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Author Topic: 70mm projection staffing when introduced Warren Smyth Expert Film Handler Posts: 158 From: Auckland ,New Zealand Registered: Aug 2003 posted 01-10-2009 04:36 PM                     When 70mm was introduced here in the 1950s a dispute arose as to whether there should be one or two projectionists screening it. Naturally, this was in the days of change-overs and large reels. I personally worked under both systems in the sixties and seventies. I would really appreciate it if those who remember those days, could let me know what the policy was in your part of the world. I am particularly interested in locations where 20th Century Fox had an interest, but all situations of that period of the late fifties, sixties and seventies would be very helpful. I am also very interested to know if more than one projectionist was required, what the reason was at that time.  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 01-10-2009 05:13 PM                     I can only speak of the early to mid 80's but in two areas (Tucson. Az and Los Angeles) common pratcice I'd run into was one man (Tucson was a twin, common booth, one man for both) and L.A. most were platter houses and one man fro up to eight screens (usually only one or two screens in a complex were running 70mm) and AVCO Westwood (which was a tri-plex) had one man for all three rooms. Setup was one upstairs booth and two downstairs booths. The AVCO had two projectors in each booth, and I'm reasonably sure that the downstairs booths (which were tight) were large reel changeovers (automated) and IIRC the main booth had a platter. Syufy (nee Century) Cinedomes in Orange had Norelco platters and Century JJ projectors, all run by two guys for six screens, three(?) separate booths.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 01-10-2009 06:41 PM                     It was pretty much standard policy that for 70mm runs, during 50s into the 70s around the Washington DC area that there would be 2 projectionists. I'm guessing the theory was that the 70mm shows were events and the second operator would ensure greater success, including if there was a problem...one could fix the problem while the other could tend to the show. The only time I've been part of a dual-projectionist (or more on one screen) event was for special screenings where the studio was footing the bill. Steve  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 01-10-2009 06:47 PM                       Well, back in the nitrate days, the reason they wanted an operator for each machine was so there'd always be a man stationed beside the projector, who could quickly shut it down in case of a film break. That was the reason the union gave, at least. Maybe the 70mm practice was some kind of holdover?  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-10-2009 08:10 PM                     Often the big downtown houses had two operators per shift and they were often the first 70mm houses so that continued In Ontario it was the early 80's when they dropped the two person requirement  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 01-10-2009 08:47 PM                        The Cinerama Dome here used two operators whenever 70mm was being run, at least up until the early '70's. The last 70mm I saw there was a re-release of 2001: A Space Odyssey in the mid-'70's. By then only one operator was being used. Sin City didn't get 70mm-capable houses until fairly late in the game - 1965 or so. That's when both the Cinerama and the Fox Charleston Plaza Mall opened. The Sunset Drive-In was also 70mm-capable, but I don't know when it became so. As far as I know, the Cinerama was the only screen in town that ran any 70mm at all during the two-operator era.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 01-10-2009 09:39 PM                        Louisville, KY: certainly in the 1970 onward time frame, there was no difference in booth manning for 70mm, even for automated changeover operations versus 35mm. Especially in the platter era that was true since you only threaded once, just like 35mm. BTW: film damage was REDUCED once 70mm had platters! Louis  |  IP: Logged Ben Wales Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 602 From: Southampton. England Registered: Jul 99 posted 01-11-2009 03:56 AM                     quote: Louis Bornwasser BTW: film damage was REDUCED once 70mm had platters! Louis Not quite true!, there were many examples here in the UK where 70mm prints did get Trashed or Damaged while in the hands of a poorly trained operator with Platters, these were maninly Multiplexes that opened in the 1980/1990's and were single manned. There are some records for 70mm Reel to Reel shows at some Cinemas I have heard in the 1960's and "Sound of Music" was one of them that ran for almost 2 years with the same print at one Cinema I know.  |  IP: Logged Warren Smyth Expert Film Handler Posts: 158 From: Auckland ,New Zealand Registered: Aug 2003 posted 01-11-2009 04:30 AM                     Thank you very much for your comments. Naturally when platters were introduced, it resulted in two projectionist operation for 70mm being reduced to one. So far from your replies, it appears that two projectionists were the norm in the 1950s to 1970s with large reels and change-overs. Was there objection by the exhibitors to the added cost of employing an extra projectionist or was it just accepted that it was necessary?  |  IP: Logged Rick Raskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1100 From: Manassas Virginia Registered: Jan 2003 posted 01-11-2009 09:48 AM                     To add to Steve's comments above which are absolutely on the mark, another reason 70mm, in its heyday, had 2 projectionists was because of the weight of the reels. Many of the operators were old men at the time and hefting those reels could have been a problem. I remember "Pop" Shannon who was 90 years old and still working the Warner or Mac Sparrow who was in his 80s. This was not uncommon as most of those guys had started during the silent era. As I recall, theater management accepted the 2 projectionist rule because the format would pack the house.  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 01-11-2009 10:10 AM                     quote: Rick Raskin another reason 70mm, in its heyday, had 2 projectionists was because of the weight of the reels. Tell me about it! I ran a 70mm change-over booth for awhile in the 1970's. I'm not excactly a large person. In the 1970's I was in my 20's and a full reel of 70mm magnetic stock probably equalled about half my weight at the time. Being a little on the short side it was sometimes a challange for me to lift the huge reels up and try to get it on the spindle. There were some nights at the end of a long shift where I'd probably made an amusing sight trying to do so. On one or two occasions where I just couldn't handle it, I'd get one of the ushers (yes, we had ACTUAL USHERS!) up from downstairs to help me guide the reel onto the machine. I always found it somwhat confusing that union rules prohibited me from carrying film reels up any stairs and that they also provided me with a small 'reel-cart' to move the films across the booth. Both of these regulations were supposedly to prevent injury. But there was nothing in the rules to prevent me from hurting myself by trying to lift those big unweildy reels above my head while trying to get them on the projector spindle. And why the reel-cart? I could easly ROLL the heavy reels across the booth floor from the storage cabinet to the machines. I didn't need a cart for that! I'd have prefered they spent the money on a small platform or a block & tackle to help me reach that top spindle!  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 01-11-2009 10:45 AM                     quote: The AVCO Westwood (which was a tri-plex) had one man for all three rooms. Setup was one upstairs booth and two downstairs booths. The AVCO had two projectors in each booth, and I'm reasonably sure that the downstairs booths (which were tight) were large changeover (automated) and IIRC the main booth had a platter. When the AVCO was a triplex it had two operators, one in the downstairs booth. Which was equipped with two V-8's and large Cinerama size style reels. For 35mm we put the whole feature on one large reel, for 70MM we broke the feature into two parts because of the weight. All three rooms had the Pec-1000 (I think that was the model number). The upstairs booths was one large booth long booth. They were equipped with two V-8's projectors in both theatres and did auto changeovers with CP-200's in all booths. The reels were large 6K size reels. The above is when the AVCO ran as a triplex and when I ran it. GCC twinned the main house (downstairs) and added the platters around that time. So today the AVCO is a quad. But when you ran 70MM there was one man upstairs and one man in the main booth downstairs. So that is how the GCC AVCO Westwood was setup in the 1990's. Over at the Pacific's Hollywood Pacific Theatre (triplex) Two rooms were equipped to run 70MM, the main theatre (1200 seats downstairs and one of the former balcony theatres 500 seats) The main booth (former Cinerama house, Baker) had two Century JJ's and a platter. So if 70MM was booked into the main room or upstairs, Pacific required one man to stay with the 70MM room. In to Roadshow days in Los Angeles the theatre had two operators per shift. One for one projector and another operator for the second machine. They also got top rate for operators in the city.  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 01-11-2009 12:48 PM                        In the '60s, the Seattle Cinerama (when running the format) had one projectionist for each machine (including sound), and a "master control) operator, who sat at a window, with filter plates and controls that could move the side projectors to match with the center machine. 5 people! Of course, back then the Cinerama was a big part of the Seattle world's fair. Wouldn't do to have a presentation problem.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 01-11-2009 02:17 PM                        Have seen 70mm reels "stacked" so 2 reels were on one house reel. Only real men need apply! LOuis  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-11-2009 02:21 PM                     Almost all the 70mm houses here that ran cinemecanica machines ran doubled 70mm reels  |  IP: Logged

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