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Topic: Number of Operators

John Carpenter
Film Handler

Posts: 96
From: Fort Walton Beach, FL, USA
Registered: Nov 2002

posted 11-26-2002 12:46 PM

Was wondering, in your professional opinions, how many booth operators were appropriate per number of screens? Of course there are times were there are exceptions... but what is safe and appropriate? Thanks

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 11-26-2002 01:15 PM

One operator should always be on duty no matter how many screens. I've been able to handle a 16-plex by myself no problem and I'm sure I could handle more. But when you start getting into "megaplexes" that have 132 or more screens, then you might need multiple projectionists on at the same time.

As a general rule, it's always a good idea to have two people on Thursday nights, unless you have fewer than 12 screens. The extra help makes things go much quicker.

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Bill Gabel
Film God

Posts: 3873
From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 11-26-2002 01:59 PM

quote:

But when you start getting into "megaplexes" that have
[Eek!]

132 or more screens, then you might need
multiple projectionists on at the same time.

quote:

WOW

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Antonio Marcheselli
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1260
From: Florence, Italy
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 11-26-2002 03:27 PM

Uhmp, I can Handle by myself up to one or two thousand of screen. More, last screen can start 1/2 minutes late.

...

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Jason Black
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1723
From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 11-26-2002 05:15 PM

Anything over 12 screens needs two people in the booth at all times. In the unlikely event of an break (and we ALL have them from time to time) you have your second operator to start/thread the remainder of the shows without interuption...

I always run two, and have four on Thursday night sometimes. One to run the booth, one to build, one to break down (solely at night) and one to assist in screening.

I'll contend that, for the most part, a single operator of decent caliber can easliy run a 16 plex by him/herself assuming that the booth isn't in some crazy assed design like multi level/split booths/etc...

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 11-26-2002 05:25 PM

My 16 plex was divided into 4 spectacular but separate booths. All of them had locked doors, to boot! Only one moron was needed at a time. [Smile]

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 11-26-2002 05:33 PM

I don't think this question can be answered without knowing the booth layout, the equipment and the competency of the operator. John, at least tell us how many screens there are in your complex and what make/model of equipment (including automations) and locations of the status panels.

If the booth is split up into different rooms (like the one I worked with Joe), then that slows things down a bit. If the booth is on separate levels and has stairways (like that moronic design of Cinemark's flagship in West Plano), then that will REALLY slow things down. If the booth doesn't have timers and/or the operator isn't competent enough to thread up properly so that he/she can use them, then forget about it and shoot yourself in the head.

IMHO a professional booth with a flawless presentation requires:

Start timers (preferably where you dial in the start time and not just tell it the delay time...mathematical errors happen that way causing shows to start at the wrong time)
Status panels. Nowhere in the booth should the operator not be able to see a status panel.
Reliable equipment that can start and run itself without needing a human to stand over it.
Media cleaners making up at least half the screen count w/FilmGuard
Every operator in the booth to be competent. It only takes one bad guy to ruin it for everyone.

Of course all of that doesn't happen too often these days. However as an example, if I had a 30 plex booth split into no more than 2 rooms without stairs, Christie or Kinoton equipment with platters, CA21 automations, a CA Link and a Goldberg platter reel, I could easily run it by myself and would cheerfully put my presentation up against a brand new print. Thursday nights I could also run it myself provided I didn't have more than 3-4 prints to deal with. For Thursdays with more prints than that, I would want a second operator to assist.

Now if you give me a weird booth layout, troublesome automations and equipment that I will spend more time cursing than operating, plan on paying for 2 operators for a 10 plex.

I have personally worked with these guys on the forum and know they could run such a 30 plex by themselves too: Joe Redifer, Darren Crimmins, Dwayne Caldwell, Jeremy Spracklen. I am sure there are plenty more that could do it as well. Good operators are out there. You just have to find them and give them a good booth.

Jason, I haven't had a break, wrap, toss or problem in years (not counting my recent times with a Strong booth). The beauty of start timers is that you are threaded well ahead of actual start times. If a problem with equipment should turn up, you have plenty of lead time to fix it while the rest of the booth runs unattended with only a mild delay, if any. Of course the mathematical penny pinchers at corporate who decide on what equipment to buy don't seem to be able to add this factor into their purchasing decisions. [Roll Eyes]

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-26-2002 06:28 PM

So, Brad, you don't think that those of us who run manual booths are "professional" and capable of a "flawless presentation"? [Smile]

I enjoy running manual booths in single-screen houses, personally. Automation is great, but it's more satisfying to put on a perfect show without it. Multiplexes are fun, too, but a bit dull by comparison.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-26-2002 07:33 PM

Well I don't permit timers in any booth I service. The operator better be beside the machine when it starts. Also some of the newer video projectors used for slides can't be automated.
Also several large complexs I service only allow about 15min between shows in each auditorium so that limits the time window one person can handle

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John T. Hendrickson, Jr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 889
From: Freehold, NJ, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 11-26-2002 09:00 PM

I'm with you on this one, Gordon. The operator had better check the screen, sound monitor,projector and platter function at start-up in my complex. I have no use for timers. Since it's not a perfect world, you can stave off big disasters that way.

No pushing the button and walking away. I'm comfortable running our 13 screens by myself, but our turnaround time is short and you really have to hustle at times. Old habits die hard. As an old changeover guy, I always look out the port and double check things every time, and I insist that my operators do the same. We run one operator Sunday night, and one for matinees and evenings through Wednesday. Thursday matinee I have one on with me while I build prints, and two work the evening shift, runing and doing breakdowns, then moving prints at the end of the night. We then run two operators on Fridays and Saturdays and Sunday matinee. Our booths are all connected, but the place looks like a maze and is spread out.

I agree that equipment, competency of operators, number of screens, schedule, and layout are all factors in deciding the proper number of operators.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 11-26-2002 09:06 PM

quote:
So, Brad, you don't think that those of us who run manual booths are "professional" and capable of a "flawless presentation"?

Now now Scott, there you go putting words into my mouth. You know all too well that I was referring to multiplex arrangements.

For the anti-timer people, checking the screen during the first preview isn't near as important as checking the screen during the actual movie. I have a firm policy that ALL projectors should be checked every 20 minutes, and more often as the operator is traveling between screens to thread and any other time permitting. I also have a policy to NOT adjust focus on trailers and snipes. Often new trailers and low grade snipes won't focus precisely as the feature will due to their curl on those tiny cores. Plus, who wants to try and focus on a video to film commercial? Making an adjustment here will in all probability push the feature or the rest of the trailers just a hair out of focus. I set focus on the feature and with the exception of the first few passes of a new trailer, all remains razor sharp for the entire presentation. As for framing, framing knobs are best locked down. Either you get it perfectly right, or you get it completely wrong. None of this "almost in frame" nonsense I see at many multiplexes. The only exception I have found to this rule is art houses, where often minor adjustments have to be made to their non-standard prints.

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Steve Scott
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1300
From: Minneapolis, MN
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 11-26-2002 09:09 PM

I've never been to a booth with 15 or more screens that needed any more than one operator. We've got 18 screens and we make do on every night except days with make-ups or tear-downs. That's one of the first things that we teach our newbies, timing. With 18 projecotrs, threading doesn't take too long to get the hang of and to learn to correct their mistakes, but it's procrasitnation that kills a big booth.

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 11-26-2002 09:15 PM

IMHO, projectionists should not be so busy as to not have enough time to briefly check presentation quality (both picture and sound) several times during each show, and especially at startup and when the feature starts. The audience may not complain about slightly misadjusted focus or other minor problem, but they may decide not to come back. Floor staff should also check presentation quality in each auditorium by making "rounds", and call up any problems immediately.

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David Stambaugh
Film God

Posts: 4021
From: Eugene, Oregon
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 11-26-2002 09:22 PM

quote:
Floor staff should also check presentation quality in each auditorium by making "rounds", and call up any problems immediately.

It helps if the floor staff has been trained how to spot common, easily-fixed problems like slightly soft focus and slight mis-framing. Regal walks their auditoriums regularly here, but I don't think the floor staff has a sufficiently critical eye to pick up anything other than gross problems. There's no such thing as focus that's "good enough". Either it's in focus, or it isn't. [Wink]

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-26-2002 11:33 PM

Sorry, Brad...I was just having fun. [Smile]

I do agree with you that timers really do save a tremendous amount of time and can contribute to presentation quality when used correctly. I use them whenever I (or someone else I really trust) ran the previous show in a given house. Otherwise, I start the show manually. Once focus and framing are set, though, I'll use the timers throughout the rest of the day. Timers can be an absolute necessity when there are multiple booths with identical start times; it's especially fun when moving between the booths requires walking through an auditorium. A security camera in each house and monitor in each booth can help to ensure that major problems get caught and fixed quickly.

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