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Author Topic: Rules for theatre managers Chase Hanson Expert Film Handler Posts: 172 From: San Diego, CA Registered: Oct 2004 posted 11-09-2004 02:01 PM                     This might not apply to many of your guys, but for those of us that work in chain theaters and have projectionests that are intentionally not taught how to fix certain problems (because that is the domain of a Market Technical Rep). #17: If your projectionist(s) says its broken and they cant fix it. It IS broken and they CAN NOT fix it. Put the radio down, pick the telephone up and page the tech. Yelling at a projectionist over a problem they cant fix causes 3 things. 1)You still have a blank screen, and theater of upset patrons. 2)Other movies are going to start late, which means more angry patrons 3)Massive decrease in projectionist morale, which leads to a decrease in work quality and output. [ 11-12-2004, 03:50 PM: Message edited by: Chase Hanson ]  |  IP: Logged Chris Brown Expert Film Handler Posts: 105 From: Fairport, NY, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 11-11-2004 11:59 PM                        quote: #16: Don't just radio up the projectionist and say "check number 14". Please give details on what is wrong. If a customer requests a sound check, ask them to describe the problem before calling the projectionist. This is something I've dealt with many times, usually from the usher who takes the customer complaint. It definitely ticks me off though, especially if its one of those stressful days to begin with....not that ushers should always be expected to know what's going on, but at least go down there and describe it as best you can. That's all I ask...  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 11-12-2004 12:22 AM                        I didn't know this thread was buried in the archives... great stuff here. Friday's at the drive-in are hectic... probably something like what you indoor guys deal with on Wednesdays & Thursdays.... only sometimes worse. If I don't open something on the break, it'll come in on Friday... sometimes after 3pm. That means building on the run, no way of pre-screening & knowing I could have well over 800 people in the field that night. With that in mind, my staff (almost) knows that I will either ignore the booth phone if it rings, or I will be very irritated-sounding if I do answer it, so it better be about somebody dying. Hollering on the talkie before showtime on Friday is pretty much the same. If somebody needs me & it's not an emergency, they come up to the booth so I don't have to drop everything to get the phone or the radio.  |  IP: Logged Allison Parsons Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 630 From: East Peoria, IL Registered: Oct 2004 posted 11-12-2004 12:26 AM                        rule #1001 Please don't ask the projectionist if they can help fix the butter pump in the middle of the set. that happend to me today. Why me.....  |  IP: Logged Chris Hipp Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1462 From: Mesquite, Tx (east of Dallas) Registered: Jul 2003 posted 11-12-2004 02:49 AM                     quote: #16: Don't just radio up the projectionist and say "check number 14". Please give details on what is wrong. If a customer requests a sound check, ask them to describe the problem before calling the projectionist. I would have to disagree on that one. It is not the customer's responsibility to describe or even notify the theater of a problem. The theater staff should be monitoring the auditoriums and fixing problems before a customer has to complain. I will agree that they should specify on volume which is more a matter of personal taste. If a staff member or manager is available to check it then I think they should before calling booth.  |  IP: Logged Wolff King Morrow Master Film Handler Posts: 490 From: Denton, TX, USA Registered: Feb 2004 posted 11-12-2004 04:16 AM                        Chris, the point is you cannot guess what the customer wants because 99% of the time they are complaining about volume. Now how are you gonna know if they want it turned up or down? If the volume sounded fine when you checked it, you've got no clue. That's the point.  |  IP: Logged Robert E. Allen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1078 From: Checotah, Oklahoma Registered: Jul 2002 posted 11-12-2004 03:59 PM                     Rule #18. Don't schedule two starts at the same time if the machines are at opposite ends of the booth. In our house I've had #1 and #7 scheduled to start of the same time and they are about 100 yards apart. (I'm not paid enough to try to run that fast at 72 years of age.)  |  IP: Logged Jason Miller Expert Film Handler Posts: 241 From: Little Rock, AR, Registered: Mar 2004 posted 11-12-2004 04:26 PM                    During a staff meetingonce, I made a "gag" reel of a bunch of trailers with problems in it and showed the entire staff what things look like and what to call it over a walkie. they from then on knew what "out of frame" was.. or soundtrack reversed, or even a tails up picture (in case the rare occasion would arise taht a trailer was added in tails up). I also had someone upstairs change sound format setting from digital to analog, stereo to mono, open the soundhead on the 5-star (that sounded interesting). I showed them what lighting levels were supposed to be during trailers/credits and during the show so when a customer complained the lights were still onthey could see where they were suppsed to be. after that presentation, I had a LOT more informative walky chatter and even fewer requests to "check the lights" because the floor staff would walk in to the aud with the customer and know what to say. plus it is always good to teach the kids a little bit more about the business they are in and what kind of things can happen when someone who sucks runs the booth.  |  IP: Logged Chris Hipp Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1462 From: Mesquite, Tx (east of Dallas) Registered: Jul 2003 posted 11-12-2004 11:10 PM                     Wolff, perhaps you should re read my post where I did say that volume should be specified. For other things such as static or digital sound cutting out, They should not have to tell you "there is some static coming from the left surround speaker" or anything else like that. Just saying "hey, the sound is messed up in #2" is more than enough.  |  IP: Logged Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: California, U.S.A. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 11-13-2004 12:34 PM                     If there's really a problem in one of the houses then just knowing about it is job 1. Kudos to them for informing the projectionist that there's something wrong with the sound in xyz house. Rule #17: Use the house numbers. Don't tell me the title of the movie if there's more than one, we don't have time for banter! Rule #18: Don't just stand at the bottom of the stairs yelling up at me and then get pissed off and come up to yell cause I don't hear you at the other end of the booth over all the projectors. Rule #19: Projectionists aren't ushers. Don't tell us to deal with noisy patrons.  |  IP: Logged Joseph Pandolfi Expert Film Handler Posts: 213 From: Milford, CT. Registered: Nov 1999 posted 11-13-2004 05:58 PM                     Robert, I'll amend to your Rule #18 -- Don't schedule two starts at the same time if the machines are at opposite ends of the booth, when the previous show ends five minutes or less before start time and the second one on the other side ends right at the start of the next scheduled show.  |  IP: Logged Barry Martin Expert Film Handler Posts: 203 From: Newington, CT USA Registered: Jul 2002 posted 11-14-2004 12:22 AM                        Chris, I had some occasions where I was asked to check the sound in such and such a theater with no specifics. Turn on the booth monitor, nothing wrong. Open the projection port, I can't hear anything wrong (especially over the machinery) and by the time getting downstairs if it was an intermittent problem, it might be gone. Always helpful to have specifics. Even if those specifics are as vague as the "sound is wrong" vs. "the sound is low/high". At least that tells you to rule out volume as a complaint.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-14-2004 10:24 AM                        I have a standing rule -- never call the booth and tell me the sound is too loud or to low based on a complaint from one or two patrons. If a patron complains, go into the theatre, LISTEN for 10 minutes and then, IF the floor manager feels there is a problem, THEN call the booth. Sound and temperature are VERY subjective. There's a bell curve with both. There will always be a few people on either end of the curve who will feel the sound is too loud or too low, too hot or too cold. I am not going to adjust volume or temperature based on one or two compliants from patrons. I need a reliable assessment by staff as to the viablility of any complaints. As for the managers' rules, quote: #8 In the event of downtime, do not repeatedly call the projectionist every 30 seconds on the radio saying "is it fixed yet?" ...here's what I say whenever I got a call like that, "Yes, I know there is a problem with the sound...I am the PROJECTIONIST. And I WAS diligently fixing the problem but, heh heh, someone just called me up, so I've had to put down my tools to answer the phone where I can't fix the problem, but coincidently, am having a pretty pointless conversation with the caller....oh, that would be you, wouldn't it? Am I making myself clear?" I love sarcastic humor, but then again, my line with the center is tenured....I don't have to worry 'bout a boss who might NOT appreciate sarcastic humor.  |  IP: Logged Barry Martin Expert Film Handler Posts: 203 From: Newington, CT USA Registered: Jul 2002 posted 11-14-2004 09:34 PM                        Frank, that is priceless. Seems to me there are a LOT of film handlers who appreciate the quality that good old sarcasm can bring to a workplace. Keep fighting the good fight.  |  IP: Logged Nicholas Suchyta Film Handler Posts: 62 From: Washington, DC Registered: Nov 2003 posted 11-15-2004 07:36 PM                     Rule #20 - In following rule #5, do not stand around the projectionist while he is trying to fix the problem and ask questions like "Now what does that do?", "How does that happen?", "can't you do it another way?" or anything of that nature. This is considered hostile action.  |  IP: Logged

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