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

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Ground Level   » Theater treats kids expecting to see Chicken Little to the wrong movie (Page 4)

This topic comprises 5 pages: 1  2  3  4  5

Author Topic: Theater treats kids expecting to see Chicken Little to the wrong movie Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 11-08-2005 12:07 PM                     Many times when I was working as a projectionist I would follow exactly what the manager gave me on that piece of paper (the schedule) and he/she would've printed out the wrong date (usually "yesterday's schedule) and a wrong movie would be started in the wrong house or at the wrong time...but not according to the piece of paper I was given! So yeah Mike is definitely right. Even a manager who has ran a spectacular theater for many years with the best numbers in the chain should be fired right then and there. Come on Mike be realistic. EVERYONE makes a mistake here and there, and managers are far from infallible.  |  IP: Logged Jason Burroughs Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 654 From: Allen, TX Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-08-2005 01:59 PM                     I think a key point can be taken from the debate here. There is a difference between an honest mistake, and a mistake made because one is lazy or incompetent. While not a minimal mistake, starting the wrong movie is not overtly fire able offense IMHO. Sure if the person has a track record of other mistakes, then maybe their placement in the the projection booth should be evaluated. But would you REALLY fire a stellar employee based on ONE mistake?  |  IP: Logged Mike Spaeth Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1129 From: Marietta, GA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 11-08-2005 02:02 PM                        I never advocated the firing of a manager over something like that ... just simply stated that I had termed a projectionist once ... and that termination had to do more with his attitude toward the problem ... Oh well, shit happens, basically. I can see where things would get confusing with a busy complex moving prints in the middle of a day ... but that's never been a situation I've been in ... I've only had one instance where mid-week house placements needed to be changed (after Friday night).  |  IP: Logged Jim Ziegler Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 753 From: West Hollywood, CA Registered: Jul 99 posted 11-08-2005 04:02 PM                     it soulds like this is a common mistake for the Empire from what a previous poster said. In which case, this guy should go. He has exposed AMC to legal liability in this from some parents claim that this mistake tramatized their kid.  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 11-08-2005 04:40 PM                     From rereading this thread about mistakes. Only maybe two people have posted in this thread that have been to this theatre. quote: Jim Ziegler it soulds like this is a common mistake for the Empire from what a previous poster said. Myself being one of the people that has been to this theatre. My last post talked about the Loews State Theatre where I had two wrong thread-ups when I went to the movies. So people do make mistakes in threading, but I never said the Empire had that problem before. quote: Bill Gabel Over at the LOEWS State Theatre in Times Square, they threaded the wrong film for the show. They did it twice in two weeks. Unless that Union operator has had a bad job record, what he might get is a slap of the hand. And just asked to pay more attention to his work by the Business Agent. Unless the Business Agent does not like him and wants to hang him out to dry. And put one of his friends into the job.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 11-09-2005 12:38 AM                     quote: Jim Ziegler some parents claim that this mistake tramatized their kid Some parents also are sue happy and want to profit off of what was in all probability an honest mistake. People suck.  |  IP: Logged Jim Ziegler Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 753 From: West Hollywood, CA Registered: Jul 99 posted 11-09-2005 05:59 AM                     That they do... Give someone a reason to sue a corporation and they will jump to it.. That is the effect of $100 million judgements when the stupid spill coffee on themselves.  |  IP: Logged Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 11-09-2005 09:10 AM                    quote: Mike Spaeth Last time I checked ... the bookers make these decisions ... not the managers... The bookers don't decide which theaters the movies go in, the managers decided that. The bookers just decide that two features are booked together. The manager could easily flip another "R" rated movie into that auditorium if he/she wanted.  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 11-09-2005 09:52 AM                     Both answers are correct. It sometimes depends on the market you are in. Because in the First-Run market of Los Angeles. The booker/home office decides what screen it goes on. In certain plexes the studio wants that large screen or auditorium. And if they can't get that auditorium they buy-out the house. So the other studio does not loss the money and they move their screening in and drop the a show or shows from the studio that needs the room. We did this many times with screenings. The booker makes the deal with the studio. The manager are advised to the changes from the home office/booking department in that market.  |  IP: Logged George Roher Master Film Handler Posts: 266 From: Washington DC Registered: Jul 99 posted 11-09-2005 01:45 PM                     I looked at the Empire 25's showtimes, and "Andrea" has four shows a day. It is not doubled up with Chicken Little. Of course, it could have been on the day of the incident. While working in Union and non-union booths, I have had the wrong film on screen a ridiculous number of times due to management changing placements during the day and not telling the booth. I've had situations where management had me move prints but they still sent the customers to the original auditoriums. Then they yelled at me and made me unthread and switch the prints back. And there's a lot more I could write here. On the other side of the coin, I've also known union operators who threaded wrong shows because they couldn't be bothered to pay attention to what they were doing. I personally know nothing about the Empire 25 so I'm not sure who's at fault.  |  IP: Logged Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 11-09-2005 01:59 PM                    You can't go by the showtimes. It could be set up like this: House 1 (Big seat count) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Chicken Little 1:00 Chicken Little 4:00 Andrea 7:00 Andrea 10:00 House 2 (Small seat count) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Andrea 1:00 Andrea 4:00 Chicken Little 7:00 Chicken Little 10:00  |  IP: Logged Amanda Jones Film Handler Posts: 92 From: Indianapolis, IN, USA Registered: Aug 2005 posted 11-09-2005 02:05 PM                     quote: Mark Hajducki Do many cinemas have schedule sheets next to each screen (with the shows in that screen highlighted) or do most rely on a copy of the showtimes in the projectionists pocket or the automation control system? We type up "boards" each projector gets a sheet of paper listing the movie showing in that house for the week/the show time/weather it is scope or flat and the run time. If we do print moves the board goes with the print. Also the night projectionist knows to print out a new projection schedule when they clock in and not use the matinee person's sheet in case any changes were made. We also have multiple print check lists. Anytime we have more than one movie playing in a theater we put up that sheet by the projector and the projectionist signs off stating they threaded and started the correct movie. Today marks my 8th anniversary in the movie theater business and in those 8 years I've only started the wrong movie once. I started Run Tel Dat once instead of Barbershop. Didn't realize my mistake until 100 angry people come storming out of the theater demanding answers as to why their movie wasn't playing. Thread the wrong movie and start it once you quickly learn not to do it again, at least I have.  |  IP: Logged John Walsh Film God Posts: 2490 From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way Registered: Oct 1999 posted 11-09-2005 03:27 PM                     A guy I know was supposed to show Chicken Run, but threaded up and ran Shaft. The moms went crazy. He was let go.  |  IP: Logged Eric Hooper Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 532 From: Fort Worth, TX, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 11-09-2005 03:34 PM                     I love how in the olden days they would show double features of like Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Bambi. Most notable one I remember was at GCC Southland in Hayward: House (R) and Back To The Future (PG).  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 11-09-2005 03:52 PM                        That reminds me of a lady that literally screamed at me (while I did my best not to laugh), "Why wouldn't you run the sex movie last?!", when I ran 40 Year Old Vigin as the second feature in a triple bill. Meanwhile, on planet earth where her kids had to be at least 12 years old, the three features were actually run in order of rating (and what we were paying for them).  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 5 pages: 1  2  3  4  5

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.