Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: The Show Must Go On

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Posted by David Stone (Member # 4846) on 02-10-2010, 06:14 PM:

Hi,

How many projectionists should not be there....

An Indepedant theatre in Sydney lost a half full session this week because not 1, but 2 projectionists ? could not open the stage curtains.

Does anyone hve similar such stories.

Cheers,

David.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 02-10-2010, 06:54 PM:

That sort of statement has been the cause of many curtain removal!

I know I had the stage curtain fail at the Uptown in DC...that was a scary one!

I was able to get it open far enough but my weight was exceeded by the drag of the curtain at some point (I could climb the chain but not open the curtain any more). That is the worst I've had it.

Good systems should have a means of manually cranking the curtain open in case of machine failure.

Despite what ANYONE claims...drapery machines, tracks, cables, pulleys should be inspected, lubricated and repaired on a regular basis...every 6-12 months in a typical theatre and closer to every 3-6 months in a special venue that uses the drapes more.

Cords stretch, pulleys get out of alignment...things happen. Routine maintenance would prevent such failures. Grand drape failures are more catastrophic since they cover the screen. But the same rules apply to masking systems too.

Steve

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 02-11-2010, 03:50 PM:

Well, it wasn't mine so that really only leaves three others...one of which is David's and I doubt he'd put that up.

Hmmm... [Wink]

Posted by Amir Zohourian (Member # 5321) on 02-11-2010, 04:09 PM:

On every stage end we do there is always a catwalk near the top of frame with a permanent ladder, the speaker platform is a full deck and it makes servicing the speakers, masking and curtains much easier.
Most good curtain motor suppliers (ADC) hint hint, also supply a manual override crank, it usually fits the end of the drum shaft and it works for lift curtains. A draw curtain is bit harder to move in an emergency, best is to cut the ropes of the motor drum and move it by hand, deal with it after the show.

Posted by Bernie Anderson Jr (Member # 410) on 02-11-2010, 04:27 PM:

I had 2 shows canceled because the LED in the soundhead was not on. This was after 2 "projectionists" couldn't get it working. Switch was off.

Posted by Amir Zohourian (Member # 5321) on 02-11-2010, 04:31 PM:

forgive my ignorance i am just a screen guy, why do you have a switch on the readers? it is my understanding that the penthouse reader draws power through the video cable from the processor, basement readers usually have their own power supplies and should come on when you turn on the projector

Posted by Bernie Anderson Jr (Member # 410) on 02-11-2010, 04:40 PM:

Analog... And when they installed them, they were switched on and off by automation. So when it didn't relay didn't latch, they didn't know what to do. You know, with some of these threaders, its amazing anything gets on screen.

Posted by Hugh McCullough (Member # 1542) on 02-11-2010, 04:46 PM:

A few years ago I got called out one evening to a similar problem with the screen curtains, or Tabs as we call them in the UK.

The cable had broken, and wrapped itself, in a right tangle, around the drum.
This had caused the motor fuse to blow.
Luckily there was a walkway behind the curtain track, so it was just a case of unhooking all the bobbins and letting the curtain drop on to the stage.
We then just dragged them over to the side, and restarted the film.

The cause of the cable break was found the next morning.
Whoever had recabled the curtains, apparently he was the very well known Mr Don't Know, had somehow managed to wrap the cable around one of the screen frame poles. Made a nice sharp groove completely through the metal resulting in the cable eventually jamming tight.

Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 02-11-2010, 05:32 PM:

Many years ago I was working at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park, NJ. Per union contract, operators were not allowed to open and close the curtain. This was usually done by ushers. We placed a curtain cue at the end of the credits, and someone was supposed to throw the switch backstage to close the curtain.

As fate would have it, the kid who was to perform the task hit the switch at the beginning of the credits. Realizing his mistake, he hit the switch again to close the curtain. This was a no-no, as the motor and wench had to complete a cycle. Of course, the curtain cable left the wench and jammed, leaving the curtain partially open.

Fortunately, it was the last show of the night. Stage maintenance guy had to come in and lower the curtain from the fly to the stage. It took two days before they could get it repaired. In the meantime, the screen was left exposed- something that just wasn't done back in the old days.

In the meantime, the show went on. [Smile]

Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 02-11-2010, 05:54 PM:

quote: John T. Hendrickson, Jr
Per union contract, operators were not allowed to open and close the curtain.

And many people wonder why the union is disapearing.... [Roll Eyes]

Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 02-11-2010, 08:37 PM:

Not disappearing, Sean, but gone.

The incident I described above took place in 1970. The local in that area no longer exists.

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 02-11-2010, 09:22 PM:

quote: John T Hendrickson, Jr.
As fate would have it, the kid who was to perform the task hit the switch at the beginning of the credits. Realizing his mistake, he hit the switch again to close the curtain. This was a no-no, as the motor and wench had to complete a cycle. Of course, the curtain cable left the wench and jammed, leaving the curtain partially open.

Man. I hate it when my wench doesn't complete her cycle causing my cable to jam. [Big Grin]

LOL John, a wench is a woman from the olden days.

A winch is the thing that works the curtain. :

Just pokin a little fun at ya. [Smile]

Posted by Tom Inglis (Member # 5181) on 02-12-2010, 05:23 AM:

Well, just yesterday we had an interesting set of problems. We'd had a lamp flickering for a few days so it was due to change a few days ago, only its negative connector was stuck, so Matt couldn't just take the lamp out.

Our PM came in yesterday and they both attempted to change the whole assembly (i'm not sure of all the exact details) which they took out of a different screen (where we have digital and print). Only that was aligned differently and they had to bodge it.

When they went on screen to test it, the shutter drive went.

When they changed that, the Xenon autofocus went.

Many spanners later, it is, sort of, fixed.... First show we got on was 21.15, poor Matt was there from 0900 to 2000...

Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 02-12-2010, 04:26 PM:

Tony Bandiera Jr. wrote:

"LOL John, a wench is a woman from the olden days.

A winch is the thing that works the curtain. :"

Hey Tony- good catch! Priceless. I'm not gonna bother to edit the post. Never realized we had wenches behind the screen. [Big Grin]

Of course, the old place was once a vaudville house!

Glad you caught my faux pas before Slycord discovered it. [Wink]