Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Becoming a general manager

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Posted by Manny Montes (Member # 5639) on 04-03-2010, 01:08 AM:

So, Here's the issue. I'm currently a college student studying hospitality administration, through our studies I'm realizing that even the "hard" stuff is basically what I've learned from this industry in the past 3 years of working for it. A lot of people are saying that I'm a prodigy (jokingly of course), I know that if a first assistant position opened I would apply for it and probably get it, and then hopefully move on to a GM position.

I was wondering if anyone has/is a GM or 1st assistant at a Regal location, if they could tell me if it's worth it or if they regret anything. I know some things may be confidential but I'm having a hard time deciding if I want to continue with college or continue with a career in the industry.

I know what the job entails (especially for first assistant) but I'm just wondering if the pay is decent, etc.

Posted by Jeremy Weigel (Member # 4208) on 04-03-2010, 02:20 AM:

Its been almost 10 years since I worked for Regal, but as first assistant the pay really sucked (21k /yr gross) compared to what my GM was making plus commissions (65k+ /yr gross). And you're basically doing everything the GM does, especially when the GM is on vacation. Just my 2 cents.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 04-03-2010, 04:00 AM:

..and you're covering your privates all the time, for "the buck stops here" with that position.

Kinda ain't too fair when you're doing a 65k/yr job for 10 buck/hr .... really ....

Posted by Manny Montes (Member # 5639) on 04-03-2010, 03:14 PM:

yeah, I was only thinking first assistant because it is doing the GM's job for a bit, until I could get the hang of it and then apply for a GM position somewhere. Just noticing from all the postings going around a lot of GM positions are opening up constantly

Posted by Jeremy Weigel (Member # 4208) on 04-03-2010, 05:10 PM:

quote: Manny Montes
Just noticing from all the postings going around a lot of GM positions are opening up constantly

That's usually not a good sign unless they're new locations.

Posted by Aaron Mehocic (Member # 15) on 04-03-2010, 09:07 PM:

I was in a similar position in 1997. Although I worked for an independent chain, an assistant management position opened in which I was asked to fill. The debate was quit college with only one year left till graduation, or take the job. I stayed in school.

Thirteen years later I have a degree, but only utilize it for part time work. I still work for that independent chain as the head projectionist, but with digital on the horizon, I do more thinking about overstaying my welcome than I used to. Point is: I ain't getting any younger if I plan to start over in another career.

Last night, just to see what my wife would say, I floated the idea of joining one of the big chains as a GM. She was not amused. Next year marks 20 years I have worked in the motion picture industry. In all that time, nobody - not one - person who was or is close to me ever respected what I do in that industry.

Make your dispositions accordingly . . .

Posted by Manny Montes (Member # 5639) on 04-03-2010, 11:16 PM:

I've come to expect that, I know its not a "respectable" job, but from what i've heard the salaries vary, but the average is decent and livable.

I enjoy very much being an associate manager now, and think that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life, but I wanted to make sure that the jump from fun associate doesn't turn into "i hate my life" GM

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 04-03-2010, 11:49 PM:

quote: Manny Montes
I wanted to make sure that the jump from fun associate doesn't turn into "i hate my life" GM

That'll happen no matter what your career. [evil]

Posted by Manny Montes (Member # 5639) on 04-03-2010, 11:59 PM:

haha, I hope not

Don't know the exact quote but
Love what you do and you'll never work another day in your life

thats what i'm hoping

Posted by Edward Havens (Member # 4715) on 04-04-2010, 07:04 AM:

Manny, and everyone else on the board, allow me to bore you for a few moments with a sad story.

When I was 18, I had finished my first year in college, when I went home for the summer. A couple days after I got home, some friends and I went to see a movie at one of the local theatres, and on a lark, I applied for a job. Got an interview the next day, was hired and told to come in on Friday to start... only to discover upon arriving on my first day that I had already been fired. It seems the managers and the staff of this theatre were robbing the place blind, and everyone on staff had gotten the boot the day after I was hired. It was clear the new manager needed the help, so I was able to talk my way back in to a job. I told him straight up that I didn't know any of those people, that I had been going to school 400 miles away up until seven days previous and I hadn't even started yet, and I made a deal with him: that if I was not the best employee he ever had after two weeks, I would leave and we'd never have to see each other again.

Four weeks later, he promoted me to assistant. And I've been doing this for most of the last 24 years. I did quit school after trying to juggle work and studies for a year, but I wasn't really all that much in to school anyway. College should be a place of discovery, and all I discovered was that they weren't going to teach me the things I wanted to learn when I wanted to learn them. I had to follow their rigid structure about what could be learned when, and I had already learned all the stuff they were making me take as a freshman and sophomore.

I've been a GM with UATC (pre-Regal), Landmark, an independent theatre, Mann and now Rave. All of them had their ups and downs, and their positives and negatives. Do I regret choosing working at a movie theatre over what I might have accomplished had I stayed in school? Not one bit. No matter how many times things don't always go the way I would have preferred them to go, and it still happens far more often than I would hope, I still love what I do, and I have the added benefit at my current location of startomg to breathe life back in to a once-popular theatre that fell on hard times the past ten years.

So in the end, the question you need to ask yourself if how much do you love what you do? Because all the money in the world isn't going to make a job you hate worth it. The few times I've left the theatres, I did make more money at those new jobs than what I was making at the theatre, but I didn't really get much satisfaction, because I didn't love what I did. I did them for the paycheck, and that's a crappy way to live.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 04-04-2010, 10:33 AM:

quote: Manny Montes
Becoming a general manager

Why would you ever want to do this? That's about as exciting as becoming a businessman.

quote:
I was wondering if anyone has/is a GM or 1st assistant at a Regal location,

You work for Regal? Uh oh. They are on to you, now. You think I'm kidding, but I'm not. You cannot be a general manager for Regal and post on Film-Tech at the same time. They really threaten their employees about what they do in their private lives and they try to control you outside of the job as well.

So, if you are serious about getting ass-raped oops I mean promoted by Regal, cancel your Film-Tech account right now. We'll always welcome you here, but Regal sure won't. Also, cancel Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, etc... or at least block them sufficiently so that no other member of the company can see them.

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 04-04-2010, 10:47 AM:

I won't comment on this thread other than to say I really do actually enjoy what I do for a living. If I didn't I would have quit a long time ago.

Take it or leave it - I enjoy this crazy business.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 04-04-2010, 01:27 PM:

To the original poster: if you like customer-service work, consider hotel and/or restaurant management as well. There are more opportunities for growth than in the film exhibition industry, and the hotel/restaurant industry is larger and more likely to have openings near where you want to live.

I don't know if this is the case for hotels and restaurants, but I agree that assistant managers at movie theatres tend to get screwed. Often, they get paid less than the projectionist, yet have equal or greater responsibility. The only reason to take this sort of job would be if you could do so with a guarantee that you would be the nth person in line for a full manager position in the future. Otherwise, it's just a gamble.

That said, there are some very good movie theatre managers out there, and I am happy to have known and worked for some of them. If that is the job that would make you happiest, then I would encourage doing it.

Posted by Mike Frese (Member # 4361) on 04-04-2010, 01:51 PM:

First thing I would do is see if current GMs have college degrees. If they do, finish college. Their many ways to accomplish that these days vs 20 years ago.

I have a MBA as well, and IMHO it is not worth very much. But, many in the corporate world value college degrees. So again, look at other jobs you might want to aspire to and see what they need. If it is a degree, then get it.

How much more do you have left to graduate?

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 04-04-2010, 01:55 PM:

quote: Mike Frese
Their many ways to accomplish that these days vs 20 years ago.

The above sentence really shows what a college degree can do for you. When did 'their' become short for there are?

Posted by Mike Frese (Member # 4361) on 04-04-2010, 05:16 PM:

My sincere apologies to the spelling/grammar police.

I did try to edit my post and received this message:
"Sorry, the time limit for editing your post has expired.

Posted by Manny Montes (Member # 5639) on 04-04-2010, 11:26 PM:

I know that regal may seem a little tight, but I honestly love it. I've progressed quickly and hopefully will have a decent career.

It's nice to see that there are a few people who've had good experiences as GMs, I hope to maybe even progress to DM. I just love doing what I do, honestly every single day I walk in and clock in I love what I do, even on the crap days. Its amazing.

I've got 3 years to graduate, I figure I'll finish but it just seems as if college is guiding me to a "4 year graduation plan then get a job" instead of "get an education and be intelligent" which is why i'm kind of done with it

Posted by Jeremy Weigel (Member # 4208) on 04-05-2010, 02:24 AM:

I do encourage you to still get a degree just so you can say you have it. A lot of large corporations automatically consider it worth paying you more for it. I worked full time and went to school and received my BS in Accounting. It took 6 1/2 year(working for Regal the entire time) to do it, but I did it. Once I graduated and made my DM aware that had, I did get a small bump in pay because I had a business related degree.

When I first went to work for Regal(1994-2001) I loved it too. But, with the acquisition of so many different smaller chains that took place in my time with them, the corporate culture changed such that I no longer looked forward to going to work and after one final incident that took place on Christmas of 2000 I decided I had had enough.

When I left and went to work for my current employer they were impressed that I had my degree and took it into consideration during salary negotiations.

Posted by Christopher Crouch (Member # 3784) on 04-05-2010, 04:55 AM:

If you love what you are doing and desire to make a career of theatre operations, then you should definitely make an effort to continue moving forward. Yes, there are certain "fun" aspects lost and burdens added as you move in to upper management (or any position of greater responsibility for that matter). However, there is also the reward of growth, achievement, and new challenges in making such a move.

As "fun" and "free and easy" as the life of an assistant can be, nothing ruins that experience like remaining in the position too long. I've known far too many individuals who avoided moving ahead because they didn't want the added responsibilities or to lose the "fun" they were having. While they may have extended their "free and easy" days a bit, in the long run, they ended up unhappy and usually left the industry. What was once "fun", becomes boring and routine; "free and easy" grows frustrating, as coworkers move on, you grow older, and find yourself left behind.

While you are still relatively young and have plenty of time to enjoy where you are, don't allow yourself to settle in to a comfort zone. Opportunities pass much quicker than you might expect. If you want to continue loving your work, look for new challenges and move forward in your career. Take it from someone who was faced with the same decision nearly two decades ago, it's much better to have moved on and reminisce about the great times you once had as an assistant, than to still be that assistant.

As for continuing your education; You will never reach a point in life where you say "I wish I had less education". Stay in school and finish what you started, I guarantee you won't regret it.

Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 04-06-2010, 07:11 PM:

You should try to learn and do as much as you can. Depending on what kind of GM you have ask him to show you how to do certain things like weekly reports etc... Then suprise him/her by preparing them when they are due (only if they are the type to respect your enthusiasm and willingness to learn) showing them that you can take on added responsibility without the title will help you when your DM ask's his GM's who's ready to step up?

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 04-06-2010, 07:40 PM:

On a tangential note to what Sean is talking about, just be careful that there are some people who will definitely take advantage of that enthusiasm and think "Why should I pay him more if he's willing to do the same work for less?"

Not saying your manager is going to be like that, but everyone's dealt with those people who don't exactly fart rainbows.

Posted by Manny Montes (Member # 5639) on 04-07-2010, 12:44 AM:

yeah, I told my GM about wanting to make a career of it, he's been really good about showing me everything. I'm just waiting for a first assistant position to open up somewhere nearby

Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 04-07-2010, 02:55 PM:

Chris is absolutely right. I fell into a situation where I was told flat out by my RM that I should have gotten promoted to an open GM spot at a 10 screen I was an assistant at but that they had to give it to someone who was older and had been at the company longer but that I was basically supposed to do his job anyways. I did get almost the same money as him but the lack of the title bugged me back then when I was 21 now that I am almost 30 I could care less about titles.

Posted by Michael Riley (Member # 5693) on 04-09-2010, 09:07 PM:

Hello there,

First off, I do wish you the best in your future career choice. I however was a GM for Regal briefly a few years ago, after many years as an associate, and I can honestly say I would rank the job of being a GM for Regal as being slightly above being the guy who mops up at the adult theater, and slightly below the guy who cleans portable toilets.

For anyone with any business or managerial background, Regal can be at times an almost maddening company to work for. Their corporate office is run by people out of a Dilbert comic. In fact, I'm just going to literally copy and paste from the Dilbert entry on Wikipedia, with some slight modifications

Regal Entertainment Group portrays corporate culture as a Kafkaesque world of bureaucracy for its own sake and corporate politics that stand in the way of productivity, where employees' skills and efforts are not rewarded, and busy work is praised.

Themes explored include:

# Incompetent and sadistic management

* Scheduling and budgeting without reference to reality
* Failure to reward success or penalize laziness
* Penalizing employees for failures caused by bad management
* Micromanagement
* Failure to improve others' morale, lowering it instead
* Failure to communicate objectives
* Handling of projects doomed to failure or cancellation
* Sadistic HR policies with flimsy (or purely evil) rationale

Honestly, this is Regal in a nutshell. The reason you see so many GM postings is because there is a tremendously high burn out rate amongst Regal GM's for precisely these reasons. The other reason is because of the fact that their HR department
is fashioned after the Gestapo, and operates in a way where terrible managers who happen to have friends in high places go untouched, while great managers who fall into bad circumstances, whether it was their fault or not get tossed immediately. I have seen so many awful managers over the years that somehow stay under the radar, while others who commit far less grievous fouls get fired on their first offense. It's all entirely political too, and when push comes to shove, even people who will claim to have your back will turn on you.

Oh yes, and don't go into Regal expecting to make a livable salary. Their starting pay for lower management is only about a dollar above minimum wage whatever that is where you are. Assistants rarely make more than $12 or $13 an hour on salary, and that's only at the busiest of theaters in the company. The only GM's that were making any serious bank were the ones from the Pre-REG Hoyts / UA / Edwards days when companies would actually pay a decent salary. Otherwise as a starting GM, unless you're in one of the top grossing theaters in the company, you're looking at between $16 and $17 an hour starting, plus your bonus. Oh, and you'll never max out your bonus, because your assistants won't be capable of properly managing inventory, or succeeding on the blind check scores, and your DM will insist that you make purchases or repairs beyond what you're budgeted for, and then hold onto invoices forever so they hit you unexpectedly and ruin your hopes for meeting your budget, so you won't get that one either.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't harbor any personal grudges with Regal or anyone that works there. I still know many people that currently work for the company, and some of the nicest people I have ever met are at their corporate office. My parting of ways with Regal was done on my own volition, because the job was simply too much grief, stress, and anxiety, and it was becoming detrimental to my mental and physical well being, and it just wasn't worth all the crap for just $16.00 an hour. I don't regret having worked there however, and would probably be willing to go back at some point in a lesser capacity of the opportunity presented itself.

Posted by Manny Montes (Member # 5639) on 04-11-2010, 01:45 AM:

What is the average salary for a GM? I know how the bonuses work and stuff, but i'm just wondering how much of a variation there is in salary between like a small 5plex GM and a medium 13plex and a 20plex+imax. Etc...

Posted by Michael Riley (Member # 5693) on 04-11-2010, 11:33 AM:

It all depends really. I know people that run small 7 or fewer screen theaters that do no business who are banking 60 to 70 grand a year or even more simply because they've been there since the beginning of time before everything became Regal, and Hoyts and UA actually paid their managers a decent salary and a reasonable bonus structure. On the other hand I know people who run 14 screens that do a lot of business, but are only making 30 to 35k a year because they came in long after the days of decent wages and salaries had gone.

If you want to make money as a GM for Regal, the way to do it is to be flexible and willing to relocate. Most people start off running smaller 10 or less screen locations that do about 200,000 in attendance annually. Starting pay will typically be around 16 to 17 an hour salary. If you ever want to start making a livable wage however, you will have to relocate, possibly even frequently, because that's the only way you'll ever get a significant pay raise. I believe annual raises at Regal get capped at 3%, so by staying at the same location, you're only looking at another 50 cents a year.

If you succede at running whatever rinky dink dump they start you out in, and are on good terms with your District Manager (this one is key, your DM can make or break you), it is entirely possible that over time, you can make your way to a busy location. I know some of the people running the hyper busy megaplexes in New York and Boston are banking six figures every year with their bonus, but they definitely work for it.

Honestly, the biggest frustration with being a GM for Regal has to be the pay, and the overwhelming effect it has on everything. Every location ends up with a high turnover rate for staff and managers because of this. Replacing staff isn't too bad, and can be accomplished within a couple of weeks. Hiring new managers however is a nightmare. Regal's HR department is very particular about who they will allow you to hire for management positions. They have to have had significant previous supervisory experience for one thing, and they also have to pass a particularly intrusive background check for another. If this doesn't eliminate 80% of your perspective management candidates, then the pay is what will get rid of the rest of them. I've seen entirely too many interviews with perfect candidates for management go south once you get to the part about the amount of respnsibility involved, and the fact that the company won't allow you to hire them for more than 9 or 10 dollars an hour for a full time position.

As a result of this, a lot of GM's get overworked and understaffed. As a GM, if you have more than one or two managers quit on you at once, it's a catastrophe, because now you'll have to work an extra 20 hours a week running booth and counting money to cover for the loss. Promoting from withing can often be difficult because even your best employees will end up leaving for better pay eventually, and most will just quit or get fired before they even get that far. Hiring from outside the company is an option, but even if you do find someone Regal approves you to hire, they will almost always supplement their low pay by stealing.

Being a GM is a lot of work, you need to be strong, motivated, and completely dedicated to make it work. You also need to be willing to forget about things like your personal life and your family, which is sad. It definitely works for some people, but it's certainly not for everybody.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 04-11-2010, 11:58 AM:

quote: Michael Riley
They have to have had significant previous supervisory experience for one thing, and they also have to pass a particularly intrusive background check for another.

Don't forget about the references that Regal requires for EVERY employee. They check 'em all, meaning the GM makes the assistants check 'em all. Absolute hell if you are opening a new theater with 50+ brand new staff. If, for example, you previously worked at AMC and provide them as a reference, Regal will try to call them and AMC really won't tell them anything. The catch 22 is that if you use Regal as a reference at another job, they won't tell them anything, either.

Also, what the Regal Riverpoint 14 did to Jen when she was hired there as an assistant manager was to pay her a low supervisor wage. She had AMC experience and AMC was not cooperative, so it took a very looooong time before they could get that reference check done, at least that's what they claimed. Only when it was did they bump her pay to $9.50, give her an S card and a proper manager name tag. They expected her to do all of the manager work in the meantime, however, and she was deemed part of the management staff and on the management schedule. Regal is very shady, they seem to hate their workers and almost have a criminal mentality about taking advantage of them, making them do much more work for less pay. They really shit on Jen every chance they got. But maybe the GM was pissed because he went from a really busy, popular theater to a pathetic new one that did not meet expectations.

Also, I have heard that according to Regal politics, GMs MUST apply for positions at new theaters and the like, otherwise they look uninterested and that could be bad for their career.

Posted by Michael Riley (Member # 5693) on 04-11-2010, 12:05 PM:

Oh yeah, I've seen plenty of people be denied management for "So, you didn't give us a reference or an explanation for the three days you were between jobs in 1992. Sorry, we need good explanations for gaps in employment."

Posted by Matt Johnston (Member # 5457) on 04-11-2010, 03:25 PM:

Man... I've worked for Regal off and on for over 10 years and have not experienced ANY of the nightmares that you guys keep referring too.

Is it frustrating at times, yes. Could the pay improve, yes (but I'd say that even if I was making 100k+ a year). Do they have a strict background check, yes (that's not necessarily a bad thing...).

Manny - All in all, if that's what you want to do, go for it! Personally, I LOVE running the booth! It's my passion. Follow your passion, whatever it may be.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 04-11-2010, 05:41 PM:

quote: Joe Redifer
Also, what the Regal Riverpoint 14 did to Jen when she was hired there as an assistant manager was to pay her a low supervisor wage. She had AMC experience and AMC was not cooperative, so it took a very looooong time before they could get that reference check done, at least that's what they claimed.

Perhaps it was based on a law only in Washington State, but I remember the managers at the AMC I worked at were only allowed to confirm that a person worked there and the dates of employment. But I'm pretty sure they just did it to avoid retaliation from lawsuits.

On the other hand, it would be different if you used one of your business contacts as a personal reference.

Posted by Jeremy Weigel (Member # 4208) on 04-11-2010, 07:01 PM:

quote: Chris Slycord
were only allowed to confirm that a person worked there and the dates of employment

That's pretty much common practice in the corporate world these days.

As to personal references, just remember to ask the person first if it is OK to do so or at least give them a heads up.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 04-11-2010, 08:24 PM:

And obviously with personal references, try having someone you're sure will give you a good one. I know of someone who pestered his boss for his work-study lab he was in to write a letter for his medical school application. The boss found the kid lazy and kept on giving him hints that someone else would be a better choice for the letter. Kid would not take no for an answer and got his confidential letter that helped him not get in at the time.

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 04-12-2010, 05:46 PM:

It's been over 10 years since I managed people, but the reason I got away from it was that I was got extremely tired of constantly training people to do the same thing over and over again and assistant managers that were afraid to make a decision on their own. The second issue may likely have been something my own behavior nurtured but nevertheless I really hated being called all the time to make a decision.

As for whether or not Regal is a good company to work for I can't say because I've never worked for them. I think though that they're like any corporation out there. You either grasp the way they manage their business and you'll succeed or you don't grasp and then fail. I think there are a number of people out there in management that don't like playing by the company's rules and begin to resent the entire operation.

Half of the gripes listed in previous posts apply to just about any theatre chain out there but if you like the one you're working for and you can abide by their rules then go for it. One of the managers I currently audit is fond of the saying "It's their sandbox, they let me play in it." I think that's appropriate for working for any theatre chain.

As a side note, at many of the NATO meetings I've been to I've talked to a lot of Regal managers and they say they like it and couldn't imagine working for anybody else. Of course I liked working for Century and couldn't imagine working for anybody else but that's because it was what I was used to. If you're used to Regal -- go for it.

Posted by Aaron Mehocic (Member # 15) on 04-17-2010, 07:45 PM:

Manny,
Reading these other posts, again I admonish you to make your dispositions accordingly . . .

Posted by Mike Williams (Member # 1140) on 04-18-2010, 08:23 AM:

Manny,
I worked as an assistant in the South Florida district for Regal from 1996 until 2002, and then at the corporate office here in Knoxville for another 3 years. In fact, I helped open your theater about 10 years ago (you are at Westfork right?). I too, had aspirations of being a GM (or higher) one day.
Regal is not a bad company to work for. Having more than 25,000 employees, they have good benefits for their full time employees and there IS room for advancement. Any negative experience I had while at Regal was usually more attributed to individuals - not the company. I have met many people that have made good careers at Regal.

I will echo what somebody else said in an earlier post. As a GM, your assistant managers can make or break you, and finding good ones can be difficult. If you are going that route, you have to be really on top of your game (which usually means spending a lot of hours at the theater). That can get complicated once you have a family or other priorities in your life. That might be ok though. I don't know how to put it - the theater industry kind of stays in your blood... that's why I still lurk here on Film-Tech sometimes.

I ended up leaving Regal for another industry back in 2005 and like my current job and where my career has taken me. In many ways, I have my jobs at Regal to thank for where I am today.

I also made finishing my degree a priority back when I was managing - I went to FIU and finished up long before I would consider moving or taking a GM position. Nowadays, it seems like you need that degree for almost any (well paying) job. You are young... get that out of the way now. That degree can ONLY help you.

Good Luck

Mike

Posted by Manny Montes (Member # 5639) on 04-19-2010, 02:35 AM:

Mike (and everyone),

Thanks so much for all the responses. I'm going for the lead position at my current theater (because we do not do enough attendance to justify having a salaried first assistant). Hopefully an opening will come up soon.

It's funny that you helped open up my old theater, its a great building, so much storage, catwalks, etc.

Posted by Jonathan Smith (Member # 5609) on 04-20-2010, 11:02 AM:

Keep in mind the theatre industry is heading towards an automated entity much like the car factory in "Minority Report."

Iron ore goes in one end, a finished product comes out the other with no human interaction.

This industry is going to see the elimination of projectionists, box office attendants, concessionists, and then maybe even ushers.

I'm not sure this is a field you really want to be in 40 years hence.

Not trying to discourage your dreams, but do yourself a favor and keep your options open; FINISH YOUR DEGREE.

Posted by Aaron Mehocic (Member # 15) on 04-21-2010, 09:45 AM:

Theaters will cease to exits as a forum of entertainment before elimination of those positions take place. Somebody has to be there to turn on the lights and guide the people to where the restrooms are.

Posted by Jonathan Smith (Member # 5609) on 04-21-2010, 11:18 AM:

I agree Aaron, but I am saying he may end up being the general manager of two concession mechanics, and an usher with the way things are going right now.

They are going to self-serve cafeteria-style concessions in new theatres, with only a cashier to ring you out (and we know how grocery stores are trying to do away with even this, not too much of a stretch to just have one tech guy here too).

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 04-21-2010, 11:28 AM:

Even at self serve there's somebody to scoop the popcorn and get the soda for people that just can't figure out how a soda machine works.

Also, while I'm all in favor of people getting a degree, I know very few whose degree has helped them get a job let alone a job that they went to school for.

People may roll their eyes at running a theatre for the rest of their lives, but I'd rather run a theatre than run a Gap, McDonalds, Holiday Inn or most other management jobs.

Posted by Jonathan Smith (Member # 5609) on 04-21-2010, 11:51 AM:

I agree Scott, but the work forces could be halved, or more-than halved.

Try getting a human being at a grocery store near any major city; I refuse to use the computer checkouts, all run by one high-paid IT guy, but many other idiots happily do.

So, is the GM of a 15- or 20 person theatre going to be paid the same amount as a GM in charge of 100 people?

Eventually, there will be a half-dozen minimum-wage part-time employees, a booth IT guy, a concession IT guy, a couple of ushers/cleaners, and a manager in the theatre.

Posted by Jeremy Weigel (Member # 4208) on 04-21-2010, 12:27 PM:

Most of the self check out lanes that were installed in the stores that I frequent have been removed or reduced in number and turned back into cashier check outs.

Posted by Jonathan Smith (Member # 5609) on 04-21-2010, 12:37 PM:

Unfortunately, that isn't the case here. I still refuse to use one when at all possible, and I'm sure the 45+ group has similar opinions to my own, but it comes as second nature to a twittering, speed-texting teenie-bopper on their iPhone [Roll Eyes]

This same sort of customer is the one that is watching a movie on their phone while they're using $10-20 of mommy (and daddy)'s debit card to pay to get into one that is being shown on a $2000 print.

And they're more interested in the phone movie than the one mommy paid for them to see.

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 04-21-2010, 03:54 PM:

I like using the self checkout because when at all possible I don't wanna make idle chit chat with people. I get pissed off when I have to get the hive manager to come over and approve my purchase of cough syrup.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 04-21-2010, 04:58 PM:

quote: Aaron Mehocic
Somebody has to be there to turn on the lights and guide the people to where the restrooms are.

Nobody needs to be there to turn on the lights or even unlock the doors. All of that can be completely automated locally or even outsourced to India. Want to adjust the volume or stop a movie that is playing in Houston? No problem. As for restrooms, bigger signs and better design can solve that problem. So, with current technology that exists today, theaters can exist without any human involvement whatsoever other than the ushers who sweep things and the janitors who clean the big mess each night.

Posted by John Joseph Fink (Member # 3619) on 04-21-2010, 06:09 PM:

Or as we're seeing now two types of theaters - little human intervention worked in the UK for Easy Cinemas (barcoded tickets with entrance gates, initially no concession stand from what I remember). But if I'm going out on a date I'd much rather ball out at a place like a Cinema De Lux. The theater business is a hospitality business and you need humans to provide service at least on some level. Granted automated box offices can allegedly provide expedited service but some seem slower than the regular box office, I've seen programing issues (in one instance, titles weren't programed and thus I had to guess the movie I wanted to see by matching rating to its showtime - a waste of time), slow machines and a lack of machines. I think we will see a movie towards more upscale theaters with an emphasis on service (what that will mean for staffing I'm not sure) and the bare bones generic multiplex. I can't imagine the whole thing could be outsourced aside from projection and if it does it will be a cold experience. I keep saying a theater chain needs to find a way to harness the energy of a good major film festival: when I'm in Toronto for TIFF, it's addicting. I think an emotional connection between customers is somewhat lost there and its perhaps a branding and experience issue that the chains I think in some respect are working to revive with special screenings of a film right before its sequel comes out and other events. I give AMC props for trying at least, I don't know what attendance is like - but those major events that create that energy are the future of cinema, and that's what will bring people back. You can't properly execute those without good people.