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Author Topic: "Re-engineering" the Profession of Projectionist Brian Guckian Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 594 From: Dublin, Ireland Registered: Apr 2003 posted 12-04-2006 09:04 PM                     OK, as promised here's a thread spun off from the "Outing Bad Film Handlers Part 2" thread, that deals with some core issues raised in that thread. It's time for some blue sky thinking. Why simply accept that Projectionists - who are skilled Professionals - be badly paid, etc. and that this will never change? Why simply accept that this Profession has effectively been casualised - for the most part? Let's have some non-emotional factual discussion and creative thinking. How can perceptions be changed, and the Profession of Projectionist restored to its rightful place? Also, let's acknowledge that cinemas today are being squeezed through a shrinking share of the Box Office, which is partly being driven by the losses the Studios are suffering via Piracy. And, cinemas have increasing overheads. And this is apart from the enormous outlay to big-name stars before the film reaches theatres. To kick things off, here are some ideas: 1. Can the Projection area be related somehow more closely to Production and Post-Production? For example, Assistant Film Editors in post-production are very well paid, likewise Boom Ops on sets (trying to clumsily relate like for like here). Would this help shift perceptions of Projection away from the "menial operative" interpretation and towards the truth - which is that it is an Art and a Craft just like all the other Filmmaking Arts and Crafts? Could a publication or DVD work here? 2. Can the Projectionist's Craft be made more visible, and also can it be communicated somehow that it is extremely valuable ? Like an expert Cabinet-maker or Jeweller? Restoring value seems to be the big task here. Are other people in Filmmaking asked to work for 8$ an hour or whatever? Of course not, because their jobs are appreciated as being valuable! 3. Despite automation and technical advances, it is well known that a skilled Projectionist is worth far more than an unskilled one. How can that be communicated better? How can it be communicated that automation etc. does not in fact remove the need for a skilled Craftsperson? 4. This should not just be a matter for unions or trade guilds, or whatever. This should be seen for what it is - a problem that has implications for the whole industry. It is a cross-industry issue, and all it is is about equality. Nobody is seeking to be a millionaire! How can that be communicated?  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 12-05-2006 03:55 AM                        Brian, I think you are beating a dead horse here. Consider this -- theatre owners seem to be willing to invest HUGE amounts of money in digital equipment. And what is the seemingly inexplicable lure that is making these traditionally reluctant-to-costly-upgrade owners purchase this ghastly expensive new equipment? What's making them salivate seems to be the chance that they can FINALLY and TOTALLY eliminate even the $8/hr splice jockey. The motivation to invest in the new technology certainly isn't any driving passion for superior presentation. Has ANYONE ever heard theatre owners lament that they wish their film presentation could be better and if ONLY someone would come up with a way to eliminate all that dirt and jitter and weave and scratches, they would jump at the chance to make those improvements on their screens no matter what the cost? I certainly haven't. No matter what they tell you about digital eliminating scratches or dirt -- they weren't spending any money to make sure their prints didn't get scratched or dirty for years when there were much MUCH cheaper solutions to their inferior presentations than spending truck loads of money and incurring staggering debt loads, yet here they are, seemingly rational business men mortgaging their properties and for what? I say it's so they can get rid of that thorn in their butts -- the well-trained, well-paid, professional Projectionist. Someplace in the land of cinema accounting, some bean counter has come to the conclusion that somewhere down the line investing in Dee-Cinema is going to save them big money. I guarantee that thinking includes ridding themselves of projectionist's salaries, even the miniscule ones they are paying now. I think they are going to get a big surprise down at the end of that road. I do think it is a good idea to promote the idea of a Projection Specialist, but Brian, probably the only people who would be receptive to that concept are those operators who already appreciate what a conscientious, knowledgeable technican in the booth means and they probably have such in their hire already. It's the owners who are basically interseted in running a fast food stand without much concern for what happens in those holes in the wall beyond the concessions counter -- these are the guys you have to reach and I can't see them having any interest in changing the way they operate. I mean, they actually think they aren't going to have to pay trained, highly skilled video/network technicians to maintain the digital equipment once they change to digital. These people have seriously small brain pans. (Yah, I ran THE BIRDS over the weekend).  |  IP: Logged Cameron Glendinning Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 845 From: West Ryde, Sydney, NSW Australia Registered: Dec 2005 posted 12-05-2006 04:37 AM                     My feelings is that them days are over, I had much more respect and pay in the single screen days doing change overs and watching the carbons burn, dispite the fact that running a multiplex is a much harder, much less fun job. In those days the projectionist was essential, the movie could just fall of the screen at any time. Now today I believe the job is very important if return buisness is a factor, vital. Unfortunatly many cinema chains have set themselves up poorly for the current compitition with the home and high definition . Afterall your home TV is never out of focus, light is always perfect, no scratches or dirt but too many cinemas are not as good!!! As for production, Being a projectionist is what got me a job behind the camera 20 years ago for a TV station! In the Cinecamera section probably 10 percent of the staff, mostly sound recordists were former projectionists. In Production well thats changing aswell. DV and Final Cut Pro is creating a new breed of one man band style of filmmaker and budgets are smaller than ever. Filmschools are churning out many more students than jobs. Experienced Filmmakers are embrasing Digital. Sure the pays better per hour, but how many weeks a year does the average DOP work? There is so much more compitition than ever before. Thats my 2 cents worth  |  IP: Logged Richard May Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1057 From: Floral Park, NY USA Registered: Aug 2004 posted 12-05-2006 07:35 AM                     I totally agree with Frank. It's a different time we live in now. The projectionists job will never be remotely the same or looked at the way it was.  |  IP: Logged John Walsh Film God Posts: 2490 From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way Registered: Oct 1999 posted 12-05-2006 08:27 AM                     Sadly, I agree with everyone above. The position of 'projectionist' has pretty much ended. Oh, there will be a few working in large venue places, but those will be few and far between. Theaters are an assembly line type job now; trying to shovel the most people through for the least cost. If studios and theaters wanted to improve their presentation, 70mm was always there. (For example, they can spend $300 million for 'Lord of the Rings' but not $2-3 millon for 70mm release prints?) But quality is not high on the list of goals for studio' film presentations. All-in-all, digital is probably a good thing. While it can't be as good as the best film can be, (at least currently) it won't be as bad as the worst film can be. There will be fairly consistant presentation quality from one theater to another. A big Mac tastes the same everywhere, right?  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-05-2006 09:44 AM                        I once suggested in response the the Uptown debacle in DC that projectionists should work for tips. Allow the projectionist(s) on duty to have a prominent screen display before the show explaining that the projectionist presenting tonight's film is serving at their pleasure. There would be a lock box at each exit for which only the projectionists would have the key. In some ideal world, people would begin to notice better presentation, and would be willing to drop a dollar to encourage good work. Afterall, if they'd pay $5+ for 3¢ worth of popcorn, they would surely pay an extra buck for a well presented show. If just 1/3 of the people in a 300 seat theatre tipped, the projectionist would be making about $50 an hour --- per screen!  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 12-05-2006 06:39 PM                       It's been gone a long time and it's not coming back, unfortunately. Digital is the final nail in that coffin. It's over.  |  IP: Logged Brian Guckian Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 594 From: Dublin, Ireland Registered: Apr 2003 posted 12-05-2006 06:57 PM                     OK, that's really great. So - It's Over. So how do we communicate that ? Lets' move on that. It's Over. (BTW I'm NOT being funny with you here Tim, that's a really succinct way of summarising what everyone else here has said). That's the message that needs to go out - It's Over. So when people go misty-eyed and say "Projectionist? That's an interesting job" the answer's got to be "Sure. But It's Over". Great. I'll do some more work on it. The interesting thing is what will happen now one goes out and declares that It's Over! It's Over, so everyone needs to say that and get the message out right across the industry. (But if It's Over, then why are people working in cinemas?)  |  IP: Logged Ron Curran Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 504 From: Springwood NSW Australia Registered: Feb 2006 posted 12-05-2006 07:34 PM                        Don't despair Brian. We still have a loyal following at our little cinema despite massive competition. One reason is that our projectionists care. There was a time when I thought that I would never find good people under the age of 60. That is when we added automation with lens turret, etc. My point is that you can teach caring projectionists the skills - Xenon, platters and automation make it easier. Just like teaching someone to drive. Automatic takes the worry out of coping with a clutch and gearchange so you can concentrate on piloting the vehicle safely. We luddites like change-overs and carbons but a modern box can be less nerve-wracking. Cofession: When we run a movie off a hard drive we can forget to check such things as the focus - the whole thing seems so distant from our normal operation that we become detached. However, after such a blunder, notes go up for everybody. One slightly out-of-focus show is one too many.  |  IP: Logged Brian Guckian Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 594 From: Dublin, Ireland Registered: Apr 2003 posted 12-05-2006 07:59 PM                     Thanks Ron, that's inspiring! So, what if it is that just one type of projectionist's job is Over? Maybe all the low-rent multiplexes with slave labour will indeed go all-digital and unstaffed, leaving a new breed of more intimate cinema that actually employs skilled people, pays them properly and works like Ron has described?  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-05-2006 08:16 PM                     quote: Martin McCaffery I once suggested in response the the Uptown debacle in DC that projectionists should work for tips. Yea, you mean something like this.....? Re: Ron Yes, there are a few theaters that do care... none in Utah though. I disagree with Ron on running a film from a hard drive.... If your projectionists are trained the same way they would be checking focus just as they always have. The thing they would find is that with digital is that it doesn't drift once set. There is not much heat to warm up the lens.  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 12-05-2006 08:46 PM                     The advent of xenon, platters and automations has made this job into an assembly line type job. Now you have ushers running large complexes, by just taking a small training course. So why pay these ushers the same wage as a seasoned projectionist. Give them .50 cents more an hour than the usher downstairs. quote: John Walsh Theaters are an assembly line type job now; trying to shovel the most people through for the least cost. That cost of that raise for the projectionist has to come from somewhere. How about raising the cost of a soda or popcorn to pay for the job. No the people are bitching about the cost already for that stuff. The job is not over. Making a good living at this trade is what really is over. The job is still there projectionist, usher A or B or what ever they call it. The amount of hours is slowly going away, Full Time projectionist jobs are now cut to Limited Service type hours. These full time operators that once worked 40+ hours are now being cut to 20-25 hours a week and management or ushers take the rest of the operating hours in the booth. Unless you are working at Studio level as a Projectionist at the studio or the labs or Post-Production venues, you will have the hours and jobs. The theatre chains in this country cut the true projectionist job long ago. They paid their projectionists a good wage for the work and had full time jobs available. I once worked a chain's Flagship theatre in Hollywood, one week and the next week worked one of their 2nd run house for the same base rate of pay.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 12-05-2006 08:56 PM                       quote: Brian Guckian what will happen now one goes out and declares that It's Over! It's Over, so everyone needs to say that and get the message out right across the industry. I'm sorry, Brian, maybe I misunderstood you. It sounded to me like you were trying to find a means of generating clout for a job that has long since been de-professionalized. I can certainly empathise with the thought, but unfortunately, there was no going back once that industry cat was out of the bag. I apologize if I was a bit flippant, but believe me, I take no pride in saying what I do. This is coming from one who entered the field back when it still WAS a craft; back when it paid a liveable wage, when you had to be darned good to even be considered for a relief position, and back when the theatre managers resented you for the good money you made (which was often well above their salary). Therefore, I submit that trying to reverse a trend that began at least 25 years ago (and a perception that began even earlier), and with Digital Cinema looking to absorb even the expendable sprocket-jockeys -- to say nothing of the handful of remaining artisans -- is probably just too little, too late.  |  IP: Logged Brian Guckian Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 594 From: Dublin, Ireland Registered: Apr 2003 posted 12-06-2006 10:50 AM                     Apologies Tim, I was in fact taking what you were saying totally seriously. You're absolutely right. Your honesty is refreshing, and it's very necessary. Sorry for any confusion. But what would you think of the idea that it is only one type of Projectionist role that is over (i.e. the low-cost multiplex model). Indeed, is it even worth now considering splitting the meaning of the term "Projectionist" to distinguish between those low-rent multiplex or other operations (acknowledging there are quality multiplexes as well) and the "quality" type of job as practised by artisans? By this, I mean a new term that is polite but clear (not "platter jockey" or other slang). In other words, can we "reclaim" the Projectionist's profession by distinguishing it from the low-wage version that has devalued it? Just some ideas. Keep 'em coming!  |  IP: Logged Richard May Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1057 From: Floral Park, NY USA Registered: Aug 2004 posted 12-06-2006 11:00 AM                     There are too few of those quality type jobs left. Less and less each day in fact. Besides, the projectionists job today is not the same as it was before. Everything is automated today. Sure, the projectionists have more screens to cover at one time, but there is less to do with each screen. Today, anyone can be a projectionist. Back then, no way. So back to your original point. This job will never be well paying except for specialty booths. Nothing is ever going to change that. You can thank technology for that.  |  IP: Logged

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