Checking the film during screenings (Mike Williams)
Is part of Mike Williams Interview (incomplete)
Mike Williams interviewed by Richard Wallace
Projectionist Mike Williams describes the projectionist’s duties when the film was on screen, noting the importance of checking films during screenings.
Within reason if you were caught off the machine it was an offence. And you would be admonished over it. Your job was to make sure that film … you wouldn’t be watching the content of the film, you would have to stand there and watch the focus and pay attention to the sound. That was your job, to mind your machine while it was running. Change over, that was the other guy’s job to do it. And you certainly wouldn’t go and read the paper or have a chat to somebody. That just wasn’t allowed. It was a very strict regime in that way. But it was the job. The job was to put out a perfect product on the screen. In those days arc lamps needed constant attention. It was your job to make sure that light on the screen stayed the right intensity all the way through a film, not go up and down which it would if left alone. You know, you’d have some disasters on the screen in some cinemas where projectionists had been reading a book, or reading a paper and they’d suddenly burn out on screen or nothing would happen on the screen. So it was your job to make sure that went out on the screen properly. That was part of your job. And it was never resented. That's what you had to do.
Title
Checking the film during screenings (Mike Williams)
Subject
checking
aesthetics of projection
Description
Projectionist Mike Williams describes the projectionist’s duties when the film was on screen, noting the importance of checking films during screenings.
Creator
The Projection Project
Source
Interview with Mike Williams
Publisher
The University of Warwick
Date
03/12/2015
Contributor
Richard Wallace
Mike Williams
Relation
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/7972
Format
.mp3
Language
English
Type
Sound recording
interview extract
Coverage
1956-1966
Interviewer
Richard Wallace
Interviewee
Mike Williams
Date of Interview
24/08/2015
Location
Cardiff
Transcription
Within reason if you were caught off the machine it was an offence. And you would be admonished over it. Your job was to make sure that film … you wouldn’t be watching the content of the film, you would have to stand there and watch the focus and pay attention to the sound. That was your job, to mind your machine while it was running. Change over, that was the other guy’s job to do it. And you certainly wouldn’t go and read the paper or have a chat to somebody. That just wasn’t allowed. It was a very strict regime in that way. But it was the job. The job was to put out a perfect product on the screen. In those days arc lamps needed constant attention. It was your job to make sure that light on the screen stayed the right intensity all the way through a film, not go up and down which it would if left alone. You know, you’d have some disasters on the screen in some cinemas where projectionists had been reading a book, or reading a paper and they’d suddenly burn out on screen or nothing would happen on the screen. So it was your job to make sure that went out on the screen properly. That was part of your job. And it was never resented. That's what you had to do.
Original Format
One-to-one interview
Duration
00:00:47
Bit Rate/Frequency
320kbps
Cinema
ABC (Olympia) Cinema, 67 Queen Street, Cardiff