Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Should the projectionist on duty ever be the floor manager on duty at the same time?

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Posted by Kevin Wale (Member # 1851) on 11-26-2003, 08:39 PM:

At any size theatre. Singles, Twins, Gigaplexes. I know smaller theatres often have the projectionist do other duties but should those duties ever include being the manager on duty on the floor?

Posted by Ron Lacheur (Member # 1126) on 11-26-2003, 08:44 PM:

You could get away with running a single or a twin without someone in the booth at all times. Personally I don't like the idea, keeping an eye out on the equipment while it's running is always a good idea.

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 11-26-2003, 09:51 PM:

We try to avoid those situations. When I run the booth I stay upstairs. I manage one sometimes two days a week but sometimes I will do some office stuff while I am running the booth. Offices are upstairs so I have imidiate access to the booth.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 11-26-2003, 11:24 PM:

Hypothetical situation:

You're the projectionist and the floor manager. You're talking to a customer because she thinks the prices are too high and the popcorn isn't hot enough and the movie started 1/2 a minute early... Whine, whine, whine! You're trying to be the polite, diplomatic manager that we all should try to be.

Suddenly you get a call that there's a problem in the booth. It doesn't matter whether it's major or minor. It's supposed to be your job to handle it. You MUST attend to it!

What do you do? Drop the complaining customer? Let the OTHER 100 customers in the theater suffer through a badly presented movie?

That's a nasty Catch-22!

Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 11-27-2003, 12:19 AM:

Got the whole thing worked out:

1. Get rid of the anoying customer.

- "CUSTOMER SERVICE IN A MINUTE OR LESS"
Nod, and acknowledge her complaint by repeating back to her the complaint. This shows her that you paid attention to her. Let her know that you will follow up on her complaint and that her patronage is valuable. Then issue her a pass whether she deserves it or not. Giving her 1 pass is better than letting those other 100 customers hang. (If you can, always carry around 2 passes in your pocket, so you don't have to go to the box to get them)

2. Go up and fix the problem.

3. Follow up on the complaint, just like you promised. This way when she comes out of her movie, she will see that the dirty counter or whatever she was complaining about is clean.

Nonetheless, IMHO, the projectionist should NEVER be the floor manager at the same time.

Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 11-27-2003, 09:37 AM:

Round these parts it would be illegal to run as described above.

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 11-27-2003, 10:35 AM:

For a couple of screens with everything well maintained and in good adjustment and failsafes on takeup and a tension switch on the feed it's probably not necessary to be up there continuously watching the platters spin. But someone needs to be looking into each auditorium every few minutes and the manager/operator should go up to the booth every so often as well. Best to start the show from up there so focus can be optimized for both trailers and then the feature. And more frequent visits early on to tweak focus as the lenses and gate components warm. But to sit there for two hours with little or nothing to do seems unnecessary. I'm not sure at which screen count it makes sense to keep someone up 100% of the time.

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 11-27-2003, 11:51 AM:

In a multiplex such as 4 screens or more, the answer, in my opinion, is No due to many of the reasons cited above.

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 11-27-2003, 12:02 PM:

5-screen Art House.

I own it and I run projectors.

Monday through Wedenesday we run one Manager/Operator per shift.

Tuesday Night (Bargain Tuesday), Thursday - Sunday Matinee we run two managers per shift.

Today, Thursday, November 27th, 2003 (Thanksgiving) we will be running three managers and no staff. [uhoh]

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 11-27-2003, 04:32 PM:

I'll cling to my belief that the projectionist is the projectionist and they are to be in the booth when any show is operating with the exception if they are actually checking on the/an auditorium. This applies to singles on up. I don't get on planes without pilots and I don't patronize theatres without full-time projectionists. When DCinema comes, well talk about relaxing the rule.

Steve

Posted by Franklin Armstrong (Member # 1448) on 11-27-2003, 09:19 PM:

Any Theatre with more than 4 screens should have a projectionist upstairs End of Story!!!!!!!

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 11-27-2003, 10:08 PM:

Please relay this post to all the multi-giga-maxi-plex companies out there. I have seen 18 plexes run by downstairs managers -YIKES!

Posted by Stephanie M. Brosche (Member # 1982) on 11-28-2003, 12:55 AM:

[QUOTE] I have seen 18 plexes run by downstairs managers -YIKES! /QUOTE]

I have run a 12 screen under those conditions, and it was completely assanine. The layout of the building is such that from the booth one has absolutely no concept of what's going on downstairs unless an employee comes up to inform you. You can't watch employees or customers. Furthermore, the show times are scheduled in such a way that you can't leave the booth for up to 30-40 minutes at a time, until that set is completed. If it had been a weekend I would have lost my mind.

Posted by Jennifer Pan (Member # 2035) on 11-28-2003, 01:04 AM:

that would definitely be hard if a projectionist was a manager on the floor, I'd probably take it out on someone from all the stress.

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 11-28-2003, 10:38 AM:

All of you who see multi-mondo plexes with floor mgr/operators no doubt would have found that plenty of these screens had detail problems... soft focus, framing off a bit, sound too high or low. At worst, maybe the whole print rode the top of a roller because it wasn't threaded right to begin with... scratching the whole print for all future shows.

I'd have to agree that even with as few as 4 screens, there always seems to be something to do upstairs... with accommodation for auditorium checks, bathroom breaks, etc (nope, we were never a union booth!)

Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 1016) on 11-28-2003, 10:47 AM:

We do manager/projectionist for our 6-screen. Every day of the week, including weekends. [Roll Eyes]

At my last theater, some of the shifts were covered by a manager/projectionist for a 7-screen, never on the weekend though.

Posted by Tony Ratcliff (Member # 1196) on 11-28-2003, 12:17 PM:

Unfortunately economics plays the biggest role in this question.

I own and operate a 2 screen.
I would dearly love to have a projectionist AND a manager.
But it is just not feasible dollar wise.

Fortunately the configuration of the building allows for easy access to the booths by the manager/projectionist from the floor.

This situation makes it doubly important to make sure you keep up with your projector maintenance.

On the other hand, I think it may be just upper management greed that keeps a 12-plex from having both a manager AND projectionist on duty. It may not even be the fault of the theatre's managing director. He/she may be being given a budget that cannot allow for it.

I've been in many a multi-plex where I KNEW that a projectionist was on duty and the presentation was far inferior to the presentation at my theatre. It still goes back to how much people care about Film Done Right.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 11-28-2003, 01:29 PM:

Personally, I think having a dedicated projectionist is even more important in singles than in multiplexes. First, it's even more important that singles never lose shows, as a dark screen results in a loss of 100% of the night's revenue, rather than 10% or whatever applies to a particular multiplex.

Second, if anything were to go wrong in a show at a single, the manager would need to be available to explain the problem to the audience, offer passes, and generally deal with customers. He can't do this while he's also upstairs in the booth actually fixing the problem. Thus, either customer service or speed in fixing the problem gets compromised.

Finally, in most singles, booth access requires walking through the auditorium. It would be distracting to customers to have a manager walking through the auditorium (even just in the back of the theatre) several times per show to check on the equipment.

Operating mechanical equipment and providing customer service are two completely different jobs which can rarely be done well by the same person, particularly at the same time. I'm not saying that there aren't people who could do it, but that they are hard to find and harder to keep employed.

Having said that, I will say that the manager-operator thing "might" work in a well designed theatre with a handful of screens that is otherwise well staffed, with well maintained equipment, good automation with start timers, and knowledgeable and caring employees. If I were to design a single to run this way, I'd go with automated changeovers and 6000' reels so that the manager wouldn't need to enter the booth between shows (since his presence would be needed in the lobby), since the first reel would already be threaded up. The second reel could be rewound and threaded after the show starts.

Posted by Dennis M Dow Jr (Member # 1970) on 11-28-2003, 04:07 PM:

When I worked for UA (as asst mgr), we always had 2 managers on duty as well as an operator (non-union of course).. The other managers I worked with had no idea how to turn on the equip much less run it therefore the need for operators... after I left they decided to do away with the operators and have managers run the booth.... heard it didn't go to well... Now I enjoy working strictly as an operator(union)with no annoying customers or staff to worry about

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 11-28-2003, 11:09 PM:

While on a puritanical level, I would agree that even a single screener should have someone monitoring the presentation at all times, in practicality it is these theatres that, for the most part, are least economically able to do so. Yes... the singles are probably most motivated to maintain their audience... whatever it is. However, in a market where (as has been observed elsewhere within this board) the film companys take huge percentages out of the first two or three weeks while producing films that don't last more than a month or so, the singles are most likely to have the tightest budgets. Owner-operators are the exception... as are markets that are fortunate enough to be the few not yet overscreened.

Even as a quad... when there is someone in the booth, pretty much dedicated to presentation, it's usually me, on the busy days... and I'm not yet sure that I make as much as my staff downstairs does! [Confused]

Posted by Gracia L. Babbidge (Member # 582) on 11-29-2003, 12:54 AM:

When I worked for a chain that has lots of multiplexes, I ended up working at two of the 10-plexes, projectionists were few, operators were many, and whichever was in the booth was expected to do many things outside of the booth. I can recally many times, on Sundays, sometimes all day, sometimes from mid-matinee to close, I played the part of manager on duty and projectionist. [Mad]

I do not advise it. [thumbsdown]

Less than optimal for the entire operation of the cinema.

Posted by Don Bruechert (Member # 1538) on 11-29-2003, 05:32 PM:

I'm in the same 6-plex as Rachel. We're expected to do everything. Open up, supervise staff, deal with whiny customers, run the booth and do the books.

Some real challenges present themselves. 3 booths are on the same floor as the office, and the other 3 are in a "tower" configuration in a converted single screen. Oftentimes the start times are 5 minutes apart. The first batch isn't bad because you can lace them up ahead of time, but after that it can get annoying - especially when the film is supposed to restart 15 - 20 minutes after the safeties drop on average. Now toss in some other hurdles like certain days of the week we are only allowed to have one staffer besides the Manager - the manager usually ends up downstairs doing box, so the staffer can do concessions (otherwise the staffer is expected to do both) and runs between the booth to start the movie and the box, or hits the remote start button on the wall of the booth and hopes God is in a good mood that day.

While the movies are running we do things like sweep up, print accounting reports to be faxed to the main office, build up and tear down prints, create the movie schedule in the box office computer, and other management tasks. less than 1/2 hour after the last show starts all the CON/BOX employees go home, and we sit in the office and count up the day, key in final inventory and the like. Just one of us, and the lobby video monitor... Those of us who are motivated enough will take the time to do at least one sound and picture check during a shift, and walk the booths a couple of times looking for odd noises or potential brain wraps. Miraculously, through all this we still manage to give the customers a pretty good experience.

Small birds make a sound which perfectly describes the owner of our theater. We have come up with numerous ways to make him or save him more money, including several creative staffing options to increase staff during the busiest times, while not going over the payroll budget, and he fights us every step of the way... Eventually there comes a time where you take pride in doing the best job that you can for the customers, and everything else just kinda slides along... For $7.50 an hour it's just gotta be our pride in doing a good job that keeps it going, because it sure as hell ain't the money!

Posted by Travis Hubrig (Member # 1745) on 11-30-2003, 04:18 PM:

I believe it all depends on the design of the theatre, and the business levels.

I run a 7 that might see 20 customers between noon and 6pm, Mon thru Thurs. I CAN'T have a manager and operator. Many times I only have one other employee working the floor to sell tickets and concessions. On the weekends I always have somebody working upstairs, and somebody downstairs. Our booth and office is all together, nothing added on, or difficult such as mulitple booth locations. Starting the movies, checking the shows, than helping the cashier has never been a problem.

Posted by Nathan Guerriero (Member # 1214) on 12-15-2003, 03:39 AM:

I am a manager and operator on every single shift I work at the theatre. I feel that having to do both jobs makes me less effiective at each. However, within our company, this situation is absolutely not negotiable.

During my tenure at the theatre, I have encounted pretty much all of the situations so far mentioned. I would rate my proficiency as an operator as fairly high, but managing at the same time negates that advantage.

I would avoid this scenario at all costs.

Posted by Beth Smith (Member # 1505) on 12-24-2003, 02:44 PM:

I run a two screen art house and we only run with one manager/projectionist. Even on the weekends..

It does tend to cause problems from time to time. I may have an employee call out sick on any given day, or have to fire one and then I have to cover their position as well as run the floor and the booth. It's not always the most effective way to go..

I don't recommend running a theatre without a projectionist at all times..but hey..I just do what I'm told.

Posted by Kevin Wale (Member # 1851) on 12-24-2003, 09:42 PM:

Hey Beth, your actually not very far from me. I'm in Northern VA.

Posted by Chris Liczbinski (Member # 1957) on 12-30-2003, 02:12 AM:

I agree with the many others that say 4 screens and up you need someone dedicated to the booth, but here is another question- at how many screens would you require 2 projectionists per shift? I work at a 15-plex setup in an H pattern with 3 projectors in one side of the H and 4 in the other, we clean the projector every show so it takes a few minutes to thread. I am wondering because i see AMC's huge theaters they are building with 24 and 30 screens and could not imagine having a high standard of presentation PLUS looking after 30 projectors.

Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 1016) on 12-30-2003, 09:09 AM:

quote:
Hey Beth, your actually not very far from me. I'm in Northern VA.

Kevin,
Why don't you change where you are from then... [Roll Eyes]

Posted by Bill Langfield (Member # 818) on 12-30-2003, 12:42 PM:

Oh, yeah the bio/manager thing.
Been there done that.

1st case location - Me and a 'security guard' from 9.30 until close.
2nd case location - Me alone from 10.00 until close.

Thank God I dont work for that company anymore.

And BTW, the reason they make you do it is NOT for the budget,
it so the AREA manager gets a bonus, because you are doing
the job of two people for $1 more an hour.

At one point, I was Projectionist/Manager,running around doing ushering/point,Candy,Box and cleaner in ONE shift.

And all this from the person who owns the company who is the richest person in the country. (But I doubt he knows this crap went on)

It's a total rip off.

Bill.

ps However it was a kind of fun four years at the time.

Posted by Kevin Wale (Member # 1851) on 12-30-2003, 12:56 PM:

quote:
Kevin,
Why don't you change where you are from then...

There, happy? [Roll Eyes]

I actually thought I had. I guess it didn't go through. I only frequent 8 forums so it's not always a priority to keep my profiles up to date. [Razz]

Posted by Bill Langfield (Member # 818) on 12-30-2003, 01:04 PM:

There, happy.

Geez, get over it.

Relax Kevin

Posted by Kevin Wale (Member # 1851) on 12-30-2003, 01:25 PM:

I'm relaxed. I was just messen around(hence the [Razz]

at the end there.)

Usually if I'm mad I use the mad thingy and then a lack of sarcastic thingys to convey that. Now, if this was a forum from my workplace, it would be all of these thingys [Mad]

and a

Posted by Steve Anderson (Member # 364) on 01-01-2004, 09:26 AM:

I am the manager, projectionist, concession worker all in one shift at the two screen theater I work at.