# Hello, cb!



## Projectionist (Feb 9, 2004)

I am an actor/techie (don't kill me!), and I am new to these boards. I was refered here by a good friend of mine, Nephilim, and I just wanted to give a shout and say hello to the boards.

I am SMing an upcoming musical, and any help would be greatly appreciated.

I have a thread going already: http://www.controlbooth.com/postt593.html

I hope my experience on these boards can be resourceful and entertaining as well.

Projectionist


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## zac850 (Feb 9, 2004)

Welcome,
I use-to be an actor/techie, i even was the lead in the Christmas Carol. I was onstage for the entire show, decided that that was enough, and went to teching. Then i realized i liked it so much better...

acutely, most of my friends and the actors in the school are bi-techual (as someone posted somewhere earlier)

As always, our web-master, dvsDave will be by shortly to welcome you.


Anyway, welcome to the boards!!!


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## Projectionist (Feb 9, 2004)

it's good to know that people are all pretty cool around here.


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## dvsDave (Feb 9, 2004)

here I am to welcome you to the board!!

Don't worry about standing on both the light and dark side of the theater  we have a lot of people on CB who do that!! Not an issue!

Welcome to the site, enjoy yourself, and don't be afraid to ask any question, big or small... we will answer all (should probably reword that so it doesn't sound like a dorky rhyme, but I am being lazy at the moment :roll: ) 

hope to see you on the board often!!
-dvsDave


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## Projectionist (Feb 9, 2004)

nice to meet the one and only dvsDave!


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## Nephilim (Feb 9, 2004)

Hm, whether or not to reveal Matt's greatest secret.... nah, I'll let his username speak for itself.



Glad to see you took me up on the offer  Welcome aboard!


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## Projectionist (Feb 9, 2004)

being a projectionist is nothing to keep secret. i get paid 7.25/h to thread 4 movies (6 min total of threading) per every 2 hours! i'm living the high life!


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## wolf825 (Feb 10, 2004)

Projectionist said:


> I am an actor/techie (don't kill me!), and I am new to these boards. I was refered here by a good friend of mine, Nephilim, and I just wanted to give a shout and say hello to the boards.
> 
> I am SMing an upcoming musical, and any help would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> ...




Hiya and welcome aboard. Hope you visit and contribute often!! This is a fun site where everyone has input to the questions asked--and we welcome questions on all tech areas and backgrounds. Hope you have fun here!

-wolf


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## DMXtools (Feb 10, 2004)

I can remember when a feature film was six or more reels of 35mm film, and each theater had 2 projectors - we had to watch for cue marks (little dot that appears in the upper right corner of the frame 10 seconds before the reel ends and again just as it ends) about every 15 minutes. While the first reel was running, you'd thread the second reel on the second projector. First cue mark, start second projector. Second cue mark, open shutter on second projector, close shutter on first. Do it smoothly and accurately and nobody knows you did it. Miss a cue mark and get reamed by the manager. Then rewind reel 1 and thread reel 3 onto projector 1 and watch for reel 2's cue marks. Don't dare get interested in the film itself - that's a way to guarantee you'll miss them.

Now they splice all six regular-size reels onto this big honkin' platter and run it all through one projector. More complex to thread, but you only have to do it once per movie. Usually the cue marks are still there if you watch for them - there's still a few old-school theaters running two projectors. Those projectionists probably get more than $7.25 an hour, but there's not a lot of them left... or not a lot of places for them to work.

This is by no means a put-down of your craft. The new way is easier, but you've still got to know what you're doing and what to do in case of a problem. It's honest work deserving of respect.

By the way, welcome! I'm one of the older (in terms of age, not length of membership) people you'll meet here on ControlBooth. Not much help on stage management, but I try to be of assistance with sound and lighting technical questions... and I'm learning quite a bit about other aspects of technical theater, too. I look forward to seeing you around the boards.

John


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## Projectionist (Feb 11, 2004)

DMXtools said:


> I can remember when a feature film was six or more reels of 35mm film, and each theater had 2 projectors - we had to watch for cue marks (little dot that appears in the upper right corner of the frame 10 seconds before the reel ends and again just as it ends) about every 15 minutes. While the first reel was running, you'd thread the second reel on the second projector. First cue mark, start second projector. Second cue mark, open shutter on second projector, close shutter on first. Do it smoothly and accurately and nobody knows you did it. Miss a cue mark and get reamed by the manager. Then rewind reel 1 and thread reel 3 onto projector 1 and watch for reel 2's cue marks. Don't dare get interested in the film itself - that's a way to guarantee you'll miss them.



you know, I've always wondered what those marks were for, and now I know! you're the guy i give credit to. thanks!


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## Nephilim (Feb 11, 2004)

Projectionist said:


> you know, I've always wondered what those marks were for, and now I know! you're the guy i give credit to. thanks!



First shutters, now cue marks... dude, seriously read the howstuffworks article you sent me; it's all in there...


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## Projectionist (Feb 11, 2004)

you picked the only two things on god's green goodness that I didn't know. fine, i'll read your little website. but I won't like it! :wink:


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## HMOcidalmaniac (Feb 11, 2004)

howdy there
only $7.25?
jeez i get paid $10 and hour to clean this ladies house-


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## DMXtools (Feb 11, 2004)

Shall I talk about how much fun it was to strike the carbon arc some of the bigger projectors (and indeed, some old-school followspots) used as a light source?


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## Projectionist (Feb 11, 2004)

sure! go for it!


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## wemeck (Feb 14, 2004)

Welcome!! Being an actor will not be held against you, too much. Been forced to act myself while an ASM on an opera. Hope to see you around the forums.


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