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Topic: Projectionist Salary??
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Christopher Crouch
Expert Film Handler
Posts: 128
From: Holywood, ca, usa
Registered: May 2006
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posted 11-02-2007 05:58 AM
quote: Monte L Fullmer
Eight to Nine bucks to exist in So.Cal? How can one even think on surviving on that wage, if anywhere?
That's one of the reasons it's extremely difficult to "find good help" for theatres in So Cal (from staff to senior management). The theatre industry, in general, doesn't pay competitive wages for the southern California market. I interview assistant manager candidates, who come from outside the industry, that are accustom to recieving the kind of compensation we pay GMs. I regularly encounter staff applicants that are looking for the kind of rates we pay assistant managers. Throw in our non traditional work hours and you have an even less desirable package. On top of all that, there is practically a theatre on every corner, dividing up the few interested candidates among far too many theatres. It's a problem that has only been growing worse (i.e. the industry hasn't been keeping pace with So Cal's workforce expectations).
When I first entered the industry, management was full of "career people" and there were plenty of staff members that considered the possibilty of making the theatre industry a career, or at least a long term employment option. These days, I'm lucky if I can keep someone around for a year.
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John T. Hendrickson, Jr
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 889
From: Freehold, NJ, USA
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 11-02-2007 07:22 PM
This topic is going nowhere. Why, you ask? Because every area of the country has different cost of living expenses. Hense, wages in higher cost of living areas will be higher, and conversely so.
The bottom line is that the industry no longer pays a "salary" for "projectionist" that is enough to make a decent living. At one time it did. I speak from experience.
In 1970, I was teaching high school and making $7,000 for a ten month job. I had a masters degree and three years of experience. That summer, I worked as a projectionist in a booth where the union contract called for $125 a week (40 hr week with time and a half thereafter). That translates into $6500 a year (without overtime) for a 12 month position.
So, are those two jobs comperable circa 1970? Damn near, if you do the math and figure that there is always overtime in the projectionist's job.
Now go to the present. That same teaching job in my area of the country (comperable with three years of experience) pays about $45,000 a year. Are you going to tell me that a projection position pays anywhere near that? NO WAY!
Bottom line is that a booth position in my area of the country is good for a second job at best. There is no way you could make a career out of it and raise a family.
Aside from the folks on this forum who give a rat's ass about what they do, it is difficult if not impossible to get qualified personnel to work in projection. The industry just will not pay a decent wage, and they wind up getting what they pay for in scratched prints and rotten presentations.
I'm talking about the norm, because there are always exceptions to the rule.
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Monte L Fullmer
Film God
Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004
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posted 11-03-2007 02:18 AM
At one time in a post here on FT, a FT member, Sam Chavez said it in a nutshell, and I'll paraphrase on what he was coming across since I can't quote on what he said:
Basically, the cinema world is heading towards the "Wal-Mart" kind of work force. And those projectionists with a technical bent (being tekkies..) are the ones who will really succeed in this "Wal-Mart" cinema world.
Thus, the majority of the circuits nowadays don't even have in their job classification being of the "projectionist." You're either a floor-staff employee, "Usher-B's" or just member of management to operate a booth.
Thus, the majority of the projectionists, who wanted to stay in this cinema business advanced themselves into management positions since they knew that their positions were going to be extinct as the dinosaur.
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