|
|
This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3
|
|
Author
|
Topic: Projection Staffing Levels
|
|
|
David Zylstra
Master Film Handler
Posts: 432
From: Novi, MI, USA
Registered: Mar 2007
|
posted 07-24-2010 12:02 PM
We have 3 buildings, all digital - 2 10 screens and 2 18.
The 18 screens with 35mm used to run with 3 shifts per day during the week - morning, evening and middle shifts; then weekends were 4 shifts - 2 morning and 2 evening.
The 10 screens with 35mm used to run with 2 shifts per day.
Now the 18 screens run a shorter "projection day" with 2 shifts, being all digital there is less morning time required because all that has to happen is turning on the power. Our 10 screens run a single shift each day where the managers turn the booth on and monitor through the first round of starts, then someone comes in to run the booth across the middle of the day into the evening through the last round of starts, then the evening manager closes down the booth at night.
There are still duties similar to 35mm to perform - i.e. instead of building a print someone has to build a playlist, instead of physically moving prints around someone has to ensure the content gets transferred to the right auditoriums, instead of verifying all the prints arrived someone has to verify that all the content was received/ingested as well as valid KDMs for the following week.
The biggest existing need that won't go away that I keep harping on to our ownership is that we need staff that is proactive in monitoring presentations rather than reactive to customer complaints about picture and sound - i.e. is it better to have a staff member notice a picture or sound issue and correct it before anyone notices or have a customer complain and thereby have many patrons notice the issue.
Of note is that 3 of our locations use Screenvision and their system starts all of our shows automatically according to schedule (NO ads after advertised showtime), our 4th location uses DCP ads and the Cinedigm Windows based TMS polls the POS for the schedule and starts all shows according to schedule (again, NO ads after showtime - the TMS calculates preshow time and starts it with the appropriate lead time).
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Monte L Fullmer
Film God
Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004
|
posted 07-25-2010 06:15 PM
quote: Joe Redifer
Why would a digital booth need anybody?
Which is an understandable statement since these DCP units CAN be set to be on an autoscheduler of sorts where they really don't needed that continual attention to begin shows - even though the operator's tasks are greatly reduced to being "injesters" and "button pushers".
But, it's just simply safer to know that the units will start with the servers going into their pre-start sequence of, pre-show terminations, bulb striking, sound changeover from pre-show to the file then douser opening for the image to go on the screen (just no framing and focusing to be concerned about during this start-up procedure..), why there still be operators in a full DCP complex.
Plus, there will still be bulb and filter maintenance, along with vacuum/clean/mop floors to keep dust down to a minimum during this time.
Now, at our 14plex, we run two booth people a day - one comes in prior to opening til 5:15 and the other comes in at 5p to close and that 15 minute overlap of the two operators ensure that no one leaves until the other one takes over. On Thursday, a third employee comes in to do film (we have 13 film and one DCP) while the booth is handled by closer.
Plus, if the opener has some messages to tell the closer, this is the time to pass on the info.
-Monte
-Monte
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Frank Angel
Film God
Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999
|
posted 07-25-2010 07:18 PM
In theory, can't EVERYTHING be run from a single location? And it wouldn't even have to be located in the projection booth; couldn't the entire automation and server(s) be located in the manager's office?
And with a fairly inexpensive verification system consisting of cameras and mics in each auditorium and a switching system to let a manager view and hear each room, one person could see that, at the very least, everything is up and running. Then a walk through in each theatre for direct observation could be done quite leisurly. Just a few hours maintenance in the booth to keep things clean, dust the lenses, mopping the floors, etc., would be all that would be necessary boothwise; in other words, Chief Projectionist morphing into Master Janitor.
I would think today's automation could start each show without ANY human intervention, no? It knows the start time, when to go from preshow to feature and exactly when to power up a lamphouse to have the bulbs preheated so they are full brightness when the show starts. By incorporating some simple verification feedback for those few iffy things like if the lamp actually struck, why would you need anyone to even push a button? All you would need is a human to verify that the automation did it -- or even more sophistocated -- automation smart enough to set off alarms if it didn't happen.
Needing a human to push even a start button seems unnecessary. Button-pushing would only be needed to over-ride the system should a start time would need to be held to accomodate say, a holdup of some kind such as clearing and seating full houses. But other than that, what Joe said --humans could become practically superfluous with a really robust automation system.
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All times are Central (GMT -6:00)
|
This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3
|
Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classicTM
6.3.1.2
The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion
and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.
|
Home
![[evil]](graemlins/evil.gif)
It would pretty much defeat all of the "security" measures built into DCI.
Printer-friendly view of this topic