I called up the cinema in question and asked if they ran soundtrack up or soundtrack down...he said 'down'. Hmmm...as I had already made up my ad/trailer pack to 'up' (doesn't everyone run this way now?) I asked him if he wouldn't mind taking it up soundtrack up at his last session.
He said that he had someone coming in that night who was unfamiliar with the booth and that they wouldn't be able to do that as it would probably throw him completely.
I didn't think it was that hard a task to ask. He had to take it up SOMEHOW...why not 'up'? I can understand you don't want to mix up your soundtracks as the normal thing, but as they were never going to run this print again...
If that kind of thing throws a projectionist, what if he were asked to do something that was actually difficult?
Needless to say, we ended up having to adjust the pack.
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"It's not the years, honey...it's the mileage". Indiana Jones
I've seen places where if the projector/automation does something unexpected, people just flip switches and turn knobs until something happens. If they "accidentally" put the thing into automatic lens change they just unplug the turret motor. If the aperture plate won't stay in place they use splicing tape to hold it.
Your story doesn't surprise me in the least. If I was in your place, when the guy you talked to didn't know what a soundtrack was, I would have just ended the conversation right then and there. No sense in even trying to explain yourself. It's a waste of breath, sometimes.
Kodak still offers basic projection training seminars, which are a good starting point:
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/screencheck/offer.shtml
And the SMPTE has finally published its new Projection Manual:
http://www.smpte.org/publ/pubs.html#new
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John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
When platters were installed, it turned out that two of them did not know that the film had to be threaded with the soundtrack on the outside. They were hard-working guys, but they had learned by rote. They had learned from the same guy (who taught like a drill instructor) and since then, they did EXACTLY the same thing, in the same way, every time -until platters showed up.
I once visited a newly opened multiplex that had a company "trainer" spend only a week or so training all the budding new projectionists. I saw one young man making up a show while wearing winter mittens. When I asked why, he said he had been told to wear gloves when handling film.
Another new operator at this multiplex could not tell me the difference between the three digital formats (the theatre has a few screens with each format), or where they were printed on the print. He could not explain the difference between scope and flat, other than that they needed different lenses.
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John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
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"It's not the years, honey...it's the mileage". Indiana Jones
) Based on shows I've attended at other theatres, I think that some booth workers have to be much more educated as to what they are doing. (Like when Blair Witch 2 jumped out of frame, and I alerted them to this, so they SWITCHED THE APERTURE PLATE...)
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"It's not the years, honey...it's the mileage". Indiana Jones
When I teach people how to run projectors, the first thing I do is show them each piece of equipment and tell them the basics of how it works. Then I teach them how to thread and run, etc.
Problem is, most people will stand there and roll their eyes, just pretending to listen. It's only when I show them what they want to know. (Basically, "how to make it go".) That they pay attention.
Once they learn that, they think they know everything.
I constantly rethink my teaching methods. So far, I have it down to memory, the way I teach. I used to have a checklist to teach from. I don't use it anymore unless I get to teach them from scratch.
The hardest thing to do is to UNTEACH people who think they already know everyting.
Paul
Whether the sound track is down or up,(as long as you know which way it is), you can very easily fabricate your previews, etc. to match it proir to your first showing. It would take an extra minute or two to do it.
So, it doesn't take Freddie long to realise that if he plays dumb about the booth, the manager won't send him up there anymore. I'm not saying he will deliberately screw up- he just won't put any effort into learning. Since he will get paid the same, why bother? And since management doesn't allow enough time to train, it's sometimes just not possible to explain even basic concepts. They don't want to spend the money, and Freddie will probably be leaving within a fw months.
At this point, I would be *glad* to get some people that would learn by rote, if they would do what they were shown.
John Walsh
Our wages are covered by a federal award and projectionists get paid higher than normal floor staff. Not much but a little.
Paul
Also, a company does not always have to use money to get people to work harder. Allowing a person who just works the booth to wear regular clothes, (many of the ushers HATE our uniform) or letting an usher watch films (to inspect them) are little perks that might encourage someone to stay working a little longer or do a better job.
I always liked Australia, but now I like it more!
No Paul, they removed all ads and trailers. All we got was the feature.
There was no excuse. It was just not cricket. 
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"It's not the years, honey...it's the mileage". Indiana Jones