Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: rates for P.M. calls

This is topic rates for P.M. calls in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 06-02-2006, 09:18 AM:

I was curious what the average rate is per screen? I did one last month and I think I charged them too much. A question for multiplex theater owners/managers that run matinees daily- what is your practice when you call in a tech for a routine service call? Do you cancel shows?

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 06-02-2006, 09:33 AM:

quote: Richard Hamilton
Do you cancel shows?

No, You drag the projectionist out of bed early during the down time of the theatre.

The answer would be the same if you had 1 or 20 screens, it's always done during the down time of the theatre.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-02-2006, 09:36 AM:

Richard, we generally charge by the hour and the materials (T&M)...this always charges the right price. Every time I've seen one go to a fixed price...someone feels like they aren't getting the good end of a deal. The advantage of the fixed price to an exhibitor is knowing how much they are going to spend on maintainence but it speaks nothing to how good or thorough it will be.

Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 06-02-2006, 09:49 AM:

We do it differently.

We put in place a contract between ourselves and the theatre. We bill them usually quarterly or in some cases monthly. This charge usually includes the requisite number of days service, be it 2, 3 or 4 visits per year, and usually includes an allowance for 'trouble calls', as well as access to our staff for advice, 7 days a week, times within reason. It does not include parts, nor does it include calls made to fix problems caused by incompetence, malicious damage or the worst kind, tinkering.

This helps the cinemas budget for maintenance, and helps us schedule where our staff are day to day. It's not fixed price as such, as the customer will often end up paying for our time and materials outwith the terms of the contract, I suppose you could say the price is fixed as long as nothing breaks or wear out, and the operators don't break anything either [uhoh]

Under the terms of some contracts they are supposed to make the equipment availabel to us for xx hours/day, if that means closing a screen for an afternoon, or someone coming in early to let us in, so be it. In practice this rarely happens, they just have to live with the consequences.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 06-02-2006, 11:24 AM:

Of the theatres that I know, most of the ones that actually care about maintenance buy yearly service contracts (from NCS, etc.) that cover a specfied number of service calls (usually 2-3/year, each of which consists of sound alignment and general review of all equipment, checking of light levels, etc.) as well as any necessary emergency calls. Parts, installations, aperture plates, etc. are extra.

As others have mentioned, shows are never cancelled for preventive maintenance calls; they are generally done in the morning before the first shows of the day.

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 06-02-2006, 11:28 AM:

quote: Bill Gabel
The answer would be the same if you had 1 or 20 screens, it's always done during the down time of the theatre.

So my question is , what about multi-plexes. I agree with you about the down time Bill I do not like to see a theater dark. So how do you handle it? When I arrive at a theater,I don't want to spend 14 hour days starting at midnight. I also dont want to cancel a show, because if I see one person sitting in a theater, this person is the reason I have a job, he signs my checks.

Posted by Frank Dubrois (Member # 3042) on 06-02-2006, 01:26 PM:

Nothing says you have to do them all in one night. if you were to try and do 20 auditoriums in one night..by the time you get to #20, your attitude, patience and physical strength would be so low that you would probably be cutting corners and doing nothing but thinking about getting out of there.

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 06-02-2006, 06:13 PM:

Bright Star Systems were able to do two yearly calls on each projector when I worked at Lakeville's then 18-plex. Over each half of the year one tech would come in at eight in the morning to do 6 machines in the course of three hours per day. This usually was done over the course of two or three days depending on what kind of work needed to be done. Of course, the idea is to keep a good log of each machine so all the needed work can be fixed & crossed off the list in an organized fashion.

Posted by James Westbrook (Member # 3690) on 06-02-2006, 10:20 PM:

It would take several days to PM a large multiplex if parts or sound cards have to be ordered and installed.
The circuit I work for have their own techs, and our regional tech plans on spending a sizeable chunk of June in this area to PM three theatres around here. As he may get emergency calls,and has to leave our area,it could easily go to July. This is because all of us are running summer schedules. During Fall and Winter, the PM's take longer at the 17, which opens around 10-ish AM all year round, not as long at mine which opens at 1PM on the weekdays, and quite quick at the 6, which opens at 4 during the weekdays.
Our tech will usually get in at 4 or 5 and try to knock off for the day at noon.