Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: I'm I getting paid enough?

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Posted by Tom Kroening (Member # 201) on 10-29-1999, 03:18 AM:

Hi, I'm new to this forum and fairly new to the projectionist profession. I'm 18 and going to be graduating high school this year. I currently work at a 9-plex as a part time projectionist. I don't build or take down prints because I usually only work on the weekends. I do trailer and poster reports every week though. Right now I'm getting paid 5.50/hr and I'm wondering if thats pretty normal or if that is a little low. I'd like to keep this job through college because I really enjoy it, but its almost unrealistic to be able to make it through college making near minimum wage. Any comments or suggestions? Thanks alot

-Tom Kroening

Posted by Jim Ziegler (Member # 86) on 10-29-1999, 04:32 AM:

Is you pay equal to what people doing the same job as you for the competition?

Actually, it really does depend on your market. I spend close to 3 years as a manager making $5.50 an hour, but then I wen't to work in a major market and am making signifigantly more.

At my theatre, booth people average about $7.10/hr.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 10-29-1999, 04:47 AM:

I'd have to say it is touch low. But Jim is right, it all depends on the market. Do the ushers make $5.50? If so, then you are underpaid in my opinion. At a 9 screen, you're handling roughly $30,000 worth of prints and that doesn't even take into account the equipment you are taking care of (as in not damaging it, not necessarily engineering on).

Your best bet is to go with a smaller company or an independent theater (but one doing good business). Everything tends to be on a more personal level and when you do a good job, people notice! In the big chains, you have what is called the "thankless job". People don't come to the movies to pay exhorbant prices for food or for the friendly staff...they come to see a movie. They come for the reason your specific job exists. Granted they may choose your theater for it's sound or screens or whatever, but it is the movie that brings them there. It's a great and fun job, but you'll have to get used to not being completely appreciated in regards to pay. Obviously the other thing to look for is a truly good and caring general manager. I've worked with many and only two stand out over many years (Mr. Tadd Mansilla of Cinemark and particularly Ms. Zina Monceaux of United Artists).

What you've got to ask yourself is how much do you like the job and is it worth a slight pay cut over fast food? I think you probably know the answer. Hang in there.

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 10-29-1999, 10:49 AM:

Tom,

I would say that you are underpaid. In Denver the projectionists are getting between $6.50 and $9.00 per hour. There is probably only one guy getting $9. I wouldn’t accept less than $7.00 per hour. However you need to be proficient in all aspects of booth operations.

Just to make everything seem out of kilter I thought I would add this bit that I got from a projectionist in NY.

"Ian,
its no big secret. We just got a 10% cut. 5 Years ago we also got a
10-15% cut. Currently 9 screens + over pays $25.75 per Hr. 6-8 screens
$22 per hr. Less screens a few dollars less per Hr. Lot of work, my
theater runs 16.5 Hrs. per day and most interested people can get plenty
of extra work.
Hope that answers your curiosity."

Of course, I hear rent is pretty expensive in New York.

Low pay is prevalent in the film exhibition industry. The theatres are capital intensive operations. The money taken per square foot of retail space is much lower than any other kind of business, i.e. restaurants or retail. The cost of staff is high and runs between 12% and 15% of total revenue. And although you may think that paying $8.75 for a ticket in San Francisco is expensive, ticket prices haven’t gone up as fast as the cost of living. Theatre operators have used the concession stand to offset the higher cost of doing business. It’s no wonder that theatre companies underpay.

A movie theatre used to be something that only happened in the evening or on weekends. Most of the staff was part time. But now movie theatres are opened from 9:00 AM till 1:00 AM in the morning. We had 3 full time projectionists but the theatre company still sort of thought of us as part time, never mind that we were always bumping up to being paid overtime.

A business will always pay what the market will bare. If they can get a projectionist for $5.50 per hour then that is what a projectionist is worth. Somehow I hope that they will realize that their $30,000 worth of prints and their half a million dollars worth of equipment is better cared for by a professional. Once they realize that, then they may get used to the idea of paying for a professional projectionist.

I spent twelve years as an employee of movie theatres and I was never able to get that point across. Now I am about to be a theatre owner myself and I hope we can be fair to our employees.

Posted by Aaron Mehocic (Member # 15) on 10-29-1999, 01:10 PM:

Tom,

$5.50 per hour is only fifty cents less than what I presently make at a nine screen. In regards to your question of making it through college at this wage, the answer is probably "yes". I worked through most of my five years at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio, making $5.50. I got student loans, but NO GRANTS. If your going to a private school or the Ivy League, well then you may need some extra income.

I think about this a lot:
Actors and actresses to the likes of Jim Carey, Michelle Pfiffer, Harrison Ford, Gweneth Paltrow, Mel Gibson, Julia Roberts, and Tom Hanks, make an average of 18-20 million dollars per picture. But if it isn't for us poor folks slaving away for minimum wage or slightly higher, they would be NOTHING and probably HAVE NOTHING. I don't think my projection skills are worth twenty million dollars, and I don't think these peoples' acting skills are worth that much either. Celebrities always campion some bull-shit cause, I wonder if any would promote fair pay in the entertainment industry. IF THEY ONLY KNEW!

Stay with projection Tom. I tell every person who asks about working while in school that you can't beat employment at a theater. I wrote many papers in between shows, and when my word processor broke down, the management let me use their office computer after close. Work hard for them, and they will save your ass when something goes wrong. You think Ronald McDonald would do that?

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 10-29-1999, 02:13 PM:

Ian-

There are 2 guys in Colorado who make more than $9. I am one of those 2 guys.

Posted by Tom Kroening (Member # 201) on 10-29-1999, 02:49 PM:

Wow thanks alot for them speedy replies. I can really say in all honesty that I love this job. You really can't beat employment at a theatre. Sure you have to work a little lacing a set but after that you can relax if you have all your stuff done. I even have my own office with a little tv and a cd player that I can do invintories and homework in. The main office has a few computers that I'm also allowed to use for personal use, can even access the net from them. The atmosphere there is great also, probably because the head manager is only 20 : ) As for the pay, well I probably complain too much. The ushers do start off at 5.15 and there are some ushers that are making 5.50 but only because they've been there a year or two. I'd be a bit happier if the pay gap was somewhat larger, but i'll take what I can get. I can't really got to any competition because wildwood theatres monopolizes my city. I did hear once that projectionists in chicago make about the same as the ones in new york and also that they had some sort of union. Well I'll stick at it and hopefully i'll make it past 6 bucks an hour one of these years ; ) Thanks again for all your comments. Happy handling.

-Tom Kroening

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 10-29-1999, 03:31 PM:

Glad to hear you're going to stick with it. I think you'll ultimately be happy in the long run. Try to learn as much as possible. When the tech comes to visit, watch him and ask questions. Learn how to build up, break down and do trailer changeouts. BUT, make sure you learn a good way to do it. There are some specific tips in the "Improving Your Onscreen Presentation" link on the main page at Film-Tech and you will find plenty of good advice from the guys (and Erika

) here on the forum.

Posted by George Roher (Member # 91) on 10-30-1999, 01:07 AM:

You are not getting paid enough. Your wage is comparable to what many projectionists earn these days, but it is not enough. It is not what the job is worth when done properly.

Posted by Tom Kroening (Member # 201) on 10-30-1999, 02:45 AM:

Well here is an idea of my typical day. Tonight I drove over to the 10-plex sister cinema to talk to the head projectionist about some of the problems he's been having and made a few suggestions, was also taught how to lace the christy's over there(very nice projecters!). I got back to my work about 5:30. I helped the venders out of the goodness of my heart till i signed in for work at 6. I started lacing movies, brushed and air dusted all 9 projecters, laced them, and started them. Then i made my rounds sweeping up all the booths and rearranging everything in their little spots(the projectionist that built the prints the night before left a mess). Emptied all the trash cans. Mopped all the booths. Next set... cleaned all the brains. Laced the movies, cleaned the lenses and the windows. Started the movies. After the last set got out i went around to all the platters and replased the burned out light bulbs that shine on every brain... it sucks when every single bulb is out on a five-high's. Then I shut down the projecters and theaters... locked up. Went home. Tomorrow I get to usher because there aren't enough projection hours available to just project right now. Of course the weeknight projectionist that works saturdays doesnt come in til 1 so i have to lace and start the first set anyway. But thats a whole nother story : P Well thanks alot for reading!

-T.K.