Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: "Curiosity killed the cat....

my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

»	Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE » Community » Film-Yak » "Curiosity killed the cat.... (Page 1)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3

Author

Topic: "Curiosity killed the cat....

Gracia L. Babbidge
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 709
From: Bowdoin, Maine
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 08-29-2000 08:33 AM

...and information brought it back"

And there is something that I am curious about. (Just my quirky nature, it can't be helped!)

I know that I am not the only woman that is resisterd with, and has posted to these forums. What I'm wondering though, is just how outnumbered women are in this line of work?
The only other projectionists that work in the booth I work in are men. The company I work for is not huge, and from what I've been able to dig up, it seems that female projectionist to male projectionist ratio is 1:3...
And it's not as though I have a problem working with so many men, I just can't help but wonder at such things...

~GLB

| IP: Logged

Evans A Criswell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1579
From: Huntsville, AL, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 08-29-2000 09:10 AM

In my area, the female/male ratio for people running the projectors seems to be roughly even, and there are excellent projectionists and booth managers from both genders. As far as general managers go, we have 4 men and 2 women in our 6 theatres. Two months ago, it was 5 men and 1 woman. The Regal locations have had the same managers for a long time, and the Carmike locations change managers a lot. The Carmike 8 in Decatur had 9 managers (I think) in a 2.5 year period. Some were men and some were women.

| IP: Logged

John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 08-29-2000 01:16 PM

Gracia - you are not alone! Times are a-changin'.

Women scientists, technicians, engineers and managers comprise about 50% of the people working on research and development of new motion-picture films at Kodak. A woman leads the motion-picture research and development group, and several of the project teams are led by women.

One of the engineers working on new motion-picture products is Megan Weiner:
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/jobs/profile3.shtml

Kodak encourages diversity from the "top down":
http://www.kodak.com/country/US/en/corp/pressReleases/pr20000406-04.shtml http://www.kodak.com/country/US/en/corp/pressReleases/pr20000105-01.shtml

Kodak also supports women filmmakers:
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/stars/ccas.shtml

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com

| IP: Logged

Lance C. McFetridge
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 135
From: Penn Yan, New York
Registered: Jul 99

posted 08-29-2000 02:43 PM

We have 4 part time projectionist, two men, two women. Actually the women pay a little more attention to certain details then the guys do.
lance

| IP: Logged

Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 08-29-2000 03:17 PM

I still say this is a bit of a prejudiced topic as gender really doesn't matter in relation to performance, but a month ago we had this discussion titled "Boys and their toys" on the Film Handler's Forum which you might want to read.

| IP: Logged

Rachel Craven
Madam Moderator

Posts: 2190
From: Pensacola, FL
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 03-19-2003 02:43 AM

Bringing up a dead topic...

My theater has 3 managers, I'm the only girl...Infact I'm the only girl manager that my theater has ever had!!! And they've gone through at least 7 or 8 since they opened 4 years ago.

I must have filled their quota. [Smile]

| IP: Logged

Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 03-19-2003 02:54 AM

Out of 3 booth staff, we have one girl. I've only ever worked with 2 girls during my 7 years or so in the booth. Our theater employs maybe 5 girls altogether. Maybe that has something to do with our manager... not sure. Maybe girls just don't apply.

| IP: Logged

Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 03-19-2003 03:16 AM

I have seen some very good female projectionists.....and some crappy ones, too. Same for the males.

When it comes to hiring, I don't think gender should be an issue.

[ 03-19-2003, 02:32 PM: Message edited by: Paul G. Thompson ]

| IP: Logged

Patrick McDonough
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 118
From: Greenfield Ma.
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 03-19-2003 08:01 AM

Out of our booths we have only tw0 projectionists, even on our concesion staff we have only two females, woman just don't apply here to often.

| IP: Logged

Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-19-2003 09:14 AM

Agreed that gender shouldn't make a difference in employment matters--either someone can do the job or not, and any employment decision should be based on that fact alone. I've known a number of female operators and they are all at least as good as their male counterparts, and are often more detail-oriented.

I once saw a statistic that said that only about 1% of film projectionists in the US are female. I can only guess that this may be the result of the fact that fewer women than men show an interest in mechanics and electronics, which is probably a cultural issue, as males often receive more encouragement to study math and science in school. There may be a physical issue, too, as the job often involves lifting heavy reels or platter-loads of film and men (in general) tend to be stronger.

I once trained someone who learned very quickly and was very good at running a manual booth with heavy 6000' reels, but she preferred to deal with customers at the concession stand (where she was also great).

| IP: Logged

Daniel Burns
Film Handler

Posts: 52
From: dallas, TX, USA
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 03-19-2003 01:20 PM

I don't care what gender you are as long you are tall enough to work off the top platter without a step ladder.

| IP: Logged

Rachel Craven
Madam Moderator

Posts: 2190
From: Pensacola, FL
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 03-19-2003 01:24 PM

I don't think anyway can work off our top 5-Deck platter unless you are over 7' tall. I can hardly reach it when I put my arm up, and I'm not short!

Actually, I'm taller then both of my male counterparts at 5'7".

| IP: Logged

Daryl C. W. O'Shea
Film God

Posts: 3977
From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from)
Registered: Jun 2002

posted 03-19-2003 01:35 PM

I can't work off the bottom deck of most platter systems... I'm too tall. I have to get down on my knees. [Frown]

As for female projectionists -- I've only known one.

| IP: Logged

Daniel Burns
Film Handler

Posts: 52
From: dallas, TX, USA
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 03-19-2003 01:46 PM

I guess I should have said a standard three deck system. I don't think my staff has anyone under 6 ft. We had a female projectionist about three months ago, and she kept things cleaner than all the guys put together, and she was tall too.

| IP: Logged

Tim Reed
Better Projection Pays

Posts: 5246
From: Northampton, PA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 03-19-2003 02:01 PM

There's a lot more than there used to be. I remember in the "old days" of carbon arc and 20-minute reels, I only knew of two girl projectionists between KY and WV.

In some old projection manual from the silent days that I have, there's a picture of a female projectionist in coveralls.

| IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3

Printer-friendly view of this topic

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.