When I was a projectionist at Famous and Cineplex we needed a licence to run 35mm film. To get a licence you had to do an apprenticeship and write a test. The licenses weren't really necessary anymore, they were a holdover from when films were on Nitrate film which was highly flammable. However at least there were trained projectionists in the theatres.
Since the government removed the licences the exhibitors have 'trained' their managers and some of the staff to run the projectors. These are what I call trained monkeys. In multiplexes each theatre is automated so all the staff person has to do is thread up and push start. The machinery dims the lights, turns on the sound etc. Literally a actual trained monkey could do this. The problems happen when problems happen. Most of the time the staff don't know what to do if anything goes wrong.
I'm ranting about this because of an experience I had last Friday. I went to see Zodiac at a theatre which shall remain nameless. I've been looking forward to this movie for ages. However the film was shaking side to side enough to drive me crazy. It wasn't noticeable when the camera was moving but when the camera was stationary it was really bad. I knew I couldn't take watching it for 2 1/2 hours. I didn't want to miss any of the movie to let them know and figured the odds were good they didn't know how to fix it anyway so I left and got my money back. I did tell them about the problem on the way out.
I worked on the same projectors when it was a Cineplex and if the problem was what I think it was it would have taken me about 1 second to fix it. There's a small pad on one side of the film that is supposed to keep it from moving side to side. If not cleaned regularly it can get stuck open. A real projectionist would know all you have to do is give the pad a little push and it will loosen but would a trained monkey?
8 comments:
I am assuming it is an Empire Theatre you are talking about. Did this happen a lot? Because it is only happen to me once when the picture goes off the screen.
It wasn't an Empire theatre actually. I've found the problems pretty much universal. One expensive theatre here recently got rid of a very talented projectionist who kept things running really well. I've already noticed a difference in the quality of their presentations. I don't blame him for leaving. He was making basically the same money to run 12 screens as I pay my guys to run one?!
PS, it's not just about losing the movie entirely, it's about things like unfocused pictures, that really drives me crazy. Flickering lamps because they haven't been changed etc. etc.
You know what Westernfilm you shoulda marched up there and showed those trained monkeys how it's really done. Technology bothers me, it's like real talent isn't a necessity anymore - and then look what happens... geez
I worked at a cineplex and was trained extensively over a period of two months, however, the people who were trained only a year before me actually had to be examined at the headquarters or something of the sort. I will say, though, that my manager was dilligent and I had to learn a great deal of the details regarding the inner workings of the projector and of the properties of the film itself. He made sure that I and one other of the relief projectionists could solve pretty much any trouble and I was greatful for it. He even made sure we were capable in the maintenance and replacement of the operating machinery and the xenon lamps used to project the image. I can sympathise with your experiences, though; at many other cinemas, I've encountered the problems you described above. Simple issues of focus and horizontal or vertical jumping should be easily resolved.
To get a licence you used to have to do a apprenticeship and write an exam. Initially the goverment just elimiated the apprenticeship so the theatre managers still had to write the test which I assume is what was done at headquarters. You were definitely an exception if you were that well trained. I just picked up a film at a theatre outside London and noticed a whole bunch of things that they weren't doing right or could be doing better.
how long would have taken you to fix the problem if it wasn't what you think??
I would say the odds were 80% it was the problem I mentioned. How long it would have taken if it wasn't would have depended on the problem. Film moving side to side is pretty rare, it could have been a loose gate or possibly even a error when the lab printed the film.
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