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Author Topic: Projection Staffing Levels Justin Gorka Expert Film Handler Posts: 174 From: High Wycombe, England Registered: Apr 2006 posted 01-22-2011 08:24 AM                     Ok, we are now 50/50 35mm/Digi. I've noticed a huge reduction in work levels and have cut hours by about half. I'd be intested in how other projection suites are dealing with this issue?  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-22-2011 01:13 PM                        Did you increase your operators' pay rates to reflect the additional knowledge and skill required to operate both film and equipment?  |  IP: Logged Peter Egglington Film Handler Posts: 8 From: Shetland Islands, UK Registered: Nov 2005 posted 01-23-2011 03:54 AM                     I think Justin has answered the question of manning levels very well. He has seen the reduction in workload, and with that will go the reduction in booth staff. I hope you're not a projectionist Justin as when that magic 100% digital figure comes in, there will not be a requirement for anyone in the booth. Here in the UK all the major chains are making their technical staff redundant. The days of the projectionist are (long overdue) over.  |  IP: Logged Jim Henk Master Film Handler Posts: 364 From: San Diego, CA Registered: Feb 2006 posted 01-23-2011 04:24 AM                     Gee, it's too bad that the pre-show at the Horton Plaza in one of the back theatres was running with a blown xenon. Of course it was explained that there was no one there who could change the bulb. I believe it. So they started the feature slightly out of frame, one channel distorting badly, (sounded like a blown cone)... oh, did I mention that the aperture had been filed crooked? I know because there wasn't any masking there. Which is okay, I suppose, as the projector had to throw at an angle as that theatre had been built. But the even that parallax wouldn't have accounted for this. Yeah, low staffing levels. I totally believe it. Got my money back to prove it. The Customer Service person couldn't fit my laundry list of items onto her form. Real problem is that it wasn't even a digital house.  |  IP: Logged Kris Verhanneman Expert Film Handler Posts: 182 From: Belgium Registered: Dec 2009 posted 01-23-2011 04:47 AM                     Now why does everybody thinks that going full digital is less work? You still need to maintain the projectors, filters, servers, 3D wheels. You got lots of extra jobs ( projecting other stuff than film like pc, HD cam, satelite, ...). You can learn them how to created a DCP (to support your candy store, upcoming events ...). The actual fysical workload has indeed changed. But there is still a huge amounth of work in the projection room. You need to have qualified staff in your projection room ... And most, you need to want to have staff in your projection room. In stead of saying 'cut the hours' learn them how to use their time up there better. I did love the reply of Jim. It proves that you still need qualified people up there.  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 01-23-2011 10:03 AM                     I think there's a difference between "someone in the booth" - which is really not required with an all-video cinema - and "someone who can handle problems" present at all times. You need to have someone who understands the systems and how to work with them. Stuff happens: lamps fail to start, servers stop talking to projectors, macros mysteriously don't work one time in a thousand... having support via a NOC is good for serious issues so a trained tech can be scheduled where needed but usually someone who "has a clue" needs to go and restart a lamp or reboot something. Paying a trained "projectionist" to sit on his/her hands and go crazy from boredom makes no sense financially or any other way. But you need to have someone in the building, whether a manager or a cleaner, who knows the basics of the projection system and whose job priority is correcting projection problems and doing other jobs when nothing's wrong. Naturally projection problems appear at show set start times when everyone is most busy, but that's life.  |  IP: Logged Michael Brown Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1522 From: Bradford, England Registered: May 2001 posted 01-23-2011 07:35 PM                     quote: Peter Egglington The days of the projectionist are (long overdue) over. What do you have against us Peter?  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 01-24-2011 01:03 AM                        quote: I hope you're not a projectionist Justin as when that magic 100% digital figure comes in <> The days of the projectionist are (long overdue) over. How come it is always people with no picture and six posts come in and say stuff like this?  |  IP: Logged Damien Taylor Master Film Handler Posts: 493 From: Perth, Western Australia Registered: Apr 2007 posted 01-24-2011 06:36 AM                     Well isn't he right? The days of a projectionist being a career you could feed your family on are long gone. Most people here are in ancillary fields now, like technicians, manufacturers and theatre owners. Sad, yes. True, also yes.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 01-24-2011 09:58 AM                     Damien...I think it is the "long overdue" part that irks folks. It is one thing to accept the demise of a once honorable profession (elevator operator, brakeman on a train...etc). It is another thing to actually wish the demise of someone's job for seemingly no other reason than pure spite. -Steve  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 01-24-2011 10:06 AM                        Sorry, that is not true. There are projectionist all over the world still running film. Perhaps not in the numbers and in the configurations that you see as applied to commercial theatres, but he doesn't make that qualification. He makes a blanket statement. And you can be sure that there are projectionist making very good livings in screening rooms and in specialty venues which will remain so well into the foreseable future. Although commercial movie theatres AT SOME POINT IN TIME (a point not even the best professionals can predict with any certainty), that magical 100% digital is as much an unknown as when the Big One will hit California. How many rolls of film are sitting on shelves around the world? Whenever they need to be screened, they will need a projectionist and as more time goes on, the more in demand and the more skilled that projectionist will have to be. As long as there is film, there will be the need for projectionists. Just ask the people at the Library of Congress and every other film archive in the world. That is not the point, however. What I take umbrage at, is his flippant, arrogant and dismissive attitude. In a forum of hundreds of people who make a living connected in one way or another to film, does he think that to come in here and state with that kind of taunting glee that getting rid of projectionists is something that is "long overdue," is going to be endearing? Take that crap to the digital forums.  |  IP: Logged Victor Liorentas Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 800 From: london ontario canada Registered: May 2009 posted 01-24-2011 12:43 PM                     Yes it really offends me also and it's the attitude i have endured from many managers who hate film but are forced to deal with it since real projectionists became a redundant expense to theaters with automation! It has become worse since D Cinema installs started happening as is predictable but such is life at the multiplex! I should add some managers are very cool and understanding about our predicament.  |  IP: Logged Manny Montes Master Film Handler Posts: 270 From: United States Registered: Feb 2010 posted 01-24-2011 10:27 PM                     What's going to happen is while no one will be running booth, there will still be a need for a projectionist to be on the floor just in case a xenon blows or there's some other need. I don't think projectionists are going away (and I don't know why people would be happy that they are). Heck I like the way its going, now I can do the important booth maintenance and other things i'd like to catch up on instead of being stuck threading/building up films. It can be thought of as a win/win, the people who might actually see this as a loss are those who can only thread a projector (but not do any real work with them) and won't be needed anymore  |  IP: Logged

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