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

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Tips for training new projectionists...??? (Page 3)

This topic comprises 4 pages: 1  2  3  4

Author Topic: Tips for training new projectionists...??? Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 06-30-2008 05:10 AM                        I divide the training thusly: 1. Makeup/teardown/splicing/cueing 2. Threading & lens selection 3. Control settings and lubrication Later (30 days?) I go back and show them the finer points (threading in frame & other tricks. Louis  |  IP: Logged Kenneth Wuepper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1026 From: Saginaw, MI, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 06-30-2008 05:28 AM                     Perhaps we should look at the learner for a minute. People do not all learn in the same way. Some are visual, some are auditory while some are tactile learners. There are even some who learn through a combination of these senses. Thus it is the challenge of the instructor to see that all of these senses are properly utilized in instructing the learner. As an example, use a drawing of the machine to be loaded. Have the student draw where the film goes as it passes through the machine. First the instructor explains the size, location and purpose for each of the loops and then the student adds these notes to the drawing. Then the drawing and a piece of film are taken to the machine where the instructor demonstrates the process of loading the film into the machine. The size and reason for each loop is described by the instructor as the machine is being loaded with film. Finally the student loads the machine while referring to the drawing and telling the instructor what is being done each step of the way. Although this seems elaborate to some, I can assure you that it will be effective in teaching trainees to understand and do any operation quickly and well. KEN  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 06-30-2008 10:41 AM                     Louis, How do you teach people to thread up and then a month later show them how to thread in frame? When someone racks the framing, that throws off the loops and then the projectionist no longer pays close attention to the loop sizes (and may be scratching film in the process). I do just the opposite. I don't explain what the framing control is and instead if they thread out of frame make them shut down the entire show to fix it. That embarrassment usually happens about one time and they never thread out of frame again and are extra careful about their loop sizes from day one.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 06-30-2008 11:40 AM                        I like your idea better. Louis  |  IP: Logged Chad M Calpito Master Film Handler Posts: 435 From: San Diego, CA Registered: Apr 2006 posted 06-30-2008 12:26 PM                        I like Brad's approach as well. That is how I teach in my booth. I also always insist that even before starting a movie, that the trainee always (and I emphasize Always) double check their threading at all points: From Platter to Projector and From Projector to Platter every step of the way. I have one guy who is ready to be certified, is sooooooo passionate about Film and doing Film Done Right. It certainly makes me feel better that he genuinely cares about running booth and I have seen it in action as well.  |  IP: Logged Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 06-30-2008 03:48 PM                        Does anyone else find that sometimes it's difficult to teach someone completely new because you have to stop and think about things that you normally do without even thinking. When I thread, virtually every movement is muscle memory and it actually is more difficult when I have to stop and think about what I'm doing - especially when actually threading the projector.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 06-30-2008 03:53 PM                     quote: Justin Hamaker because you have to stop and think ..when you've done it as long as some of us here has, it is an easy thing to happen...  |  IP: Logged Laurie Higgins Film Handler Posts: 45 From: Norcross, GA, USA Registered: Jun 2008 posted 06-30-2008 04:16 PM                        I'm training somebody new right now. I'm starting with the basics of threading, framing and starting the movies. That and the differences and glitches of our projectors and platters and their various sound systems. Our stuff at this particular theater is very old and cobbled together. So he is getting a baptism by fire. I figure when I'm done with him, he will be able to go to one of our other theaters with relatively new equipment and it will be a cake walk for him.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 06-30-2008 05:52 PM                        Unfortunately I have no choice to teach about the framing knob for two reasons: #1 - We need to adjust the framing slightly on some theaters between Scope and Flat due to the way the auditoriums/masking were constructed in combination with the way the apertures were filed. #2 - We sometimes show films with subtitles from countries that have absolutely no business making movies, and they put their damn titles too low. I would like to nuke those countries. [ 06-30-2008, 10:09 PM: Message edited by: Joe Redifer ]  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 06-30-2008 09:44 PM                       At one of my drive-in "hobby jobs" several years ago, I had some hayseed as my relief guy who only threaded in frame by chance (c/o's with 60-min. reels). I figured he never was taught properly, but later learned he just didn't care. So, I took the framing knobs off and forced him to do it right!  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 07-01-2008 02:23 AM                    quote: So, I took the framing knobs off and forced him to do it right! Sometimes you gotta do what ya gotta do...  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 07-01-2008 02:59 AM                     Odd, the last time this discussion came up it was with Joe and I talking about how we would just lock down the knobs on the Christie projectors, and we got flamed for it. I do feel your pain Joe. There is just no excuse for an installation to be out of frame at a lens change.  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-01-2008 09:28 AM                        quote: Tim Reed At one of my drive-in "hobby jobs" several years ago, I had some hayseed as my relief guy who only threaded in frame by chance (c/o's with 60-min. reels). I figured he never was taught properly, but later learned he just didn't care. I had a projectionist who "learned" at Carmike to just thread up and then frame on screen. He at least knew something was wrong about that, but was never told about setting the intermittent and threading in frame. Fortuneately, he came to work here because he loved movies and wanted to do it right.  |  IP: Logged Patrick Dunn Expert Film Handler Posts: 120 From: newark, DE, United states Registered: Aug 2005 posted 07-01-2008 11:09 PM                        Fortunately the projectionist currently working with me understand the importance of threading in frame. Although I much rather see a movie start out of frame and see it reframed instantly as opposed to a movie starting out of frame and than shutting down so the person could rethread, I would not return to that theater afterwards. Just explain to them the importance of threading in frame and if they don't care kick them out of the booth.  |  IP: Logged Andy Frodsham Expert Film Handler Posts: 238 From: Stoke on Trent, Staffs, UK Registered: Nov 2006 posted 07-02-2008 05:11 AM                     I have generally found that people learn best when they know why they are doing something. For example, showing someone a length of scrap film and emphasising the fact that each frame is four perforations high. I tell them that the projector is 'stupid' (it doesn't know where the frameline is, so we need to show it). Once we have 'shown' it, the machine will happily keep pulling down those four perforations on each cycle. Whether or not the frameline continues to co-incide with that cycle also, of course, depends on other things like 'in rack splices' (which you can raise at this point too)! Generally, I find that if you show them why you need to do it, they 'internalise' the information more readily.  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 4 pages: 1  2  3  4

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.