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Topic: How many projectionist at AMC theater???

Cody Smith
Film Handler

Posts: 4
From: Roswell, NM, USA
Registered: Aug 2001

posted 08-11-2001 11:39 PM

I work at a small 4 screen theater and that of course only needs one projectionist. But at the bigger places like AMC theaters where they have like 24 screens. How many projectionist work at one time there???

And is your job just to stay up there and make sure all the films are running correctly? If so, you have a nice job

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Adam Martin
I'm not even gonna point out the irony.

Posts: 3686
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 08-12-2001 12:23 AM

Ugh. Judging by some of the shows I've witnesses at AMC theaters across the US, I think the answer is *none*. Really, it's *A*ll *M*ovies *C*ompromised. (Film-Tech members excluded, of course.)

I believe they were not only the pioneers of the multiplex, but pioneers of ushers in the booth.

Used to work for 'em. Don't any more.

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Cody Smith
Film Handler

Posts: 4
From: Roswell, NM, USA
Registered: Aug 2001

posted 08-12-2001 01:12 AM

Okay, im not getting what your saying. I have only been to an AMC once in colorado and it was cool. But im not really understanding what you are saying when you mean none??? and what do you mean by the whole A*** M*** C*** thing?

Thanks

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James R. Hammonds, Jr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 931
From: Houston, TX, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 08-12-2001 01:33 AM

I work for an AMC and at my theatre we have two people running booth at one time, with each person running 12 projectors.
Right now, Im running 2 openers and 2 closers Friday through Sunday and one opener Monday through Thursday with a midshift and a closer because of staff availability.
I am trying, however to move to two openers and two closers every day.

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Adam Martin
I'm not even gonna point out the irony.

Posts: 3686
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 08-12-2001 09:32 AM

Kudos and thank you, James, for caring about having people in the booth.

Cody, I was referring to the quality of presentation that I have experienced in AMC theaters in Saint Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa and Oklahoma City. I won't go to an AMC in Missouri, just like I won't go to a Carmike in Oklahoma.

The director's "vision" of the story he was trying to tell was "compromised" by poor presentation in the theater... scratches, out of focus, sound problems, etc. It seemed as if the projectors were run by remote control and that there was no one in the booth to check the presentation and make sure it was a good one. Definitely *not* "Film Done Right". I took the All Movies Compromised as a play on the abbreviation for American Multi-Cinemas.

Of course, not all AMC theaters are bad. Every circuit has their good theaters and their bad theaters. It's just that some theaters have become legendary for destroying film.

To answer your original question, my opinion is that a single experienced projectionist should not have to worry about any more than 10-12 projectors at a time. Especially if there are some hidden around corners and you can't see them all at once. If a theater that size isn't doing enough business to support more than one projectionist at a time, it should not have been built (or at least not that many screens).

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Cody Smith
Film Handler

Posts: 4
From: Roswell, NM, USA
Registered: Aug 2001

posted 08-12-2001 01:49 PM

Yeah I kind of got what you ment by the poor quality of there movies. But the only time I have gone to an AMC everything went fine. But at my theater we make sure everything is right, even though we can't stay up there for the whole movie like other projectionist. we also have to help do concession.

That would be pretty fun to run 12 instead of 4.

Do AMC and other projectionist get to stay up there for their whole shift???

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Chad Souder
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 962
From: Waterloo, IA, USA
Registered: Feb 2000

posted 08-12-2001 04:35 PM

When you run 12 at a time, you pretty much need to stay there for the whole shift, excusing bathroom and smoke breaks of course. By the time you go from projector to projector, checking the focus, sound, etc., its either time to do it again, or thread something. I don't know that "fun" would be the right word for it. Enjoyable, sure. Rewarding, perhaps. But I can think of more fun things than knowing you could screw up an enjoyable evening for a couple thousand people by not doing your job properly. When you boff an order selling popcorn, at least it's only a few people that get mad.

------------------
"Asleep at the switch? I wasn't asleep, I was drunk!" - Homer Simpson

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 08-12-2001 07:32 PM

Neither of the AMC 24 plexes here in Colorado are "cool".

Smoke breaks? If you choose to smoke then you also choose to suffer through withdrawl until your REAL break comes along. Smokers are not entitled to ANY special breaks. Screw 'em. It's their choice to smoke and they gotta live with the consequences.

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James R. Hammonds, Jr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 931
From: Houston, TX, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 08-12-2001 07:53 PM

<<Do AMC and other projectionist get to stay up there for their whole shift???>>

Its actually not a question of do they get to, but the fact that they are supposed to.
Many projectionists that I have known at both of the AMC megaplexes I have worked at were downstairs getting drinks, smoking, or just haning out every chance they get.
I used to be guilty of it myself.
It is very difficult to keep someone in the booth at all times unless you are following them around their whole shift.
Even if you are there, it is so easy for someone to sneak downstairs and get back up without you knowing.

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 08-12-2001 08:27 PM

I always stayed in the booth when I ran 12 and 16 plexes. I only went down when I HAD too. Or when I wanted to check presentation or something like that. But that's probably because I'm not a teenager. I don't have this overwhelming desire to look cool in front of everyone else. I KNOW that I am already cool

I get along with most of the teenagers employed downstairs, but I really never felt the need to "hang out". Don't get me wrong, ALL teenagers are not guilty of this. I had one once who was pretty good about staying where he needed to be.

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Cody Smith
Film Handler

Posts: 4
From: Roswell, NM, USA
Registered: Aug 2001

posted 08-13-2001 01:28 AM

Who cleans your theaters?

I get to run 4, clean the theaters, and sell concession and what ever else there is to do. But I guess that is what you get in a smaller town.

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