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Author Topic: Obtaining a projectonist licence Patrick McDonough Expert Film Handler Posts: 118 From: Greenfield Ma. Registered: Jul 2002 posted 04-01-2003 08:56 AM                     Does anyone know were to start to obtain a licence or a phone number where I could call? For Massachussetts  |  IP: Logged Tim Turner Film Handler Posts: 87 From: Chula Vista, CA, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 04-01-2003 09:38 AM                     I have a feeling that if I walked into my theater with a license in my hand waving to the managers. Noone would even care. I know some theaters might require it, but would I be gaurenteed a raise or something?  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 04-01-2003 09:38 AM                     Patrick try It is listed as Motion Picture Operators License www.state.ma.us/sec/cis/ciscig/K/K1K79.HTM#k24 Division of Inspection Dept of Public Safety One Ashburton Place, Room 1301 Boston, Ma. 02108 (617) 727-3200 (800) 223-0933 toll free Tim wrote: quote: I know some theatres might require it. Some states and cities require a motion picture operators license to work. It's a outdated law, but it's used mostly as a fee making license. In NYC you have to have a license. The cost in NYC is $200 for the test and $60 for the license which is good for 2 years. On renewal if you don't renew during the grace time (30 days after license expires), you have to take the test over and pay the $200 fee all over again.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-01-2003 10:51 AM                        Contact information is as Bill provided. Massachusetts requires licensing. The cost is $50 per two years, although the license expires on one's birthday, so the first one will need to be renewed before two full years. There is a fifty-question true/false test required to get the initial license. New licenses must be "sponsored" by existing licenses (which just means that you need someone else's license number in order to take the test). The test is pretty difficult to fail. Most of it is either common sense or knowledge of state laws (which are mostly pretty obvious, though it might be good to get a copy of the current laws from the State House bookstore ahead of time). Know about fire extinguishers, 35mm film runs at 90 feet per minute, nitrate film is not allowed in any booth in Massachusetts, know what rheostats, transformers, and rectifiers are, etc.  |  IP: Logged Bruce McGee Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1776 From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular. Registered: Aug 1999 posted 04-01-2003 11:53 AM                     Wow. I'd-a never thought the test would be so high... $200! Sounds like it might be a part of the Department Of Transportation! I dont think that NC has a license test anymore. They couldn't. I can imagine a licensed operator doing the crap work that I see in my local theatres.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Mehocic Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 804 From: New Castle, PA, USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-01-2003 12:00 PM                     Pennsylvania also requires licensure, but for a lot less $$$. My initial testing was something like fifteen dollars and my yearly renewal is only ten dollars. Questions are about equal to Scott's Massachusett example.  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 04-01-2003 12:25 PM                     The NYC licensing is handled by the Dept. of Consumer Affairs. The test is very similar to what Scott said. In Los Angeles you do not need a license except when you are projecting Nitrate. You get that from the LA Fire Dept.  |  IP: Logged Jonathan M. Crist Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 531 From: Hershey, PA, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 04-01-2003 12:32 PM                     Pennsylvania repealed its law requiring projectionists to be licensed about 3 years ago. Pennsylvania will still take your money and issue a projectionist license if you want one, but it is no longer required. As part of the repeal the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry lost its authority to issue citations to theatres for not having a licensed projectionist on the premises.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 04-01-2003 02:23 PM                        The old General Cinema Theatre "gcbooth" website had a primer for the Massachusetts test: http://zulugruv.home.texas.net/gcc/primer.html  |  IP: Logged Patrick McDonough Expert Film Handler Posts: 118 From: Greenfield Ma. Registered: Jul 2002 posted 04-01-2003 02:53 PM                     great thank you for the replys  |  IP: Logged Aaron Mehocic Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 804 From: New Castle, PA, USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-02-2003 01:54 PM                     Jonathan, Labor & Industry's Gestapo agents are still making periodical checks of our theatre and wanting to see our "papers". I believe you, since the permits & licensure section of L & I's website no longer mentions a projection license per se, but still they come. Anyway, I really don't mind one way or the other. "State Licensed Film Projectionist" looks impressive on a resume.  |  IP: Logged Jon Bartow Master Film Handler Posts: 287 From: Massachusetts Registered: Nov 1999 posted 04-04-2003 07:58 AM                     Sorry, duplicate post  |  IP: Logged Jon Bartow Master Film Handler Posts: 287 From: Massachusetts Registered: Nov 1999 posted 04-04-2003 08:02 AM                     The state of Massachusetts is an interesting case. A number of years back (1988?) the department of Public Safety and the State Police were one and the same. When they split they didn't do a good job splitting up the resonsibility. In Massachusetts you are supposed to have lisenced projectionists and a "certified" booth. However, if you call the office of Public Safety to report an offender, they will tell you that the job of enforcing the law falls to the state police. Call the state police and they will laugh at you. At one point in time I was involved in building a theater in Mass. I tried for 6 months to get the guy from the office of Public Safety to come out to "certify" our booth. He never even returned my phone calls (one or two of them a week). Long story short, outdated law that is not enforced. Jonathan  |  IP: Logged Patrick McDonough Expert Film Handler Posts: 118 From: Greenfield Ma. Registered: Jul 2002 posted 04-04-2003 08:08 AM                     That explains alot, thank you  |  IP: Logged Rachel Craven Madam Moderator Posts: 2190 From: Pensacola, FL Registered: Dec 2000 posted 04-04-2003 04:53 PM                     When I went to get my license I had a study manual for the state of Massachuesetts (it was very old and outdated). Now, one of my employees is going to get it but the study booklet is no where to be found. Does anyone have study sheets for the Massachesetts test? Anything would help.  |  IP: Logged

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