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Author Topic: Do prisons hire projectionists? Robert L. Fischer Expert Film Handler Posts: 145 From: Montreal, Quebec Registered: May 2004 posted 08-03-2004 04:08 PM                    This is a silly, pointless question, but one that bugs me nonetheless. When I was younger, I had an uncle who we'd visit in prison, and I distinctly remember often seeing film cans sitting outside of the visitor's building for return. Do prisons hire projectionists? Or do they just teach a few of the guards to do the projection work?  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 08-03-2004 04:10 PM                     Probably a bootleg print of The Boys From Cell Block Q.  |  IP: Logged Ken Layton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1452 From: Olympia, Wash. USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 08-03-2004 05:07 PM                     Around here all the prisons had real auditoriums with a real 35mm projection booth. They had projectionists from the union local come in for 'movie night' when the prisoners were good. But about ten years ago lots of prison riots were becoming the norm so the auditoriums were dismantled, projection equipment sold at state auctions, and movie night became video night in your cell.  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 08-03-2004 05:27 PM                     They had the same thing with getting a union operator at the Terminal Island location near Long Beach, Ca..  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 08-03-2004 06:04 PM                    Is that what they mean when they say a movie is playing in the big house?  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-03-2004 07:04 PM                     There's no equipment in the booth any longer at the Utah State Pen according to the guy that ran it which works for us. It was union run back when there was a union in town. Mark @ CLACO  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 08-03-2004 07:11 PM                        There's an old Army fort in the town I grew up in. It's the place where "An Officer And a Gentleman" was filmed. For awhile, it was used as a State detention center for bad boys, & they hired me to run films for them every other week. The base theatre was fully operational... E7's, Magnarcs, RCA soundhead & floor rack & a Hertner generator. It was the only booth I ever ran that had DC field coils in the speakers... took me 2 hours to figure that out the first time I ran the place. The generator provided the power, backed up by a standby supply in the sound rack. All-in-all, a very nice, functional installation. On the question though, that's interesting. I'd have bet that the prisons would have converted to video a long time ago... 'bout the time the public schools all started doing it.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 08-04-2004 02:00 AM                        quote: Manny Knowles Probably a bootleg print of The Boys From Cell Block Q. ...or how about 20,000 Years in Sing Sing?  |  IP: Logged Darren Crimmins Expert Film Handler Posts: 130 From: Dallas, TX, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 08-04-2004 11:07 PM                     I would hate to think what would happen if there was a film break or anything that would detract from the presentation to the "patrons".  |  IP: Logged Phil Hill I love my cootie bug Posts: 7595 From: Hollywood, CA USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 08-04-2004 11:34 PM                  Not to worry... I'm sure they would just bend over and crack a smile... >>> Phil  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-05-2004 12:22 PM                     And how many years do they get for a missed changeover?  |  IP: Logged Rick Raskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1100 From: Manassas Virginia Registered: Jan 2003 posted 08-08-2004 01:19 PM                     We didn't do prisons but the Union did send an operator over to St. Elizabeth's Hospital every few weeks. The local paid $15.00 for running the show which I guess it was some sort of community service thing. The booth had XLs with carbon arcs (Ashcraft if I remember correctly) and an Altec 351B amplifier. The old sound system from the 30s was cut dead and left in place. Those amps were mounted on a huge black frame and had tubes that looked like light bulbs. There was also a carbon arc follow spot for stage shows.  |  IP: Logged

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