From: fontana@iguana.cis.ohio-state.edu (Mark Fontana)
Subject: Re: PEEVES at MOVIE THEATERS!
Followup-To: rec.arts.movies
Organization: The Ohio State University Dept. of Computer and Info. Science
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1993 04:26:44 GMT


 spencer@phoenix.princeton.edu (S. Spencer Sun) writes:
    (Jesper Lauridsen) writes:
        bole@hmivax.humgen.upenn.edu (Greg Bole) writes:

        >>> I *love* when there are 4 or more trailers before a feature!

    >> When you have seen the same bloody trailers 10 times in less than
    >> 2 weeks you feel like killing someone.

> I find the closing credits themes that can be a problem.  (That "Merry
> Christmas" song on Home Alone 2 causes the entire staff to projectile
> vomit every time it ends

:-)  Hahaha.. I can sympathize with that.  We hate it too!!  Comments
on other ending credits:

    Muppet Xmas:  "... Some dreams come true, some dreams fall through"
                  (or something like that..)  Isn't this song a little
                  depressing for a "feel-good" children's Christmas movie?

    Dracula:  A woman complained that someone was pounding the wall 
              during the credits one night.  (Those percussive *THUD*'s
              WERE a bit weird!)
             
    Malcolm X:  The credits were nearly as long as the @#&$ing movie!

    Few Good Men:  That marching band gets a bit irritating after
                   the first time...

Moving on.. lots of theatres have video games in the lobby.  We have
Lethal Enforcers, X-Men, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Although these games can be configured to shut up, our managers
have them set to blast music every cycle when they're idle.
(Combined, these games collect over five times what I make during
one shift as projectionist, FYI)  During a quiet weekday afternoon,
the music from X-men and Turtles drives everyone insane... but I digress.

By the way, we've noticed that the house showing "Leap of Faith" tends
to be a LOT cleaner than the others, even after a sold-out showing.
Could it be a 1-frame subliminal at the end ("PITCH IN!")
Or does the movie attract more religious types who tend to pick up
after themselves?

And now my peeves (from the standpoint of a projectionist/usher):

1) When people stuff their garbage into the seats after they get up.
   This is blatantly stating they could care less about anyone else,
   and that someone ought to clean up after them.  (Geez, they already
   lifted the crap off the floor, couldn't they just carry it 20 feet
   to the trash can?)  This is especially fun with that goopy nacho
   cheese, slushies, and frozen yogurts.  

2) People who leave dip cups in our armrest holders.  How disgusting.
   If only this rudeness increased the chances of oral cancer!

3) People who trash our restrooms: pissing on the walls, smoking
   in the stalls, leaving toilets unflushed, squirting liquid soap
   all over the counter, leaving phlegm in the sinks, and tossing paper
   towels on the floor.  Again, not one bit of concern for anyone
   using the facilities after them!

3) When projectionists don't see to the little details
   for a quality presentation.  During the stampede as the credits
   roll, it really helps to have the houselights come up a little.
   Most theatres have automation using cue tapes on the film to
   handle this function, but due to dirty contacts, lubricant on
   the cue tape, etc etc. the cues often don't work, but lots
   of operators don't bother to check.  Also, I know some projectionists
   who leave the Dolby processors in SVA/surround mode during the
   trailers so they can walk away and be sure the box will be
   set correctly for the feature.  Well, many trailers are in MONO,
   so with the Dolby boxes in surround mode, the center channel blasts
   and people complain about the volume.  At my theater, we're
   told to ignore complaints about the sound level if it's during
   the trailers.  This is wrong.  (Upper management discontinued
   the use of cross cues (another cue tape, which handles lens
   changes, sound format, and house lights automatically at the
   start of the feature) at my theater about six months before I
   started working there, reportedly because the projectionists
   weren't keeping the projectors clean enough to have the 
   cross cues work reliably.)

3) When movie theatres are poorly designed.  We have only one or two
   projectionists for 14 screens, even though we are the most successful
   AMC in the midwest and draw over 40% of the Columbus OH market!

   Some multiplexes have one long connected booth- which is great, 
   since you can look down the row and immediately check that all
   platters are turning, lamps are on, sound is OK, etc.

   But in our theatre, for 14 screens, we have 8 separate booths, each
   with one or two projectors.  There is an alarm system, but it only
   sounds if a projector completely shuts down (failsafe drops).

   During my shift, I'm running around constantly to check that all
   my movies are running perfectly.  At the same time, I need to
   clean and rethread each machine between rounds, do trailer work,
   build up/tear down prints, and help the ushers clean theatres
   every time a movie lets out.  I try to check every movie at
   least once every 10-15 minutes, but if there is film work to do,
   it can be a lot longer.  (The fact that we have to walk through
   the crowded hallways and lobby to get between booths doesn't help)
   I do carry a radio, however, and if anyone reports a problem,
   I can be notified by concessionists/cashiers/managers and go fix it
   immediately.

   As Spencer said, problems with framing/focus/sound shouldn't occur.
   But if they do, notify us and we can get them corrected pronto,
   and a lot faster than if we discover them while running around.
   Some projectionists are hired to do bare minimum operations, and
   besides lacking a technical interest in what they're doing,
   they often neglect to check the shows during rounds, choosing
   instead to hang out in the lobby, go on break, or whatever. 
   (Competency tests and a more motivating hourly wage might
   clear this up!)  So if you DON'T report a problem, you could
   very well sit there fuming through the entire movie and never have
   it corrected.  Personally, I think patrons deserve a perfect
   showing every time, and I work very hard to make this the case
   during my shifts.

I think the majority of peeves we're mentioning could be corrected
by two actions:

1) THEATERS should hire enough staff to do the job well and schedule
   periodic competency testing for booth workers.  A lot of the
   problems mentioned are caused/worsened by understaffing...

2) PATRONS should exercise more common courtesy and pick up after
   themselves.  If 350 people in a packed house would simply 
   throw away their own garbage, we could have the next audience
   seated much more quickly.  

   Any clever suggestions would be appreciated.  How about splicing
   in a brief reminder just before the credits?  :-)


Mark Fontana

Disclaimer: These are my own opinions, and not necessarily those of AMC.  
--
 "IF YOU SEE ONLY ONE MOVIE THIS YEAR..."  |  Mark A. Fontana, CIS Dept
        ...you should get out more often!  |  The Ohio State University
     Projectionist, AMC Dublin Village 14  |  S Rozhdestvom! S novym godom!
Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies