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Author Topic: Tips for training new projectionists...??? Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 05-03-2008 05:07 AM                        Jarrad and Marc, I love your suggestions and I may have to put some of them to use. I especially like the training reel with the out of frame splices and backwards/upside down film. The aspect ratio changes are a bit more difficult because we have to manually change masking in the auditorium. I will say that once they get threading down, I teach them how to tell the difference between a flat and scope picture, how to identify a flat and scope lens (scope is a longer word and uses a longer lens), and I teach them how to identify the correct aperture plate (the aperture of the flat plate looks flat compared to the scope). As you can see, I'm big on memory tricks. One of my biggest concerns is brain wraps cause by pulling the film through too fast when threading, but having them thread and then motor through to the start point seems to have eliminated that problem - as well as the scratches in the first 10'-15' for the first trailer.  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 청주시, 경북도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 05-03-2008 09:34 AM                     quote: Justin Hamaker (scope is a longer word and uses a longer lens) Our flat lenses are way longer than our scope. Threw me off on my first shift at this location since I was trying to make sure before showtime that the lens was right only to switch to flat. So the CORRECT way to tell a scope lens is it is the one that says "anamorphic" on it or on our turrets they have flat and scope labels right underneath the appropriate lenses.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 05-03-2008 12:36 PM                     There is no way your flat lenses are longer than your flat lenses. Go look at the numbers printed on them.  |  IP: Logged Kenneth Wuepper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1026 From: Saginaw, MI, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 05-03-2008 04:35 PM                     Hey There! I think we are confusing overall physical length of the lens assembly with the Focal Length of the lens. Unless you are dealing with an integrated anamorphic lens, the "prime lens plus Anamorphic adapter" will be physically longer than the flat lens. In some instances there may be a single prime lens with an anamorphic adapter and a "Magnacom" variable adapter to make the flat image properly sized on the screen. In this instance the flat imaging combination may well be physically longer than the "scope" lenses. KEN  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 05-03-2008 06:02 PM                        quote: Brad Miller There is no way your flat lenses are longer than your flat lenses. VERY true. It should be the exact same size as itself, no more no less.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-03-2008 06:07 PM                     To be fair often with turrets one has to use a magnacom on the flat to prevent shadowing  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-03-2008 06:20 PM                     quote: Gordon McLeod To be fair often with turrets one has to use a magnacom on the flat to prevent shadowing Perhaps if you're using old "Coke Bottle" lenses... Seriously, I have not installed a magnacom in over a decade. They suck in many ways other than the large amount of either barrel or pincushion distortion they provide the end user with. There is also a drastic lowering of the contrast ratio because as Dwight Lindsay puts it "There are no light baffles in them to prevent internal reflections from happening". With modern "Red Isco" lenses some of which are already somewhat "long barreled" and a proper projector like a P35GPS, Wrong International Millennium Falcon, or a Kinoton you never need a magnacom and generally have extremely even coverage. Mark  |  IP: Logged Joshua Waaland Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 800 From: Cleveland, Ohio Registered: Dec 1999 posted 05-03-2008 07:13 PM                     My first booth was in a newly built theater with old junk equipment. The theater chain was too cheap to send us any parts and at the time I hated the job because there were constant headaches. Looking back it was the best training I ever had. I had to be creative in fixing things and there were no other projectionists around to ask when I had a problem. The manager knew nothing either so I was on my own and was forced to learn the hard way. This doesn't always work for everyone. As long as you find someone that is mechanically inclined and hungry to learn they will work out fine. We tried training a few people in the booth who just couldn't get it no matter how long we trained them. Looking back they were not very mechanically minded people in the first place.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 05-03-2008 07:15 PM                     quote: Gordon McLeod To be fair often with turrets one has to use a magnacom on the flat to prevent shadowing I have only ever seen that with a Simplex turret and old school super fat ISCO anamorphics.  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 청주시, 경북도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 05-03-2008 07:45 PM                     Well at least the part "outside" of the turret appears longer. And some of that is probably just the casing of the lens making it seem longer than the actual lens inside.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-03-2008 09:11 PM                     Mark I seriously think you need some valium there are many turret in the field that lens combinations are an issue It may be all well and good to condemn them to projector purgatory but the competent engineer in the field will attempt to do the best with what his client supplies. Maybe your love afair with christie and d cinema has put blinders on you but there are far more cinemas and venues that will have long memories of the engineers that choose to condemn them to oblivion get off that pedastal not every one will or can justify the cost of that red isco and makes do with a blue one nor is that vic 5 or 8 or prevost p55 turret going to the bin because you don't approve Also I know of several machines of which many still operate daily use a magancom/ anamorphic changer on a fixed backup  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 05-03-2008 10:36 PM                       quote: Andy Frodsham What was the punishment? Look over the student's left shoulder.  |  IP: Logged John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 05-04-2008 07:31 AM                     If you want to tell if a lens is anamorphic, just look through it. If the elements appear oval-shaped, you have an anamorphic. --jhawk  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 06-29-2008 04:09 AM                        quote: Brad Miller That's nothing. I ran Phat Ass Greek Wedding for over a year at one theater. I also remember running titles like Beauty and the Beast playing for 9 months straight, 6 shows a day. You may think you're great, but you're not. I ran My Big Phat Greek Wedding for 11 years, 16 months and 76 days... 18 shows a day interlocked not only through every projector in the complex (yes, even including the Large Giant Screen) but across the street to the multiplex over there and through all of their projectors as well. It left the theater looking better than it did live on the set when it was being shot. Hell I'm still running that movie now! Anyway, I kind of do hate training projectionists. Not because of the trainee themselves, but because I am basically a loner when I am in the booth. I get very bored and sometimes it is awkward just standing there waiting for the next chance to instruct. There is also nothing for me to thread. I did train one guy without even knowing it, though. He was a new assistant manager who was being trained in the booth by another assistant. The managers at this theater like to thread the projector with soundtrack facing the wall (in order to run on the base side) as well as threading the gate/intermittent first, then the lower portion of the projector and finally the top parts including the digital penthouse reader. He was probably in his 1st or 2nd week of training this way just whenever the other managers got the chance to have him do it (no 5 minute trailer reels). I came in one night to break down a film or something and he happened to be in the booth. I threaded up the one show that was down really fast, explaining what and why I did it as I did it. I basically told him about the soundtrack direction, threading bottom up and where to park the framelines, etc. I didn't think he'd catch on and I certainly wasn't instructing him. A month or so later I watch him thread and he does exactly like I do and nearly as quickly. Framelines are at 10:00 on the bottom sprocket and 12:00 on the lower constant feed sprocket for perfect loop sizes when the intermittent has just stopped its motion. Everything was perfect. I was amazed at that. Still kind of am.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 06-29-2008 11:17 PM                     In the 30 plus years in the booth, my training techniques has always been on the simple side: let them know that when they're doing booth, it's THEIR booth and to be proud of what they're doing. I always try my best to make them feel that this is just not a job, but a fun, yet very important section of the operation since this is the main reason why the customers come to patronize our theatres - to be satisfied in what they came here for. True, during training sessions, it's rather drawl that I can't do anything while the trainees are doing your work for you, but if patience, dilligence and simple teaching can be your assets during these training times, it's amazing how the trainees catch on rather quickly and always remember what has been taught to them since half of them are interested in this section of the operation anywhos. -Monte  |  IP: Logged

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