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Regarding projectionist duties;

I use a reel to reel system in my twin theatre. Sometimes...especially during those looong Kong and Rings films, my projectionist gets bored and ends up wandering around aimlessly looking for work to do.

Any suggestions? Keeping in mind, of course, that he/she needs to be in the booths at the time of the switchovers for frame/focus issues.

Is the answer: They are a projectionist - that is their only job, no ifs ands or buts.

Thanks,

- mannooss

Showing my age but, I was trained when carbon arc were the standard and would never have even considered stepping out of the booth during the show. (Booth still has the projectionist bathroom behind a curtian in the corner) With rewinds, threading, maintiance and ensuring a quality image a professional projectionist would not consider leaving his post.

This question is subjective enough that you may not get a really good answer.

I too am an "old-school" trained projectionist. I worked in plenty of those union booths, with the requisite stool in the corner, and yes... we were required to be in the booth at all times, unless specifically requested by the manager for something or another.

Since then however, the equipment is much more reliable. Even reel-to-reel, you're running polyester film (much stronger), xenon lights (won't go out when your back is turned) and usually longer times between changeovers, if at all.

There are places where one projectionist travels between two or three theatres... yikes!

Personally... I tend to stay pretty close to my booth. It has all 3 of my machines in it. It's fully automated, computer-controlled, has the newest lamphouses you can get and new sound systems. On the other hand, I can have over 2,000 people in the place. Being the owner, that tends to raise my natural paranoia. Unless I have to be somewhere... cooking pizzas, dealing with a problem patron or the like, I don't often go too far... but I don't have problems, either... it's just the ingrained habit of an old pfart.

If multiplexes can get away with ignoring their machines through an entire show, you can easily get away with a good look and a focus on each changeover.

Just make sure you've got the kind of operator that keeps his radar pointed toward the screen. Even if you have him doing something else, I'd say that at minimum, his priority has to be on the presentation.

I agree that the projectionist's prime responsibility should be presentation quality. So in addition to threading and changeovers, they should keep the projection and sound equipment in peak operating condition, and the projection room clean and organized.

Since today's equipment and film is so reliable, they usually can get out of the booth between reel changes. If so, assignments should use their skill, which might include maintenance responsibilities.

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John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Customer Technical Services
Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Eastman Kodak Company
Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Telephone: +1 585-477-5325 Cell: +1 585-781-4036 Fax: +1 585-722-7243
E-Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

I just visited a local theater's projection room and when the projectionist isn't changing reels, cleaning, etc., he works in concessions. He basically only goes into the projection room during changeovers. There are still other concession workers working, but I thought it was interesting (risky) for one person to be doing two jobs.

Just imagine how many other duties a projectionist will be doing once digital is standard!

"Just imagine how many other duties a projectionist will be doing once digital is standard!"

IMHO, theatres should still have a technically skilled projectionist to have optimum projection quality with Digital Projectors. I've seen digital presentations that were flawed by lack of attention to basic projection issues.

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John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Customer Technical Services
Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Eastman Kodak Company
Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Telephone: +1 585-477-5325 Cell: +1 585-781-4036 Fax: +1 585-722-7243
E-Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

John, could you please expand on what responsibilities a projectionist has DURING a film in a digital presentation as opposed to 35mm?

"John, could you please expand on what responsibilities a projectionist has DURING a film in a digital presentation as opposed to 35mm?".

1. Using the Cinema Operating System to assemble shows for each theatre.

2. Maintaining equipment and facilities related to presentation: satellite download, servers, lamps, optics, port glass, screens, sound systems, etc. Lamps age, cooling fans get dirty, lenses and port glass need cleaning, just like film projection.

3. Trained in basic emergency troubleshooting and routine maintenance, so chance of a theatre being dark are minimized. A skilled person is worth their weight in gold if you can be back on screen in minutes rather than days.

Kodak Digital Cinema services can be tailored to a theatre's needs. A skilled person in the booth is a real asset.
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/products/digital/support.jhtml

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John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Customer Technical Services
Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Eastman Kodak Company
Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Telephone: +1 585-477-5325 Cell: +1 585-781-4036 Fax: +1 585-722-7243
E-Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion