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This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
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Topic: Anyone use laser pointers in the booth to pick out problem customers?
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Frank Angel
Film God
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Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 12-23-2005 12:43 PM
Years ago when the old Filmore East was up and running full swing, they had a system that to this day I marvel at. In those days of sex drugs and rock & roll, there were times when the crowd could get a bit rowdy. How they handled a trouble-maker was very simple: when the perp was spotted by any of the ushers/bouncers/brusers who were positioned around the perimeter of the theatre and who constantly watched for disturbances, the useher would get the attention of the other ushers but shining his flashlight at their heads when they were alerted, he would then shine his flashlight at the perp.
Each usher in turn would hold his flashlight above his head, aiming it at the trouble guy, and wiggling it back and forth slightly. To have 6 flashlight beams focused on your head from all corners of the theatre was usually intimidating enough. But then, if the perp continued the disturbance, even with all the flashlights on him, all ushers would move in toward him, flashlights held high, continually shaking them so the light beams would kind of ziz-zag on the guys face until they all reached him. They timed it so that all four to six ushers would arrive at the site of the problem at the same time and they would just physically lift him by the armpits about a foot off the floor and swiftly carry him out of the theatre. In almost the blink of an eye, smooth as silk, he was gone and it was over. It really was a thing of beauty to behold.
It became well known that the flashlight beams of light meant business. It was funny when it happened because the area around the guy making trouble would quickly clear as other patrons moved out of the way; they knew what was coming.
Everyone knew that if those flashlight started vibrating on you, and you didn't cease and desist whatever you were doing immediately, you had about 60 seconds before you had six brawny guys hurling you from your seat and out the theatre -- no discussion, no debate, no review.
Problem today is, managment (if you can call it that without laughing) has this modern approach to crowd control....you sell them as much concessions as they can possibly carry in both arms, then you aim them at a particular auditorium, and once they are in that box, they are on their own, never to see theatre personnel again until just before the credit crawl begins, at which time the lights will come up and two pimply teens will begin sweeping all around you, obviously greatly annoyed that you are still sitting in their way.
Of course today the exbibitor's goal is to AUTOMATE! And by that they mean, eliminate projectionists AND ushers. It's left up to poor patrons to be their own theatre security. If management could automate concessions, then they could run the theatre with out ANY human beings at all, which is, of course, Management's wet dream. I am surprised they don't eliminate the cleaning staff as well and set a bunch of Rumbas about to clean the theatre.
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Peter Mork
Expert Film Handler
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Posts: 181
From: Newton, MA, USA
Registered: Jun 2002
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posted 12-23-2005 07:23 PM
Sorry Frank, but I disagree. Sound, picture, heat and air-conditioning - these are technical matters and I'll attend to them gladly. Will answer the phone too, since sometimes I'm the only one unbusy enough to do it. But police the joint? Uh uh. (Okay, I'll make an exception: when it's late and management has gone home, and there's a problem I'll do what needs to be done. But no laser pointers, thanks.) [ 12-24-2005, 01:23 AM: Message edited by: Peter Mork ]
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