This is topic Slamming staff. in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Keith Peticolas (Member # 971) on 02-21-2002, 06:40 AM:
I've been here for a few months and I have noticed more than a few posts degrading the staffs that we have to work with. I think it would be wise to remember that a projection crew is only going to be as good as the chief projectionist who trains them. I know that it can suck working with a bunch of hormone driven teens, but to entirely blame bad presentations on a "dumb film handler" is wrong. My theater has earned a real nice reputation as having the best on-screen product around. I credit that to the fact that I take the time and show the interest in training my crew. My guys and girls do one hell of good job and I'm very proud of them. And that is something I take the time to tell them. As chiefs it's our job to make damn sure these "dumb kids" know what they are doing. If there is someone in your booth who is not up to speed that is your fault, not theirs. I'm frankly getting a little tired of a few prima donna projectionists who think they walk on water and the "children" should stay out of the booth and just sell popcorn. I would stand my "film handlers" against any others. "WE" are that good.
'Nuff said.
Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 02-21-2002, 07:58 AM:
If I were a master film handler (which I am definitely not), I would treat the floor staff with respect. Their jobs are no less important than the projectionist's. I would also welcome inquiries from those individuals who show special interest in booth work, and encourage them to pursue it if they want. However, it would be with the understanding that either they have the talent to do the job right, or they don't, and if they don't, it's back to the floor. No harm no foul. The same principle holds with their floor managers: If a floor person can't take the job seriously (even if it's sweeping up spilled popcorn) and isn't performing, get rid of them. Bottom line is a well-run theater needs everyone on the staff to be doing their jobs well to provide a "film done right" experience for the paying customers, and all should respect one another for what they contribute.
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- dave
Look at this! His chin strap has been cut!
Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 02-21-2002, 03:18 PM:
I have worked with my share of horrible projectionists, that treat the floor staff with disrespect and hate. They destroy the business as a whole, and because they are cheap, owners love em.I have also had the pleasure of wonderful projectionists. You only get these IF and its a big IF the owners stay out of hiring people.
Dave
Posted by Chad Souder (Member # 343) on 02-21-2002, 06:56 PM:
'I'm frankly getting a little tired of a few prima donna projectionists who think they walk on water and the "children" should stay out of the booth and just sell popcorn.'
well said.
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"Asleep at the switch? I wasn't asleep, I was drunk!" - Homer Simpson
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 02-21-2002, 07:06 PM:
I personally believe that the "children" should stay out of the booth. If they are not competent to operate the complete booth then out they should stay. And let those run it who know how
If there is not a quality presentation on the screen then the floor staff will not have patrons to serve
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-21-2002, 07:31 PM:
I don't think age matters at all. I've trained 16 year olds who far outperformed 60 year olds who have been running film all of their life. Then again, there are some 16 year olds that even after 2 weeks of non-stop training still don't get it. It all depends on the person. Age, young or elderly, has nothing to do with it.Keith, down in these parts the staff doesn't get paid too much. Finding GOOD staff that CARES and is willing to work for peanuts is a rare find. This is why I think you are seeing the majority of the comments here are negative towards "staff". Most of them don't care and the money certainly is not there to make them care.
Posted by Joe Beres (Member # 678) on 02-21-2002, 09:08 PM:
I have to side with Keith and Brad on this one. I think the kids need to be given a shot. Realistically, you're going to find fewer people over the age of 21 that have been around film, understand "film done right" and really take some pride in their work. The kids that need to stay out of the booth are the ones that have been trained not to care by management that doesn't care. Granted, there are definitely people that aren't going to get it and people that don't really care to get it, but on the other hand there are going to be people that do get it and do care. Look at Josh Jones for example. (Josh, I hope you don't mind being an example) I don't think he's even out of high school yet, but judging from his posts, he's better than 90% of the projectionists that live in Madison, WI. He is definitely a kid that should not be kept out of the booth. The quality control needs to be at a higher level. The management needs to take more responsibility and make sure that people get trained properly BY people that have been trained properly and have some experience. The people that just don't or won't get it should be put back out on the floor. Too often, I think people, myslef included sometimes, blame the "kids" for "film done wrong" when they were never really taught the right way of doing things.
Posted by David Favel (Member # 1125) on 02-21-2002, 11:27 PM:
I hire kids all the time.
The best was a 15 yr old girl who became my most professional worker.
Always checking the movie & herself to achieve the best presentation for the customers.
I choose staff from my customers.
1 girl, on her 8th time seeing Fotr free movie
9TH time free t-shirt
10TH time job.Not every one works out & sometimes it takes longer to train but for me young movie fans care about movies and what the customer sees on screen
Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 02-22-2002, 02:15 AM:
I have had a lot of good experience with the kids, and some bad. The bad ones are usually jocks, football players. WHY YOU ASK???
Simple... if you have a kid who spends his life taking orders, and never actually THINKING for himself for one damn minute, then you get someone that absolutely will never get it, and will never do the job right unless you wait on them hand and foot like a coach.
Now the good ones I found out were the artsy fartsy ones. The ones that got into av in high school, drama class, art class, etc. Reason is that interest and follow through in these areas require a greater use of the rationalization parts of the brain. They tend to learn faster, reason better, and remember direction, rather than wait for the next play call.
That my onion, and I can cry if I want to.
dave
Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 02-22-2002, 02:18 AM:
As a follow up to my previous post...The technical ones, as a few of us are, do make the best projectionist ever. But I don't like to hire them, because they tend to try to take my equipment apart when it works fine. You know, to see how it works.
Thats great for some of us, when we really need to know, so we can see what lame brained engineer caused us so much grief by thier horrible design. But thats in our spare time.
Dave
Posted by Peter Kerchinsky (Member # 1098) on 02-23-2002, 05:22 AM:
Hey guys
I started training in a booth in 1957 when I was 14. Actually I lied about my age, but if those projectionists didn't have faith in me then, I;m not sure how it would have come out.
And, of course, all us old timers know it was alot more difficult then than now........or is it?
Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 02-23-2002, 05:48 AM:
quote:
If there is someone in your booth who is not up to speed that is your fault, not theirs.
Oh really? I take exception to this statement. It implies that EVERYONE is equally trainable. What you are saying is that no matter WHO goes up for booth training and I train them, then it is my fault if they don't become decent projectionists. It doesn't matter if I am training a 13 year old kid, a 27 year old AV tech, or someone who has no interest in working whatsoever... it's my fault? I've had people that I've trained turn out absolutely wonderful. I've also had a few that did not turn out so well despite my best efforts. The ones who have true and genuine interest in the booth as well as a willingness to learn new things and techniques are the ones who truly work out. It really does depend on the individual. If what you say were true, then the first person chosen anytime there was an open person in the booth would automatically be the right person for the job, even if there was no thought process in the selection. You may want to reword your statement as it is incorrect.
I agree that a good head projectionist definitely helps out a lot. But sometimes even that is not enough with certain individuals. There are some who just don't belong in the booth.
Posted by Will Kutler (Member # 770) on 02-23-2002, 12:47 PM:
There are many factors that come into play with this topic. 1) the ability of the person being trained.
2) SALARY! How can a company expect to retain skilled employees if they are not willing to pay decent wages! This results in a chain effect....employees that do not care=bad presentation=possible decline in theater attendance?
3) I have seen all kinds of people in booths. There are those who really care but quit because of shitty wages, people who know the job and are compitent but will scam and be lazy at every given moment, people who had a hard time catching on and who tried to learn, and people who definately could not catch on and who did not even try!
4) I have seen my share of politics in the booth....but the bottom line is, if you want to retain skilled employees, then you must pay fair wages and show that you care about your employees!
Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 02-23-2002, 01:25 PM:
Those who treated me fairly I stuck with, even though the pay was less than desirable. On countless occasions, we had to do tasks that were above and beyond the call of duty.Conversly, I walked out on several others. But I never walked out because of lousy wages.
But that was then....this is now.