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Author Topic: Theater owners lack focus Carl Martin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1424 From: Oakland, CA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 12-14-2005 02:03 AM                        bottom line, if good presentations were really a priority for the company, they would find a way to achieve them. if people are sent out to check trailer and ad placement, they can damn well check the "other" aspects of the presentation as well. carl  |  IP: Logged Matt Fields Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 545 From: Ohio, United States Registered: Jun 2005 posted 12-14-2005 08:12 AM                     quote: William Hooper And tell me what products on the shelf at Home Depot or Wal-Mart have the frequency of utter shoddiness of those shows described. Nobody else could stay in business putting out variably crappy product like that at the retail level; retailers wouldn't stock the goods due to their lack of quality control. Wal Mart employees do not have to operate machinery everytime they sell the product off the shelf. A better example would be a fast food restuarant. They do a good job of making every burger taste the same, just like every screening should be the same. quote: William Hooper No, let's not use a father figure/authority figure allusion to distract from the issue. When they're used in politics or business, it's always creepy wondering if the person thought of them in a sort of scary personal Rorschach process or if they're being intentionally constructed for manipulation. Whether or not you feel its creepy, the point that it is hard to take care of 3,475 of anything is still valid. I just used parenting as an example. The real question is whether or not is wise to attempt 3,475 screens in the first place. I don't think it is. I've found myself in a position I don't want to be in, which is defending AMC. I don't work for AMC, don't know their policies, and I do not know their procedures. My only experience with AMC has been as a customer, which to be honest, has generally been positive. I've been to their Lennox 24 and Easton 30 locations in Columbus, OH many times. What I am trying to convey is really a simple point, having nothing to do with AMC in particular, and is rather obvious: that the larger the organization, the harder quality control is. I have first hand experience with this. A few years ago, my ex-partner and I owned eight theatres. I soon found myself in a nightmare, trying to keep up with all of the aspects of the multiple locations. After a couple of years of pulling my hair out, and having some personal disagreements with the ex-partner, we split the company up and I just took one of the theatres. Life and the theatre I still have both became much improved.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 12-14-2005 10:37 AM                        Large organizations are hard to manage properly....just ask the airlines. (Imagine an AMC airline.....!) Fact is: "Fish stinks at the head." By definition any problem is the fault of someone and all but one someone has a boss whose job is to supervise...period. Louis  |  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 12-14-2005 01:29 PM                        quote: Imagine an AMC airline.....! And you thought tail wraps caused a lot of damage now!  |  IP: Logged Andrew McCrea Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 645 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Nov 2000 posted 12-14-2005 02:04 PM                        I know what brain wraps are, but what's a tail wrap?  |  IP: Logged Bryan Fournier Film Handler Posts: 61 From: Greensboro, NC Registered: Dec 1999 posted 12-14-2005 02:17 PM                     A tail wrap is when the end of the film (tail) becomes unsecured and "wraps" around the platter deck support arm or something else it's not supposed to. Usually winds up in a mess with the print doing a dance off the platter. But at least no one loses a life!  |  IP: Logged Andrew McCrea Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 645 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Nov 2000 posted 12-14-2005 02:20 PM                        Ah! Ok, I see. Thanks.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-14-2005 02:22 PM                        I have never worked in a multi booth, but it seems like the solution to the problem that started this whole series of rants would have been pretty simple: Get the "projectionist" to LOOK OUT THE FRICKING BOOTH WINDOW once in a while. I know a multi booth is a busy place, but you can't tell me a "projectionist" can't look at the screen image at least a few times during a film's run, and certainly when it first starts.  |  IP: Logged Lyle Romer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1400 From: Davie, FL, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 12-14-2005 03:14 PM                     That is the worst thing. No matter how little training the "projectionist" has, 99% of major issues could be resolved just by looking out the window after pressing start and again as the feature comes on. Another thing that I don't understand. Why when there is a major projection problem (like the aperture not seated so 1/3 of the screen is black) am I the ONLY person in the theatre that ever gets up to complain? I guess people assume it will be fixed.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-14-2005 03:29 PM                        No doubt the presentation quality was poor, but I thought that the real travesty in the article was the shitty customer service that the guy received when he complained. Even if the manager didn't have a clue about how movies are shown (and, really, it shouldn't be his job), he should have immediately thanked the customer for bringing the matter to his attention, and then called to his staff to immediately a) confirm that there was a real problem and b) fix the problem in question. He should then have followed up a minute or two later by looking at the screen himself to ensure that the problem had been fixed. The manager should have also offered passes or other compensation to the man who complained. Obviously, the operator should have changed the lens, masking, and aperture plate and doing so would have made the whole episode unnecessary, but it's even more important that the manager attend to complaints quickly and ensure that they are resolved. This is what will keep or lose the customer for forever.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 12-14-2005 04:01 PM                        Some of the chains will fire an employee if they are watching a movie "on the clock." Ushers become concessionists then projectionists. I know of a chain theatre where the portholes were permanently closed with cardboard so that no one could blame the projectionist for watching a movie. It took me 2 years to get the guy to actually look outside. In the old days in the same theatre the Union guy would start, then check out the port, and then walk around to listen to the sound in each theatre and at the same time, close the auditorium door. Times have changed. Louis  |  IP: Logged Brad Allen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 688 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 12-14-2005 04:26 PM                     I watch the projection port here at the local chain when I'm a customer. The "threader" punches the start button, and away they go. Not even a glance out the port window. I have NEVER watched a movie there that was in focus. And like Lyle, I'm the only one to go complain (which I relish ) And I ALWAYS get blank stares from the droids on duty. "Huh? We have film and a projectors in the building?" Always takes them two-three minutes to decide what to do about it. Pathetic I disagree Scott, any manager worth his salt should know how to do every job in the building that pertains to the main frigging reason he is there. No, not the concession stand as most believe. Ah yes Louis, union projection days, when men were men and projectionists were projectionists. Hell, no one even bothers to close the auditorium doors around here.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 12-14-2005 05:30 PM                        How can anyone properly manage a movie theater if they don't know how the product is prepared and presented to the guests? That's like saying a restaurant manager doesn't need to know anything about the preparation or serving of food. Aw crap, that analogy doesn't work if the movie theater manager actually believes his main product is popcorn.  |  IP: Logged Lyle Romer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1400 From: Davie, FL, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 12-14-2005 06:11 PM                     I just thought of a mini-analogy that exhibitors don't seem to get. Disney World is basically a giant concession and souvineer stand. But.....Disney makes great quality rides and attractions that make people want to be there and buy the concessions and souvineers. Exhibitors need to understand that although the goal of the business is to sell popcorn, the way to reach the goal is to provide an experience that people enjoy.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-14-2005 06:29 PM                        Boy, you got that right about Disney. In our family room at home we have a "Goofy" phone which talks in Goofy's voice when it rings. (RI-I-I-NG! "Hey, sumbody hit the snooze button, willyuh?") The thing cost $89. We would NEVER have bought such a thing if we hadn't been in Disney World, but danged if it doesn't give me a nice fuzzy feeling every time I look at it.  |  IP: Logged

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