This is topic Age of Managers in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Joshua Lott (Member # 240) on 09-07-2001, 10:46 PM:
I was curius as to how young some other people are that are General Managers/ Managers/ Projectionists. And how big the theatre is that they run?I am 22 years old and am the General Manager of a high volume 16 screen theatre.
Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 09-07-2001, 11:43 PM:
The youngest shift manager we've had was 18. He did a pretty good job for a while. Unfortunately he had a very short fuse and got into a brawl with a surly customer his own age, that was his last night. My youngest projectionist was 16. He stayed for 2 years, left & went to college, came back for 3 years & moved to Seattle. He was also the best, even when he first started.
Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 09-08-2001, 12:14 AM:
We had asistant managers who were 17, but all of our managers are at least 21. We actually had this 20 year old guy transfer from the asistant position here to the General Manager position at a 5 plex west of Minneapolis that our chain owns. He's got an hour-long drive over there, but he runs the place rather well!------------------
http://www.mullerfamilytheatres.com
Posted by Rachel Carter (Member # 693) on 09-08-2001, 01:29 AM:
I became a manager of a 3 screen cinema when I was 18 (worked there since I was 13), moved to another 3 screener as a GM when I was 19 and now am in the process of moving to a 7-plex as a manager (I'm 21).
Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 09-08-2001, 02:30 AM:
Im 18 and Im a manager at a 20 screen------------------
--Sean McKinnon
Manager
Loews Cineplex Entertainment
Liberty Tree Mall 20
Danvers, Mass
www.enjoytheshow.com
Posted by Mike Jones (Member # 522) on 09-08-2001, 02:40 AM:
I feel old so far. I'm a manager and projection manager of an 8 screener and am 21. Soon be transferring over to our new 12 screener.
Posted by Jonathan Haglund (Member # 807) on 09-08-2001, 02:48 AM:
I'm 19, GM of a 5 plex and a 3 plex and the only payrolled projectionist for our 3 theatres.
Posted by Sean M. Grimes (Member # 445) on 09-08-2001, 03:12 AM:
I first became an ass. manager at 19, General Manager of a 13 plex at twenty two. It's not about the age. Just the experience. And also if you can earn and give respect to your staff, even if some of them may be twenty years older, and more wise, than you are. I know people in their sixties that are still learning. We should never ever stop. 
Posted by Aldo Baez (Member # 790) on 09-08-2001, 03:17 AM:
I'm 22, and I'm a manager at a 10 screener, I'm also the head projectionist. While I'm not the general manager, the only thing I don't do is the show schedule and inventory, everything else is handled by me. I became head projectionist and manager at 19.
Posted by Bob Maar (Member # 763) on 09-08-2001, 07:00 AM:
I am in my sixties and I can verify that I learn from the posts I read evceryday. 
Posted by Bill Fitzpatrick (Member # 978) on 09-08-2001, 07:12 PM:
Over here in Australia we are following the same trend with Managers? getting younger (or is it me getting older?). At 55 and over 35 years in the industry it is now impossible to put all that experience to use as the industry won't employ anyone over 25 in a management role. I no longer work as a projectionist, I find all the automation makes the job very boring and somewhat sterile as no pride in presentation is encouraged these days. We only have 1 really major over here, Hoyts are no longer considered a major and the new boy Readings are still growing but have a long way to go before they can challenge Village.
Not a lot of independents as they are kept out by the biggies.
Posted by Brian Hogan (Member # 940) on 09-08-2001, 10:21 PM:
i became part of the management team at an 8 plex at 19. then they offered me a manager position at an 18 plex when i was 20. im 22 now and still truckin in the management team. my new GM just transfered from a 24 plex to my current theatre... he is 24. gotta love this stuff!
Posted by Manuel Francisco Valencia (Member # 710) on 09-09-2001, 04:13 PM:
I am 19 and the booth manager at a 20 screen. I just got in yesterday from the Tulsa IMAX because the GM there is no longer with us. So for all of you in the area put in your application now.
Posted by Jim Ziegler (Member # 86) on 09-09-2001, 06:35 PM:
Are you at the Tinseltown?
Posted by Timothy Ervin (Member # 733) on 09-10-2001, 02:55 AM:
I started in this business when I was 16, was a Relief /Assistant when I was 17 and a GM when I was 18 and have been in theatre management ever since. I am 29 now. Ugh!
Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 09-10-2001, 08:25 AM:
I started as an usher when I was 16, and by the time I was 17 I was GM of a 5-plex (lovely independent theatres!) and by the time I was 19 I was Asst. DM of the small company I worked for, 10 locations.All I have to say is thank god for independent theatres, or else I'd have done something else with my life, and I can't imagine not being associated with movie theatres in one way or another. I love 'em.
Now I'm 23 and I'm running my heiny all over the area counting inventory and verifying games reports. One day I'll be a GM again, but not anytime soon... this is too fun, and besides, if I had to train another person how to SWEEP, I'd go postal.
Posted by Carl King (Member # 398) on 09-10-2001, 10:02 AM:
Holy Cow..I feel old.It does seem to be true that theatre managers are younger and younger all the time. Age is certainly no measure of ability but it sure makes me feel old to know that I have socks in my dresser that are older than some managers. Whew!!
Posted by Kevin Baglow (Member # 721) on 09-11-2001, 08:53 AM:
14 is the age to get serious- i did.. but there is still plenty to explore 31 years later-I am.
Posted by Scott Oakley (Member # 651) on 09-18-2001, 12:11 AM:
I started as floorstaff when I was 18 at a local movie theatre. I'm now 26 and am the House Manager of a 20 screen theatre. I was a supervisor, then part-time manager, then manager of the theatre I started at, then House Manager of another theatre, Booth Manager of the theatre I am currently at, and finally promoted to the position I'm in today.
Posted by Manuel Francisco Valencia (Member # 710) on 09-18-2001, 10:53 PM:
JimYes I do work at Tinseltown. I hope to never go back to The Tulsa ever again!!
Posted by Ken Lackner (Member # 1002) on 09-19-2001, 12:00 AM:
19 now. (Actually 20 in less than a month). Started at my company when I was 16. Became manager when I was 18. Would have been sooner, except you have to be 18. Became booth manager last year. (My company has no projectionists, only Manager/Operators.)
Posted by Kristin Wahlund (Member # 922) on 09-19-2001, 05:05 PM:
I was the Booth manager at age 17, the first female assistant in four years at age 16 at a 6 screen. For marcus theatres. currently employed by Regal at a 16 screen. Looking for a new theatre...
Posted by Christopher Finn (Member # 938) on 09-22-2001, 02:06 AM:
Some of you talking about being old, but aside from a few, I think I win! Just turned 31 yesterday, began in the business as a projectionist with NO experience at the age of 25. Became an Asst. Manager Trainee at 27, a full-fledged Asst. Manager at 28, over-seeing both the Box Office and Projection Booth of a brand new 15 screen. While I am 100% qualified to run my own, I have become spoiled by running a big boy and don't know if I could deal with down-sizing! Also, I do make the show schedule and have for over two years, so there is very little I cannot do. I see all the stress and aggravation that is placed on my GM, and I am perfectly content to stay an AM right now. I get paid hourly, can request Christmas and weekends off without hassle.... Call me crazy!
Posted by Ron Fleming (Member # 990) on 09-22-2001, 09:27 AM:
I started as an usher for my father at his Drive -In theatre when I was 13. Move to an assistant manager position for an independent company when I was 17. Took a GM position for another independent when I was 19.and now at 34 I am the facilities coordinator for the same company. We have 4 locations with 27 screens. Traing new projectionists and maintaining the buildings as well as helping out the GM,s.
Posted by Ron Fleming (Member # 990) on 09-22-2001, 09:30 AM:
Christopher, what theatre are you working at. My company is looking at a theatre near Akron. Was just corious as to the distance between the two.
Posted by Paul Salley (Member # 740) on 09-23-2001, 02:08 AM:
Started at age 15 tearing tickets and worked my way up to ass. manager at age 16 stuck with that job for at least six years. Then took on a job as technical ass. at an IMAX theater for 7 long years which also included 35. Worked as a tech for a year or so. Now at age 30 I'm working as manager for a 16 plex. Still love going to work everyday!
Posted by Christopher Finn (Member # 938) on 09-23-2001, 02:39 AM:
I work at Cinemark 15, in Macedonia, Ohio. I have been there since December of 1998 and helped to build the joint!
Posted by Jason Black (Member # 684) on 09-23-2001, 05:06 PM:
Started out in Oct. '88 at the ripe old age of 16. Worked at a twin as all around employee, booth included. Transferred over to the 4 plex in town as all around employee and w/in 6 months became manager at the twin where I started.Stayed there until age 21. Moved to SC as salaried asst. at what used to be our company's bread and butter theatre. Stayed there 9 months, moved to NC to assume mgmt position at a robust 6 plex. Stayed there 9 months and moved back to SC to oversee final contruction stages of rebuilt 8-plex.
Stayed there almost 2 years and transferred to our first 16 plex, where I am today. I've been all around and opened theatres in many states as well as taking part during other acquisitions. There are folks of varying ages in the business, or so I have found.
BTW, in the event your math is weak, I'll soon be 30...
------------------
The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese!
Posted by Gracia L. Babbidge (Member # 582) on 09-29-2001, 02:36 PM:
Hmm... at 18 I was a concessionist, by the time I was 19, I could handle the booth at a 10-screen, a few months later I became a shift supervisor, kept that title for close to two years, even transferred to anther theater, and just ended up with more and more responsibilities.
Changed companies. Changed to being strictly a projectionist, was 21 at that point, was 22 when given the title of Head Projectionist, have had that for nearly a year.
The current boss-types I deal with are ages 49 (Manager), 18 (Assistant), 44 (assistant), 28 (assistant, occasional projectionist). Fun fun fun.