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Author Topic: Automaticket Manual Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-07-2011 07:11 PM                        What Chris said. The machine is definitely faster than a human at counting out 1-5 tickets from a roll and then tearing them off of the roll. It also makes a great noise. There is a mechanical counter for each category of tickets. I don't remember if there is a "master" mechanical counter, but, even without that, it would be faster and easier to total the number of tickets in all categories that have been sold. These are not uncommon, even today, although they would be a pain in a multiplex environment. For a single screen or twin, they work fine.  |  IP: Logged Richard C. Wolfe Master Film Handler Posts: 250 From: Northampton, PA, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 05-07-2011 07:39 PM                        I have been using automaticket machines in most of my theatres over the past 45 years. I love them, but admit they are't very practical in this day and age for most multi-plex theatres. If you still have a single screen as I do, or a twin, or maybe even a tri-plex... they're fine. The major advantage I see over roll tickets is speed. When you're putting several hundred people in to a show, and have limited time to do so, speed is of the essance. Not just to get them seated in time, but to allow them time to buy refreshments as well. Also many of you know that I am a real stickler when it comes to presenting a professional appearance, and I don't think tearing off roll tickets makes a theatre look very professional. Security is another reason. Automaticket machines have built in counters so you can record the machines numbers as well as the ticket numbers and make sure that both counts match. Believe me there have been many times when a cashier put their own tickets in after they started selling and then removed them before closing, or put their tickets in one of the other bins and sold tickets every so often from that bin to suplement their income... you know how that works, 5 for you and 1 for me etc. I also remember when theatre box offices often had signs in the window that stated " DO NOT ACCEPT TICKETS NOT ISSUED FROM THE MACHINE" While most patrons never read or paid much attention to those signs, the cashier knew it was there and that they might be reported if the ticket came from anywhere else than the machine. The other important fact is that if you read your master license agreement with each distributor, you're find that you are required to use tickets that have the name of the theatre, along with the city and state, as well as the price of admission printed on each one. Roll tickets bought from Walmart or where ever don't meet those requirements. Of course you can purchase roll tickets from a major ticket company that has that information on them, but if you're going to do that, why not spend an extra $100 for a used Automaticket machine and get the benefits of professionalism, speed and security that they offer.  |  IP: Logged Adam Martin I'm not even gonna point out the irony. Posts: 3686 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 05-07-2011 08:25 PM                     quote: Scott Norwood they would be a pain in a multiplex environment I used to run a first-run 6-plex with Automaticket machines. Good times. Richard, when you find that manual, please arrange with me to have a copy added to the warehouse here for everyone. Or any of your other manuals, for that matter.  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 05-07-2011 10:18 PM                     A few weeks ago I had to move an old 5-bay automaticket machine that was backstage to get to some boxes behind it. Those things are HEAVY, & "built like a tank", which is probably why there are still a large number of them in use.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 05-08-2011 03:17 PM                        Last I checked, you could still get them repaired. Hurley Screen Co. will know who you should contact: former employee. btw: Cost is very high for a workable machine. The Video people apparently will pay thousands for a machine for their basements. Louis  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-08-2011 03:34 PM                        quote: Frank Cox I use rolls of Admit One tickets that I buy at dollar stores, and a notepad where I write the starting numbers for every night. Which seems even more bulletproof because there's nothing mechanical (or electronic) involved. Beware those dollar store tix. I had to use some once when we ran out of tickets. In the middle of one roll (in the middle of a soon to be sold out show) I discovered the number sequence changed in the middle of the roll. I caught it soon enough not to have oversold problems, but jeez how do they make a mistake like that?  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 05-08-2011 08:52 PM                        We still stock roll and machine tickets for our smaller exhibitors. Louis  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 05-09-2011 06:43 PM                     Globe Ticket and at least one other still make Automaticket tickets, They come in bundles rather than rolls so that they'll fit in the ticket bins. They can print your theatre name etc. on them for a few bucks extra. While the distributors say they require theatre name, and price, only one has ever inquired and the rep. said it really didn't matter much. I asked my boss (the g.m.) about why not peel them off a roll and shove them out the window, he said it makes you look like an amateur and a cheapskate for being too cheap to buy a machine. Customers notice a lot more than you think. The roll tickets always have a splice somewhere inside and only about half the time does the sequence continue.  |  IP: Logged Richard C. Wolfe Master Film Handler Posts: 250 From: Northampton, PA, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 05-13-2011 03:40 PM                        SUCCESS My maintainence man and I have now completed the move of all of my hundreds of manuals from the scene dock back stage to the basement under the lobby where I have several empty filing cabinets to store them in. I'm going to start a filing system so that things can be more easily found in the future. As usually is the case, at the very bottom of the 2nd to last box I found the manual for the Automaticket machine. There are 11 pages to the manual covering various other ticket related equipment that they had available. There are 3 pages covering the machines that we have been discussing here. I have scanned those 3 pages and can send them to whoever wants them. Just let me know.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 05-13-2011 08:07 PM                     Renaissance Center 4 Theatres in Detroit, MI had those (circa 1989). I still remember that noise. Fun machines.  |  IP: Logged Adam Martin I'm not even gonna point out the irony. Posts: 3686 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 05-13-2011 08:33 PM                     Please email them to me and I'll post them in the Warehouse.  |  IP: Logged Richard C. Wolfe Master Film Handler Posts: 250 From: Northampton, PA, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 05-13-2011 09:34 PM                        Adam, I have 2 like new copies. How about I mail one to you.  |  IP: Logged James Westbrook Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1133 From: Lubbock, Texas, Usa Registered: Mar 2006 posted 05-14-2011 12:00 AM                     I believe the manual will be in the warehouse sooner if you scanned it and sent it via e-mail attachment to Adam.  |  IP: Logged

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