Setting up sound (Neil Thompson)
Is part of Neil Thompson Interview (incomplete)
Neil Thompson interviewed by Richard Wallace
Projectionist Neil Thompson describes the process of setting up and checking cinema sound systems.
And you had to keep an eye on the speakers on the stage, make sure they were still working all right. And every now and again we used to put a test film on from what I can remember. Somebody used to go in the auditorium while you put this test film on just to make sure that each speaker was working. So they knew that the ambiance was working from this side. And they’d say, “Right, we’ll try the left speaker. Yes, the left speaker is working. The centre speakers’ working. The right speaker is working”. And then you had an outside speaker which was like on the stage. So, again, we used to do that. Then you had to go up to the amplifiers which are in the boxes as well, you had to keep an eye on those ‘cause you had a standby amplifier which I had to check, put that in, make sure that's okay in case it went off during a show. So it was, it was interesting. I mean for a lad 16 year old coming from school and going and seeing all that, I mean it was just horrendous at first, my god. But I was so interested I just went in, I just went in head first.
Title
Setting up sound (Neil Thompson)
Subject
setting up sound
Description
Projectionist Neil Thompson describes the process of setting up and checking cinema sound systems.
Creator
The Projection Project
Source
Interview with Neil Thompson
Publisher
The University of Warwick
Date
29/12/2015
Contributor
Richard Wallace
Neil Thompson
Relation
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/26353
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/3307
Format
.mp3
Language
English
Type
Sound recording
interview extract
Coverage
1974-1990
Interviewer
Richard Wallace
Interviewee
Neil Thompson
Date of Interview
11/11/2014
Location
Gateshead
Transcription
And you had to keep an eye on the speakers on the stage, make sure they were still working all right. And every now and again we used to put a test film on from what I can remember. Somebody used to go in the auditorium while you put this test film on just to make sure that each speaker was working. So they knew that the ambiance was working from this side. And they’d say, “Right, we’ll try the left speaker. Yes, the left speaker is working. The centre speakers’ working. The right speaker is working”. And then you had an outside speaker which was like on the stage. So, again, we used to do that. Then you had to go up to the amplifiers which are in the boxes as well, you had to keep an eye on those ‘cause you had a standby amplifier which I had to check, put that in, make sure that's okay in case it went off during a show. So it was, it was interesting. I mean for a lad 16 year old coming from school and going and seeing all that, I mean it was just horrendous at first, my god. But I was so interested I just went in, I just went in head first.
Original Format
One-to-one interview
Duration
00:00:51
Bit Rate/Frequency
320kbps
Cinema
Queens Theatre, Northumberland Place, Newcastle upon Tyne
Odeon Newcastle upon Tyne, Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne