Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Starting Projection Job on Thursday

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Posted by Cody Martin (Member # 2523) on 05-22-2006, 01:24 PM:

Just wanted to let yall know I'm starting a new job on Wednesday or Thursday(depeding on when the prints arrive). I'm going to be working projection at a local 8-plex. I believe they are alpha platters and some simplex heads. I'll let you know more when I start. First time working at a big house...have only worked in a one screen building. Hopefully, I won't be a booth usher...urgh.

Cody

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 05-22-2006, 03:01 PM:

Congratulations! [thumbsup]

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 05-22-2006, 04:46 PM:

Congrats Cody!

quote: Cody Martin
First time working at a big house...

Whenever someone says "the big house", it always reminds me of my time serving at San Quentin.

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 05-22-2006, 05:42 PM:

Excellent! I did about nine months with Marcus Theatres as a "booth/usher". Just make sure to demonstrate to everyone involved that you can competently work with their equipment & hopefully they'll be open enough to give you the time you deserve in the booth.

Posted by Brian Michael Weidemann (Member # 2243) on 05-22-2006, 09:37 PM:

My first theatre (and booth responsibility) was a local 8-plex as well, with Simplex heads, in fact. Great memories. It was perfect. Eight was a nice number of auditoriums. Start times were nicely staggered about one every 15 minutes, giving plenty of time for maintenance and cleaning. Trailer maintenance and lamp hour reports and Dolby tones and exciter lamp assemblies ... ah, those were the days!

Congratulations. Hope you love it! [thumbsup]

Posted by Chad M Calpito (Member # 3736) on 05-27-2006, 10:47 AM:

Congratulations Cody. I hope you will enjoy working in the projection booth. [Big Grin]

Posted by Cody Martin (Member # 2523) on 06-08-2006, 11:53 PM:

It's almost been three weeks at the local 8-plex now and it's time for an update.

During the first week I learned mainly the concession stuff(which is pretty simple) and venue POS software. I also learned they needed a manager so I'm in training for that. At then end of the first week I built up one print with guidance from an elder. Unfortunately this place builds sound down...big change for me, and hopefully I'll be able to talk them into switching sometime.

2nd week I spent more time learnign the manager stuff. I ran projectors most of my shifts. I believe I'm up to 104 successful starts and 1 brain wrap(drive wheel not engaged, caught it soon enough to freehand the platter and not cause friction marks).

This past week I learned cash control and more of the booth. I cleaned one day so that I could find everything I needed(cue tape, splicing tape, leader...etc). On Wednesday I helped set up the 8 screen interlock and ran it while everyone decided to step out. Few problems there, but were solved by manually slowing the motor of one down.

June 8th built up 3 prints of cars and tore two down. My times are going up, but I'm not going for records, but quality. I'm loving every minute of the booth. I don't mind the concession stand or box, but I'd rather be in the cement box.

All projectors are XL's on BIG Sky consoles 2000w for all indoor and 7000(I believe) for drive in. 2 Dolby Digital Houses rest are analog. I believe the platters are POTTS.

Have fun,
Cody

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-09-2006, 03:19 AM:

(dunno, if this was bad to begin like this, or not..but here goes..) I started out in the booth...and here I am .. still in the booth..but now as company engineer ...

But, learned all about the business as I went along - learning janitor, maintenance, management, floor staff..doing marquee..technical services..et.al.

From carbon arcs, to xenon, to big reel (both 6k changeovers machines, to 13k 4x Cine towers, to 13k V-18 setups) to platters (sorry, no ELF systems..), of practically all makes and types....

Now, would love to learn IMAX, DigCinema..et.al. (bummer, never got the chance to do 5/70..)

..just never started from the floor up..just started in this technicial field from the beginning...where I wanted to go.

-Monte

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-10-2006, 09:24 AM:

quote: Cody Martin
Unfortunately this place builds sound down...big change for me, and hopefully I'll be able to talk them into switching sometime.

Actually there may be somne advantages to that like less focus drift..... I ahve several customers that do it sound down.. they always have and yes there is less focus droft thorugh out a feature.

Mark

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-10-2006, 01:58 PM:

I worked in a 4plex that we wound sound down as well ...and always wonder why some other places wound sound up ...

Only reason, I thought of, with the sound down winds is that the film is being wound on the ring the same as a takeup reel is winding film - emulsion inside. Thus, making up with the platter (using LP-270's) was the traditional "S" wind - just had to flip the film to sound up on the final wind for breakdown.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-10-2006, 08:13 PM:

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
I ahve several customers that do it sound down.. they always have and yes there is less focus droft thorugh out a feature.

Horseshit. Maybe there is some focus drift due to the optics heating up, but not from the winding orientation. This all goes back to that damned SMPTE document a few decades ago that studied acetate base prints on REEL TO REEL systems (not platters with their larger hub to outer wrap ratio). [Roll Eyes]

Running soundtrack down puts the emulsion side of the film against the abrasive aspects of a malfunctioning platter or misthread. Besides, with polyester film it exaggerates the curl and actually creates minor focus problems.

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 06-10-2006, 08:53 PM:

Having run a Kelmar film cleaner with Film-guard for many years I can say with certainty that the film is always dirtier on the platter side.

Run soundtrack up. [thumbsup]

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 06-11-2006, 03:48 AM:

I always run the optical soundtrack toward the operator's side...

Posted by Diane Linton (Member # 3711) on 06-11-2006, 10:22 AM:

Congrats! I started out(where I am right now) with ten theaters, and it does get a little stressful because there isen't alot of time for fixing technical glitches and such. But I love it.
We run with the sound up.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-11-2006, 10:46 AM:

I agree with Phil on this one...always towards the operator!

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 06-11-2006, 12:06 PM:

quote: Diane Linton
We run with the sound up.

Sound up, sound down? If there are too many people in the room, turn it up! Hehe..

Rick

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 06-12-2006, 12:38 PM:

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen

Actually there may be somne advantages to that like less focus drift..... I ahve several customers that do it sound down.. they always have and yes there is less focus droft thorugh out a feature.

Mark

Again, the emulsion-in winding specified by SMPTE Recommended Practice RP39 was developed for triacetate prints. Polyester prints have a different curl characteristic, which is more dependent on the relative humidity in the projection room. So choosing the optimum winding orientation depends on the relative humidity, as well as considerations such as risk of platter abrasion.

Posted by Cody Martin (Member # 2523) on 06-16-2006, 09:07 AM:

Thank you all for your interest in this. Past wednesday I got to thread the 8 screen interlock. Man, lots of rollers and lots of film, but it's all fun and satisfying when you flip the motor switch and see it all move properly.

The only downside is, is if there is a problem once you start the lights, you have to go to each projector and hit stop, and then once all 8 are stopped, you can then turn the motors off by the switch. I'm going to check out the big sky automation binder, and see if there is a better way. I do think they are wired together and i noticed an interlock mode on the projectors.

I captured a video of the interlock and I will try to get it up soon.

Have fun,
Cody