Routine between change-overs (Phil Fawke)
Is part of Phil Fawke Interview (incomplete)
Phil Fawke interviewed by Richard Wallace
Projectionist and cinema manager Phil Fawke describes the process of changing-over a film including replacing the carbon rods in the arc lamps.
And of course in those days you had carbon arcs as well which burnt away, they had to be carboned up every time, at the end of every 20 minute reel. And while I was at the Regal, Foleshill Road at Coventry they had hand-feed arcs there. And if you can imagine trying to run a show on your own, which sometimes you were on your own. On a change-over trying to feed two arc lamps up when one’s round here and the other one’s round here, it’s a bit difficult because if the things come close it gets blue, if they get apart it goes brown you see. It was just terrible really. You had a job. You used to have to sort of feed the one up hoping that it didn’t burn away enough while you’ve got enough time to lace the other projector up, rewind the film and get the dot as well to change over.
Title
Routine between change-overs (Phil Fawke)
Subject
change-over process
Description
Projectionist and cinema manager Phil Fawke describes the process of changing-over a film including replacing the carbon rods in the arc lamps.
Creator
The Projection Project
Source
Interview with Phil Fawke
Publisher
The University of Warwick
Date
09/12/2015
Contributor
Richard Wallace
Phil Fawke
Relation
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/24797
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/48440
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/5886
Format
.mp3
Language
English
Type
Sound recording
interview extract
Coverage
1940-1980s
Interviewer
Richard Wallace
Interviewee
Phil Fawke
Date of Interview
04/12/2014
Location
Birmingham
Transcription
And of course in those days you had carbon arcs as well which burnt away, they had to be carboned up every time, at the end of every 20 minute reel. And while I was at the Regal, Foleshill Road at Coventry they had hand-feed arcs there. And if you can imagine trying to run a show on your own, which sometimes you were on your own. On a change-over trying to feed two arc lamps up when one’s round here and the other one’s round here, it’s a bit difficult because if the things come close it gets blue, if they get apart it goes brown you see. It was just terrible really. You had a job. You used to have to sort of feed the one up hoping that it didn’t burn away enough while you’ve got enough time to lace the other projector up, rewind the film and get the dot as well to change over.
Original Format
One-to-one interview
Duration
00:00:51
Bit Rate/Frequency
320kbps
Cinema
Regal/Vue, Portland Place, Leamington Spa
Regal, 511 Foleshill Road, Coventry
King's Norton Cinema, The Green, King's Norton, Birmingham