Opinion ID: 185833
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Dedicated Projectionists and the Trend Toward Manager-Operated Theaters

Text: 2 Regal is a Tennessee corporation that operates movie theaters throughout the United States. Since its founding in 1989, Regal has expanded its business predominantly through the acquisition of existing theaters and smaller, regional theater chains. After an acquisition, Regal's practice has been to evaluate the existing equipment, physical layout and personnel in order to determine whether to convert the theater into a manager-operated theater. Joint Deferred Appendix (JDA) 484, 493-94. A typical movie theater employs a staff consisting of managers, assistant managers, concessionists, box office employees, ushers and projectionists. In a manager-operated theater, however, managers and assistant managers operate the projection equipment as part of their regular duties, thereby eliminating the need to employ dedicated projectionists. Over the past ten years, the general trend in the theater industry has been to eliminate the projectionist position and to convert to manager-operated theaters. JDA 486. 3 Today, the duties of a projectionist generally include the following tasks: threading the film through the projector at the beginning of each showing and disengaging the film at each showing's end; monitoring the film's focus and volume at the outset of each showing; preparing new films for the projector's continuous film platter by splicing together the film's multiple reels; performing the breakdown of older movies that are no longer being shown; changing movie trailers when necessary; fixing minor projector problems, such as broken belts and loose splices; and cleaning both the projection equipment and the projection booth. JDA 163-71, 210-21, 363-70, 432-35. The work required of a projectionist prior to the start of a film — threading the film, pushing the start button and checking the focus and volume — takes approximately five to ten minutes. JDA 202-03. 4 Not surprisingly, technological advances have greatly simplified the projection process and have thus eliminated many of the job duties originally performed by projectionists. As a result of the so-called platter system, for example, projectionists no longer need to change reels during a showing. JDA 190-91, 206-07. In addition, a computerized projection system now opens the curtains, changes the lighting, operates the sound system and automatically rewinds the film. JDA 189-96. Many of these advances in projection technology, including the platter system, occurred well before 1995, although none took place after 1995 and before the present litigation. JDA 208-09, 324, 351, 436-37.