This is topic Take this job and shove it! in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 04-28-2000, 01:03 AM:
Well folks, today was my last day with Consolidated Theaters. I have had it with the way they run the place. Everything I have ever tried to do here has been shot down or shut down. The company itself is in extreme financial danger and just will never realize what it takes to make a theater run. I know that I am new to the industry, but come on now, I think I can tell what we are doing wrong. When a company has to replace its entire managment staff every five months, I think you can say something is amiss! I myself came into the company with high expectations that were never met. I was brought in as an equal, but was quickly pushed down as the one to blame for all the problems.
I purchased Film-Guard and completely eliminated static and brain wraps, and for that I was told I was never allowed to spend more than $25 again. Not even for light bulbs! (this place is gettin dark!!!)
I was actually laid off as I apparently wasn't able to dedicate more of my life to the business. So 75 hours a week just isn't enough for some people.
What I would like to hear from all of you is how much time to you dedicate to your job, how much you love it, and what is the appreciation level you recieve for what you do.
Also, is our turnover rate a little high? I think it is. When I was running a chain of video stores, we had 29 managers and 29 assistant managers. In three years we only lost ONE! I just cannot fathom a company that thinks its ok to have this kind of turnaround. Horrendous dont you think?
Ok I am rambling, just trying to get this off my chest.
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"If it's not worth doing, I have already been there and done it"
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-28-2000, 05:07 AM:
Question, has the general manager changed every 5 months, or just the assistants? If the overall head manager has remained, there's your problem! If the general manager position has had a high turnover rate as well, it's the district level or above. Some higher-ups just don't give the proper amount of respect for the guys actually doing the grunt work day in and day out, and the way their staff is treated by management directly affects the turnover rate.I've worked for my fair share of really shitty managers (doing assistant manager work myself for several years). I've also worked for some really fantastic managers. Had I not moved out of Dallas, I would still be working for my all time favorite manager Zina Monceaux today, even if it was only one day a week. It is interesting to note two of her assistant managers opened the theater with her and still stay loyal! Now THAT's damn good management. Hats off to her for running the best theater in Dallas.
Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 04-28-2000, 07:27 AM:
Brad,The general managers stay less than the assistants do! The people directly responsible are the field manager and the owner himself. Now I myself have had a great history with my employees, in fact they usually follow me around, or will work for me at a simple phone call. I think it just comes down to respect. you give it, you get it.
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"If it's not worth doing, I have allready been there and done it"
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-28-2000, 10:29 AM:
Dave,
Give me a call in the office when you can.
Mark
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-28-2000, 02:21 PM:
Well, I think the source of the problem is obvious then.Best of luck in going to work for someone who will actually care about you and the work you do. 
Posted by Jason Burroughs (Member # 68) on 04-28-2000, 02:23 PM:
I too must agree with Brad on that one. One can usually determine where the problem in a company is by where the high turn over is. In one theatre chain when a new DM took over they lost over half of their managers. Most of them vetrans but not all. Most of these theatres have now gone to crap or closed. On the other hand I've seen theatres that were always hiring, because they couldn't keep a staff because of the manager, the problem is usually right above where the turn over is.BTW I too have heard many good things about Zina
Posted by Scott Magie (Member # 368) on 04-28-2000, 11:32 PM:
In the 3 years that I worked for Carmike in Montana, I never once received a compliment of any sort from the district level, yet when I left my theatre in Missoula (after only 8 months as manager) my 10-15 employees (all broke high school and college students) chipped in to by me a DVD player! If those employees were the only factor in my job, I would never have left (and they KNEW that). They knew that I respected them for their hard work and quirky personalities, so they respected me back. If someone higher than me had shown ME some respect, maybe they wouldn't have had to train someone to take my place... only to repeat this a few months down the road when she gets sick of being some corporate lackey.
Is there any theatre chain out there that realizes that saving/making money does not happen by cutting payroll. You end up with the costs of a high turnover (training costs and losses due to newbie mistakes) plus, you get the added benefit of having theatres that look equal to the payscale. Why should I take the time to present a quality picture? Why should I treat the customers with respect? Why should I upsell? Why should I keep the bathrooms tidy? Believe me, minimum wage salary with one day off a week is NOT a sufficient answer.
Thus, I'm now running a smaller independent theatre. The End.------------------
Scott A. Magie
scoooot@hotmail.com
"Anybody wanna peanut?"
Posted by Dwayne Caldwell (Member # 417) on 04-29-2000, 05:42 AM:
You'd think most people with managerial status would catch on to the fact that a little respect towards the staff goes a long way. Unfortunately, this is not so with some managers. I worked for a real piece of shit named Bob Rogers at a GCC, and six of our most experienced employees migrated to a UA. I was supposed to be the seventh, and to this day I still don't know why I stayed. Needless to say, the theatre went down hill from there. Especially in terms of customer service. The presentation didn't suffer too much since it was Union operated. But the service was lousy, some employees (seedy replacements) were stealing from concession, and shows were delayed by The GM because we couldn't work fast enough to get the people into their auditoriums due to the dwindling staff. I worked for that satellite of a man for about a year and was about to tell him to take the job and shove it where only Customs Agents dare to probe when he was replaced by a GM named Brad Bates. Now that man was charismatic, fair, and he wasn't afraid to actually work. So he turned to place around. And because of him, I was introduced to the world of the projection booth (training as a non-Union Booth Staff Member at the time). It pays to respect and even compliment workers that put forth the effort and I think most managers understand that. It's a shame though when the upper-level personnel (Area, District, or any other form of Corporate scum) don't do the same for the managers. Oh Scott. I know this is off the subject, but would that "Anybody wanna peanut" quote you use by chance happen to be from The Princess Bride? Just curious.
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The man with the magic hands.
Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 04-29-2000, 11:04 PM:
Sometimes I find that my most vocal opponents, management wise, are the ones who have the most tenuous grip on their jobs. Most of your average shitty managers are subconsciously trying to compensate for their weaknesses by pointing out the weaknesses of their subordinates.
I have seen at least a half dozen bad managers come and go. There was only one who had the good sense to realize that "this job wasn't for him". He realized it early on and decided to "get while the getting was good." You know what? In a funny way, it kinda' makes you respect him, doesn't it?
Just remember: Managers are like busses. -- There'll be another one along any minute, now!
Posted by George Roher (Member # 91) on 04-29-2000, 11:32 PM:
I worked in a theatre that went through five GM's in a two year period. I liked all of them.
Posted by Chris Wootten (Member # 283) on 04-30-2000, 07:43 AM:
I must be lucky........ single screen, seasonal, due to being walk-in , and wet season. We dont supply chairs... the patrons gotta bring em or else sit on the grass....I get a new boss every year...fresh from Defence Force Academy..and still wet behind the you know where. Only had one pain in da rear, and she got replaced, so as to not upset the staff. Not normally the way the military works, but hey... everything is changing there... 
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"I luv the smell of napalm in tha mornin !"
Keep Smiling......Chris
Posted by Scott Magie (Member # 368) on 04-30-2000, 08:58 PM:
Dwayne,
Yes, my tagline is in response to Vizzini's inconceivable request to, "Stop rhyming... I MEAN it!" Glad you noticed. As for YOUR tagline, I'm not going to ask... you're not going to tell! ------------------
Scott A. Magie
scoooot@hotmail.com
"Anybody wanna peanut?"
Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 04-30-2000, 10:29 PM:
Our theatre has had the same GM for 14 years.
Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-01-2000, 12:25 AM:
I think Dwayne has been longing for somebody to ask what his quote means. It is kind of funny if you don't know its meaning! Maybe people should be kept in the dark, but that's up to Dwayne-O.
Posted by Dwayne Caldwell (Member # 417) on 05-01-2000, 07:38 AM:
Yes Joe. You are correct. I HAVE been wanting someone to ask me about the magic hands, and it's about time someone asked me (well telling me they won't ask, I won't tell is as good as I'm going to get I suppose). I think that after forty four posts, it is time to put the people of this forum in the light. Scott. I don't mind telling you what my tag line refers to, and I assure you it is not perverted in nature. Although people speculating on that has just been a bonus for me. Simply put, any time you log on to this site and hit the link entitled Tips, the hands you see doing the demonstrations belong to me. There's also a picture of them here:
http://www.film-tech.com/splitprint.html If any are in doubt, just ask our moderator and founder of this beloved site. THIS is why I am "the man with the magic hands". And I am told they will be used very soon in a How to use Film Guard article. 'Til then, my hands will be waiting for the camera.
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The man with the magic hands.
Posted by Carl King (Member # 398) on 05-01-2000, 09:18 PM:
Hi gang:I know exactly what you mean by shitty managers. I've worked for some in my 32 yrs in the booth. In my 7plex we've had 7 managers in the last 5 yrs. That's due mostly to expansion in our company. Of the 7 managers I'd say that 3 were good and the rest not so good. Employers often tell us that the proper attitude is required in order to do a good job. Some of them forget tht they too need a proper attitude. Like Aretha says . R. E. S. P. E. C. T.
Posted by Chad Souder (Member # 343) on 05-02-2000, 08:09 PM:
Sorry to hear about your respective bad situations. I work for Cinema Entertainment in the midwest, and I have nothing but praise and thanks for how they've treated me. At one point it seemed like I couldn't screw up any more if I was paid, but I'm still here. I think what's happened to many of you is, and has been, happening in a variety of businesses across America for a while now. Lack of respect for the common person. I wonder what would happen if everyone got teamed up with their superiors, employees, etc. and had to make a farm work for a season. That'd learn 'em.