posted 07-24-2008 06:58 PM                    

quote: Robert E. Allen

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I've run platter houses and pushed the "start" button but the "showmanship" is gone there.

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posted 07-27-2008 04:14 PM                    

• Fade non-sync down with fader on projector;
• Switch sound over to film mode;
• Start motor, while beginning fade of footlights;
• Begin to open curtain and fade house lights;
• Open dowser and fade up sound precisely on opening of National Anthem trailer (Black leader with voiceover);
• As Anthem ends...close curtain and kill house lights;
• Re-open curtain on "Coming Attractions" snipe (complete with cheesy porno sounding music);
• Close curtain and raise footlights at end of last trailer;
• Dim footlights and re-open curtain at beginning of "Feature Presentation" snipe (this one at least had a decent trumpet fanfare track);
• Do changeover into feature, opening curtains for scope as needed.

We used to call this ritual "the Foreplay." Sometimes if we were really feeling frisky we would add a curtain call between the end of the snipe and beginning of the trailers.
I reiterate it was ALL manual, with an array of toggle switches on the front wall be each machine.

Oh, and our Numbered Air Force General was a big movie buff....so you really had to do well. We lost two projectionists..one who deserved it (the guy couldn't run a decent show to save his weiner) and another who destroyed a print through carelessness.

And you could count on a dressing down by the General if you let the "two-pop" (The beep on the track at the two-foot on Academy leaders) on the National Anthem get out.

All of our projectionists were active duty servicemen (and women) who "moonlighted" at the theatre. (One of the only outside jobs the military allowed.)

Ahhh, good times.

On automations and showmanship, one of the best I saw was at the Old General Cinema Sherman Oaks...they had a curtain and one of the old pin matrix automations and the projectionist there was a true showman, with pretty much all of the items in my "forplay" in his shows. Most memorable for me was his timing of the curtain call on the last trailer..the trailer was for some lame-ass talking horse movie, but the presentation scored huge applause for the timing..his curtain call had the curtain shut precisely as the "horse" says "We're outta here.." Truly "Projection done right!!"

And for those without curtains, a little thought into cueing on show start and end will make for a clean presentation. I never fault a projectionist for lack of curtain, but do despise cheapskate owners who don't install (or worse, maintain) them. They're not that big of an expense upfront...sheesh.

posted 07-27-2008 11:43 PM                    

quote: Brad Miller

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Remember, automation does NOT mean you shouldn't have a projectionist in the booth

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Tell most corp. offices that and the bean counters yelp. Sadly that's why those out of the booth are more happy about digital then those in the booth cuz its a cut in payroll once the shows start themselves via automation.