Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: I got an interview to be a projectionist at The Majestic!

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Topic: I got an interview to be a projectionist at The Majestic!

Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

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

posted 03-04-2007 05:58 PM

I'm pretty sure the union is dead here in Denver. Their last real mainstay was at Mann Theaters where they were techs and did not run film. A new company came in and bought the Denver Manns and crushed the union. Haven't heard about them since.

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Bill Enos
Film God

Posts: 2081
From: Richmond, Virginia, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 03-04-2007 10:20 PM

Zero work experience, hated school. Difficulty with school often means difficulty taking direction or orders along with frustration in dealing with people. Not needing the job also gives you too much freedom to walk out or do a poor job because you have nothing to lose. I wouldn't hire you. Too much risk.

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Joel N. Weber II
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 115
From: Somerville, MA, USA
Registered: Dec 2005

posted 03-04-2007 10:35 PM

Anyone whose only motivation for doing a job is that they need the money is going to do a worse job than someone who actually cares about what they're doing. Some people both need money and love what they do, of course. But why would someone who doesn't need the money seek a job that they didn't love?

Some managers manage by fear, and others by positive example, and it seems to me that the former group might be more likely to be concerned about an employee who doesn't actually need the money.

Someone who has difficulty taking direction/orders might fit best in an environment with more room for creativity than a movie theater, however. (But I really don't know enough to have an opinion about whether Mark has difficulty taking direction/orders.)

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Mark Strube
Master Film Handler

Posts: 322
From: Milwaukee, WI, United States
Registered: Feb 2007

posted 03-04-2007 11:30 PM

quote: Bill Enos
Zero work experience, hated school. Difficulty with school often means difficulty taking direction or orders along with frustration in dealing with people. Not needing the job also gives you too much freedom to walk out or do a poor job because you have nothing to lose. I wouldn't hire you. Too much risk.

Zero work experience? I was a part time tech at a catering company for about a year, which also meant answering phones, and taking both food orders, and orders from my boss. If you read more carefully you'll notice my difficulty with school was because of most of the subject matter, not because of "authority." I was quite well liked by both the teachers and the students, I am a people person... but my grades were another story.

This forum really likes to put words into people's mouths. Wow. When did I say I don't need this job? I didn't need a job UP UNTIL NOW.

In fact, that entire response is based upon taking one fact from what I wrote here (school), building upon it with huge assumptions, and then completely making something up (not needing the job)... very nice. Thanks!

Just for clarity's sake...

quote: Mark Strube
But, there's that problem of having absolutely no experience being a projectionist, and my only "real" job reference at the age of 22 is working as a part-time tech guy at a local catering company for about a year.

Now read carefully please...

quote:
I hate school. I've hated school quite a bit since probably 4th or 5th grade. This is because I held absolutely no interest in most of the subjects we were forced to learn about. As soon as I escaped from high school, I was confident that the only way I'm going back is if it's to learn a trade that genuinely interests me. At this point those things would be film, video production, or radio broadcasting. Not the best schools in the Milwaukee area for those things. I haven't left the area, or needed to hold a steady job since my family has supported me. They're fine with supporting me because while being pretty well-off, I live with only my grandparents and mother, and without getting into too much detail, my mother has been disabled (mostly physically, but a bit mentally as well) ever since I was born, due to complications. I help around the house and help to take care of her... I have had no need for a job up until now.

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Alex Grueneberg
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 125
From: Chicago, IL
Registered: Aug 2004

posted 03-05-2007 02:41 AM

If you have passion for the job and master the basics you'll do great.

I think i'm outta here. See ya film-tech.

[ 03-06-2007, 01:38 AM: Message edited by: Alex Grueneberg ]

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 03-05-2007 03:31 AM

quote: Mark Strube
I was a part time tech at a catering company for about a year, which also meant answering phones, and taking both food orders

How is answering the phone to take food orders being a "tech"?

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Rick Raskin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1100
From: Manassas Virginia
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 03-05-2007 10:08 AM

quote: Mark Strube
I was confident that the only way I'm going back is if it's to learn a trade that genuinely interests me.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but at 22 years of age I'd be looking for a trade that offers a whole lot more future than running projectors. Just read the posts about the coming of video and the demise of film. You think these guys are happy with the changes taking place in their industry? Those who adapt will survive, those who won't will not fare so well. Get your butt back in school and get some certification, be it a degree, a certificate or something else. Plan for the future, not for the moment!

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Christopher Meredith
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 126
From: Jackson, MS, USA
Registered: Apr 2006

posted 03-05-2007 10:34 AM

^^^

What he said. I'm looking into going back to school for this very reason. I love what I do, working with projectors, making film look great. But there will not be much of need for this very much longer and I hate theater management. So...

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Mark Strube
Master Film Handler

Posts: 322
From: Milwaukee, WI, United States
Registered: Feb 2007

posted 03-05-2007 11:09 AM

quote: Michael Schaffer
How is answering the phone to take food orders being a "tech"?

Notice the word "also" in my quote. I set up their network, application and database sharing, kept it all in working order, did some nauseatingly long hours of data entry, built their website... anything computer-related that they needed done, which is a lot more than you'd think at a busy catering place.

Done picking me apart now? I can't believe how negative a lot of you are towards someone interested in the industry.

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Tristan Lane
Master Film Handler

Posts: 444
From: Nampa, Idaho
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 03-05-2007 11:34 AM

I think I'll chime in here.

Very few people on this forum are familiar with my abilities, or lack thereof. I haven't seen a need to contribute to many threads due to the habitual razzing and criticizing that happens when one does offer advice, even if that advice wasn't worded perfectly, or there may be a better method of solving problem than one states.

So many assumptions on someone's character simply based on how they carry themselves on a forum, and very unwilling to accept anyone with less than stellar history, or someone who likes to tinker.

Although I can agree with the "tinkerer" point that many people tried to make, and how dangerous it can be, I wouldn't assume that Mark is a tinkerer. He came here looking for advice on how to best present himself and his abilities to a prospective employer. He was met with insulting and degrading responses from many people, and I have no idea why. Even after all of the negative responses, he maintained his composure and continue to respond in a more respectful manner than some.

I too struggled in school, and survived. Did it make me a crappy employee? I don't believe it did. But, there were many aspects of my attitude and personality that required maturing. We all require maturing, and the only way is to mature by experience.

Give the guy a break. I see a lot of passion and drive, and a lot of potential in Mark's posts.

Mark, I encourage you to continue to try and learn as much as you can. Only experience will put you at the top, and how will you gain that without starting out at the bottom?

Good luck to you.

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Mark Strube
Master Film Handler

Posts: 322
From: Milwaukee, WI, United States
Registered: Feb 2007

posted 03-05-2007 01:05 PM

Thank you very much Tristan.

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 03-05-2007 01:36 PM

The best advice is often brutally honest advice. The kind of shoulder patting given by Mr Lane is certainly well meant, but doesn't really give the advice seeker any real information with substance, apart from a brief morale boost.

But the advice seeker here is not a 16-year old girl needing some encouragement to take part in a cheerleading contest, but (hopefully) an adult planning to enter a profession with proclaimed long-term goals. The greatest favor one can do him is tell him the truth without any sugarcoating, and point out to him where he might have wrong expectations and ideas.

Anybody asking for advice on how to present himself in an interview should be prepared for really critical advice and the more critical, the better, in the candidate's own best interest. The advice seeker should also be prepared to listen to and accept advice from people who have workd in that particular area for many years, otherwise, it is just a futile exercise and waste of time. Plus it shows that he isn't really prepared or simply not able to learn from the start.
But it appears that Mr Strube actually listened to some of the advice offered here, after some initial emotional resistance, and it appears that it has given him a clearer picture of what's going on. It may also have helped him present himself in a better way than he would have initially.

Sometimes, or actually very often, a kick in the butt is more valuable than a big bear hug. Life is hard, but listening to hard advice is much easier than going into something with unrealistic expectations.

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Frank Dubrois
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 896
From: Cleveland, OH
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 03-05-2007 03:08 PM

Mark, you made your original post for a reason. What was it? It was to get advice. We have all gave you our opinion. Largely, most of us simply don't think your a right fit for projection. It doesn't seem like you want to listen to the advice your given.

quote: Mark Strube
part time tech at a catering company for about a year, which also meant answering phones, and taking both food orders, and orders from my boss.

Oh yes, PLEASE come project for us. When your done starting your movies, I'll take a large Pepsi and an order of Nachos. [thumbsup]

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Mark Strube
Master Film Handler

Posts: 322
From: Milwaukee, WI, United States
Registered: Feb 2007

posted 03-05-2007 04:05 PM

Excuse me? Did the fact that I'd love to be trained, which I've mentioned many times, mean nothing to you? I suppose you were born with your great projection knowledge, eh? This is turning into personal insults and I'm all but done on this site.

There's some good advice I got from this thread, but it's been overtaken by jerky responses like Frank's above. Completely uncalled for.

I'm told I can't take orders because I have no job experiece (even though I already stated the experience I have)... I re-state that experience giving more detail into what that job required of me. Then I get a response, like the one above, telling me it has nothing to do with projection. Really? Thanks for that... I'm so stupid that I was under the impression that since I networked computers and took catering orders, I wouldn't need to be trained to be a projectionist... since that just makes so much sense.

To the few that provided useful advice, thank you. To the rest... good day. [fu]

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-05-2007 05:42 PM

Mark - don't take it personal. First, many's the time a point made on page 1 of a thread is all but forgotten by the time page 2 or 3 rolls around. Lots of people here are guilty of "posting without reading." This is sometimes because they are busy people and have limited computer time.

Next, remember that this is a site populated by professionals, many of whom have been in the projection business for 30 or more years and feel they are STILL learning, so don't take what they say lightly.

Go ahead and write this site off if you want, but there is more valuable information about projection here than you're likely to find anywhere else, and if you're ever having a vexing equipment problem, you can usually get an answer here within about 20 mintues...IF you play nice.

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