1. Some of you may need to do this at some point, and it's not easy to come up with blanket terms on-the-spot. You may find it to be a great help if you are able to find some suggestions here.
2. I wonder if you would add your own concerns here...or help with re-wording some of these.
First, some background info...
I have a service agreement with a chain of theatres that calls for regular upkeep of the equipment.
Lately, they have taken to hiring/promoting projectionists without proper training. I see some horrible things getting ready to happen...
* I came across a xenon lamp burning while the projector was idle. Film was threaded.
* A film trap was stuck in the open position. As I was replacing the spring, the new operator said that the last one had told her to "just hit it a few times with a screwdriver."
* A new print had to be broken down and rebuilt because every splice was causing loops to be lost...sprocket holes were not punched through.
* Lots of trailers with bad splices.
* A manager changed a xenon lamp without ANY safety gear...using a unit that had been set aside as "questionable" due to the fact that the packaging showed signs of mishandling and water damage.
I have offered to carry out booth training, but my course takes about four weeks to complete. The problem is that this is a remote location...they aren't willing to cover the cost of hotel accommodations for extended periods.
Also...I don't believe in conducting these sessions for only one candidate...and I think they're pretty much sold on promoting only one person at this particular site.
Which brings me to the point...finally!
I have found it necessary to fashion a "misuse of equipment" statement which says that any equipment failures that arise out of misuse of equipment will be billed on a case-by-case basis.
"Misuse" requires definition...here is what I have (so far):
* Use of booth equipment by untrained or uncertified personnel. (Note: Casual, "on-the-job training" conducted by other employees/managers is not recognized.)
* Use of a procedure by any person who is not authorized to carry out the procedure. (Note: For the purposes of the service agreement, <name of electrician/installer> and myself are the only persons authorized to service the booth equipment.)
* Use of any unauthorized procedure.
* Use of unauthorized tools, including (but not limited to): solvents, oils and lubricants.
* Unauthorized use, handling, repair or maintenance of equipment.
* Unauthorized installation of equipment, components or parts (including screws and other fasteners).
* Failure to operate equipment in accordance with procedures and practices as taught during the certification program.
* Failure to clean the equipment at least once per day. (Note: Operators are trained in an acceptable cleaning method during the official training period.)
* Failure to report equipment irregularities in a timely manner.
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And, hey! Let's be careful out there.
~Manny.
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Jan Hackett
Theater Operations Manager
Extreme Screen Dynatheater
NM Museum of Natural History Foundation
Are you recommending that we leave it lit...if you're running 20hours a day (like Jan)? Or under any circumstance?
I feel compelled to point out that this particular feature had several hours to go before showtime. It was just around 11am and showtime wasn't until around 3pm. Isn't this dangerous? Isn't it a waste of lamp hours?
I always thought that an ignited xenon posed a greater hazard than a cool one..? No?
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And, hey! Let's be careful out there.
~Manny.
signed 'new to xenons'
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And, hey! Let's be careful out there.
~Manny.
And to quote from there (some way through the article) "each bulb ignition decreased the expected bulb life by thirty minutes". So I guess if there is much more than half an hour before the lamp is next needed then switch it off, otherwise leave it on. This though is based on a study done in the sixties so perhaps things have changed, and I guess it is going to be different for various bulbs, and probably lamp houses and power supplies.
I personally leave the bulb on between showings but this is rarely going to be as much as an hour, and only if there is a projectionist arround.
Manny. Glad to hear you're on top of things. Poorly trained projectionists will have everyone staying home or going somewhere
else. There is too much competition out there for the entertainment
dollar to put up with poor booth work.
...But there's always the manual ignition, and that's where the new projectionist ran into trouble:
She didn't know that she had bumped the switch...
She didn't notice that the lamp had ignited...
She probably wouldn't have known how to turn it off even if she had noticed that it was on.
I'm sure we're all in agreement that it's dangerous to hire a newbie to run the booth unsupervised, and that's clearly what's happening at that location.
Leaving the xenon on/off between shows is really a separate issue...and seems to be a matter of preference (for the most part, anyway).
I just don't want to be getting "emergency calls" if we can avoid them. I also get the feeling that it's gonna take a helluva lot more time to fix the newbie-related disasters that lay ahead.
The monthly rate that I charge is based on routine PREVENTIVE maintenance, based on my history with these units. It also covers general repairs. I'm just putting that company on notice that any STUPID mistakes are going to cost them. This is often the only "language" they understand and, thus, it is often the most effective approach to take when trying to bring about a change for the better.
I'm not trying to make extra bucks...I just want them to have well-trained projectionists.
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And, hey! Let's be careful out there.
~Manny.
"X" amount of money for Preventative Maintainence.
"Y" additional amount of money for General (non-emergency) repairs.
"Z" additional amount of money for Emergency Calls.
"Z++" amount of money for repairs made after they do something you told them not to do.
There's a sign on the wall in my auto mechanic's garage:
Labor Rates:
I often considered making this a policy myself. 