This is topic keeping staff happy in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Brian Hogan (Member # 940) on 01-03-2002, 04:40 AM:
a manager, tonight at my theatre, arranged a staff sleep over. pizza, chips, pop and other goodies were all around and games, scavenger hunts and movies were on the list of amusements. what kinds of simple things have you found work best for keeping staff happy?
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 01-03-2002, 04:52 AM:
I have yet to find anything that the employees enjoy quite as much as giving them a "movie night". Just take some passes and trade them with the local pizza shop, turn on the drink machines, set out a stack of cups you spent a couple of bucks on from the grocery store and show them a movie. Don't go out to Sam's and get a "meat tray" (or worse a huge "serve yourself salad" tray). Kids want pizza and that's that. Mind you OLDER classic movies are MUCH better than just showing them something you have in the theater. Many studios are very cool about loaning out an old title free of charge for an employee party. I used to run 70mm Christmas parties back when I was a manager at UA Berkeley. Now THAT's something the kids can't just go out and see, especially some big action film from before their theater time like Terminator 2 or Die Hard. The kids generally left in amazement and suddenly didn't think their LaserDiscs were all that hot anymore. (Sadly enough, that was the ONLY time that theater ever ran 70mm.)
Posted by Jim Ziegler (Member # 86) on 01-03-2002, 06:34 AM:
We had a rather large Christmas party this year for our staff and the staff of our sister theatre.. We had a company come in and bring a couple of the large inflatable things (human foosball and a jousting arena)and had some barbecue brought in.. The staff seemed to have a lot of fun.
Posted by Michael Gonzalez (Member # 593) on 01-03-2002, 08:14 PM:
Even if the studio lets you use the print "Free of Charge" don't you still have to pay shipping charges? Of which would run between $50.00 and $100.00.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 01-03-2002, 08:29 PM:
Shipping on a TES print is $18 each way, so $36. Shipping on an ETS print depends on where you are located. Since there is a depot locally in Dallas, I can just drive down and pick it up at no cost. Alternatively, many theaters get their ETS prints at a flat rate per month regardless of how many prints they are booked for. So no, shipping isn't really an issue.
Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 01-04-2002, 02:37 AM:
How does one actualy ask a film studio for a print? Our booker is an asshole and wouldn't bend over backwards for a blowjob much less for us.Dave
Sorry if that was rather french. I am feeling very french right now. But in an italian kind of way. Like I hate you all, but I just don't care.
Posted by Ken Lackner (Member # 1002) on 01-05-2002, 01:15 AM:
Oh, if only my company would allow such things. No parties. 
That definitely sounds like an awesome idea. But I could see the potential for things getting out of hand, which is why I suppose they have that rule.BTW, love the new pic, Brad.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 01-05-2002, 01:40 AM:
Dave, you will almost certainly have to have your booker do the asking for you...unless you are personal friends with someone at a studio.
Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 01-05-2002, 02:57 AM:
...or friends with..ahem... a film collector 
-AS
Posted by Joel Pantoja (Member # 1045) on 01-05-2002, 03:43 PM:
Keeping the staff happy is definitely a task the management/owner needs to work hard to do. Even though there are still always going to be those that are rebels or thieves there will be those others who are happy and comfortable enough to let you know when someone is trying to mess things up.In addition to the movie nights (ususally to screen the new movies) and the delivered pizza on the busy days we also had trade arrangements with the other "competitor" theaters and the miniture golf course in the area. It was a win-win situation for all of us. The main thing that was important was the understanding that while at the other place they had to be on their best behaviour. If not a call was made to the main manager and the employee was banned from coming back. I even heard of one of the other managers firing an employee because of a call back. I think it was the straw that broke the camel's back for that employee but never the less it made a statement.
It also helped with communication between the managers. I know that because of these relations we benefitted in other areas also. There were two theater chains (each having two theaters each) and even though most of the time, if we ran out of something, we could usually borrow from the sister theater there came times when we had to go to the "competitor" to get something that we couldn't get elsewhere. Because we were all "friends" it was easier. (Even the miniature golf course sold popcorn and soda and definitely was a good source for one's and five's. We all took advantage of this friendship to keep our own customers happy.
***I'm curious, those that are owners how do feel about this? Our owners new about the enterance priveledges but not about the "borrowing" of supplies. I would think that most would say anything to keep the customer happy but at times we were keeping the competitor's customer happy too.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 01-05-2002, 09:15 PM:
Being friends with your competition DEFINITELY is a good idea. I can't tell you how many times my UA and the Loews theater across the street helped each other out. Some of the main concession items like Coke syrup and popcorn we would loan out back and forth. We were always very careful to keep a log of it and to make ABSOLUTELY SURE that we had extra ordered on that week's stock truck, so the other theater would never have it out of their stock room for more than 2 days before we paid them the borrowed stock back. The Loews managers were also equally careful about making sure to pay us back immediately. It worked very well.Of course ideally it is best to borrow stock from the same theater in the chain, but when you get slammed on business that comes out of nowhere, it's MUCH better to borrow from the friendly competition so you don't have to say "oh I'm sorry but we're all out of Coke and popcorn." 
Posted by Heyward Garner (Member # 722) on 01-19-2002, 03:02 AM:
I think that our staff needs to do more for us before we start throwing them parties... A LOT more. I think as well, that our staff are the kind of people to get way too carried away, so that's usually a no-go. I would love to get some older prints, but seeing as how I work for Carmike, that ain't happening anytime soon...