One of those days

JaJae · 07-17-2007, 03:52 PM

I run theaters for a living. My company just opened a new theater an hour and a half away from me. It's been a pain in the ass driving out there and working 16 hour days. My boss conveniently sends me up there it seems every other day so he doesn't have to pay for me to be in a hotel overnight.

The other theater we have is 45minutes to an hour away. We have one projectionist here who works every shift. Well he's in the hospital now and I've turned into the backup. I don't mind because in all honesty it's a lot easier work than I'm used to.

However, today was destined for disaster.

Background on projection:
Projection today uses a platter system. You have a pay-out platter and a take-up platter. Basically the film moves from the pay out platter to the projector and then back to the take-up platter through a series of long pullies and rollers. It works much like a cassette tape in theory.

When I came in this morning the projection booth lights wouldn't come on. Checked all the breakers and everything seems fine. Called the electrician and he can't be in till tomorrow. So I have to set up and run the projectors in the dark today. Yes it sucks.

Just now I went to thread up a projector and nobody told me the automation was broken. When I was all done and had the projector set up I tapped the motor switch in an attempt to run the machine for 3 seconds (without sound and the light) to make sure everything was good. Low and behold everything starts up. I turn the motor switch off and nothing happens. I trip the fail safe on the projector (which is the safety to shut it down dead) and nothing happens. Meanwhile the film is running off the top platter way too slow and the bottom platter isn't taking up fast enough shooting film on the floor. I start manually spinning the two platters while trying to kick switches on the projector trying to shut it down. Finally I run to the breaker box and kill all the power. I come back to a a mess, fix everything and wait to start the movie. By now half of a preview has been completed and I'm sweating.

I start the movie halfway through the first preview and the bulb doesn't come on. I try to manually light the bulb, no dice. Film is running, no bulb and intermission music is still playing. The bulb finally lights, but no light is getting on the screen. I reset the fire-shutter and everything seems honkey dorey. Now to figure out what's wrong with the audio. I go to the sound processor and turn up the sound monitor speaker and set the audio stream to the correct output. NO SOUND? What? Did they rewire the fucking buttons? Why is there no sound. So I check other sound outputs and none work. I go back to the original format I had it on and there's sound. I think wtf? I look at the screen and the beginning of a new preview is running. I didn't hear anything because it was between trailers.. just my friggin luck.

So I leave the projection booth and kick the door shut. I look into the theater to make sure everything is ok in the auditorium and there's nobody in it... what the fuck all that for nothing.

Linzyhop · 07-17-2007, 03:59 PM

yeah, i hate those types of days. sorry dude.

JaJae · 07-17-2007, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

yeah, i hate those types of days. sorry dude.

I haven't projected in this theater for six months. It's so annoying coming in here not knowing what doesn't work and what does, etc.

I hope the damn projector turns off when the movie ends, lol. When I turned the breakers back on it just started back up again on its own like it was possessed. I hope we don't have to use breakers to keep the damn machine running until we can get a tech in here to fix it.

Linzyhop · 07-17-2007, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by JaJae

I haven't projected in this theater for six months. It's so annoying coming in here not knowing what doesn't work and what does, etc.

I hope the damn projector turns off when the movie ends, lol. When I turned the breakers back on it just started back up again on its own like it was possessed. I hope we don't have to use breakers to keep the damn machine running until we can get a tech in here to fix it.

i hope you're keeping a log of mileage to get reimbursed from your boss, or at least a tax deduction.

Publius · 07-17-2007, 04:43 PM

sounds like a fun day

Stylerod · 07-17-2007, 04:46 PM

Wow. I had no idea projectionists had that much to do. I didn't even realize they still used tape!

Publius · 07-17-2007, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

Wow. I had no idea projectionists had that much to do. I didn't even realize they still used tape!

you'd think they'd join the 21st century and just put those bitches on something digital.

JaJae · 07-17-2007, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

Wow. I had no idea projectionists had that much to do. I didn't even realize they still used tape!

Well in the biz we call it film

. And yea it's a lot of steps, but it's fairly easy work once you learn what you're doing. As long as nothing goes wrong...

Originally Posted by Publius

you'd think they'd join the 21st century and just put those bitches on something digital.

Digital is in the future. There's still a lot of issues regarding a universal format for everyone to use. Encryption/security and sending of the movies is another issue. The quality of the movies is great which involves a rather large upload which would be done over the internet. A lot of places don't have internet speeds to accommodate. Beyond that the technology is very, very expensive and the film companies won't give the theaters any breaks on ticket revenue for digital theaters. For 99% of theaters the profit of going digital wouldn't be enough to cover the costs. Also for older buildings the electrical needs to be upgraded as does the exhaust to pull the heat out of the projectors. Current film projectors get hot and require expensive exhaust units, but digital is far worse.

Digital is coming mainstream, but not until the costs come down and a standardized format is agreed to.

RMNIXON · 07-17-2007, 06:24 PM

I am going to see Harry Potter tonight.

So there better not be any Fuckups!

curlyque221 · 07-17-2007, 06:29 PM

Sorry about the poor day babe.

thomez · 07-17-2007, 08:05 PM

That sucks.

I have worked like 3 half-days on a new floor in my grandma's hallway.... today I finish it up and she starts asking about what I want paid (I told her I would do it all along and to pay me whatever, I didn't really care). But when she got out $50 bucks for my ... probably 15 hours of work, I felt like a bum

Stylerod · 07-17-2007, 09:37 PM

Originally Posted by thomez

That sucks.

I have worked like 3 half-days on a new floor in my grandma's hallway.... today I finish it up and she starts asking about what I want paid (I told her I would do it all along and to pay me whatever, I didn't really care). But when she got out $50 bucks for my ... probably 15 hours of work, I felt like a bum

I would have just asked for 3 good meals on the days I was there. I couldn't take money from my grandma for labor.

thomez · 07-17-2007, 11:52 PM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

I would have just asked for 3 good meals on the days I was there. I couldn't take money from my grandma for labor.

she won't let me do that because if I wasn't doing it, she'd call a contractor and pay a bunch more

we've had that argument many times and she will not let me work for her unless I agree to take payment

today I just felt like a bum

motivez · 07-18-2007, 08:52 AM

It sucks when things pile on like that, hope today is better for ya