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Author Topic: Digital Cinema Field Service Tech - Help Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 09-22-2016 01:18 PM                     If you are here on a H1B Work Visa, you can only legally work for the company that sponsored you. For any side jobs, you would need each employer to separately sponsor you. That is not to say that there are not small employers who ignore the law, but in the IT field, most large companies will not risk getting fined by the government.  |  IP: Logged Aleksandar Obradovic Expert Film Handler Posts: 125 From: Belgrade, Serbia Registered: Oct 2012 posted 09-25-2016 03:18 AM                     Guys, i wish to thank you all for your help and let's say contribution to this topic. This helped me much to understand how this is working in USA but I am not hired. Employer actually recall his job offer because he's looking for entry-level technician who will be responsible for covering large area with numbers of cinemas. What to say except that this is story of my life. I am either over-experienced or un-experienced. In 99% of cases, I am in opposite of what is looked for Forgive me for my ignorance but I must ask YOU guys something. How is it possible to let "entry-level" tech alone (and unattended)to play around with $100k worth projector, highly hazardous currents and explosive bulbs? All of it without proper training and experience. During "tape-times" I trained a lot of projectionists but I never left any of them unattended for quite of time. They never threaded tape without my supervision until I decided that they can do it alone in the middle of the sleep. Same was when digital equipment came in. Also, I have to ask someone to describe me (or better depict me) what is "entry-level" because I am probably too stupid to cope with this term. Is it possible that "entry-level" tech can diagnose faults in different types of equipment (projector, amplifier, cinema processor, 3D system, server, automation, fire alarm, ventilation/exhaust systems, etc.) and actually repair them? IMHO this approach have high possibility to be a waste of both time and money. Please note that I am not accusing anyone. I was "entry-level" years back. Anybody have to go thru this phase. I actually rant thru this phase. I am only expressing my opinion for this industry. Everyone are cutting their expenses but raising amounts on their invoices. For what? To make customers happier? I don't think so. This food chain is deteriorating too fast. Everything goes so fast. New movies are hitting cinemas every month. Everyday have his own issues in cinemas from ground level to the booth. But 99% of them are technical in nature. Either IT or electronics/electrical. Tesla forgive me but God help us all. Like someone said here "they will never forget you for carring a screwdriver". Now i understand why. Maybe time have come to switch carrier path. For years I am thinkg of buying dosen of sheeps than go to the mountins and become a SHEPARD. Can you imagine someone who helds BSc to become a shepard? Who needs education? Who needs experience when you can buy sheeps and spend you entire life chewing a grass or leaf while petting your german sheppad who will do the job for you? @Brad, if you think that I have done/wrote something agains forum rules please delete this post. But please don't delete enitre topic because this can be helpful to someone else who is persuing carrier in cinema support bussines in USA. Best regards, Alex  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 09-25-2016 10:56 AM                       quote: Aleksandar Obradovic Forgive me for my ignorance but I must ask YOU guys something. How is it possible to let "entry-level" tech alone (and unattended)to play around with $100k worth projector, highly hazardous currents and explosive bulbs? All of it without proper training and experience. Many of us got our start and given responsibility for wide areas. Some were good enough to run with it, mostly they give it a go and end up in some other industry. Back when I came through, being off screen was a mortal sin, now one screen in a multiplex can be down for days or even weeks. That indirectly answers your rhetorical question. Good luck with situation. I have a feeling you will be back in our industry. Seems everyone (myself included) wants to be in show business even if it's sweeping up after the elephants. In our industry our patrons would be the sheep. They sit in the dark munching popcorn not complaining about a show in the wrong aspect ratio, flickering bulb, you name it. Which is why novice techs are entrusted with over a hundred screens spread out over a large area.  |  IP: Logged Rick Raskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1100 From: Manassas Virginia Registered: Jan 2003 posted 09-25-2016 02:00 PM                     quote: quote: Aleksandar Obradovic Is it possible to find some freelance jobs which I will be able to work during my spare time (I am also C/C++ programmer, and very very familiar with embedded systems and electronics at service/repair levels)? quote: quote: Scott Norwood: These are very marketable skills. Have you considered pursuing this type of work directly? You will likely find that these types of jobs will lead to more work, better pay, and more flexibility than cinema service, regardless of your location. I couldn't agree more with what Scott said. You would have no trouble finding gainful employment with those skills. You may even find a prospective employer willing to deal with the visa issues. Many of us left the industry to pursue better pay and working conditions. While we still maintain a fondness for the industry, I doubt very many regret the decision to leave.  |  IP: Logged Marco Giustini Film God Posts: 2713 From: Reading, UK Registered: Nov 2007 posted 09-26-2016 05:03 PM                     Aleksandar, Cheer up! Better times will come! As the entry-level technician, hopefully they need someone to do basic tasks such as HDD replacements, basic updates and basic maintenance tasks. I agree with you that we shouldn't see 'entry level technicians' around those very expensive machine but hey, the customers will get what they pay for. See the half-full glass: you did not invest time and money into relocating to the US to find out you were just a 'runner'.  |  IP: Logged Aleksandar Obradovic Expert Film Handler Posts: 125 From: Belgrade, Serbia Registered: Oct 2012 posted 09-27-2016 05:43 AM                     You are 100% right guys. Finding a job with my skills should'nt be a problem at all but every rule has it's own exceptions. Currently I am making living in another field. Installation and maintenance of alarm systems (burglary, fire, early warning, name it) and some IT jobs (1000% returning customers). But situation is much worst in this field than in cinema. E.g If my price for labour is 50 euros/camera, students will do it for 50 euros/system. Same goes in every field.They will come, do the job and you will never see them again. Noone asks me what is the duration of warranty and what does it covers. I am getting strange fealing that noone asks for quality but only for quantity. I am eager to stay in this field of biz because it combines every aspect of my knowledge and fires up mu (like Scherlock Holmes would say) "little brain cells" to think and gears to run/rotate. Maybe I should employ my above mentioned "little grey cells" with programming and create some complete TMS, or create some audio or automation system for a fraction of regular market price. Possibilites are endless by my opinion. Indiegogo here I come! @Rick, problem with this is that kids from India and such countries are underbidding everything and there is no freaking way to get any job over freelancing sites. I am tring this for several years without any hit. And market in my country is under development for this (only few companies) and lot of competition. Like one saying said "little pond full of crocodiles". BR Alex  |  IP: Logged Frank Cox Film God Posts: 2234 From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada Registered: Apr 2011 posted 09-27-2016 01:59 PM                        Do businesses and people around you know that you do custom programming? Do you also do system and network setup and administration? I have never gone out to try to find a programming or sysadmin job around here, but occasionally things just kind of fall into my lap because someone needs something done and then they realize that they know someone who "does computers", so they come here or phone me and ask if I can do whatever it is that they need done. You don't have to be doing work for IBM or Ford. Johnny's Corner Store & Plumbing sometimes need stuff like a custom invoicing system or employee scheduling software that isn't necessarily available off the shelf. You don't necessarily have to do work by the hour either; since you're doing it yourself you can engage in any kind of creative payment that you wish. For example, I have one client who pays me an ongoing royalty based on sales volume of a particular product -- he couldn't afford the amount it would have cost to pay me by the hour to write his software and by paying me a royalty he also gets ongoing technical support and changes as needed. I get a monthly cheque, he gets software that does exactly what he wants it to do, and he didn't have to mortgage the business to pay me to write it.  |  IP: Logged Aleksandar Obradovic Expert Film Handler Posts: 125 From: Belgrade, Serbia Registered: Oct 2012 posted 09-27-2016 05:28 PM                     quote: Frank Cox: Do businesses and people around you know that you do custom programming? Do you also do system and network setup and administration? Answer is YES. But, they will rather hire some of their neighbors/friends/family/etc. They will only come to my place once someone else who is hired doesn't know/s***** up/or similar (2nd case is my favorite). My favorite is when someone ask me for some trivial thing like setup of burglar alarm system with several sensors and I say e.g 100 euros for labor (which is e.g cheaper than usual) and they say it is to much. My neighbor student will do this for me for e.g 30 euros. In 99% of such cases they will come to me asking for help. This is what p****** me off Funny thing is that so many people knows what am I doing, what i know and how capable and resourceful I can be but still they don't want me to hire. No apparent reason. I am not more expensive than my colleagues in a branch so it is not about money. Few years back on company which stepped into cinema business asked me for a consultant services (translation: help our engineers to finish their blueprints/projects). Then i have spent several months with this. For what? It was to expensive for them to put proper sound installation. But it wasn't to expensive to install 20+ FullHD/PTZ IP cameras across cinema hallways. Aftermath of this was that none of my proposals wasn't accepted, i wasn't paid, entire shopping mall vibrates in the rhythm of ongoing movie and more or less they don't have visitors (except those ones who don't care about rumble from hallways and bass from the another hall). Also during negotiation I offered price for electrical and digital cinema equipment installation works 50k euros less then competition. You don't want to know what is the aftermath of this part. Basically, a lot of people know what I am doing and they are aware of my knowledge and expertise. They are also aware of my references. But everything is either familiar or political here. And for the end of this post here is some short list of what I DO: 1. Digital cinema like i said 2. Stage audio/video/light 3. Digital advertising (DOOH and similar) 4. System/Network installation/administration/maintenance 5. Security systems design/planning/installation/maintenance (Access control, Burglar, perimeter, fire, IDS, IPS, etc.) 6. Automation systems (PLC's, SCADA, for different industries - Electrical, Water, Sewer) 7. PCB design 8. PIC programming 9. etc. BR Alex  |  IP: Logged Aleksandar Obradovic Expert Film Handler Posts: 125 From: Belgrade, Serbia Registered: Oct 2012 posted 09-28-2016 01:38 AM                     Guys, One strange idea came into my mind. There are some old cinemas which can be rented. Can someone tell me what is usual split/share between cinemas and distributors? BR Alex  |  IP: Logged

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