This is topic pleasant surprises in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 01-06-2000, 09:27 PM:
Now for something a little different from the usual gripes about SDDS, Technicolor, stupid customers, etc.: what's everyone's favorite pleasant surprise? By this, I mean an unexpected event of the sort that makes this business worthwhile--the lab-new print of the same repertory film that you play every year that replaced a beat-up piece of junk; the customer who comes to the booth to thank you for a flawless presentation of his all-time favorite film; the obscure film that got lousy reviews that turns out to be really good even though you expected to hate it; and so forth.
One of my favorites happened about a year ago--when we were playing "Blade Runner," I had expected to receive a beat-up ex-Kit Parker print that would totally ruin the visual qualities of this film...instead, I got a print (Director's Cut version, unfortunately) that was practically lab new and which had never been run on a platter and was thus in absolutely mint condition. There were other, similar, situations, but that one sticks out in my mind as a really lucky unexpected event.
Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 01-06-2000, 10:14 PM:
My business partner (Ky Boyd) and I are taking over a 5-plex cinema in Santa Rosa, CA. It is in really rough shape and It has 3 stereo houses and two mono houses. We will upgrade all when we have some money. Our Cinema Tech (Who is the worlds greatest) has made us this offer. He will rent us a Dolby Digital Processor for 6 months and then after 6 months we will buy it.That was one pleasent suprise. The other one today is that we are paying a small fortune to have the auditoriums professionally cleaned. The bonus is that they are going to clean the booth carpet for free as long as we have no illusions of perfection.
Posted by Erika Hellgren (Member # 22) on 01-07-2000, 03:48 AM:
A couple of nice surprises come to mind.One: I've already mentioned this on another thread, but the EX sound in Toy Story 2 was a nice surprise for me. After having been disappointed in EX previously, it was nice to know our theatre didn't completely waste their money.
The second surprise was last night when I was building up Magnolia, and I read the memo that came with the print from the director. I thought it was pretty cool that he said the projectionist is the most important link in the chain. It's nice when filmmakers give us the credit we deserve. I also liked that he said to play the movie at 7.0 no matter what. Works for me 
I know there have been others over the years, but that's all I can think of for now.
Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 01-07-2000, 04:46 AM:
A nice surprise for me was when I totally scratched a print, I mean just RUINED it! Turns out that the manager blamed somebody else and fired them (the person soon committed suicide), and then gave me a raise! I was happy! I am kidding, of course!!!!!!Nice surprises include:
-Getting a bigger raise than promised when I first started as projectionist at UA.
--Stuff I order actually arriving at the theatre.
--Being offered a job by UA even after quitting without notice during a shift.
--4000 watt xenon bulbs that last me up to 2300 hours and still look good (without any rotation or other tampering, 145 amps the whole time)
--Etc, I guess.
Posted by Stephen Jones (Member # 16) on 01-07-2000, 05:50 PM:
A couple come to mind, Film turning up a week early, service tecs who cleaning up after themselves,yes it dose happen and one more not being rostered on to do the dreaded movie marathon 11.00PM TO 8.00AM now I find that a pleasant supprise.------------------
Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 01-07-2000, 06:24 PM:
It's always a great surprise when a kid comes to the boxoffice and says, "can I borrow a mop...I spilled my soda."
Posted by Ari Nordström (Member # 288) on 01-08-2000, 04:48 AM:
At the Göteborg Film Festival a few years ago, it turned out that BEFORE the Mongolian film that was supposed to open the festival, I was to screen a Norwegian 70mm short. The Mongolian thing was in 1.85, that I for various technical reasons had decided to show in a small, cropped version of our 1.66 format. The 2.21 70mm format was at least three times as big on the screen, so the Mongolian director probably never forgave me... :-)Another pleasent surprise (well, not really; I've been rather confident about it) lately has been the really smooth installation of a CP500, new amps, and new speakers in our theatre. The sound is marvellous and the installation was problem-free. Yet to come is the Dolby MPU1, but I'm not worried.
Posted by Michael Barry (Member # 237) on 01-09-2000, 09:30 AM:
Erika: I can't wait to see 'Magnolia' (won't open here in Sydney for a couple of months) but it's great to know about that letter - Paul Thomas Anderson was already one of my heroes, and now I just want to hug him (well, maybe not literally, but, you know...!). I'm immensely pleased that I got a chance to run 'Boogie Nights'.My satisfying recent experience: Recently, I ran a short film made by a local, fairly prominent actress. Before the screening, I asked her whether the intended aspect ratio was 1.85:1 or 1.66:1. Blank look. 'Let's try 1.85:1', I suggested. After the screening, I showed her the different aperture plates and patiently explained the difference between the two ratios.
Later, I was passing through the foyer and was stopped by one of her associates. 'Are you the projectionist?' she asked. She then told me that the director of the film had told her what a nice, patient guy I was and that she would not hesitate to return to the theatre for future screenings! (Shucks!) I must admit that this surprised me, as when I was speaking to her she was quite 'poker faced'. Just goes to show, sometimes you can't tell what someone's really thinking.
Posted by Jim Bedford (Member # 4) on 01-09-2000, 11:01 AM:
My biggest pleasant surprise is the great information I have been able to get from this forum and the 35mm films I have been able to find from foreign contacts I have made at HIAC. Details: Thru Film-Tech contacts the Telluride Film Festival was able to entice two projectionists to work for us last summer. My much-maligned Christie P35C's were given a conditional "thumbs-up" by forum posters. I have been able to get almost two dozen titles from abroad that are just plain not available in the US.
More than anything, the internet (esp. Film-Tech and HIAC) have had the interesting aspect if being "Woodstock-like," in that they have demonstrated that folks like myself, who love handling and collecting 35mm film, are not alone. Thanks guys and gals; it is a wonderful "brave new world" that I barely knew existed a year ago.
Posted by Stephen Jones (Member # 16) on 01-09-2000, 07:20 PM:
Being told that you have just got a pay rise is always a pleasant supprise.------------------
Posted by Rob Brooks (Member # 186) on 01-09-2000, 07:50 PM:
Recently I got a very nice Thank You letter for a tribute I was involved in for Francis Thompson. He is an icon in the IMAX and large screen cinema. A quote from the letter to me said "Your patience, attention to detail and willingness to accomodate our schedule helped the proceed smoothly. Participants and audience alike were very pleased with the end result. The 35mm and 70mm films looked great"! Well I framed it because it was the only Thank you letter I've gotten in 27 years in this business and I do a lot of special shows. It was just nice to feel appreciated.
Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 01-14-2000, 01:14 AM:
The nicest suprise I have ever recieved was from the police department. They came over to see if we were still open. You see when I took over six months ago I had to fire the entire staff. They were all gang hooligans that were tearing up the place. I have spent 15 grand on repairs so far and not even finished yet. You see they came over to see if we were still open because they had responded to 91 calls from concerned customers in the previous SIX weeks regarding gang hooligans and it was just the staff and thier freinds causing havoc. The owner of this place only heard rumors and had not even been in the building in NINE years. I finally dragged him out here and he was shocked to see the degradation. Needless to say we are scheduled for a refit in three months and its about damn time.
But to have the police thank you for cleaning up the gang problem, now thats original!
------------------
"If it's not worth doing, I have allready been there and done it"
Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 01-20-2000, 02:23 PM:
I knew a drive-in owner who was so cheap, he didn't pay ANYONE minimum wage. It was always sub-minimum for the seasonal work. When I went to work for him as projectionist, I couldn't believe I actually had three seperate meetings of negotiations; just so I could get minimum wage! Afraid this dangerous precedent would get around to the other employees, I was sworn to secrecy and paid weekly in two seperate checks: one at the sub-minimum rate, and the second with the difference. This "secret", second check would be hidden inside one of the lamphouses, far away from the eyes of other employees and the theatre manager (who was also making a pittance).While this isn't necessarily a pleasant memory, an idea I had during the time was. Since I was in no way going to make more than minimum wage at this gig, I thought placing a tip can on a stool outside the booth door would be a good idea. I could also have Filmack make a trailer that said, "Projectionist Accepts Gratuities"!
Before I was able to go through with this, however, I simply moved on to something more lucrative.
But I still grin when I think of that time.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 01-20-2000, 02:29 PM:
A tip bucket would be nice and in order to the projectionist for putting on a truly quality show, but you'd better hide it if you miss a changeover or the lights or something. People might use it as a refund basket.
Posted by Chris Wootten (Member # 283) on 01-21-2000, 05:29 AM:
I have been a Film Handler in the RAAF for nearly twelve years and I was on exercise in Derby W.A. entertaining "the enemy". I was screening Backdraft, when one of my projectors exploded in flames with me standing beside it. I just wanted to get out of the tent, but all my patrons cheered, saying "Yes... special effects from the projectionist......GREAT!!!" It made cleaning up and fixing the projector all that more worth while.... will send more when I recall them...
Posted by Ari Nordström (Member # 288) on 01-21-2000, 05:58 PM:
I ran a very nicely restored silent movie classic a few days ago. After the show, a 92-year old film director who was the special guest of the evening located me to thank me for a wonderful show. He shook my hand, said some very nice things about the art and craft of projecting, and pointed out how vital it was for any filmmaker that projectionists know what they're doing.It all came back to me, how much I really like being a projectionist.
Posted by Andrew D'Vrey (Member # 285) on 01-22-2000, 01:10 AM:
I always like it when the THX TAP people come in and send you one of those 100 out of 100 reports. ------------------
"And the monkey flips the switch."
- Major Don West, "Lost In Space"
Andrew D'Vrey
IATSE Local 219
Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 12-23-2001, 11:44 AM:
The Man Who Wasn't There when it played the AMC Hamilton. Perfect sound mix (SDDS) plus what appeared to be a "true" black and white print. Newspaper ads gave only DTS/Dolby Digital for sound.It proves that on arthouse/upmarket pictures, presentation counts!
Posted by John Anastasio (Member # 607) on 12-23-2001, 02:26 PM:
When I saw "The Man Who Wasn't There" at the AMC Hamilton, it was a B&W print done on color stock. If they got a better print, I'm pleased to hear it. I'm usually pretty happy with the showings at that theater. The sound is consistantly good there and the place is always immaculately clean. I actually caught a manager chewing out an usher there one night because the kid had on the wrong color tee-shirt under his uniform!
Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 12-23-2001, 03:27 PM:
John A: I stand corrected. Have edited my earlier post to reflect your follow-up remarks.
Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 12-23-2001, 03:29 PM:
Pleasant surprises from my viewpoint is finding managers and projectionists working in some theaters who are just as nuts about movies and show quality as myself.When Lawton's Carmike theater first opened, its DTS systems were not set up properly. Just a last minute rush job to beat a construction deadline I think. No one knew about the problem since the theater didn't even get any DTS prints for the first few months it was opened. When a DTS print of "Seven" arrived and those really loud opening titles hit the screen, I was pretty alarmed. The volume level in the surround array was not all that loud, but so much bass was coming out of them that I thought the drivers would surely disentegrate.
Now, I'm just a friend of the theater's manager, but I took it upon myself to fax DTS about the problem that night and not just leave it to whatever the folks in Columbus, GA would tell the manager. Those guys at DTS actually listened to me. They got on the phone with Jack the next morning and even had one of the best tech guys working in the region over there the same day to get the system tuned correctly. I went back and watched "Seven" after that and the sound was just simply marvelous.
Posted by Bernard Tonks (Member # 809) on 12-23-2001, 04:06 PM:
A nice surprise for me some 30 years ago was when I was helping out the British Film Institute at the converted Roundhouse Theatre Chalk Farm, London (formally a steam engine train depot with turntable), for the BFI Cinema City Exhibition. One night I showed Harold Lloyd’s film “Safety Last “ plus a couple of shorts, the prints were Mr Lloyd’s personal ones, they were also struck special with academy ratio within 1.85:1 wide frame, the mono soundtrack was magnetic in place of the optical track although still coated 4 track but with standard perforations and not foxhole, most unusual.After the screening Harold Lloyd visited the projection box and thanked me for the presentation.
The equipment at the Roundhouse, Kalee 19 projectors, Kalee xenons, Kalee Duosonic sound with 4 track magnetic penthouses to mono only.
Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 12-23-2001, 04:28 PM:
A few years back I did a screening of 'Faust' (the F.W. Murnau 1926 film) and was expecting to get the scratched and worn print that the BFI usually send out to places they have no control over. What I got was a Soho Images hand tinted print that had hardly been shown: very sharp and contrasty and the colours were lovely (miles better than Desmetcolour). The only problem was that the intertitles were in German: myself and a duty manager had very limited German, and after repeated viewings on a Steenbeck, we managed to write out a (probably very rough) translation. She got the job of standing at the front of the auditorium shouting out the translation of each title, trying to make herself heard above the pianist, whilst I stayed upstairs doing the changeovers. I think I got the best deal.