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

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Ground Level   » Projection Booth Training (Page 3)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1  2  3

Author Topic: Projection Booth Training Jonathan Althaus Master Film Handler Posts: 435 From: Bedford, TX Registered: Dec 2008 posted 12-14-2009 02:13 PM                     Brad Yes we are still running the 270's, except for the Barco we got back in October. I don't seem to have any problems with bending rings, I always use 4 clamps and support the ring with my hands so it stays in the same shape. On the 2 newer models we do skip the middle roller if the print moves from that theatre. Those are our 2 smallest theatres, so prints usually die there and don't have to move. 2 other houses have even newer speco slide bar assy's but dont seem to have an issue with loose winding if you don't bypass the center roller. As for #13, sometime between when you were here and when I got here, the houses were renumbered, so we no longer have a #16. Edit: As far as the newer christie-type rings, our tech mentioned that to me a few weeks ago, but I've never had any issues with our rings, other than running out. A few wks ago on our 14 35mm's, I had 25 prints built, with no spare rings. (Plus 2 movies ready to go on the digital)  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 12-14-2009 02:20 PM                     quote: Jonathan Althaus I moved Inglourious Basterds the other day, 4 clamps, double clamped with one end on a rolling stool I have a 36"x 36"x 1/4" plywood board with a length of board on the end as a stop that I move the print of "IB" by myself...  |  IP: Logged Matt Gress Film Handler Posts: 15 From: Boston, MA USA Registered: Jul 2009 posted 02-08-2010 08:21 PM                     A minimum of 40-50 hours unpaid training and a Massachusetts Motion Picture Operator's License (50 bucks and a test). This weeds out the doofuses pretty well and goes for pros and rookies alike. This is the kind of booth where if you goof up, it can be pretty traumatic. The job generally supplies its own spanking. It's also a really great one to work in, so the turnover is very low. I try not to hire floor staff.  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 청주시, 경북도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 02-08-2010 09:35 PM                     Unpaid training sounds illegal.  |  IP: Logged Sean McKinnon Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1712 From: Peabody Massachusetts Registered: Sep 2000 posted 02-09-2010 01:05 PM                        um... please don't take this the wrong way Matt but the Mass MPO test is a joke. It contains nothing practical, and is a true/false test on the Department of Public Safety Laws. For example: It is ok to smoke in the booth if your manager gives you permission? True/False? I trained dozens of people on that test when I was with Loews Cineplex in Mass and I never had anyone not pass even the less than bright. I had manager who never threaded a machine in thier life pass the test just so someone in the building would have one. Again, I am not trying to knock you at all Matt, I still hold a mass license I am just saying that I don't really think it weeds out any dummies... Also, 99% of theatres don't care if anyone has a license and the Commonwealth of Mass has proven they don't care. I have never seen DPS come out and inspect a booth or ask for licenses. Never.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 02-09-2010 08:18 PM                     Wooo..guess what I'm going to do real soon - is to train a fellow on how to run a changeover booth...esp in a booth that I had to train myself on real quick to know where everything is at since I've never been up in this booth to operate it myself. This booth was a single machine/platter operation since the mid 70's. Now, they went back to "old school" (Highlites with Simplex XL 35/70's) for premiere showings... My name came up being the only person in this area that knows anything about and how to do a changeover booth. Quite fun, to say the least. -Monte  |  IP: Logged James Larden Film Handler Posts: 14 From: Montreal, QC, CA Registered: Jan 2010 posted 02-10-2010 11:43 AM                        Does anyone have any knowledge of the CTC training courses that they could share? Cinema Training Central  |  IP: Logged Scott D. Neff Theatre Dork Posts: 919 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Oct 1999 posted 02-10-2010 12:28 PM                        Does anybody know what old GCC that is they run out of?  |  IP: Logged Matt Gress Film Handler Posts: 15 From: Boston, MA USA Registered: Jul 2009 posted 02-11-2010 05:33 PM                     No offense taken, Sean. I know how that test is and I've never seen anyone fail either. What I mean about weeding people out is this: It takes a certain level of seriousness and commitment to study for a test and then go wait around somewhere to pay fifty bucks for a license. It's a rite of passage. Most people don't want to blow it after being made to jump through those hoops. A creates an atmosphere where new projectionists feel that something is expected of them. It's been very useful to me when training.  |  IP: Logged Sean McKinnon Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1712 From: Peabody Massachusetts Registered: Sep 2000 posted 02-11-2010 06:24 PM                        I totally agree with that I don't think anyone would spend fifty bucks and waste a day at the department of public safety unless they had some desire to do the job. The unfortunate thing is it seems like most theatres don't have any licensed operators anymore, or if they do it is a General Manager who never runs the booth.  |  IP: Logged Manny Montes Master Film Handler Posts: 270 From: United States Registered: Feb 2010 posted 02-11-2010 09:38 PM                     Regal's program is a joke, its the "Booth Certification Program" Each district "Should" have a certifier, if the one you're in doesn't have one, then you're SOL. Plus, in order to be in booth you don't actually have to be certified at all. Level 1 is basics (threading) Level 2 is a little more advanced (but still basic) - Breaking down and building movies Level 3 focuses on maintenance Level 4 is changing major parts (diodes, bulbs, etc) I've done level 3 stuff without being certified (there is no rule against it), currently I am studying for the level 1 test (sadly it has taken over 4 months to get the certifier out to my location to test me), oh, did I mention that you have to wait 2 weeks between each test? It's a great program if it was implemented better, IMHO no one should be allowed in booth who isn't certified, as the certification program is actually challenging and focuses on important things (everything in the film path, problems with the automation, general troubleshooting, etc.) Everyone in booth should be at least level 1. I got called in one time on my day off because the manager in booth (not to knock managers in booth, as thats what I do ) did not know how to fix a brain wrap. They cancelled the show instead and refunded 40+ tickets. Why was someone in booth who can't even fix a brain wrap?  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 02-11-2010 09:47 PM                     Ya, I went through that training and easily passed all four levels when REG took over the EDW's circuit in 2002 - kinda embarrassed the certifier since I knew more than what that person knew. Yet, it does work with the beginners since they have many employees and really need a foundation of something to keep things in a form of order for good presentations.  |  IP: Logged Manny Montes Master Film Handler Posts: 270 From: United States Registered: Feb 2010 posted 02-12-2010 11:27 AM                     What I do like about it is that the focus really is on "excellent presentation", we have a local AMC 20-plex that is a huge bully (they decided that they want to show art product and are stealing art films from my little 5-plex arthouse) We sometimes get prints from them and they are routinely dirty, coated with opaque tape. One time a print was so ruined we called them to see what happened and they dropped one of the reels down the stairs by accident. Maybe I'm too hard on employees, but I feel that under no circumstances should floor staff be in booth (AMC uses floor staff in their booth, with a little extra training they are called film crew). Every theater i've been to that allows this I've seen terrible issues. The worst was one time the aperture plate was set incorrectly, they spent 5 minutes trying to change the lens to scope, then they shut it down for 10 minutes until I finally went over and told the manager that the lens wasn't the problem, it was the aperture plate. To the original poster: At one theater i've been to they had a 6k reel labeled "test reel" which had bad splices, bad cues, various other issues and would let the new projectionists thread it without telling them it was a test. Then they taught them how to fix each problem, they would brain wrap the test film, get it to tail wrap, reverse wrap, etc. It really was pretty great, if you can get something similar and use that it really works well.  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 청주시, 경북도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 02-12-2010 06:14 PM                     quote: Manny Montes (AMC uses floor staff in their booth, with a little extra training they are called film crew). FYI: Film Crew is their position for everyone who isn't a manager. It used to be: Film Crew -> Film Crew Lead -> Operations Coordinator -> Managers Now it's: Film Crew -> Supervisors -> Managers And really, how good an AMC is at projection depends mostly on the individual location and the mangers there. It's not-so-much to do with the company itself.  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1  2  3

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.