Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: I want to be a projectionist

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Posted by Ted Uzzle (Member # 9135) on 04-20-2016, 12:33 AM:

If the son or daughter of a friend of yours came to you and asked, "I want to be a projectionist, do technical work in a cinema, will you help me?" ---what would you reply? "Here are some opportunities. . ."---or, "Run for the hills!"

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 04-20-2016, 03:29 AM:

With the exception of a handful of theatres, "projectionist" is an obsolete position. In the modern projection room you need to be an IT person more than a mechanical person, and there is very little work to do on a day to day basis since there is nothing physical to deal with.

That being said, I would always be willing to consider hiring someone who showed a technical and/or mechanical aptitude. Many teenagers today are completely ignorant when it comes to anything mechanical, and many don't even know how to operate a wrench. If this person was interested in working as a regular employee at the cinema, I would be happy to teach them how the projectors work once I got a positive feeling about their work ethic, attention to detail, technical and mechanical aptitude, and willingness to learn.

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 04-20-2016, 08:32 AM:

> I want to be a projectionist, do technical work in a cinema

As Justin said, there are no more "projectionist" jobs left outside of a few retrospect theatres and arts centers.

As to technical work, ingesting files and building play lists is not really technical work. In most venues, technical work is handled by either an outside vendor or for larger circuits, their technical support department.

If just working in a Cinema is the goal, then getting into management is the way to go. If the interest is technical, going to college or trade school for IT and electrical engineering is the way to go, or getting a service/installer to take on an apprentice.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-20-2016, 12:32 PM:

quote: Justin Hamaker
Many teenagers today are completely ignorant when it comes to anything mechanical, and many don't even know how to operate a wrench.

Why is this? We keep hearing that today's teens are the brightest, smartest, best generation of human beings to ever come along, so why can't they DO anything? I have a couple of kids in our concession stand who find the task of leaving a total of exactly $100 in the till at night completely baffling. And they're honor roll students who can operate cars and smartphones!

But yeah, agreed with the above posts, "projectionist" is a lost job these days.

Posted by Bill Brandenstein (Member # 7758) on 04-20-2016, 12:49 PM:

Just consider the utter lack of film and the technical requirements of the recently-posted position opening at Imax.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 04-20-2016, 01:35 PM:

There will probably be a very small number of actual projectionist jobs remaining (as in, ones that involve film handling and presentation), in the medium term at least, almost all of them in arthouse, repertory, university campus, archive screening theatres, and cinematheque type venues. I would suggest that anyone contemplating trying to train from the ground up to enter that line of work needs the following:

1. An affinity for technical/engineering and artistic/cultural issues. I've encountered many projectionists who know their Renoir from their Welles but can only just thread a machine (and even then, not accurately and every time), and those who can strip and rebuild a Norelco while drunk and blindfolded, but, in the words of my first boss, regard film as being something "that is this wide [holds thumb and forefinger roughly 35mm apart] and goes through a projector." Either person is guaranteed to have trouble working in the few remaining places that are likely to continue to need old school projectionists.

A major aspect of this is that you will need to deal with curators and programmers who believe that they are God's gift to their locale's cultural scene and have disappeared so far up their ass that they're in danger of re-emerging from their nose, ideally without losing your cool. Festival programmers and curators (many of whom are failed filmmakers and thus have chips on their shoulders) are, with a small number of honorable exceptions, some of the gnarliest people you'll ever have to deal with. They have spent many years playing God with filmmakers, deciding which entries that land on their desk are worthy of their patronage and which are not, and therefore their attitude to lowly technicians is that they are very much an inferior life form - of a lower caste even than bad filmmakers.

2. Related to which, the ability to work through technical issues with people who don't understand them and never will. "But I can do this on my Mac - why can't you do it exactly the same way in your theatre?" is a very familiar refrain you're going to have to develop strategies to defuse. You will also encounter the "little knowledge is a dangerous thing" syndrome as well, especially from academics. I was once forced to show Seven Samurai in 1.85, because the professor introducing the screening had seen it that way on an incorrectly transferred VHS copy and insisted that this was correct. Despite the fact that opening titles, foreheads, you name it, were all cropped, the manager sided with her, and even responded to customer complaints after the show by saying that she had pronounced this to be correct, and so it had to be correct. In situations like that, you just have to grit your teeth, smile, accept that you'll lose some of those battles, and unload about what an effing idiot this person is to co-workers later, which is MUCH easier said than done.

3. An acceptance that they'll spend many years learning a skill set, a lot of it by self-teaching, and much of which is not in any way transferable to any other job. If they have any sense, they will maintain currency in another line of work, because they'll probably need to in order to be sure of being able to earn a living.

4. Any please still showing film is likely to be showing DCPs as well, and Powerpoint presentations, stuff from files on a laptop, setting up mics and other a/v stuff. So at least intermediate level IT skills are also essential. A major part of the technical work of festivals that attract first time or low budget entrants is sorting out the mess of homebrew DCPs that some hippie with a cannabis resin-stained Macbook Pro has f****d up the authoring of in some way or another.

5. They will need to be a self starter, able to work largely on their own and unsupervised, and a problem solver. AFAIK, only one of the big service companies (Boston Light and Sound) still offers any sort of formal service for film projection booth maintenance and repair, and so the chances are that if something significant breaks down, you won't just be able to lift the phone and call a 24hr helpline operated by a vendor with whom you have a service contract. A big part of your job will be to keep obsolete equipment, that is no longer supported by its manufacturer, on life support.

6. Accept that you will need to work antisocial hours (as someone who is juggling being a projectionist with raising a three-month old child, I can assure you that once you get past your 20s, the evening working becomes an issue), and may need to make regular long distance relocations if you want to advance in your career unless you are based in one of the few places that has a more than one venue that still hires projectionists (e.g. LA or NYC).

7. "Back in the day," when there was still a proper workforce of projectionists, it was a common career route to transition into installation and service work. It still could be for the few that remain, but keep in mind that this work will be almost exclusively digital. The job posting linked by Bill above gives a pretty good idea of what that work will involve.

Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 04-20-2016, 01:58 PM:

"I used to be a projectionist, now I'm in IT"

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 04-20-2016, 02:43 PM:

quote:
If the son or daughter of a friend of yours came to you and asked, "I want to be a projectionist, do technical work in a cinema, will you help me?" ---what would you reply? "Here are some opportunities. . ."---or, "Run for the hills!"

I would ask him or her if he or she actually knows that the job of the average "projectionist" actually entails nowadays.

Unlike the VHS tape, film has more redeeming qualities than just pure nostalgia. It won't fade away entirely in the foreseeable future.

So, I guess it starts with assessing someones affections. If someone wants to do something with film, there's still work. If he or she thinks there are still humans at work behind the porthole of your average multiplex, he or she might best be served with some light form of reality adjustment therapy.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 04-20-2016, 03:04 PM:

quote: Buck Wilson
"I used to be a projectionist, now I'm in IT"

"I used to be a heroin addict, now I'm a methadone addict"
----"Annie Hall" (the movie not the character)

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 04-20-2016, 03:07 PM:

Even though we are digital and with no booths (boxes) to speak of, I still get called, "The Location's Projectionist", even though I'm also one of the location's assistant mgrs.

Instead of being in front of the the splicer and makeup tables, now, I reside in front of a TMS and babysit Barcos.

Yep, a dead term in the digital realm.

Posted by Bill Brandenstein (Member # 7758) on 04-20-2016, 04:13 PM:

What should we reply?

Become independently wealthy, build a real (reel) home theater, and take it up as a serious pastime.

Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 04-20-2016, 05:06 PM:

quote:
"Run for the hills!"

Posted by Paul Dorobialski (Member # 7536) on 04-20-2016, 05:52 PM:

I can remember wanting to be a projectionist as a kid. I made it to the projectionist club in grade school, junior high, then on to high school where I helped run the av department. Later on I would become a union booth operator in 1977. I never look at it being a 'strange' job as my friends would say. I did get to see many a film, installed new advances in film projection & sound, removal of equipment from closed theaters, etc. I just wish automation didn't eliminate the position. I only wish I was in the booth in the 1950's.

Posted by James Westbrook (Member # 3690) on 04-20-2016, 06:50 PM:

I hope the "Plan B" career choice isn't "Radio D J."

Posted by Harold Hallikainen (Member # 5405) on 04-20-2016, 07:59 PM:

http://www.careercast.com/jobs-rated/worst-jobs-2016

Harold
(who used to work in radio)

Posted by Ted Uzzle (Member # 9135) on 04-21-2016, 12:27 AM:

Paul Dorobialski, we are almost identical twins. Take courage, my friend. My first projection job was in 1965, projecting "Cleopatra" at the Midway Drive-In Theatre, midway between Jacksonville, Florida, and Jacksonville Beach. Two totally crappy towns, useful only for making money. Our rectifier had fleur-de-lis tubes. To activate the rectifiers, we had to freeze the carbons together, rotate the tubes, and slosh the mercury back and forth. Then, run back to pull the carbons apart, and make the changeover. That was (crude) projection in the 1960's.
Paul, my friend, the world is different now, but will still make a place at the table for you.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 04-21-2016, 08:49 AM:

Broadcast engineer comes to mind as well. Low pay, too many stations, and carry out the trash. (Did that one as well.)

Posted by Paul Dorobialski (Member # 7536) on 04-21-2016, 09:48 AM:

Radio? I had a "underground" AM transmitter in early 1976 playing big band 78's. Then one day, while doing a modulation test I burned a hole thru the insulating mica of the tuning capacitor. That shut me down for good because no spec was printed on the drawing for the small transmitter, and I didn't know ham radio operators to get help from, so I was 'off the air' for good. I did do some DJ work back in 1970 but that was at a community center. They had a Newcomb system with turntables.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-21-2016, 11:42 AM:

I was on the radio for about a half hour in the '80s. I had a friend who worked at the local station, who did the evening shift. I stopped by to see him one time, we had a few drinks, and then he said "Want to be on the air?" I had always thought that would be fun, but was really nervous. He said, "Just keep in mind, there are thousands of people with their radios on, but hardly anybody is really listening." So I did the weather report, played a couple of records and that was it. I think I could have gotten pretty good at it. If it hadn't been a country station (and I hate country), I might've tried to get a job there.

Posted by Manny Montes (Member # 5639) on 04-21-2016, 12:45 PM:

I'd tell them to get into electrical engineering.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-21-2016, 01:38 PM:

Just I.T.... EXCUSE ME! Light, sound, optics, computers, automation, amplifiers, speakers, Baffle Walls, Acoustical treatment, air handlers, exhaust blowers... And then you better also be able to work with metal and wood on occasion and have an intimate knowledge of all types of wiring.

Just an IT expert never makes the grade working ON booths. You have to know all the other meat too. And that's the main place where large service companies Like Strong Technical fall apart. They hire IT guys with the "we can train em" attitude. Well, that never really quite happens because these "IT gurus" spend 88% of their time driving around a two or three State area putting out small fires and never get to learn the meat of all the above subjects.

Mark

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 04-21-2016, 01:43 PM:

There could not possibly be a worse time to get into this business.

I cannot speak for other markets but, at least here, there are more experienced, competent operators than there are jobs. Anyone looking for one of these jobs would be competing with people who are better qualified. Additionally, the projectionist's job has changed significantly over the last few years. It has never required more knowledge and skill than it does now, yet it gets no more pay or respect than it did a decade or so ago. The fact that it now requires knowledge of IT and networking and many different video formats, as well as all film formats does not seem to matter.

In some ways, all of this makes the job more interesting, but the day-to-day aspects of the job are rather mundane. If D-cinema equipment fails, it is generally not fixable without a service call. Film equipment can often be fixed (at least temporarily) with paper clips, rubber bands, and epoxy, but D-cinema equipment is less forgiving. Actual film screenings are more of a special event, and the day-to-day job in many cinemas largely consists of watching movies start themselves. "Film" festivals now largely consist of checking and fixing badly made DCPs, playing tapes, and possibly a token screening of actual film. And film screenings themselves increasingly involve archival prints in various formats (16mm, 35mm, and 70mm).

Anyone with the necessary mechanical, electrical, and IT skills to be a projectionist in 2016 could almost certainly find a more stable and remunerative career in some other industry.

Otherwise, what Leo said is pretty much spot-on.

That said, I would encourage anyone with an interest in and aptitude for the job to learn the needed skills (if the opportunity presents itself), but to do so with the understanding that it will not likely translate into a financially and emotionally rewarding job.

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 04-21-2016, 03:10 PM:

I couldn't advise a young person to pursue a career in the "film" side of things. If they were interested in the digital technology, then they'd have to understand that there aren't "projectionist" jobs anymore -- not the way they are probably imagining it.

So -- do they want to SHOW movies? Or do they want to play around with the technology for a living?

If they want to show movies -- run for the hills.

If they are interested in the technology -- especially digital -- then they should learn the entire audiovisual integration business -- including home theatres.

Learn how to plan out a system, how to wire up a rack (including wire termination), how to install, network, configure, and calibrate digital projectors and audio systems.

As others have pointed out, it's become more of an I.T. job now, so they should definitely pursue some training in that regard.

If their eyes start to dim at the sound of all of this -- if they were hoping they'd get to "work with film" -- then this is not the line of work for them.

In which case, run for the hills.

Posted by Mike Babb (Member # 1379) on 04-21-2016, 03:17 PM:

My son is a cinema technician, working some very good gigs. Both my daughters are projectionists occasionally, one has two upcoming gigs in May and June. Not many of these jobs pop up, but some can be very interesting, and/or take you to interesting places.

Posted by Ted Uzzle (Member # 9135) on 04-21-2016, 10:54 PM:

Oh, broadcasting, wow! May I whisper a secret? The radio department at my college has offered a place to every applicant, but how many have accepted for fall 2016? Two. Two. Two entering freshmen for the radio class of 2020.
Last one out please turn off the lights.

Posted by Emiel De Jong (Member # 4225) on 04-22-2016, 03:44 AM:

Leo, I really enjoyed reading points 1 and 2 in your post earlier in this thread... I was a projectionist in an arthouse and this pretty much sums it all up... The frustration of you caring about doing it right while nobody else in the "organisation" is interested. And dealing with being an inferior lifeform as a technician. I got out (or rather, was made to get out) just before Digital and I am not sorry about that. Now, that sounds all gloomy, but actually I am glad I was a projectionist and I remember the good things. And some of those good memories even have to do with the common regard that "technical" never can have anything to do with "art": I had a hilarious fight with a publicity person who couldn't take it from me that her writing about Carl Theodor Dreyer deciding to shoot "Vampyr" on black & white filmstock was silly.

Posted by Rex Oliver (Member # 7593) on 04-23-2016, 12:10 AM:

I am not a projectionist-do find it fascinating-that is why I read about it here.Did the change from analog projection to digital projection reduce the number or call for projeciotnists a we know it?Right now work as a "lead transmitterist" at the last remaining SW transmitter site operated by the Gov't.It broadcasts to Cuba,South America adn Africa.We figure it would be harder to close this last plant down-Greenville,NC.Have to deal with 65,50,and 30 year old transmitters out here with no possiblility of new ones in sight.Local machine shops make up mechanical parts.We have to "apapt" new electrical parts for the transmitters tat are here.two of the transmitters are from Switzerland adn the other from Germany.Parts are expensive adn have to be imported from those places-and delivory times can be months!Just now,had to re4set a Tx that arced over.Lo power for the rest of the night!Only have one guy with me on this mid shift.I have been very interested in operation of cinemas,hope it could be a part time retirement job.It is sort of fascinating-hope it can last.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 04-23-2016, 04:41 AM:

Rex, long before the digital conversion, projectionist was an endangered position at most movie theatres. For different reasons usually tied to cost cutting, many theatres had done away with full time professional projectionists. Most of those theatres were staffed with people who knew how to run the theatres, and perhaps do some basic maintenance tasks. But rarely was there anyone on site who could deal with more complicated issues.

These operators were usually part of the management team, and projection and film handling were just part of their duties, along with normal management duties. They could thread projectors, build up and tear down film, and may handle a bulb change. But they didn't have the know how to make adjustments beyond focus and frame. They couldn't disassemble a gate/trap; change an intermittent; troubleshoot and change diodes; etc. If something really went wrong with the projector, the auditorium was down until a technician could arrive.

With digital projectors, there are no moving parts to deal with. Aside from some issues with lens motors affecting shift/focus/zoom, there is very little that can go wrong from a presentation standpoint. For day to day operations there isn't much more to do than turn the machines on and off, besides occasionally checking to make sure everything is working properly.

If the event something does go wrong, it can usually be diagnosed remotely. The most common issue is a failure of the RAID, which is not unexpected for hard drives. When they fail, a new set gets sent to the theatre where almost anyone can install them. Then a remote tech will rebuild the array.

As far as content goes, it's delivered directly the the theatre's server via satellite in many locations. The movie schedule is usually sent directly from the ticketing system, and all the manager has to do is sit in front of a computer and click a mouse to put together playlists. And this can often be done from a remote location by logging into a booth computer.

In a digital cinema, there is no need for an on-site projectionist. Once the initial install and configuration is done, there is virtually no maintenance besides changing bulbs and filters. A circuit can have small team of techs who go around performing periodic service at each location, most of which is making sure the software is up to date on the projectors and servers.

Posted by Rex Oliver (Member # 7593) on 04-23-2016, 06:28 AM:

Justin:thanks for the info-like radio stations did away with engineers as transmitters were remote controlled or even automated-automatic start,stop and readings logged.So digital now means no physical handling of films or anything-computer work!I looked up some of the projector websites adn they mention some parts of the projector are NOT "feild" serviceable.They require a visit from the projector builder to install certain parts.The "projectionist" at the site can change bulbs,filters and load or unload programs to show from the projector.At the place I am at now--we have to do it all.When the Tx goes down we have to do whatever it takes to get it back on air-and in the maentime tune up an alternative transmitter to use while the broken one is fixed.Mostly variable vacuum capacitor failures-then tubes or mechanical parts.Since these rigs run from 4160V 3 Ph power-have to disconnect the pirmary power adn discharge and ground all power supplies.One guy has been killed here and a close call.On my shift we follow ALL safety measures-we want to go home in one peice after our shift!As you know projectors have their dangers-xenon bulbs that can explode even when unlit adn primary power that can be dangerous.Some smaller commercial transmitters I worked on ran from 208-240V 3 Ph or 480V 3Ph.So careful there,too.So if you want to do digital cinema-looks like you have to bone up on IT and computer skills.Do films still come in the DCP packs adn still use the KDM to "unlock" the film so you can play it after you ingest it into the servers?So,films are delivored by satellite now?Do you still need the KDM?

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 04-23-2016, 07:51 AM:

All feature movies need a KDM to be shown. The security model absolutely requires this.
The delivery and loading of KDMs can be automated, so far only large chains have started using the systems that do that. They have the most to gain - after eliminating projection staff, they need to eliminate any slightly skilled regular tasks. Anything complicated is done by off site specialists, preferably remotely.
Large chains and remote sites commonly use satellite content delivery. The economics aren't so appealing to smaller cinemas near the distribution points: around Toronto, for example, satellite delivery is unusual because drive shipping is so cheap from The Toronto distributor hubs.
The whole presentation management process is evolving. Right now you can have a multiplex with essentially no "projectionist" job. Content and KDMs are fed to the TMS automatically, old content is deleted automatically, scheduling is pulled from the POS system and content/KDMs pushed to screen servers automatically in time for scheduled shows and deleted when the KDM expires. Preshow content is delivered via internet, and the preshow system assembles ads, filler, and teasers appropriate to the main show rating and plays it automatically. All projection systems are automated, with fault alarms emailed to a NOC for attention. Someone has to change lamps... I predict that laser light sources will become common just to eliminate that last "skilled" task. Filters will require service but that's becoming less onerous.
There are sound check systems that run a series of reference sounds with a microphone in the auditorium, either adjusting the processing to correct changes or emailing the NOC about problems. I think IMAX was the first to do this but it's available for many modern cinema processors.
QC cameras can assess the image quality for focus, brightness, and color and call for help or try to correct it. Again, IMAX was first but systems are available that do most of this for typical cinemas.
So the idea of planning for a career as a projectionist is not so good.
There will still be technicians needed... and many of us are at or nearing nearing retirement age so openings will be available.
It's a job with drawbacks as you would expect - we still work to a show biz "the show must go on!" ethos meaning night work and unpredictable scheduling is unavoidable. Someone is always "On Call" - and when it's you, you don't make any plans that can't be canceled on little/no notice. Travel is essential so family time suffers... our divorce rates are way above average.
Our successes are not very public. Like a goalie, we get attention only for failures.
It's still satisfying in many ways though, not all bleak!

Posted by Rex Oliver (Member # 7593) on 04-24-2016, 12:08 AM:

So it looks like cinema operation is now automated-guess there may be no need for a staff at all at some point.So the physical DCP's,KDMs no longer need to be shipped to theaters.Now done by satellite and internet.Yes,with laser lamps then no need to replace xenon bulbs.Guess you may need to replace the laser lamp after its been run for like 30,000-50,000 hrs.Like radio you guys would be on call,too.We work shifts at this transmitter plant-only time you may need to be called is if someone is suddenly ill and can't come if for their shift.And there is OT for guys on leave or a long illness.When I was looking up the websites on the digital projectors they did show a camera that could be used for quality control and setup of the projector.The convergence and purity adjustsments made me think of my old TV repair days!