-Rage- Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 Anyone else here happen to work as a film projectionist, past or present? I remember fermentor666 used to be one and we chatted in the past. I'm sure there are some awesome/horrible work stories to be told. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
injury Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunchTruck Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 I did. When I was 17. It had it's ups n downs..... Really liked working alone, I like being in the dark...heh..... Could be really stressful tho, having a part of the film melt and a theater full of people being restless and cranky...while I'm trying to fix it, that sucks. One time I threaded up a machine and somehow managed to twist the film....end up without sound, and there is no way to "rewind"....joys of learning, I guess. I'd never go back to it but I sort of wish I'd stuck with it longer, and got to know more about the mechanics of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackfatsoe Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 I love film. I love being alone. Somebody find me this job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autoteller Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 i used to work as one for like 2 weeks before the theater went under. cake job, the new machines do all the work. all you do is get high and watch new movies for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bustanut Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 I worked as a projectionist for 2 years and it was a great job easy as hell and got to see the latest movies for free Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest T14K Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 the last two posts were eerily similar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasfacevictm Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 Those two posts were very similar. Eery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Rage- Posted February 26, 2010 Author Share Posted February 26, 2010 I've been doing this for about eight years now and it's still fun, for the most part. A majority of those years has also been dealt with managing as well, which is a downside. If I could I would just love to do projection only and let someone else deal with the customers. LunchTruck pointed it out best, being alone in a booth is the best shit ever. I had one gig where that's all I did. I just spent most of my nights in the projection booth and worked on college papers and read a lot. Even after almost eight years, I still learn new things about film and projection. There's always new tips and tricks I pick up at each theater I work at. *edit Oh yea, and Digital is still a long ways away from taking over every theater. Granted many of the megaplexes have numerous digital projectors and equipment, but that's only because they can afford it. The smaller independent and art house theaters can't, so for now there are still more prints that digital. Also, digital movies (which are often sent via hard drives in cases) are easily stolen. More-so than 80l pounds of film reels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|O__________o|-robojones Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 worked as one a minute ago in fort washington maryland.. it was super ghetto and for some reason i never understood you could hear gogo music being played through the vents late at night. pretty much all the machines where platter type christie 2 . i dont know much about the newer models used in theatres now but i hear they are leaning more toward digital dlp. worst night ever was having to take green mile from one end of the theater to another..and the all of the splices broke right at the beginning and it flew all over the floor..hella mad cause i wasnt the one who put it together in the first place took a day to put back together sup sans..where you been at negro? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Rage- Posted February 26, 2010 Author Share Posted February 26, 2010 I started using those Christie's platters and housings about four years ago. They're nice and always run smooth. Potts platters were always crazy loud and clanky for some reason. That suuucks about Green Mile! I was once using a stand-up make up table to build a film onto a huge 8000 ft reel. I got about 3 reels in when the fucking thing decided to unscrew itself, causing one half of the metal reel to fly off spinning down the booth while the three reels of film (and trailers) fall to the floor. I was pissed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Rage- Posted February 26, 2010 Author Share Posted February 26, 2010 I'll have to post up some photos later of all (or most of) the booths that I've worked in. 2007. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClueTwo Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 I'm suprised everything hasn't gone digital. I'm sure we're talking serious bucks, but the profitabilty of playing something other than movies would make up for it I'm sure. My girlfriends roommate works for AMC and one of their theatres here has one digital projector that they use for UFC fights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Rage- Posted February 26, 2010 Author Share Posted February 26, 2010 Clue, in all reality, the only thing that brings in big bucks is still movies. Fights, concerts, opera, etc. barely bring in any money. Even if they charge $20 a pop for tickets, it still doesn't get as many people as the new Harry Potter in 3D or whatever popular movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|O__________o|-robojones Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 sans so you get the majority of the movies first or are they second hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Rage- Posted February 27, 2010 Author Share Posted February 27, 2010 We get first run movies, thankfully. I've dealt with my fair share of shitty second hand prints that were FUBAR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunchTruck Posted February 27, 2010 Share Posted February 27, 2010 pretty much all the machines where platter type christie 2 . ^^^brings back memories. Damn, I do wish I had taken pictures.....but back then digi cams were huge and I didn't want to carry 3 1/2 discs around.... The theater I worked at was in a mall. A cheap theater $3.50 a show....so movies were all 2nd run. Anyways, with the theater being in a mall there were many opportunities during my shift to sneak out into the back hallways, have a toke, kick the ol' hackysack around, or draw pictures whatever. This is a great job if: You prefer to work alone. If you work well with the "hand-ons" type jobs, or if you're mechanically inclined. If you enjoy free movies. Movies I remember watching from the booth : Saving Private Ryan Fight Club American Psycho American Beauty Bringing Out the Dead Titan AE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Rage- Posted February 27, 2010 Author Share Posted February 27, 2010 Also for the most part, just sneaking around the unseen parts of a movie theater are dope as well. I've worked a few movie houses that were built in the early 20's and 30's. Climb into some dark spaces and you could find some awesome shit. I can't stand watching movies from the booth, personally. The background noise of the projectors and platters distracts me from the film. If I see something it has to be in the theater, sitting down, preferably with no other attendees. I refuse to ever see a movie on a weekend. Especially opening weekend. Does anyone else find themselves pissed off if you're in another theater and you notice the masking, lens focus or sound is slightly off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Yeah, I watched one of the saw movies with half the fucking screen out of focus once. I used to work in the camera department on feature films and I know how much time and effort is put into making sure films are photographed in focus. So I nipped out quickly and told one of the ushers. They didn't do anything. So fucking frustrating. Shit movie though anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnifeHits RS Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 I was promoted to manager of a United Artist for a week (which included running those platter christie machines)... and then my background check came through. I got demoted back to concessions. Thug Life. Cleaning theaters was the shit though.. mad jewelry, wallets were found. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Rage- Posted March 1, 2010 Author Share Posted March 1, 2010 Background checks are bullshit. I waited a month for mine to go through. Meanwhile I still had no job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLICKCLACKONER Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 I saw all of crouching tiger hidden dragon out of focus. Shitty arthouse theater! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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