Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Manager Scheduling

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 07-30-2003, 09:50 PM:

When should a good manager (GM not assistant) be at the theater? Should a good manager be there on the weekends? Or would Monday-Friday matinee (no evening or weekend shifts) be acceptable? This is assuming the manager does his/her own schedule.

Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 1016) on 07-30-2003, 10:09 PM:

My opinion the GM should have a schedule of Friday Night, Saturday Night, Monday Matinee, Tuesday Matinee, and Thursday Night. That in my opinion would be ideal...but the days off are split and a lot of people don't like to work on that kind of schedule.

Friday Night - Busy, for customer service and running of theater
Saturday Night - Busy, for customer service and running of theater
Monday Matinee - Movie Schedule, Some orders, Payroll
Tuesday Matinee - Remainder of orders
Thursday Night - Film Changes

That's just a VERY BASIC reasoning to why I chose those days. Obviously there are other duties but they usually would easily fall into the above shifts.

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 07-30-2003, 10:19 PM:

My schedule as a GM:

Monday Afternoon (bookings)
Tues and Wed off - unless there is a big Wed opening
Thursday - DOUBLE - 9 am till 1 am
Friday night
Saturday night
Sunday afternoon

I would hope to someday get Sundays off and work a Tues or Wed shift - because a lot of people look for me on those weekday business days..........

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 07-30-2003, 10:56 PM:

Rachel pretty much pegged it (but then again, any good manager knows this.) [Wink]

Friday and Saturday nights should be law for a general manager. This is the theater's busiest times and the GM should be present to ensure things run smoothly and patrons are satisfied. Accepting a GM position at a theater is voluntary resignation of your weekend partying nights...end of story.

Thursdays are massive end of week paperwork days, plus print changes. While GMs don't really need to deal with the films (there are people called projectionists for that nonsense), they do have stacks and stacks of ridiculous paperwork to complete.

Mondays for most theaters are booking, scheduling, and ordering days. Mondays should be a rule too.

Past that, fill in any extra times, but IMHO those 4 shifts should be required by any and all theater companies, be them chains or independents. Otherwise the theater will not run as smoothly and/or efficiently as it could.

Posted by Dino Panagiotopoulos (Member # 1579) on 07-31-2003, 12:28 AM:

I agree with Rachel and Brad. That is how my GM pretty much fills his schedule through the week. He is supposed to be there when you need him the most.

Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 1016) on 07-31-2003, 10:04 AM:

quote:
Thursdays are massive end of week paperwork days, plus print changes. While GMs don't really need to deal with the films (there are people called projectionists for that nonsense), they do have stacks and stacks of ridiculous paperwork to complete.

When I was the GM I had to deal with the massive reports AND the filmwork all by myself! [Smile]

Take in mind that was only a 3 screener. But where I am now the managers also do all the film work, 6 screen manager run theater... [Roll Eyes]

Luckily the managers are pretty darn competent in the booth.

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 07-31-2003, 10:48 AM:

here is the way I feel about manager run booths. You should not have to do both. Have one manager run booth another run theater. That way if there are problems one can take care of the problem while the other takes care of the customers.

Posted by Michael Gonzalez (Member # 593) on 07-31-2003, 05:22 PM:

My Typical work week:

Friday 9am -7pm (Weekending paperwork)
Saturday 6pm - 230am
Monday 4pm - 1230am (Booking and such)
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 5pm - 1am (Show change overs, some film, inventory)

I have a really good assistant so there is no problems leaving her incharge on Friday nights. BTW I manage a 9 screen theater.

Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 1016) on 07-31-2003, 07:56 PM:

quote:
Monday 4pm - 1230am (Booking and such)

Booking Monday night? [Eek!]

Obviously you have someone else that does the actual booking right?

Posted by Michael Gonzalez (Member # 593) on 07-31-2003, 08:17 PM:

I meant bookings coming in (from corporate)for film scheduling, payroll and such. Sorry for the confusion. [Razz]

Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 1016) on 07-31-2003, 10:04 PM:

I figured! [Smile]

Posted by Jason Black (Member # 684) on 08-01-2003, 01:20 AM:

I'd say other than the obvious Fri/Sat doubles, Sunday off, Monday until the bookings/scheduling/ordering was completed, Tue/Wed off, Thur until the money is in the bank.

I currently am expected to work Thur-Mon from 1.5 hours prior to opening until the doors lock 5 days a week with lunch from 4-6pm.

No comment.

Posted by Bill Carter (Member # 156) on 08-02-2003, 08:16 PM:

I get to set my own hours as GM, and it looks like I keep about the same schedule as most others.

Friday and Saturday I'm generally in from about Noon or 1pm to closing. I just wouldn't feel comfortable not being there for our busiest shifts. Sunday is my only "official" day off, although I usually at least stop by in the afternoon to make sure everything is okay.

Monday is a long "office day", with bookings, scheduling and newspaper ads, ordering, and all that other stuff. Usually about 10am to 7 or 8pm.

I run a 10am press/trade/review/private/whatever screening of something or other almost every week, either Tuesday or Thursday morning. And, I devote at least one day a week to general booth and equipment cleaning and general maintenance. Even though I have a service contractor, I both enjoy and think it's important to keep my hands in as much of this part as possible.

During weekday "normal" business hours, either my assistant or I am here to check in deliveries and deal with the many service companies we support (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, etc.)

I addition to the mountain of Thursday paperwork, I supervise makeup and breakdown, even though I usually don't do all of this myself anymore. I select and set running order of the trailers, etc.

And, somewhere in all this, I mop a lot of floors and empty a lot of trash cans.

Posted by Michael Gonzalez (Member # 593) on 08-03-2003, 01:24 AM:

So Bill how long until you burn out and kill your self? Anyone want to start a pool?

Posted by R. Andrew Diercks (Member # 1725) on 08-03-2003, 02:20 AM:

Fridays 10am to close. Most daytime is filled with screening prints. no shows til 4 Mon-Fri. not really work
Saturdays 11:30-close
Sundays til 5
Monday, Tues, or Wed off otherwise 2-close one of my weekdays I go early for office jargon.
Thursday is obvious, I don't do all make up or breakdown but I have to monitor trailer placement and where prints ship to and such.

Very occasionally I get a shortened weekend day for a family event or something.

BTW Brad I think I should cut and paste your weekend law as to send it to a couple managers of ours that need to learn this. [Smile]

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 08-03-2003, 01:30 PM:

Ian: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday Matinees.

Mondays and Tuesdays off.

Ky: Thursday Evenings, Friday Evenings, Saturday Night, Monday Office Day, Tuesday Office Day.

Sundays and Wednesdays off.

Posted by Sean M. Grimes (Member # 445) on 08-03-2003, 02:26 PM:

I used to work when I was a G.M.

Monday 2-11 bookings, employee scheduling, orders

Tuesday 11-4 - Always paperwork additions for the home office, always some type of crap that was not included in the two reams faxed to the home office Friday Morning at 2 a.m. Also normally some type of booking changes. Add/Drop this show blaa blaa blaa.

Wednesday - Off, all faxes would be forwarded to my home. But my staff only allowed to call my cell if there was a damn good reason. Orders would come in on this day.

Thursday 3p.m. to 4a.m. - TOTAL concession inventory, Marquee changes, pick up/drop off circulating prints from other theaters, Two reams of useless reports. One ream for my A.D. another for the Home Office. Both mostly the same reports, just on different forms.

Friday 3 to 11:30 - Make sure everything is prepared for the weekend, I would be out before building closed, Assistant Manager on for that purpose... one of her two booth days.

Saturday 4-close - Customer Service. Closing duties.

Sunday - Unless the theater is on fire, do not call me. [Razz]

Count me in agreement, vacations or filling in as Management at another theater only, A G.M. should always be present at his/her theater Friday and Saturday.

Posted by Bill Carter (Member # 156) on 08-04-2003, 02:34 PM:

Actually, Michael, I faced about 3 times the stress in my former career. Before deciding to do what I wanted to do, I spent about 13 years working in television news. I'm having a LOT more fun here. [thumbsup]

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 08-05-2003, 05:38 AM:

You people make me sick [puke]

!

Thats all you work?

Try putting in 90 hour weeks as GM! [fu]

In all seriousness though, I take every other weekend off, but on that weekend off I am there on friday until about 5:30. I am there every monday, every thursday, and just about every day these days. Why I came back to work... oh yeah.... money.

Dave

Posted by Kevin Baglow (Member # 721) on 08-05-2003, 08:05 AM:

School holidays are full on for me every day. Otherwise just weekends- and potting around the rest of the time. I need help over the Christmas holidays-or i'm go full on for eight weeks streight.

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 08-05-2003, 08:20 AM:

Friday 6p-3a
Saturday 6p-3a
Sunday 6p-1a
Monday 10a-6p
Thursday 6p-1a

Posted by Travis Hubrig (Member # 1745) on 08-10-2003, 04:10 PM:

I come into work about 10am Thurs and go home at about midnight on Mon.

Posted by Ky Boyd (Member # 23) on 08-23-2003, 06:16 PM:

Rachel, you just described my work schedule. [Smile]

Posted by Kevin Wale (Member # 1851) on 08-23-2003, 10:31 PM:

Let's see...

I work Tuesdays 2.pm. (or earlier) to close. Wednsdays 1 or 2 p.m. to 6. Thursdays 2 pm to close. Fridays 12 or 1 pm to 7 or so depending on how well staffed we are(and me and my assistant swap Saturdays so I work til close on the Friday night that I would have Sat off.) Saturdays that I work noon to close(weekend close is around midnight to 1:00).

Sunday and Monday off and I add a lot of morning hours during the months that have no weekday late shows. Works out to 45 hours a week or so.

I am not totally satisfied with the schedule as it doesn't really have my assistant and I overlapping very much so we can discuss what has happend, proceedure, etc. It's really just an hour tweak here and there. The Sat swap works because I am extremely confident in my assistant manager and as friends long before we ever ended up in this business we have been to hell and back together.

Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 1016) on 08-24-2003, 12:14 PM:

Hey Ky, you let Ian get away with the good schedule? [Smile]

Posted by Jeff Klump (Member # 1870) on 08-31-2003, 07:05 PM:

I agree with the regard that managers should either be running a booth or floor. Not both at the same time. I have seen theatres in my city do this with as many as 9 screens. Anymore than 8 and you're pushing it. If something goes wrong or if you need to watch something you can't because you're pretty well occupied. At my theatre (16 screens) we have a manager run booth so there is always one manager upstairs focusing on just that. Those on the floor can worry about other business. For instance I work booth 3 of my 5 days during the week. So there is always one person just working on projectors.

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 09-02-2003, 06:12 PM:

When I was a manager I worked the shifts that made sense, and HATED working MON or WED since there was no reason for the GM to be at the theatre during the slowest points. But I also hated working both Friday and Saturday, especially because Friday's were incredibly slow compared to Saturdays.

As managers we had very little to do with show schedules and so we either dealt with what the home office set for us, or we had the booker call us at home. Also - our theatres weren't open for matinees most of the year... so there was no reason to be at the theatre.

MON = OFF
TUE = 3-12am (Bargain Tuesday)
WED = 3-12am
THU = 3-1am
FRI = OFF
SAT = 4-close (or until deposit)
SUN = op - 5 (for payroll)

I don't know if I could ever be a GM again, cause I know I should work both Friday and Saturday nights, but I've gotten soooo used to having them off and going out and hanging out with my friends.

And don't get me started about how much I love having holidays off. [Big Grin]

Posted by Ky Boyd (Member # 23) on 09-03-2003, 02:58 AM:

Rachel,

Ian's a morning person and as he will tell you, I'm definitely not. He's been in Telluride for the film fest the last two weeks (set-up, fest, tear down) and I've had to work a couple of mornings. Yuk!

Did I mention Ian doesn't have to work Memorial Day or Labor Day? Because he's in Telluride for MountainFilm and TFF.

Posted by David L Parlier (Member # 1944) on 10-09-2003, 11:22 AM:

Monday
(8:30 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.) - Paperwork, Booking, etc..

Tuesday
(9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.) - Newspapers ads and vendors.
(3:00 P.M. to Midnight) - Working our on the floor and upstairs.

Wednesday
(3:00 P.M. to Midnight) - Working our on the floor and upstairs.

Thursday
(Off) - Usually at my fire dept. meetings but I use to work every Thursday. Now I just let me Asst. Manager handle the new movies coming in.

Friday -(3:00 P.M. to Midnight)

Saturday - (1:00 P.M. to Midnight)

Sunday - Off

Posted by Jason Black (Member # 684) on 10-09-2003, 04:24 PM:

David,

Where is Otto, NC?

I feel like such an idiot. I just now realized that the instant UBB Code buttons both worked and were there...
Yes, I'm obviously not that observant.

Posted by David L Parlier (Member # 1944) on 10-09-2003, 09:40 PM:

Jason,

Otto, NC is just a community a few minutes from the town of Franklin. Where the theater I work for is located. Franklin, NC is located in one of the few county's that border Georgia. About 1 hour and 15 minutes southwest of Asheville and about 2 hours north of Atlanta.

Posted by Blake Zaugg (Member # 1455) on 11-09-2003, 01:10 AM:

My sched is:
Monday 10:45-5 office stuff
Tues 10:45-6 Manager
Wed 10:45-Manager
Thurs OFF
Friday switches afternoon one week and then close the next
Saturday switches too.
Sunday off.

Our owners idea is that key people should be at the theatre in the daytime when "normal regular business's" (we run daily matinees too) need someone to talk to. Ie: schools for bookings, advertising, prepare the theatre for the busy times etc...
Where as in the evening and on the weekends the "extra stuff" doesn't need to get done or should't get done. If everything ahs been properly prepared the night manager should just have to dirrect the staff and count the money.

Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 1016) on 11-09-2003, 07:15 PM:

At my last theater the owners had the same idea about GM scheduling...I think he was there Tues Mat, Wed Mat, Thurs Mat, Fri Mat, and Saturday Eve. If I remember correctly...

Posted by Timothy Ervin (Member # 733) on 11-11-2003, 03:48 PM:

My scheduel is as follows:

Fri: 4-cl
Sat: 4-10
Sun: Off
Mon: 9-5
Tues: 9-5
Wed: off
Thurs: 5-cl --but I usually end up doing a double

There are some managers who just work days and never nights. I think thats cool and maybe if I ever find good, quality, reliable assistant managers then I can have that kind of scheduel too but I kind of feel that GMs should be in their theatres on Fri and Sat evenings.