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Author
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Topic: AMC "There is a Difference"
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Erick Ojeda
Film Handler
Posts: 26
From: Vineland, NJ
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-09-1999 08:50 PM
Hi, I just recently signed up to the forum after reading some of the messages posted. I can't stop laughing after reading some of the comments made on AMC and their employees. I used to be one of them. I came up through the AMC chain, and let me tell you, they are totally crap. I started at age 16 as an usher, and was never trained in the booth until I reached management position. I work in a 4 house, and management takes care of booth operations. Well, my first night managing, I was dealt with a brain wrap. The last 15 minutes or so of Instinct, and the film spirals up on the brain and beyond. I have never seen a brain wrap until this moment. Remember, I was just trained. lol.... I was scared to death. I knew I wasn't going to have the show up and running quickly, so after finally being able to get myself away from that frightening sight, I gave out passes to our patrons, and went upstairs to start with that dreadful adventure. Some people understood and some didn't. I am 20 years old, and not that experienced in the booth, but am doing a lot of reading on the subject on my own, and spending a lot of time in the booth. A new company took over the AMC buidling, after Regal kicked our butts because AMC never updated our facilities, and our buyer booked us with Regal's left overs. Man, those prints were torn up. I know you guys are probably saying to yourselves, "yeah, and I bet they were even worse when they left AMC." LOL.... I've learned a lot in a short period of time and I can honestly say, I believe I take good care of the film. The actual prints we did wind up getting first run stayed in good condition, unlike major scratches and scenes missing from our cross town coutnerpart. Now, I am currently working with Grandslam Cinemas, a new subrun theater chain as an assistant manager. We still run with AMC's old equipment in the booth, but our boxoffice is now finally automated. We run Simplex XL projector heads, with Strong Lamphouses, analog sound. The theater is under renovations, but our sister theater in Quakertown P.A. should be opening by December 1st. Believe me, I have plenty of stories you would die laughing about when it comes to AMC, but I'll save them for a day we all need a laugh.
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Erick Ojeda
Film Handler
Posts: 26
From: Vineland, NJ
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-09-1999 10:19 PM
Oh man, where do I start with the stories? Well, for starters, the general manager I workered for is a junk collector. The projection booth was literally crowded with pieces of wood, old television parts, and who knows what else. It was a shame because every time the NCN slide man came to our theater, he and the GM would get at it with each other. The NCN guy would be sick to his stomach to actually go up to the booth. Lets just say, I was sick to go up to the booth. Now, the booth looks a lot different, I spent two days cleaning up that booth after the GM left.
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Erick Ojeda
Film Handler
Posts: 26
From: Vineland, NJ
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-10-1999 05:41 PM
The AMC I worked for used Simplex XL projectors, well atleast I still use those same projectors under Grandslam Cinemas who bought out AMC Vineland 4. I visited AMC Oakview 14 in Orlando, and they used Christie projectors. I also visited the AMC Highland Lake 12, which used to be a Cinemark and was bought out in the Orlando, Fl area, and they use Cinemanicca projectors. The bad splicing you are encountering with the new employee is due to the slack in training. I personally had to learn a lot on my own. I'll be honest with you, when I was first tought how to thread, I was specifically told to throw the leader on the floor after getting enough slack to thread through the gates. Then pick the leader up, and walk the leader to the platter, and finish threading. As you know, that is a no no because dirt will get on the mylar leader, which will then hit the trailers. I threaded like that for a while, until I was told differently by a projectinist outside of the AMC chain. It's this type of training, that gives AMC projectionist the rep they currently hold. The showmanship is not there. I know personlly because I was in their chain. I do have to say that there was one AMC that did have a good presentation, and that is the AMC Deptford 8. They weren't bad, but most AMCs are. It is in large part due to the bad training, and basically, the way a lot of managers run the operation. (not very good). I know I am not the best manager out there, but I do strive hard for true showmanship. I had to begin to aquire this type of knowledge out of the AMC chain.
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Actually I think their slogan should be, "Sending you home with a pass and a headache."
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