posted 06-16-2006 06:25 AM                    

quote:

---

So, those of you who know me should be well aware by now that I'm somewhat of an arrogant prick. And what else would an arrogant prick do besides rub in everyone's faces how much better his job is compared to everyone elses.

I've just recently been promoted to projection (or "Prodge," as we cleverly call it) at the DELETED

Let me just walk you through my typical day at work.
I show up in my uniform (which consists on khakis and a maroon polo shirt), punch in, and then I usually waste about 15 minutes on the clock bullshitting at the concession stand with the other employees. Once I've had enough chatter, I walk to the elevator and take it to the projection booth. I check my proj. schedule and go start the movies that need starting. And then I usually sit at the projectionist desk and read a book, or listen to Guns N' Roses until the next movie starts. There's always atleast a 15 minute lull inbetween every film, which is more than enough time for me to smoke atleast 2 cigarettes down at the loading dock. The theatre is a three-floor theatre. Box office on the first. Theatres 1-7 on the second floor and 8-12 on the third. So that means we have 2 projection booths. We have a small perk for us projectionists on the third floor projection booth. Satellite TV. So if I get bored of reading or run out of cigarettes, you can typically find me on 3M watching That 70's Show or reruns of MacGuyver. You want to know what the kicker of this whole gig is? I get paid more to do less. Paradox? I think so. Am I complaining? Certainly not.

I just thought y'all should know about my fortune and glory.

---

quote:

---

What they pay us for is to make sure there is no error before the movies start. We make sure that everything is perfect before that green light goes on and the film begins to roll. We make sure that there is no need to patrol the projection booth like an anal retentive bastard. We get it right the first time. This is the way it has been run since the place has opened, and that's the way it'll continue to run until the day the theater closes it's doors forever.

---

posted 06-16-2006 11:45 AM                       

quote: Bobby Henderson

---

The design on some of these systems is such that the movies, trailers, commercials, scheduling will all be downloaded via satellite.

---

quote:

---

We have a small perk for us projectionists on the third floor projection booth. Satellite TV.

---

He probably thinks he will still have his job because in the Prodge booth he has Satellite TV

I say print out his comments he made on the board and forward them to his new employer so they know how much he loves his job!

posted 06-16-2006 01:06 PM                    

quote:

---

Well... this is what I have to say in my defense:

The theatre is NOT the old deleted. Everything in the booth is completely self-automated.

They DO NOT:
-Randomly brainwrap
-Fall out of focus
-Chew film
-Electrocute the help

They are designed to not be babysat. If something is wrong, it won't allow itself to start; if something goes wrong during mid-play... it shuts itself off. And even if I was dealing with the same projectors from the Caddy 5 (which I am not), there is only one projectionist on staff per shift. It'd be really hard to have one man babysit 12 projectors separated by 2 floors. Even if one of them did start to malfuction, there'd be no telling which one it would be until after I was notified that something was wrong. If we had three projectionists on staff for each shift (one to start all the movies, and two to act as patrolman for each floor) there's still no guarantee that they could catch a malfunction before it started to damage a print. It's a crap shoot, really.

What they pay us for is to make sure there is no error before the movies start. We make sure that everything is perfect before that green light goes on and the film begins to roll. We make sure that there is no need to patrol the projection booth like an anal retentive bastard. We get it right the first time. This is the way it has been run since the place has opened, and that's the way it'll continue to run until the day the theatre closes it's doors forever.

Believe it or not, I actually posed this question while I was being trained and Kurtis and I were having a cigarette after starting a movie.

"Kurtis, don't we need to stay in the projection booth?" I asked him, looking up at him with curious, blue eyes.

"Why?" he replied.

"Well, you know... in case something goes wrong?"

"Did it start okay?" he questioned me.

"Yeah."

"Well, then it'll end okay. That's the way the machines are designed." he stated with sheer confidence.

He takes a long drag off of his cigarette.

"But..." I inquire.

He interjects. "I've been doing this for 15 years. This is how it works here. We're not paid to be nannys. Enjoy your cigarette. It's part of your job now." he says with a smirk.

I smile with a big, toothy grin and I slowly fall into Kurtis' arms and get lost in his sparking green eyes.

---

posted 06-16-2006 01:40 PM                    

quote:

---

there is only one projectionist on staff per shift. It'd be really hard to have one man babysit 12 projectors separated by 2 floors. Even if one of them did start to malfuction, there'd be no telling which one it would be until after I was notified that something was wrong.

---

Yeah! And when (not if) you run a film off a roller there'd be no telling which one it would be until after you were notified by customers on the next run!

posted 06-16-2006 05:52 PM                       

quote: Dennis Benjamin

---

"I smile with a big, toothy grin and I slowly fall into Kurtis' arms and get lost in his sparking green eyes."

WTF?

---

Please tell me this is a female we are talking about...