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This topic comprises 7 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
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Author
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Topic: Booth Clocks
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Greg Anderson
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 766
From: Ogden Valley, Utah
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-23-1999 02:22 PM
It's been a few years since I've worked as a projectionist, but in my prime I was obsessed with precision. And, among the things I cared about was starting movies at precisely the right time. I often listened to a shortwave radio to synchronize my watch precisely with the Atomic Clock in Colorado. I knew that after I pressed the "start" button on a projector it took 8 seconds before the machine was up to speed and the first frame of the film was on the screen. So, as you can easily conclude, if a film was scheduled to start at 8:00 then I would press that start button at exactly 7:59:52.I realized that, statistically, nobody in my audiences knew or cared about "the exactly correct time," but I always hoped there was someone out there who shared my obsession and would appreciate hearing his wristwatch chime beeping at exactly the same time that the movie started. So, while I don't expect many of you to be "time freaks" (like I've been labeled by friends and enemies) I do expect a lot of you to be "precision freaks" (which seems to fit the character of a projectionist). My question is, how do you ensure that the clocks in your lobbies, box offices and projection booths are synchronized so that your customers know when it's time to step out of the popcorn line and find their seats? Or do you care? If I were working in a theatre today, I'd force the boss to buy a few of those new radio controlled clocks and hang them around the building (because they automatically show the "atomic" time as received from the Colorado master clock), or to buy the less expensive kits and I'd assemble them myself (on company time, of course)... but that's just me. So... am I the only time freak who ever decided when to press the start button in a booth?
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Kelsey Black
Film Handler
Posts: 58
From: Pima, Arizona, USA
Registered: Aug 1999
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posted 11-23-1999 02:30 PM
haha, no, I do the same thing... however, not as accurate as you.. I am in a small town right now, and the majority of the clocks in town are set to one time.... the school bells. so I set my wristwatch to the second to the school bell, and then I try to have the first frame projected on screen within about 10-15 seconds of the starting time...
of course there are always exceptions, such as when we sell out early, or there are a few minutes extra of previews (I like the actual movie to start 10 minutes after showtime) and if it's a really slow night and nobody shows until 5 minutes after, or other things that can come up.
generally, about 95% of the time, I start it "right on time"BTW, I wish I had a "start" button. no automation whatsoever! (not even remote pushbuttons to turn things on/off)
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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today
Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99
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posted 11-24-1999 06:06 AM
We have the Christie CA21 automations, and each unit has its own individual clock. We set them to the atomic clock every month or so. Just so long as the timer was set to start at the correct time (which does not always happen, due to the fact that we are far too stupid to convert the 12 hour time our schedules use to the 24 hour time the clock uses), the movie will start EXACTLY on time. Some of the CA21 clocks tend to drift a bit fast or slow, depending on the unit, which is weird.What I wish I had was one central clock that all of the automations would be tied into. Would make changing from daylights saving time and back a snap. I used to always start my movies 1 minute early when I worked at United Artists where we didn't have any timers. We had STRONG barcode automations. At my present company we don't have quite as many ads, just Coke, MoviePhone and Hollywood online. So we start them on time. I don't really see much of a need to start them early to avoid complaints, because if a movie DOES NOT start on time, people always wait at least 10 to 15 minutes before complaining anyway!
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Randy Stankey
Film God
Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 11-29-1999 01:41 PM
I call 1-900-410-TIME.That's the atomic clock at the National Naval Observatory in Maryland (I THINK it's in MD.) Yes, It's a 900 number but it's only 50 cents a minute. They charge you for it because they have to use special phone switches to minimize the time delay in the phone lines. It only takes me one or two minutes to set my watch. My watch stays accurate for about 2-3 months in the summer and 1-2 in the winter. (Temperature affects the quartz time base, ya know!) I reset it when it gets 30 seconds off. I can say with 90% certainty that my watch is no more than +/- 30 sec. to the REAL time. I have actually won bets on this. I feel that 30 sec is the level of precision that makes the most sense... 1) MOST people when asked the time will round off to the 5 minutes. SOME people will round off to the 1 munute. VERY FEW people will go the the second. 2) You can't set your watch any closer than about a second, because of the time delay in the phone lines or radio AND because you can't press the button on your watch any faster.
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