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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » I got an interview to be a projectionist at The Majestic! (Page 1)

 
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Author Topic: I got an interview to be a projectionist at The Majestic!
Mark Strube
Master Film Handler

Posts: 322
From: Milwaukee, WI, United States
Registered: Feb 2007


 - posted 02-28-2007 04:23 PM      Profile for Mark Strube   Author's Homepage   Email Mark Strube   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I don't know if this is the right section for this, so feel free to move it if it's not.

I've got an interview this Friday to be a projectionist at the new Marcus Majestic Cinema that's opening in May in Brookfield, WI. It's being promoted as Marcus's new "flagship" theatre, and if you've read any of the news articles about it, it sounds like a pretty exciting place. (Two UltraScreens, in-house restaurant, Palladium, etc.)

Now I'm looking for pointers anyone might want to give me for the interview. I have absolutely NO projectionist experience. I do however have a pretty good understanding of the technology (I read this forum), and a genuine interest in being a projectionist and doing a good job, which I think is more than can be said for a lot of people who wind up getting the position. I'm one who travels to theaters all throughout my area, I don't wince at driving for an hour or more to check out a new theater to see what the presentation is like. I'm the one who will complain about the picture being blurry, off-center, jittery, or the sound not being in digital or clicking in and out of it. I am thinking of writing up a little resume that even points out things like that... for example, how I helped another local theater (non-Marcus) fix their Dolby Digital sound issues. (I emailed the manager, he said the DTS disc arrived late so they switched it to a Dolby Digital screen but he assured me it was in digital. I wrote back listing all the reasons it wasn't, and he later replied how they would've never known of the problems with the sound system on that screen had I not emailed.) Or, how I helped the local WB 18 (before it was the CW) fix their Dolby Digital sync issues on their HD channel. (Through speaking with their tech on the MilwaukeeHDTV forum and giving feedback on what I think the correct audio delay ms needs to be from tweaking with the HD video stream on my computer.)

I'm a perfectionist when it comes to A/V quality, I've been known to spend endless hours tweaking the settings on my DLP projector to squeeze out every last ounce of quality I can get from it. I've worked with Movie-List for years (2nd most popular movie trailer site online next to Apple's), and taught the webmaster how to do better QuickTime encodes of trailers at a quality level that even Apple themselves weren't able to reach at the time. I've even edited some trailers of my own, my best being a trailer for Desperado, which people said was very close to being on a professional level. I'm a moderator at the local MilwaukeeHDTV forum, so I'm a big home theater enthusiast and have a very good understanding of video technology.

But, there's that problem of having absolutely no experience being a projectionist, and my only "real" job reference at the age of 22 is working as a part-time tech guy at a local catering company for about a year. Also, I have little interest in working my way up in the ranks from a concessions, ticket sales, or usher job, since the projectionist aspect is what's bringing me there... but if I have to do some of that while I'm in the process of training, that's fine with me. So, I really need to "sell" myself in this interview, and get across my genuine interest in the field. I've heard that sometimes you must join the projectionists' union, which requires a training course, and I'm absolutely fine with that.

So, I guess I'm looking for any pointers you guys could give me... any heads up for questions the manager might ask, what to expect at a Marcus interview... things like that. I REALLY want this job, and since my references are pretty lean, I'm really counting on doing a good job in this interview.

Thanks for any help!

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99


 - posted 02-28-2007 07:41 PM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
Your resume is both good and bad.

Good because you show a deep interest and caring about what you are applying for.

Bad because this sort of resume implies that you will be a tinker.

Ultimately it will depend on the person hiring as to whether you are a good selection or not.

Also, you did not "fix" anything. You "assisted with troubleshooting by providing input based upon your experience". Choose your words carefully.

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Mark Strube
Master Film Handler

Posts: 322
From: Milwaukee, WI, United States
Registered: Feb 2007


 - posted 02-28-2007 08:59 PM      Profile for Mark Strube   Author's Homepage   Email Mark Strube   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Well that's why I put it as "helped them fix" but you make a really good point, I'll probably word it more like the way you put it. I don't think I'll dwell on spending a lot of time tweaking my projector, but I think it's probably good to convey that I'm a big home theater enthusiast, right?

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002


 - posted 02-28-2007 09:52 PM      Profile for Michael Schaffer   Author's Homepage   Email Michael Schaffer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Depends. That and stuff like "I spend endless hours tweaking my home theater" or "I have no technical or cinema experience, but I read online forums" could be gigantic red flags blowing strongly and proudly in the wind for many interviewers.

You are not supposed to "tweak" anything in the booth. You are supposed to make up the movies, thread them, and clean the projectors. It takes a whole lot more experience and knowledge than you appear to think to "tweak" anything. Tinkerers who have no experience but already know it all are among the worst nightmares for people who are responsible for technical operations. That's why these forums here are so alive with people discussing all sorts of topics and asking for advice all the time and that includes many people who have been in this business for many years.

I am not even convinced you have a clear idea of what this job is actually like, and also how stressy it can be. It's not really about having a lot of fun tweaking stuff at the movie theater at all. It's a much tougher and at times more nervewrecking job than you think.

If you are really interested in trying that, you probably shouldn't present yourself in that "I came, saw, and tweaked" manner. A company of that size will probably bring in some of their most experienced people, especially when it is a "new flagship" opening, and if so, that might be a good opportunity to learn the job from such experienced people - and from scratch.

You should stress your willingness to learn and illustrate why you think you are a good learner rather than that you have a lot of time on your hands to drive around and tell cinemas how much their presentation sucks. The most important quality in a projectionist is reliability, a knack for doing things the right way, not by somehow fumbling around, because it's not that difficult, but there is little room or time for error.

BTW, I heard that Marcus are putting in a lot of digital. There isn't much more projectionist work involved in that, mostly editing playlists and pressing "play". You may think you know how to "tweak" a digital projector because after all, it's just somehow a big DLP projector like at home, but it really isn't, and there is next to nothing for you to tweak there without the proper training and equipment.

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Tim Reed
Better Projection Pays

Posts: 5246
From: Northampton, PA
Registered: Sep 1999


 - posted 02-28-2007 10:00 PM      Profile for Tim Reed   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hi, Mark! Honestly, if it were me hiring, the home theatre blurbs wouldn't mean much, if anything - and might even be a detractor. Home theatre and motion picture sound/projection are entirely different things. Different standards, equipment, practices, etc.

I'm also in complete agreement with Brad re: the implication of tinkering. It shouldn't take "endless hours" to set something up properly. Working "by ear," so to speak, does not go well with professional projection - there's too much of that problem in theatres already.

Go with your enthusiasm for the job and what familiarity with the business that you've garnered here. I don't know anything about the Marcus circuit, but the fact that you have absolutely no experience in the booth might be exactly what they're looking for.

Good luck!

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Mark Strube
Master Film Handler

Posts: 322
From: Milwaukee, WI, United States
Registered: Feb 2007


 - posted 02-28-2007 11:10 PM      Profile for Mark Strube   Author's Homepage   Email Mark Strube   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
To Michael... I'm sorry if that somehow came across as being a know-it-all, but I did mention several times that I have no projectionist experience and how I'm totally willing to be trained, even if it means joining the union. I'm not under any false impressions here, I read this site, I know working in a projection booth isn't just throwing the film on, hoping it somehow threads itself and then playing with the focus... it sounds like that's the impression you got from me. I know it's hard work, and I'm up for it. I hate to feel like I must defend myself when I'm asking for advice here, but to be honest your response feels a bit aggressive. If the image looks a bit fuzzy our the audio sounds "off" I'm not going to start pushing buttons and adjusting things - that'd be a quick way to get fired. But on that same note, I think a lot of theaters don't have any people with "the eye" for these things, or even the will to care about them. Hell, during all of "Smokin Aces" at a local theater, you could see what's supposed to be on the bottom of the frame at the top of the screen. That doesn't even take someone with the eye, that just takes someone who cares a little about doing their job. Same goes for when the projector is improperly aimed, it doesn't take a genius to notice the picture is a foot off the screen, yet I see it all the time.

quote: Michael Schaffer
You may think you know how to "tweak" a digital projector because after all, it's just somehow a big DLP projector like at home, but it really isn't, and there is next to nothing for you to tweak there without the proper training and equipment.
And once again drawing wild conclusions from my post. I appreciate the nuggets of advice in your response, I really do. But if that's the attitude this forum is going to have towards people interested in getting into the industry, I just might go back to lurking to avoid attacks like that.

I think I'd be coming into this job with a base of knowledge and interest that's generally a lot more than most people who are offered the job, especially the ones who get promoted from buttering popcorn (not to be dissing them, I'm sure they're reliable employees and that's the reason)... and that is what I want to highlight in the interview. I think those things I mentioned all speak to that - and not how I'm going to ignore training and start pushing buttons... that's not where I'm trying to go with that at all.

quote: Michael Schaffer
rather than that you have a lot of time on your hands to drive around and tell cinemas how much their presentation sucks.
I'll always find time for that. [thumbsup]

quote: Tim Reed
Go with your enthusiasm for the job and what familiarity with the business that you've garnered here. I don't know anything about the Marcus circuit, but the fact that you have absolutely no experience in the booth might be exactly what they're looking for.
Thank you! I'll definitely be doing that.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99


 - posted 02-28-2007 11:49 PM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
Michael did not attack you. He answered your question in a straightforward manner and gave solid advice. If you think that is an attack and have taken any sort of offense to it, you just won't last in a theater as a projectionist. You've just got to be a little more thick-skinned for this sort of position because just WAIT until something goes wrong and you have a manager breathing down your neck because you couldn't fix the problem in 5 seconds and he is getting chewed out by the customers and the company is having to hand out refunds to 400 people. Like it was stated above it CAN and often is a stressful job to newbies and even some seasoned projectionists. You just have to be able to remain calm, keep your head on straight and do the job while remembering you may have another dozen screens all waiting for on you at the same time. (How many screens is this place?)

Anyway, don't sweat it. That's the no-bs truth you were seeking and will find in abundance on this site. [Wink]

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002


 - posted 02-28-2007 11:59 PM      Profile for Michael Schaffer   Author's Homepage   Email Michael Schaffer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Mark Strube
I hate to feel like I must defend myself when I'm asking for advice here, but to be honest your response feels a bit aggressive.
Sorry, I misread your post. I thought it said you were 22, but now I see you are only 12.

If you think that people giving you straightforward and unsugarcoated advice is "aggressive", then you have a lot of growing up still to do. Once you have done that, you will understand that if people actually take the time and write a detailed reply, they generally don't do that to be mean, but to help. It may not be what you wanted to hear. But life is hard.

That confirms my initial impression. It sounds great when you say you want to work hard and learn this job thoroughly, but your unwillingness to accept critical, yet well meant advice (good advice is typically critical, not what you want to hear, remember that) signals that you may not be that good at and eager to learn from what experienced people may have to tell you.

I have trained projectionists for many years and know the home theater enthusiast type who is usually very eloquent and enthusiastic in his proclamations as well but soon after he finds out what the daily grind - in a good movie theater - is like, he gives up and bails.

Speaking of bailing, at this point in the interview, you may also have to explain why it is that you haven't held any steady jobs or learnt any trades yet at your age (to them, not to me, I don't care).

You may think that you already know what the job is like because you have read a lot of posts here, but if you think that you can pick that up and know as well or even better than people who have actually been in that business for many years, that only confirms the impression of unteachable and unrealistic.

Mr Reed is totally right when he is says that they might actually be looking for "fresh" people they will have to train, because a lot of exhibitors prefer to train their people in their own way. A lot of people are badly trained, and "untraining" and retraining them is just too much hassle. But thinking one knows it all already is just as bad as being badly trained.

Best if you keep it simple and don't try to pretend to know more than you do, however much film-tech you have read. Just be yourself. They know what they want, and it may or may not be you. But it is always best if it is you, not an image of yourself you want to create.

[ 03-01-2007, 12:12 AM: Message edited by: Michael Schaffer ]

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Mark Strube
Master Film Handler

Posts: 322
From: Milwaukee, WI, United States
Registered: Feb 2007


 - posted 03-01-2007 12:02 AM      Profile for Mark Strube   Author's Homepage   Email Mark Strube   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
And I appreciate the advice, I really do, I guess I didn't so much appreciate all of the jumping to conclusions. I suppose that's some of what happens in an interview, so it's good to scale that here, but to assume that I somehow think I won't need training when I even said it several times, kind of got to me.

To answer Brad, this place is going to have 16 screens, which includes two 72 ft wide "UltraScreens." So I think they'll have a pretty healthy-sized technical/projection staff... at least to start out with.

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002


 - posted 03-01-2007 12:15 AM      Profile for Michael Schaffer   Author's Homepage   Email Michael Schaffer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Mark Strube
I guess I didn't so much appreciate all of the jumping to conclusions. I suppose that's some of what happens in an interview
That's basically *all* that happens in a job interview on that level. Everything you say can and will be used against you.

quote: Brad Miller
If you think that is an attack and have taken any sort of offense to it, you just won't last in a theater as a projectionist. You've just got to be a little more thick-skinned for this sort of position because just WAIT until something goes wrong and you have a manager breathing down your neck because you couldn't fix the problem in 5 seconds and he is getting chewed out by the customers and the company is having to hand out refunds to 400 people.
Oh yes, and isn't that what is the most fun about it? Working in the movie theater is generally pretty laid back and calm routine, and most of the time, you are left alone, but if shit starts hitting the fan, it comes in massive quantities from all sides, quicker than you can duck.
But that's fun, too, in a way, and very satisfying if you keep everything under control - usually the projectionist is (or at least should be) the only one not panicking - and save the day. Or at least the show.

Plus, working on the more technical side of things is a lot of fun, too, and highly interesting because this field involves so many different aspects, electrical, electronic, mechanical, optics, sound etcetc, but that can be very stressy and challenging too. Sometimes, and that happens a lot during the early years of learning, you just can't figure out a problem, and it takes a lot of determination and stamina to work through that. We have all spent all night at theaters trying to figure out problems, and sometimes these then turn out to be something easy we already knew but overlooked, something we should already have known but didn't, or something we just learnt by not giving up. But in any case, if you are frustrated easily, this may not be the right field for you.

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Jack Ondracek
Film God

Posts: 2348
From: Port Orchard, WA, USA
Registered: Oct 2002


 - posted 03-01-2007 12:24 AM      Profile for Jack Ondracek   Author's Homepage   Email Jack Ondracek   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
If it's a new theatre, it's likely that the equipment has not been installed by an idiot. Therefore, it probably doesn't need the attention of a person who has only a consumer's view of its performance level. Bottom line... Nobody wants to hear that their equipment needs to be "tinkered" with. Your challenge is to convince the owner that you can be a qualified operator of what's there right now.

Assume that a new booth will be top notch, or close to it. Since you don't have any experience connecting what you see as a consumer with the actual machinery producing those results, the worst thing you can do is portray yourself as (what Brad correctly calls) a tinkerer.

Assume you might be hired to work in a properly installed and adjusted booth. Your job is to operate the infrastructure to it's potential. That means properly threaded prints, framed correctly, started on time, focused at the start, and checked periodically. You shouldn't have to babysit volume levels, but you should know they're correct. If the environment is such that film cleaners are needed and/or available, you should know how to use them properly, and do so. You should be able to look at the screen, recognize any misadjustment or wandering in your lamphouse and bulb and be able to react to the situation as necessary. That could mean changing a bulb yourself. It could also mean just making the owner, manager or supervisor aware that there might be a problem, then letting them decide how to deal with it.

There's a lot more to this, and others will add the items that are important to them. For you, it's best that you drop any notion of expressing your ability to "finesse the details". If you worked for me, I'd assure you that my booth is set up the way I want it. I don't want to hear the observations of someone who needs real-life experience in the booth. If you were to start out by telling me all the things you think I needed to change, you probably wouldn't get the job. Keep your peace, get the job, learn the realities, and only then decide whether or when it's appropriate to offer your opinions. Be enthusiastic, but do the job the way the owner (or your supervisor) wants it done. Offer your opinion only after you've been there long enough that it means something. Then, it might work out for you.

Good luck!

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Mark Strube
Master Film Handler

Posts: 322
From: Milwaukee, WI, United States
Registered: Feb 2007


 - posted 03-01-2007 12:40 AM      Profile for Mark Strube   Author's Homepage   Email Mark Strube   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Michael Schaffer
Speaking of bailing, at this point in the interview, you may also have to explain why it is that you haven't held any steady jobs or learnt any trades yet at your age (to them, not to me, I don't care).
Not that it matters at all here, but you did bring it up... I hate school. I've hated school quite a bit since probably 4th or 5th grade. This is because I held absolutely no interest in most of the subjects we were forced to learn about. As soon as I escaped from high school, I was confident that the only way I'm going back is if it's to learn a trade that genuinely interests me. At this point those things would be film, video production, or radio broadcasting. Not the best schools in the Milwaukee area for those things. I haven't left the area, or needed to hold a steady job since my family has supported me. They're fine with supporting me because while being pretty well-off, I live with only my grandparents and mother, and without getting into too much detail, my mother has been disabled (mostly physically, but a bit mentally as well) ever since I was born, due to complications. I help around the house and help to take care of her... I have had no need for a job up until now.

Jack... thank your for the advice! I am curious however... when you speak of learning the realities of the booth, what issues are you referring to where I'd be offering my opinion on changes? Most of the problems I see in theaters are pretty glaring - soft or dull image due to incorrect focus or not enough cleaning (see... I'm not a projectionist, I don't know the exact causes yet), digital audio coming in and out or not present at all when it should be, improperly aimed projector. Heck, for all of the films at Horrorfest at the Marcus that recently closed to make way for this one, the top 1/6th of the image was completely missing. I complained twice on two different days, nothing ever happened. Is this stuff that hard to adjust for trained employees? I'm not exactly planning on suggesting they mix their audio levels differently within the first week I'm working there. [Smile]

Oh and one last thing. Since my job experience is so lean (like I said - just a part time computer tech job for about a year once), I thought I might be able to use my technical proclivity as a good way to stand out in the interview. Now that's starting to sound like at least partially a bad idea. What's good to include, and what's good to omit?

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Allison Parsons
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 630
From: East Peoria, IL
Registered: Oct 2004


 - posted 03-01-2007 01:41 AM      Profile for Allison Parsons   Author's Homepage   Email Allison Parsons   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Mark,
Good luck in the interview! My advice is just be yourself. If you get the job, go with an open mind and throw all the romantic thoughts of what a projectionist is out the window, because as someone said in a post, shit will hit the fan sooner or later up there and it probably won't be pretty. [Wink]

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Frank Dubrois
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 896
From: Cleveland, OH
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 - posted 03-01-2007 02:00 AM      Profile for Frank Dubrois     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Well...in MY opinion, your a disaster waiting to be hired. Brad is right on when see's you as a potential tinkerer. If by some stretch of the imagination you DID get hired, and were shipped off somewhere to be trained, I see you as the type of person that would hear whats being taught, but you wouldn't LISTEN. You wouldn't heed good advice because you think you already know what the job is all about. You don't.

I've worked for Marcus, and several other companies. Marcus usually has a "promote from within" policy, whether projection is included in that rule, I dont know. I wish all theaters would start new hires on the ground floor shoveling popcorn and ripping tickets. Everyone should have to pay their dues. If you can do that for a year, THEN I'd beleive you have interest in theater work.

If you want my advice for your Marcus interview, say as little as possible, be agreeable, available and go in to the interview as if the job doesnt matter. In your first post, you sounded a little arrogant, like you KNOW what its all about..quite frankly, you don't, so you shouldn't pretend. If you were interviewing potential computer techs to work for you, and some guy came in and said he knows how to tweak his playstation 2 menus settings, would that qualify him to work with computers at all? Tell your interviewer that you'd love to work in the movie theater enviroment, and that you have a life long love of movies. Tell them that you have no problem working nights, weekends or holidays, in fact, you LOVE working weekends and holidays. Stay away from sounding professional as it relates to anything AV, you'll come off sounding arrogant and stupid all at the same time.

My 2 cents.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99


 - posted 03-01-2007 02:01 AM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
First things first...relax. Nobody wants to hire a nervous wreck to run their booth. If you are really nervous during an interview, how bad will you be during a crisis???

Some points that are pretty safe...
  • You are eager to learn (that means to learn however THEY tell you to do things whether you think or know them to be right or wrong).
  • You will work hard, be prompt, courteous and understand the seriousness of the projectionist's position in what is essentially keeping the entire complex running smooth from an upstairs point of view. (Be careful here not to trivialize the manager's responsibilities downstairs.)
  • You have a flexible schedule and don't mind working late nights (as late as needed...often you can buy donuts on the way home). You also don't mind totally giving up all social life, meaning your weekends.
  • At the age of 22 you are more mature than someone of equal knowledge in the projection booth at say, 16.
Be sure and dress nicely and speak clearly in the interview. Make eye contact, don't just stare at the floor and mumble.

And most importantly, do not even try to bullshit your way into the job! Trust me, they can smell that from miles away.

This is so timely I just have to post it here. Tuesday I was at a theater doing a service call when a manager came upstairs and asked if I would do an interview with some kid downstairs that had been begging and pleading to work the booth who supposedly had extensive projection experience. I reminded him that we already had a solid projection team and there was no extra room, to which he understood and agreed, but stressed that it was probably "the only way this kid will ever stop nagging me about it". So I agreed and up he came. I wish I had a video of it. No joke here, this is as close as I can remember the conversation:
quote:
Me: Hi you must be Max (extends hand)

Max: (halfway knods head staring at the ground)

Me: I am Brad, the technician (shakes hand a little more toward the ground)

Max: (notices hand and offers his...note this was the first instance of eye contact and it lasted about 1 second)

Me: So what is it that you are interested in?
(At this point do take note that Max only speaks in mumbles that were barely audible for the duration of this conversation.)
Max: Ummmm, well movie stuff you know.
Me: Like DVDs or what?
Max: (shrugs in an "I dunno" manner)
Me: So you like movies?
Max: Ummm, yeah I guess.
Me: Well that's great. So are you trying to say you are interested in working the projection booth?
Max: (I think this was the second time he glanced up and made eye contact.) Yeah the movies.

Me: Well that's good to hear. (Pauses just to see what this guy will say or do.)

Max: (Stares at ground and then after an uncomfortable silence looks over to the side where a film is running for a few seconds, then goes back to essentially studying my shoes.)

Me: So I understand you have projection experience?

Max: Yeah, ummm, back in (some state I don't recall).

Me: Good, so what kind of equipment did you work with?

Max: Ummm, well you know.

Me: No sorry, actually I don't know. What kind of projectors did you use?

Max: Ummmm, the movie kind.

Me: Great, we use those too! (Ok, ok, so at this point I am just being sarcastic, but seriously, this interview is getting old and wasting my time.) So what brand of projectors did you work with?

Max: Ummmm. (Still staring at ground.)

Me: Ok, so you don't remember the brand name, that's ok. What color were they and maybe I can figure it out by the color?

Max: Ummmm, I don't really remember.

Me: Ok, well forget that because they probably didn't have the same kind of equipment we have anyway. Look over there. Did you have those projectors or did you use something else?

Max: Ummm, I guess we used something else.

Me: Well, no problem. Do you know how to build film?

Max: Ummm, what?

Me: Every week when the new films arrive, they have to be assembled before they can be run. Did you ever assemble the films?

Max: Ummm, oh yeah.

Me: Great! So since there are many different ways of doing that, tell me this, let's say you have a 6 reel movie. How would you go about getting it off of the shipping reels and onto the platter?

Max: Ummm, well we never played any 6 reel movies. (I shit you not he said this!)

Me: Oh yeah? That's some weird bookings there. Ok well forget that, I'm sure you played 5 reel movies, right?

Max: Ummm, yeah we did.

Me: I figured. So how would you assemble THOSE movies?

Max: Ummm, I don't really know.

Me: So you never built new movies?

Max: Ummm, well there was always a manager present.

Me: So the manager actually built the movies and you never did?

Max: Ummm, no I did.

Me: Then what was the rough procedure that you used to assemble them?

Max: Ummm, the managers would do that.

Me: Ok so you DIDN'T ever build movies. So you just ran the booth then, threading and starting the movies?

Max: Ummm, yeah I guess.

Me: Ok that's fine, not everybody knows how to build movies. Did you ever break them down?

Max: Ummm, I dunno.

Me: Ok I am really confused now. Walk with me over here. Do you know what this contraption is called? (Pointing to a platter.)

Max: Ummmm.

Me: This thing, right here like 2 inches away from my finger.

Max: Ummm, I forgot what they are called.

Me: Ok, multiple choice. Is this is a platter, a film motivator or a cartridge feeder?

Max: Ummm, I really don't know we never used any of those.

Me: Oh ok, so did you have 2 projectors for every screen or just one?

Max: Ummm, huh?

Me: (Walks kid over to projector/lamphouse.) Did you have two of these for every auditorium or one?

Max: Ummm, just one.

Me: (Pointing back to the platter.) So you never used one of those film motivators?

Max: Ummm, ok I'm sorry. Yeah we had the motivators.

Me: So other than using film motivators, can you tell me ANYTHING else about the theater you worked at?

Max: Ummm, no I forgot. Sorry.

Me: How many screns did it have?

Max: Ummm, a bunch, I'm not sure.

Me: Do you even know the name of the theater?

Max: Oh yeah it was a Carmike blah-blah. (I forgot the exact Carmike theater, but it doesn't really matter since this kid clearly never worked the booth there.)

Me: So on a typical shift, how many movies were you able to watch?

Max: Ummm, just whichever ones I wanted to.

Me: Well yeah of course, but I mean roughly how many did you watch in a day? Or did you tire of watching the movies?

Max: Oh no I never got tired of watching them. I mean that's the job.

Me: Well that's just awesome. Unfortunately you aren't. Let me give you a big tip. In the future, don't ever try to bullshit your way into a job, because clearly you have never ran a projection booth or know the slightest thing about it. It is far more than watching movies. It might also interest you to know that there is no such thing as a film motivator and the average length movie is 6 reels. From the sound of things about the closest you have ever come to running a booth was walking into this one or maybe going into the Carmike projection room. Had you come in here and been honest with me regarding your knowledge you might have had a chance, but trying to fool me will guarantee that you never ever work upstairs.

Max: (Just stands there.)

Me: Sorry Max, but I am not going to waste your time or any more of mine. Go on back downstairs.

Max: (Just stands there!)

Me: I'm sure the manager is waiting for you downstairs.


So then he FINALLY leaves. Clearly this kid hasn't an ounce of brain activity going on. Regardless even if I had brought him up and trained him, the first time there was a problem, he was so soft-spoken that I couldn't possibly be able to hear him over the phone to talk him through a problem! This kid was the worst applicant I have ever seen. Don't be like him.

(Come to think of it, we should start a thread here on worst interview transcripts.)

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