Projectionist Job Description
As you relax at the movie theater, feet up, eating popcorn, someone behind you is working, ensuring that the movie you are watching runs smoothly. That movie runs on reels of film, which must be prepared and installed on a projector. A projectionist is the person who ensures that the combination of reels of film and projector lead to a pleasant movie experience for you.
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Requirements
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A projectionist must have experience in preparing and using 16 and 35 mm film. A projectionist must also be physically able to perform the job: 10 to 15 film reels could be changed in one day; a projectionist booth, as it is usually located above the theater floor, could have a flight of stairs leading to it. Hearing and listening skills must be of a level that is able to recognized differentiations in a soundtrack or film picture. A high school diploma, general education degree, or equivalent, could be required.
Setup
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A projectionist readies the film for use. A single film can be contained on two to three reels. Each film reel must be inspected for defects. A defect could be a hole, tear or appearance of dirt. However many reels a film is contained on, that many projectors must be used. Each reel is set on a projector, and the film's starting end is fed into the machine. Along with the film, the soundtrack that plays along with movie, must be set up.
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Operation
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The film begins, and the projectionist must stand by, and simultaneously watch the film and projector. During the projection of the film, various things could go wrong with the film: the film itself could become jammed in the machine; the machine may malfunction; the sound may stop. If there are multiple reels, a projectionist must replace the first with the second. Toward the end of the first reel, a mark will show up, that will indicate to the projectionist the end of that reel. Seeing this, the projectionist gets the second reel and projector ready. When the first reel ends, that projector is shut down, and the second is immediately started.
Cleaning and Maintenance
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The projector is a machine with moving parts, gears and levers. The projectionist must clean, inspect and oil these parts routinely. If a projector breaks down, the projectionist can perform the repairs himself, or send the machine to the dealer.
Salary and Outlook
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A novice projectionist earns a minimum wage, about $9.50 per hour, which equates to about $20,000 per year, as of November 2009. Experienced projectionists can expect a median salary of $28,000. From 2008 to 2018, there was no change predicted in the number of employed projectionists.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Young boy is looking at a celluloid movie image by Ivonne Wierink from Fotolia.com
