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Author Topic: Assistant Projectionist Problem Richard Greco Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1180 From: Plant City, FL Registered: Nov 2003 posted 06-08-2004 12:35 AM                     Let me explain my situation first... I am the most experienced projectionist at my theatre and I'm responsible for training new people in the booth. I do NOT have control of the booth unfortunately but that's another story. I trained this 17 year old in the booth and thought he got everything down as far as running machines go. I have tried to teach him how film works and how to properly do things in the booth. However, he acts like a typical 17 year old. He isn't interested in anything at all. I understand that this is just a job for him, but he needs to realize that he has to run the machines properly. Here's what he did... I walk in tonight at 6pm since I'm on the evening shift and what do I see? Our print of Raising Helen was running, inside the projector, Century SA, there was NO top loop! I open and shut the gate to lessen the damage and of course the show goes out of frame. I fix that and inspect the rest of the film path and sure enough, I saw a roller on the takeup side of the tree pressed HARD against the filmas it was running. I walk over to the other machines and I see Harry Potter running. The machine is VERY loud. I open the door and the top loop is almost GONE!! I pop that gate and put it back in frame and the show is quieter. I look at the rest of the film path and again, a rooler is pressed against the film on takeup... I checked the other machines and the other rollers were all touching the film butnot as bad. This leads me to believe that he threaded very quickly adn had other thoughts on his mind but film... As a co-worker without any power, what should I do to correct his mistakes and let him know to not do it again. I also need to add that the GM isn't very fond of me and really likes him. I'm not liked here because I actually care what happens upstairs and the GM doesn't trust me at all. This GM doesn't care about presentation at all. Many times when previews are being rewound (I'm not allowed to do this BTW)I see the previews ALL over the carpeted floor. Our pre-show is very scratched up BTW. What can I tell him since telling the GM is out of the question since the 17 year old will be defended? I'm getting really frustrated at this. Let me know by morning please.  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 06-08-2004 01:03 AM                     Time to have a little "pep talk" with him. If there is no response, it would best to recommend his termination or a different jop placement to the employer, providing you have substancial proof. I usually just fired them when I was in the position to do so - and I have fired a few.  |  IP: Logged Carl Martin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1424 From: Oakland, CA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 06-08-2004 02:45 AM                        is there anyone in the chain of command who respects you? if you can make the case to an assistant manager that presentation is important, that you care about it, and that it's vital that other projectionists care about it too, maybe (s)he can mediate between you and the boss. if not, transfer to another theater and try again. carl  |  IP: Logged Ron Lacheur Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 650 From: British Columbia, Canada Registered: Feb 2002 posted 06-08-2004 02:47 AM                     That 17 year old should be not aloud to step foot in the booth. As your troubles with your GM, go talk to another manager and state the fact the the presentation is lacking with this clown in the booth. He is being careless with the prints and the chances of Harry Pothead getting scratched is very probable.  |  IP: Logged Josh Kirkhart Expert Film Handler Posts: 165 From: Austin/Houston, TX, USA Registered: Nov 2001 posted 06-08-2004 03:08 AM                     ok, my original post was a bastard and got lost, it was damn long. 1. Go in for your shift early, point out any problems and show the person the presentation. In lamens terms explain why it looks bad. Any negativity on yours or his part, nothing will get accomplished, be nice. He/she doesn't listen, leave it be. 2. Go to your GM and express your concerns in a non-complaining manner. For every concern you should have a simple solution, not 'let me do it all' but specific to that concern. So be ready. If necessary show them the problems, some GMs simply do not check their screens, crazy I know, but hey. Be nice, curtious and thank them for listening. 3. If you have a District Manager, request time to express your concerns. Keep it short, sweet and as in all cases above do not go into extreme 'film-tech' explanations unless asked. Thank them for their time. 4. DOCUMENT as of now!! You should have a boothlog! If not go spend a buck and put it on the desk in the booth, make-up table, whatever. Each shift explain what you did, what problems arose if any and actions taken. See a scratch, write it down, print auditorium, showtime etc. 5. Keep your head up! Do everything you are allowed to do the best you can. wipe stuff down, clean prints like a banshee, etc. your doing it for the people on the other side of the porthole not your colleagues. 6. Grab a empty large cup box, throw a trash bag in it, label 'FILM ONLY'. Inform them that the use is for any loose film, write it in the snazzy new boothlog!! Do not force anything, just give em the tool. Be Positive, keep your complaints to yourself, negativity breeds negativity. Pissed off that i had to do this over......although your welcome, cause its wwwwaaayyyy shorter... rant over.  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 06-08-2004 03:22 AM                        Considering the pad roller position when threading a Century, how did he manage to lose the top loop in the first place????  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 06-08-2004 03:51 AM                     I'll tell you what the guy is doing. He is not turning the motor over after he threads. So many newbies don't understand that you simply can NOT judge the size of a loop with the machine standing still. To make matters worse, he could've misframed it and had to rack the framing knob to get it in frame on screen, further shrinking the loop. I know lots of people here are against the whole idea of disabling the framing mechanism, but I gotta tell ya, it really forces those kids to learn fast! It's more effort on their part to keep stopping it and reframing it in the gate than it is to just thread the thing right the first time.  |  IP: Logged Richard Greco Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1180 From: Plant City, FL Registered: Nov 2003 posted 06-08-2004 07:22 AM                     I appreciate the responses guys. I'm going to go in after class today and have a little talk with him in the booth one on one and do it professionally, not mean. Hopefully it will work.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 06-08-2004 07:29 AM                     If it doesnt work, you should really consider a different theater. Then when that 17 year old is the one running the booth, and he scratches a few prints, and breaks a few projectors, they will realize they made a mistake.  |  IP: Logged Dennis Benjamin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1445 From: Denton, MD Registered: Feb 2002 posted 06-08-2004 11:25 AM                        Don't you have to be 18 to run a projector? In the US that is... Actually, I have been a theatre manager in Florida myself - By law you have to be 18 to run a 35mm projector...  |  IP: Logged Richard Greco Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1180 From: Plant City, FL Registered: Nov 2003 posted 06-08-2004 12:06 PM                     Jack, I think I found out the problem with the top loop on the first projector I saw. I think the pad roller wasn't closed all the way. I went and talked with him today and basically explained to him what I found wrong. I made sure that he understood that I wasn't mad, just very concerned. I showed him what was wrong and he seemed like he understood. I then asked him if he would please check everything twice and monitor the booth as well as making his floor rounds. I asked that if he didn't care about what he did, if he could just do it as a favor for me. He said ok, we'll see.... As a side question, I'm getting a lot of stress from my co-workers about my obsession with a good presentation. They seem to think that the booth is my "girlfriend". I tell them that although this is 5.15/hr, If I were a customer, I'd want the best presentation possible. They seem to think I'm caring too much about this job. I'm only going to do this till I graduate and then just do the booth at another theatre as a weekend thing after I get my degree. What do you think? Am I caring too much? I try to to the best I can with the opportunities I am given.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 06-08-2004 12:12 PM                     Richard, its not that you are caring too much, they are not caring enough.  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 06-08-2004 12:24 PM                        ditto, Jeremy. That's like Paul telling his employer it's no big deal if their transmitters only make half-power, then saying "ok... we'll see" when told they'd really like to operate the way they should. Of course, I'd imagine Paul would be expecting his full paycheck at the end of the month... not half... you suppose? Don't fall for the reverse phych... unless you get no backup from your employer. In that case, you should find a company that feels the way you do about giving the customers their money's worth.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-08-2004 12:37 PM                        Does this guy not understand how to do the job, or does he understand, but not care? The former is fixable, the latter probably isn't. If he just isn't willing to do the job properly after being given adequate training and opportunity to improve, then he should be fired. If your employer isn't going to do this, then it's time to look for a new employer. Actually, it's probably time to do this anyway (what kind of theatre doesn't allow the head operator to rewind trailers?!?). You should be able to find someone (probably an independent) who will pay better than minimum wage for someone who cares about presentation quality.  |  IP: Logged Richard Greco Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1180 From: Plant City, FL Registered: Nov 2003 posted 06-08-2004 01:02 PM                     Scott, He understands....Just doesn't care. I'd love to get into a changeover house so I can learn that aspect too. I think next week, I'm going to start looking for a better place.  |  IP: Logged

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