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Author Topic: Multifloor schedules? Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: California, U.S.A. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 09-15-2007 10:33 PM                     Each level has it's own stand which is open a limited number of hours with the ground floor open the whole day. The place is so big that off-season lines aren't really an issue with the multiple stands. What I'd like to see though is people coming and going constantly instead of in far flung sets. I think as an added bonus the place will appear busier, and more "happenin"...  |  IP: Logged David Graves Film Handler Posts: 38 From: Cocoa, FL Registered: Nov 2006 posted 09-16-2007 01:11 AM                     Well if that's the case, then it seems that you have your answer already, and I think you've got the right one. 3 projectionists a day seems about right for a place like that on a weekend or busy week, unless you're planning on using timers (which I'm always dead set against). An opener who can thread and clean everything before opening and start the first round, a mid shift so you have two for the busiest rounds who leaves after starting the last, and a closer to clean and power down everything, plus do moves. Manipulating the performance schedule so that two people can run the building is going to wind up killing your per cap, and causing crowding. Dumping shows is also a waste of time. It'll irritate your walk-up customers, and besides, you won't save much. Let's say you have three 2pm shows you can dump. If you're paying 75% rental with a $2 per cap, and are paying your projectionists $15 an hour, all you need to do is 9 people per show to pay for the extra 8 projection hours, which will benefit your whole operation. You should never have a dark house if you don't have to, that defeats the whole purpose of a multiplex. In the end a smart performance schedule is truly the key to any theater. I used to work (ops manager) at a 20+ screen theater with auditoriums spread over 5 different levels. There were 17 booths on six different floors! After listening to the projectionists complain, and seeing the lines forming at the stands, I sat down one day and did a new performance schedule from scratch. Took it to my boss and said "look, I'm really good with this stuff, and I don't mind you putting your name on this when you send it to corporate". He took a look and ate it up, and I did the schedule for the next two years (with my name, thankfully). Saved him 3 hours a week and the place ran like a champ. Per head went up 45% in the next 6 months, and we were able to cut our APSH buy 20%. If you don't do the schedule, why not take a crack at it and make it serve EVERYONE'S needs?  |  IP: Logged Sean McKinnon Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1712 From: Peabody Massachusetts Registered: Sep 2000 posted 10-03-2007 12:59 PM                        Dominic, Not only will spreading out your shows constantly throughout the day enable you to save on payroll in almost every position (Conceccsion, Box, Ushers) it will make your concession lines shorter which will raise your percap because people often do not want to wait in a long line and thats why they dont purchase concession. I think this is a very effective way to lower labor costs and raise your revenue and per capita sales. The key to operating in this manner is to use less Concession workers but add a "concession supervisor" who is responsible for keeping the stand constantly stocked with stock and change, as well as covering breaks. This person should not be primarily used to serve customers only when covering breaks but to keep the stand stocked. Instead of 3 ushers running around like crazy for 30 minutes you can use one or two who are consistently working at a slower pace able to take more time and better clean your houses. It also translates the same to the box where you can use fewer cashiers and still have shorter lines. I gaurantee if you implement this your bosses will think your a genius! As far as the operators I would schedule 1 to work from open to the middle of the day, one to work from right before the second set of shows to right after the last shows start and another from mid day to close. This was the first operator can take thier time to clean and thread the first shows before the theatre opens. When the first machine drops you can have the second operator come on. You can have one operator "clean and thread" and the other one "Start shows, and Check Presentations". They can switch off as they want but with the consistent show schedule this will enable them to take thier time do a quality job and double check themselves instead of running around like a chicken with its head cut off! Good Luck!  |  IP: Logged Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: California, U.S.A. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 10-03-2007 04:31 PM                     Well, we ran ahead with Demo week and were able to run the whole live-long day without multiple projectionists. In this particular theater we tend to under-utilize our managers as we have: Surveillance Agent (read bored kid doing nothing all day) who is to monitor auditoriums, hallways, and emergency exits (I'm revising this one soon and enforcing the job description) Shift Leader (runs stock between stands and stock room, breaks folks, etc.) The lines we have problems with are the box office, which is why our concession lines are short...Folks just breeze right by the stand cause they're pissed from standing at the b/o... Revisions are coming but thus far we've rolled all the slower films onto odd-ball sets and always have somethings tarting...Every hour.  |  IP: Logged

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