a couple-few hours per week on top of their classes. It takes them a lot longer to learn the material because more of their mental bandwidth is being used up with coursework. They're not going to be graded, per se, but if somebody does poorly on the test I know who needs more coaching and what they need help with. Knowledge of the names of the projector's components is going to become more and more important as time goes on. I will be required to spend more and more of my time doing other things in other places on campus. I might be sitting at the console, running sound and lights for one show at another place on campus, when somebody calls me on the cellular phone with a question. They need to understand what it means when I tell them to check the intermittent pad shoe... or whatever. I often don't have the luxury of being able to run half way across campus just to solve simple problems anymore. Nomenclature will become more and more important. I'd say, 90% of their training is hands-on. I usually have a new student threading the projector by the end of their first day. Names of components and concepts like aspect ratio are being taught as they go. The test is really just another teaching tool I use along the way. PS: No, I don't live in North Carolina anymore. It's been several years since I was at the Carolina theater.  |  IP: Logged Frank Bruno Film Handler Posts: 50 From: houston, tx Registered: Aug 2003 posted 04-26-2005 03:00 AM                     quote: Mark Gulbrandsen Of course the LAST question on the test should be... How Much of the time is an image actually on the screen duiring a two hour movie......? If they don't know this answer then they don't know the theory. They should be sent back to the popcorn stand. 2 Hours? is it 1/14th of a second (AN image = a frame?) I've been in my booth for 5 years & don't know if I quite grasp that...  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 04-26-2005 04:23 AM                     close. 1/24th of a second due to the film speed at 24fps. Kinda the same trick question on the topic of a phonograph record: how many grooves are there on a phonograph record of any size and speed? ...one groove. One groove that starts at the beginning of the record, and it ends towards the center. also...there was 2.66/1 Anamorphic as well. I've heard that it was only used on some of the inital roadshow releases of "the Robe" back in '53. Print only had the full frame image-image extending in the soundtrack area (like super35). Sound came from a 35mm 4track magnetic dubber machine-like the Cinerama presentations. Theatre I worked at back in my home town had some 2.66/1 apertures for our "XL" machines. Plus, the masking could be adjusted for these 2.66/1 presentations. Oh, and also let's not forget SuperScope 2.00/1 Anamorphic. It's like our flat trailers that was "squeezed" for anamorphic presentations. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Mark Hajducki Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 500 From: Edinburgh, UK Registered: May 2003 posted 04-26-2005 05:59 AM                     quote: Monte L Fullmer close. 1/24th of a second due to the film speed at 24fps. That would only be the case in a shutterless projector. The image is changed every 24th of a second, but not illuminated for the full 24th of a second. [/pedant]  |  IP: Logged

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