Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Possible Projection Offer (this thread has gone way off topic ... no guarantees)

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Topic: Possible Projection Offer (this thread has gone way off topic ... no guarantees)

Richard Greco
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1180
From: Plant City, FL
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 02-02-2005 11:59 PM

Jim, I think that is what my plan is. I still will come in early on Thursdays and stay late doing building and tear-down, but I will make sure my projectionist (yes, I'll manage him) does it the way I want.

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Aaron Mehocic
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 804
From: New Castle, PA, USA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 02-03-2005 02:27 PM

When you finally sign this person's paycheck you may call him/her "my projectionist". Until then, remember the boundaries these older guys have taught you.

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Adam Wilbert
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 590
From: Bellingham, WA, USA
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 02-03-2005 04:33 PM

quote: Richard Greco
Their reasoning for hiring another projectionist is for that person to be concentrating on the movies, parking cars, directing traffic, lights, security in the field, etc.

This doesn't exactly sound like a projectionist position anyway. From the brief description you give, it sounds like the job description of an usher who also works in the booth.

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William Leland III
Master Film Handler

Posts: 336
From: Charleston, SC,
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 02-03-2005 04:58 PM

Thomas said

quote: Thomas Procyk
However, a technical position such as projection may land you a better job in a more technical-oriented or mechanical field.

not true. i've been looking for jobs the past 3 months and they don't care about my projection technical experience. the only time was when i got hired by IMAX. i had projection experience and got the job. while at IMAX i was trained for management, which I put on my resume. every interview, has made a comment about my manager experience and my customer service. they never said shit about my projection skills.

the only comment i get about projection is," Oh, you must see all the movies".

between management experience and projection technical skills, management skills will get you the job.

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Thomas Procyk
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1842
From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 02-03-2005 07:24 PM

William, what positions were you applying for? If they were more corporate-oriented positions then there's no doubt they will value management skills more. From the sound of it, if they made those comments about your projection experience (at IMAX?!?) then it's clear you were dealing with people who only have "management skills."

You always have to tweak your resume based on where you're applying to. I wouldn't list my computer and tech writing skills if I were looking for a projection position, nor would I list my projection skills if I were going into an IT or office position.

But my point was this: if all it takes are the words "management" on your resume to ooh and aah people, despite you actually having any REAL management experience, (like my early days at Regal where I had the title of manager but all I managed were my 18 employees, all named Simplex) then you might as well enjoy the theater job for what it is (since that's clearly why Richard has been specifically looking for theater jobs) and leave the management-skill-getting (read: resume building) for a more mundane job.

Besides, being a projectionist requires the highest level of "customer service" out of any position at the theater. [Smile]

=TMP=

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William Leland III
Master Film Handler

Posts: 336
From: Charleston, SC,
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 02-03-2005 10:48 PM

thomas, i see what you are saying, but i would still put manager experience on my resume, regardless of the position i was applying for. whether it was for projection, concession or a warehouse position.

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Jason Black
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1723
From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 02-13-2005 01:39 PM

Richard,
It never stops with you does it?

My advice is simple. Keep the Management position, work with the film when you can, use the Mgt. position to BETTER yourself and move on with your life.

Use the Mgt. skills you will gain to further yourself in life. Don't get caught up in the soul sucking cycle that is theatre management. (At least with the vast majority of chain theatres)

My best advice is to use your head, think about what you are doing and where you want be go in life and do whatever YOU feels suits YOU best.

Who are we to tell you what you should do?

I'm warning you now, the theatre business is a DEAD END unless you own the joint or are very high up in the 'food chain'.

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Jim Ziegler
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 753
From: West Hollywood, CA
Registered: Jul 99

posted 02-13-2005 02:13 PM

The business is far from dead end..

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Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004

posted 02-18-2005 04:22 AM

.if you can "multitask" and "utilize" your positions, instead of just being "cooped" up in the booth, you'd be better off in the long run.

One has to see WAY past the end of their nose-not at the end of the nose...to survive, and that should be your main goal in life.

True, we all love the world of the projection, but unfortunately we know that it's not the "icing on the cake." Some of us have taken management jobs (for it seems like "white collar" means success and survival, whereas the "blue collar" are expendable-like cats in a pine box, dime a dozen..) to keep in this business. Others have taken engineer/technician jobs from within the companies to keep that 'step ahead' from the rest of the ratrace.

Just to be a projectionist nowdays, is for kids who want a job to gas up their car, go on a date, have money to blow...but not to make a career out of. It's such a boring job to them-no future, no challenge, no growth...nothing. (so why am I still in it?..I'm a "tekkie" within a company who needs my services...lol)

Long story made short now: stay in the management and be a good service to the projectionists that are hired in your complex. The company will reward you better in the long run.

good luck-Monte

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Tim Reed
Better Projection Pays

Posts: 5246
From: Northampton, PA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 02-18-2005 08:49 AM

quote: Thomas Procyk
However, a technical position such as projection may land you a better job in a more technical-oriented or mechanical field.

Not likely. Not in this day and age. Projectionist equates with fry cook. Even less, because fry cook at least requires a modicum of skill. Theatre projectionist hasn't been a technical position for 20 years or more. That's not to say a person operating a booth doesn't know everything there is to know and more about the equipment... or may even be an ex-service tech -- but the job of projectionist doesn't involve that much specialized knowledge anymore, and as such, means nothing to prospective employers in technical fields.

Believe me. I was a sound engineer for over 20 years, and even that failed to mean anything to most outside employers. Now the service business is going the way of the projectionist. Service is being taken in-house by the circuits, and they're paying largely unskilled people low wages to do the work that highly-trained (and compensated) engineers used to do.

I've been relegated to driving a truck for a living. Technical positions in exhibition most definitely have a bleak future.

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Richard Hamilton
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1341
From: Evansville, Indiana
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 02-18-2005 09:07 AM

quote: Tim Reed
I've been relegated to driving a truck for a living. Technical positions in exhibition most definitely have a bleak future.

How so? Exhibition will always need techs to install and service equipment. I dont think the theater industry will become "plug and play" in our lifetime.

rick

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Floyd Justin Newton
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 559
From: Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Registered: Jun 2002

posted 02-18-2005 09:15 AM

Tim--

You are so correct The only problem is today these young punks,
who knows everything about everything and nothing about nothing,
and can destroy a print(s) in seven days has no business being in or near a booth. Sadly, this will not go away being that the
bottom line ($$$$$) is all that counts. It can be depressing when in my lifetime I have seen this busness run by pros decline
to a business operated by a bunch of school children with a
mentality on a rock. (Rant off)

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Jeremy Fuentes
Mmmm, Dr. Pepper!

Posts: 1168
From: Corpus Christi, TX United States
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 02-18-2005 09:35 AM

Young people are worthless and stupid. [Roll Eyes]

quote: Floyd Justin Newton
The only problem is today these young punks,
who knows everything about everything and nothing about nothing,
and can destroy a print(s) in seven days has no business being in or near a booth

I wonder if those are young punks scratching prints over at the Uptown theater?

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Mike Spaeth
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1129
From: Marietta, GA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 02-18-2005 06:10 PM

Young punks? I've seen many an "old fart" that runs a shitty booth ... shoe polish comes to mind ....

Age has nothing to do with it. Proper training and care has everything to do with it.

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Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004

posted 02-19-2005 03:24 AM

quote: Mike Spaeth
shoe polish comes to mind ....

...LOL - I was wicked when it came to doing the shoe polish thing. Actually, when the bottle was empty, I would refill the bottle up with white latex paint, add a bit of water to make it a bit thin, get the applicator sponge nice and soaked, and I could do a nice 2ft string of paint on the emulsion side of the print only with one hand movement-from back 2ft in from the leader cut to the cut end where I would make my splice on the head of the reel. Then, I would let the film dry before doing the actual join.

And using that white latex paint, stuff would never shed, peel, flake, and what have you in the gate and trap assembly throughout the entire print's run. And some of the runs would be weeks long.

-Monte

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