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Author Topic: Coming out to a movie in a blizzard Bernie Anderson Jr Master Film Handler Posts: 435 From: Woodbridge, New Jersey Registered: Apr 2000 posted 02-25-2010 09:16 PM                        So, I'm here at my theatre in what they say could be the worst blizzard of the year. I had a partial brown out because of the winds and it tripped some of the cp650s and the automations. You wouldn't believe the attitude you get from customers because they lost sound for a minute? Maybe if you didn't come out in a blizzard? Some days I hate people.  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-25-2010 10:25 PM                        If it weren't for the people this job would be great Stay warm, drive carefully.  |  IP: Logged Elise Brandt Expert Film Handler Posts: 160 From: Kuusankoski, FIN/ Kouvola, Finland Registered: Dec 2009 posted 02-25-2010 11:06 PM                     Hee... in Finland this year has been record-breaking in terms of snowfall. I parked my car yesterday to get to work, climbed over a pile of snow on the side of the road and whoomp- almost waist-deep. Stood there amazed for a moment wondering if I should move or yell or what luckily it's cold enough that the snow is very fine and I got out with a minimal amount of cursing and sweating. I like to make people smile and that morning did its job. Passers-by did find my struggle hilarious, and when I got out I was laughing myself just imagining what I looked like. It seems the worse the weather, the more people come to the movies. Well, they're used to it here... the few people who stay home because of snowstorms are balanced out by the brave ones. And understanding; everyone has had problems in the house for the storms, electricity, plumbing freezing over (right now only one tap's frozen at home) or such, and they're really understanding if something goes wrong at the theater... rarely does. We try to make it up to them, free tickets, popcorn for any waiting and such. And always tell them personally what's going on so they don't just have to sit there wondering.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Weigel Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1062 From: Edmond, OK, USA Registered: Mar 2007 posted 02-25-2010 11:12 PM                     I feel your pain. We had a blizzard here Christmas Eve that moved in around 2pm and dumped up to 14" with drifts as high as 6ft. The winds were so high that it slowed down the roof exhaust blowers enough to cause a few lamps to trip off momentarily. Most customers were very understanding but there were as always a few that just didn't understand or didn't want to understand. As far as losing sound during a show goes, I have all our processors, and their respective readers plugged into battery backups to prevent them from dropping out during a brown out. Typically a brown out is not enough to stop the projector and the lamp usually restrikes immediately, but the audio processors usually reboot and of course come on in non-sync mode. The battery back ups prevent this from happening.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-25-2010 11:53 PM                     Oh, come on! Use the standard reply: "Must have been some drunk idiot who ran off the road and slammed into a pole." It works every time!  |  IP: Logged Bernie Anderson Jr Master Film Handler Posts: 435 From: Woodbridge, New Jersey Registered: Apr 2000 posted 02-26-2010 12:18 AM                        Well, you know what happens? There's always one person that starts the arguments and then, before you know it, you have the whole theatre coming at you. In the past, we would just pass them. I now ask for stubs, and another thing that frost's my ass is, people that throw out their stubs. They get so pissed when I won't pass them. Hell, BestBuy won't even allow you to return anything with out a receipt. Why should I pass you if you don't have one? Afterall, how do I know you're suppose to be in there? Speaking of that...It was funny one night in the Avatar 3d, we didn't sell any tickets. BUT there were 2 people in there. Well since its the last film out (30 mins after last show), with the magic of digital cinema, we pressed stop about 25 mins before the end. Of course they complained, but it didn't get them far. What's the lesson, don't jump theatres. Oh well.  |  IP: Logged Mike Spaeth Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1129 From: Marietta, GA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 02-26-2010 10:55 PM                        Sounds like you need a break from a customer-service oriented business...  |  IP: Logged Elise Brandt Expert Film Handler Posts: 160 From: Kuusankoski, FIN/ Kouvola, Finland Registered: Dec 2009 posted 02-27-2010 12:24 AM                     Hey, we all need a break all right? Customer service is a field where your patience Will give way sometimes and you need to bitch about it to someone. Preferably not the customers... but people who understand the problem. People, in a whole, are a very stupid species. As individuals, some are also idiots and some are not. And we have to be nice to them all, year in and year out. After any break the idiots will still be there. It's the bitching that helps!  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 02-27-2010 08:06 AM                     Went to the show at the Loew's Jersey yesterday. A fair number of people there considering the weather, but less than usual. When we left London they described the weather in Newark as being cold, with light snow. Unfortanately, I didn't bring a camera with me, so I've only got a few 'phone pictures. This is the view coming out from my hotel. The theatre is the large brown building in the distance behind the fire escape and the man clearing the snow. The roads are not too bad, but the pavements (sidewalks) vary. Crossing roads can be difficult as it often involves climbing over snow that has been piled up. The snow is very wet, it's not that cold here, and I've ended up almost knee-deep in cold water several times. Drainage seems to be a problem. This is the theatre; most of the snow is what has been piled up, the depth as it fell can be seen on the building. In England people don't then to move snow much these days; we don't often have very heavy snow; the roads are generally cleared by applying salt, and the pavements just left. This is Hoboken terminal, the building covered in nasty green plastic is part of the present-day ferry terminal. Presumably it must use steam heating, as there was steam, under pressure, escaping from various places. The icicles are about a foot long, which seems a lot for just a couple of days, and strangely, seem to be growing out at an angle, rather than straight down. Hoboken again. This is Long Island City, close to the Queens Midtown Tunnel ventilation building. Again, much of the snow has been piled up by clearing efforts, but the actual depth of fallen snow does seem to be greater here. World Trade Center, close to the temporary PATH station. Interesting contrast between steam and snow again.  |  IP: Logged Sean McKinnon Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1712 From: Peabody Massachusetts Registered: Sep 2000 posted 02-27-2010 12:13 PM                        I live in Newburgh, NY here in Orange County. We have gotten 36 inches since Monday. 95% of the county including my apartment has no power. (We are staying in a hotel) and are being told we wont get power back until next week some time. There are many trees down all over the place. I have seriously never seen anything like this!  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 02-27-2010 12:31 PM                        Sean, doesn't the Boston area get snow like this every year?  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 02-27-2010 04:14 PM                     Sean, where is Newburgh? I'd say this, in the places that I've seen it, is about the same as in London last year, but it's difficult to compare due to people here moving it into piles,and those at home leaving it where it falls. That was the worst snow in London for several years, but nothing like as bad as 1963, the worst in my memory, or 1947, which was before I was born. Buses were suspended in much of New Jersey yesterday,I'm not sure about today. Trains are not too bad, Metro-North is suspended between Suffern and Port Jervis but most other lines seem to be running with some delays and cancellations. Amtrak at Penn Station doesn't seem to be too badly affected, with just one cancellation on the board yesterday, a couple of delays, and several trains on time. I haven't heard about the airports; hope I can get out of EWR on Monday. The worst does seem to be over now. It's a bit unusual o have it this late in the year.  |  IP: Logged Bernie Anderson Jr Master Film Handler Posts: 435 From: Woodbridge, New Jersey Registered: Apr 2000 posted 02-27-2010 05:58 PM                        I'll give you a better one. A lady came up to my security guy yesterday and asked "why there was so much snow in the parking lot?" Its lucky they even got anything done yesterday, nevermind the good job that they did.  |  IP: Logged Elise Brandt Expert Film Handler Posts: 160 From: Kuusankoski, FIN/ Kouvola, Finland Registered: Dec 2009 posted 02-27-2010 11:39 PM                     I've got a weird one; not to mention that the Finnish railroad system gets just as surprised every year when it snows (which results in me on friday a week ago among thousands of others standing hours on end at the station wondering if I'll ever get home to 150km away) there's been a record number of people hurt falling off rooftops. The problem is every now and again it snows so much the roofs can't take it. There was literally three feet of snow on our roof (still is some spots) before my darling husband climbed up there and spent four hours shoveling it off before it gets warmer and the snow gets heavier and we don't have a roof anymore. People make some nice money going door to door offering to clean roofs and of course with no safety equipment. Because everything's sold out! Shovels, snowblowers, safety harnesses, everything. I wish I coould send you guys pictures, it's seriously weird! One of our cars (a fixer-upper standing in the yard) got the best of it, it's pretty high, not a small car, and you cannot see an inch of it under the snow. None. I'm afraid of what we'll find when we dig it up or the snow melts. I am seriously thinking of moving to a warmer part of Europe. Anyone out there with a job opening?  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-28-2010 11:34 AM                     The answer is to get a Roof Rake. http://www.roofrake.com/ I use one of these to keep the snow from freezing up on the eaves and causing ice dams which then cause melting water to come through the ceilings inside the house.  |  IP: Logged

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