I was a projectionist in highschool and college. I ran 8 screens at both jobs. All 35mm. It was hard work, often to 2 in the morning. I was usually the last person to leave. Minimum wage was $5, I made probably 6. New features would arrive on Tuesday, and had to be spliced with trailers and on the platters by Thursday night. The town where I went to college would often have midnight showings of new features Thursday night (technically Friday) which lead to some long nights. My girlfriend sat with me a few times, but complained about the noise and there was no place to take a nap. Me and some friends and girlfriends watched Jurassic Park twice two nights early. I let them in the exit after the theater was empty. Lots of alcohol involved. Somebody threw up during the second run. By the credits it was eight in the morning. Where was management? Good times

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

We use to do private screenings as well at one of the first theaters I worked at. We had a pretty solid crew of projectionists there for a while. The pay sucked but we had a lot of fun.

@benoregan3318

9 ай бұрын

@@RadioactiveDrewWent to quite a few private screenings back in the mid-2000s, and they usually involved a tour of the projection room as well. Always fascinating to go up there!

@lomokev

9 ай бұрын

I can't believe it was minimum wage because to me it looks like a really skilled job to me!

@thischannelisdeleted

9 ай бұрын

@@lomokevPeople used to be smart back then. But not much skill is envolved, it’s most just tedious.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

@thischannelisdeleted spoken like someone that has never threaded a projector.

Back in 1999 when "The Matrix" hit cinemas, after the movie I did ask the projectionist, if they could show me around their projection system. And I was blown away by the fact, that they were in fact running all the screens showing "The Matrix" (which was like all but 2 of the whole venue) of the very same platter. They just threaded the film in a long loop, between two floors, and 3 screens on each floor going a few times back and forth to get about 15 minutes buffer between projectors. Of course, if there was a problem, it would affect all screens. But given the smashing success of "The Matrix", with the the distributor simply not have enough prints to ship out, this was the only way to meet the demand.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

The first Matrix was a pretty big hit that’s for sure. I’ve never seen an interlock setup before but they always sound super crazy.

@bbcovault

9 ай бұрын

@@RadioactiveDrew Not sure if this is true but think I read somewhere years ago that running one copy of a digital movie on multiple screens is not possible because each copy comes with a digital key that is linked to the projector.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

@bbcovault this is true. There is a file called a KDM (a key) that unlocks a digital file for playback. It has to see the IP address for both the server and the projector. But I’ve seen a computer act as a go between and spoof IP addresses to trick the KDM into working. Disney use to do this all this all the time.

@bbcovault

9 ай бұрын

@@RadioactiveDrew Thanks for confirming. I have enjoyed your videos on the projecting the Oppenheimer film and those I have watched on radiation. Very informative and well done.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Thanks. Glad you’ve enjoyed them.

An OG projectionist taught me to wind a nickel into a reel of film just before the change marks. As the film plays, the nickel drops on the floor so if you're zoned out, you don't miss the que. Obviously does not apply to platters.

@VictoryAviation

9 ай бұрын

That's definitely that old school life hack style. Love it!

@Notelu

8 ай бұрын

that was actually an important plot point in an episode of Columbo lol

@RadioactiveDrew

8 ай бұрын

Yeah I wouldn’t trust that. I could see that nickel falling into the projector. Some projectionists would put in “blind man’s cues”. These were pieces of splicing tape added to the reel you could hear warning of a cue coming up.

@williamdegnan4718

8 ай бұрын

@@RadioactiveDrew Unless using a nickel he found on the concession floor, it wouldn't fall into the works on _his_ projectors. Your mileage may vary.

@jes9015

8 ай бұрын

As a teenager I got to run films at a local drive-in theater, in which the feed-reel magazines had mechanisms that either rang a bell or allowed a rod to drop, either way providing an audible alert to the projectionist that a changeover was imminent. Those changeovers were my favorite part! (This was obviously during the days before the advent of xenon lamps and platter-based film projection.) The nickel idea also sounds really clever, but did it ever scratch the film?

Hey Drew: Just wanted to say how much I enjoy watching your KZreads. I was a projectionist at the Varsity Theatre in Chapel Hill, NC at the age of 14 (after being the marquee boy at age 13) - learning how to operate the equipment because the marquee room was next to the projection booth - the projectionist, a UNC student, offered to show me how to make changeovers, eventually how to thread the projectors and operate the carbon arc lamps - I hung out there often for 2-3 hours before marquee change (back then it was every 1-3 days) and learned to do splices and how to set the cartoon and news reels, trailers etc. About a year later he got fired and I was offered the job at age 14 - (first legal age for employment in NC back then.) I would work the booth from 6-11pm'ish daily and sometimes all day on weekends, while attending middle and high schools. (I was also the AV kid in school, often getting out of class to set up for teachers on 16mm to show their class... what can I say?) I often ran to packed houses of 600 or so, never giving much thought to how critical and technical the job was for success... we often hosted Dean Smith and his UNC basketball teams for first runs - so I was used to have some of the most famous UNC players (and eventually NBA players like Billy Cunningham) around. Because I worked so many hours following school and weekends, it paid more than the manager often made back then. Eventually the Carolina Theatre, Paramount owned (now shuttered) offered me a job after one of their older projectionists became ill and had to retire; age 16, where I discovered the world of 60" reels and one changeover for most movies - much nicer booth and set up - 1200 seats, ushers, very art deco and great pay. I did that until I graduated and entered the Coast Guard. After boot and Class A school, I was assigned to Washington DC headquarters in an M-F 8-4 job so I got a part time job as a relief projectionist for the DC union, relieving projectionists mostly for vacations and/or illness. Worked almost every union booth in Northern VA and DC - crazy but I'd say no less than 25 theatres back then. In the 60's few theatres were open for matinees during the week, so 7 and 9pm showings often were the rule. My first "Twin" was in Springfield VA and I worked there for a vacation relief for two weeks, 12 hour shifts on weekends. $25/hr in 1968. Not bad $ back then. Anyway, I only ran one 70mm print, if I recall it was Sound of Music and we used Norelco projectors with carbon arc - and it had magnetic sound track on the film edge. 60" reels were nearly impossible to lift over one's head to mount, looking back I did not enjoy those several weeks at the old Bradlick Theatre in Annandale, VA, now also shuttered but about an 800 seat house with state of the art equipment. I eventually became a police officer, 911 call center supervisor and then a real estate broker - now at 74 I am retired and watching KZreads to learn and enjoy others having fun. Your video's are very professional and since I have never operated a platter system, fascinating for me, an old school projectionist. I have a cousin who sold seating to theatres all over the country, after he was a high school projectionist (as was his brother) at a drive-in theatre. So I guess it runs in the family... again, thanks for your informative videos and the opportunity to learn about the platter system and 70mm. Sadly, I suspect one day laser projection will eventually put an end to film much like digital did for 35mm cameras/film. It was quite an art and there was, during my time, an element of showmanship with the opening and closing of curtains, maskings, changeovers and lighting/house music timing - with it having to be done "just right" and the timing had to be perfect, at least it did for me. Getting ready to see Oppenheimer in 70 mm this Tuesday, at the local Paragon - first time in a theatre since pre-Covid - can't wait.... while I was quarantined we built a Media Room in our basement, complete with 5.1.1 Atmos and 4K projection on a 120" screen and leather reclining seats complete with motorized headrests and LED lighting. Overhead we installed LED recessed bounce lighting, sconces and for the screen, stage lights. Screen is recessed into the ceiling and everything is on Alexa and Logitech Harmony so I can voice control everything, including bundling it all into one command "Alexa, start the show!" The only thing missing is curtains, sadly. But it is awesome and with our 500+ collection of DVD movies plus streaming, we never want for entertainment around here... I guess you could say the projectionist in me never really left me. Thanks

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

That was so cool to read all that. I always find it so interesting to hear other people’s journeys through life in the world of projection. Norelco AA projectors we’re some of the best for projecting 70mm. A very weird design but I really liked working with them. I didn’t start off as young as you did but I got started in projection when in high school and would skateboard to and from work. Once a got a job at Warner Bros in Burbank the level of showmanship really got elevated there. In addition to doing film changeover shows we would do live show with film and digital playback and sometimes working a mixing board controlling mic levels. Being a projectionist has been a very interesting look at a behind the scenes world that most people don’t even know exists. Thanks again for sharing your story.

The scientist you mentioned, Louis Slotin, is buried at a graveyard less than a 1km away from my house here in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He's buried at the Sharrey Zedek Cemetery on Main Street across from Kildonan Park. He's from Winnipeg and there is even a little monument dedicated to him in the north end of Winnipeg.

I was operating projectors from the mid 70's through the mid 90's. I started off at a small single screen theater doing reel to reel change overs, then they "twinned" the location by dividing the auditorium with a wall. At that point we installed new Christie platters. Throughout the years I've run up to 12 screens as a manager/operator with one theater having a combo 70mm/35mm Century projector that very rarely showed anything but 35mm. It's obvious you know your stuff and I truly appreciated your professionalism. Thanks

@RadioactiveDrew

7 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it. First theater I worked at was a single that was twined. We had a Strong 5 deck platter system feeding the two theaters.

The Irony of you being the man making this film shown to people blows me away!

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

It is pretty funny.

In the late 70s I was a projectionist at the Kent Cinema in Yonkers, NY (dual projector carbon arc). It was an end of the line theater where we always showed a double feature for $2.00. We got the films after every theater played them so the prints were often in bad shape. The films changed every week so usually on Thursdays I had to pack up the old reels and set up the new films for the week. Very often the reels came from multiplexes where they ran on platters. The projectionist were too lazy to splice the heads and tails back on so I had to do that. A few times the wrong numbered heads were placed with the wrong reels. Once I ran a film for a week with the reels out of order. The audience was puzzled why the guy who got killed in reel 2 was suddenly alive again in reel 3. I had no way of knowing it was wrong until someone who had seen the film before knocked on my projection room door and explained to me what happened. We started one film at 6pm and then the second feature around 8. We repeated the first film at 10. If we only had a small audience, the owner used to tell me to drop a reel so we could close early. There was no bathroom in the small booth (which was always full of marijuana smoke from the seats nearby) and I had to run downstairs to do my business. A few times I took too long in the bathroom and I heard the reel finish in the projector followed by the screams from the audience. Sometimes the owners used to remove a print from the booth overnight so it could be bootlegged on to VHS. It was a wild time at the Kent for $35 a shift.

Having worked for a silicon valley company that loved to rent movie theaters for customer premiere events, I've spent a bit of time in the projection room. It's such a cool merger of analog and digital that most people never see. Thanks for giving us such a great "how this shit really works" walk through. You're awesome!

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.

Saw the show in Bridgeport and it's crazy how different it feels compared to a digital movie, the black and white scenes in particular looked incredible. I saw the movie again a few days later in digital and while still great it just wasn't the same

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Yeah the difference between the two are pretty stark. I was lucky enough where I had a digital version of the film playing on the screen across from my 70mm film show. So I could see a very direct comparison.

@dandindan

9 ай бұрын

can you be more spesific aboout the difference? i'm curious

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

@dandindan the digital seems to be over sharpened, low contrast and colors looked a bit off.

@SkelaKing

9 ай бұрын

I love the little “artifacts” of film that I got when watching in 70mm IMAX. The slight dust and instability of the text on screen gives it a nice feel. I’m a big fan of vinyl music too and how it gives a “warm” feel, so no wonder

@MrErichonda30

9 ай бұрын

​@@RadioactiveDrewdo a video on how the digital shows work.

These brings back memories. Like other commenters, I too was a projectionist back in HS/college. Probably the most fun job I ever had. IMAX was still a few years away, but we had the lenses and adapters for 70mm even though the last time they were used was for Empire Strikes Back. All pre-digital too. This was the late 80s and the bigger 12plexes and such were starting to come around, and around the time more cinemas were upgrading to platter systems, Christie etc. I got to work with the old reel to reel systems with changeovers and metal tape cues and all that, then ran the platter system until I ended up leaving. Good times.

@RadioactiveDrew

3 ай бұрын

I have found memories of working at theaters and the studios.

thank you for this. film will never die. I learned how to run 35mm about 7 years ago. I took it up as a hobby. your description helps to confirm my methods are correct.

Caught a 70mm screening of "Oppenheimer" yesterday. Went to one of the few remaining Art Deco cinemas in Sydney, and it still has its original Wurlitzer organ on an elevating platform, which was even being played ahead of the film! I worked in film sound post about 15 years ago now, and I will be SO surprised if it doesn't win awards for sound. The Foley track was especially good, as were sound effects, and the sound design in general. In the shot where everyone stands up in the timber bleachers, it cuts back to the Foley track alone (just feet, body and clothes movements) and it's a brilliant effect. What I want to know, and I hope I don't spoil it for anyone, is whether the Feynman character ended up on the cutting room floor (or scratch drive, whatever, hehe). He appears in quite a few shots and looks superbly cast (at least in terms of looks). But because Feynman was such a character, it's possible an actor could've made the part outshine Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer. Really glad he was at least depicted playing bongos at the test. Haha! And that Strauss was made to look like the maniac he was. Best film I've seen in many years.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

I could see it winning a bunch of awards. The casting, music, cinematography and sound design were really good. Also the directing. I just have my problems with the story and how they left a lot out.

Excellent production, a lot of physics in a projection process.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it and yes I agree.

2:17 Since 15/70 is ran through the camera/projector horizontally, it’s not as simple as removing the aperture plate, like it would be if you shot 4 perf 35mm vs 2 or 3 perf. So you do get a significant increase in resolution. On a 15/70 screen, the 65 scenes look about as grainy as you might expect 35mm to look on a regular sized screen, and the imax scenes are nearly grainless. 2:30 I agree that it doesn’t make a whole lot of logical sense, but the difference is clear as day on a six story tall imax screen.

@bagnome

9 ай бұрын

And at the IMAX presentation when it switches from scenes shot in IMAX to scenes in regular 65, the grain on image is very noticeable especially because they have to blow it up to the IMAX frame for presentation. I watched the movie in both 70mm formats and they were both great. But watching the movie in IMAX, especially scenes shot in it were totally amazing.

@5roundsrapid263

9 ай бұрын

@@bagnomeI saw Dunkirk in 70mm IMAX and noticed it then, too. However, in Oppenheimer, Nolan uses grain to differentiate eras, especially the black and white scenes.

@vangmx

9 ай бұрын

@@bagnomeAnd what is interesting is that from another KZreadr, he said those 65mm 2.20:1 scenes felt like they were optically zoomed to 1.90:1 on the 1570mm IMAX print (thus cropping some image). I would guess this was to compensate for the visual presentation to allow the 65mm footage not looking so small on the 1.43:1 frame, similar to watching scope films on a 4:3 TV back in the day.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

@vangmx weird, I could see that happening though.

@poofygoof

9 ай бұрын

I think the call-out to resolution vs resolving power is a key distinction. IMAX' 15 perf obviously has a higher resolution, since it's three times the film area. However, the aspect ratio is different than flat 70, so if the film is shot in IMAX and cropped for flat 70, the resolving power between the two isn't as huge. Showing the two frames next to each other is a great illustration! I used to project 16mm in college, and the majority were academy standard, but we had anamorphic lenses and it always felt like a treat to show stuff in "widescreen" even though the resolving power didn't increase. ;) My favorite films were where the academy crop was different than standard widescreen, and we got some extra "details" like boom mics in the top of the shot, or effects that revealed their tricks at the bottom.

that time-lapse was so smooth

@RadioactiveDrew

8 ай бұрын

Thanks. There’s a trick to make it look smooth. Shoot more frames than what you need and adjust speed to fit your edit.

My grandfather was a projectionist in a small country cinema. Apparently he had the window open one hot summers night, right where he was rewinding a reel for the next showing. He went of to change spools (as you pointed out it used to be done) and came back to find the wind had picked up the film under rewind and it was unwinding down the main street! 😜

i'm really glad oppenheimer brought back the enthusiasm for physical film showings. i discovered imax only recently with dune, but i've been crazy about it ever since

@RadioactiveDrew

8 ай бұрын

It is pretty cool. Hopefully more film shows will happen in the future.

There is a theater play called Louis Slotin, where it starts just before the accident and ends after his burial. So you watch his condition deteriorate over the course of 9 (?) days. Kinda grim but it was a collaborative effort between an amateur astronomy club and a amateur theater company. Only a few showings within the span of a week. Unique experience.

@RadioactiveDrew

3 ай бұрын

That does sound like an interesting play. The stories of criticality accidents is extremely fascinating to me. The scientific study of criticality is one I think a lot of people would be interested in.

Loved that detailed threading part at the end with the classical music!

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Thanks.

this video enlightens me that not only talented people who would work as a projectionist but also devoted and passionate one. there's a beauty in complexity methinks.

Working at a movie theater and getting into the projection booth is the reason I went to film school to learn production. The medium and tangibility of film, when done correctly, is where a lot of the magic of the movie theatre comes from.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

That is one of the coolest things about working with film. You see the entire process of it being played and projected onto a screen.

Had the privilege of seeing the 70mm IMAX print of Oppenheimer in Dallas last week. My first time seeing film in theaters. What a treat! I'm a 23 year old film school graduate now teaching film production for high school, and I've been raving about the experience to my students and friends. So glad these videos fell into my recommended. Your knowledge and presentation is so engaging and interesting. I'm completely sold on the medium from now on. Any opportunity I have to see 70mm film, I'm taking it!

@RadioactiveDrew

8 ай бұрын

I’m glad to hear your 70mm experience was a good one. 70mm can be pretty amazing if done right. Thanks for watching the video.

Great explanation on the difference between IMAX 70mm and regular 70mm. Thank you.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

No problem. Glad you liked it.

Another terrific video. Thank you so much for making it. I recently said to someone close that we're living at the worst period of theater projection in maybe 100 years in terms of image. It took them a second to believe in me. I pray that you're right and that we'll see many more films projected in 70mm, projected with the same care and attention that you're doing it.

Just realized you had a part two! You answered part of my question/confirmed my reasoning on the leader part - totally makes sense to me. The leader isn’t going to be shown/used for the audience and isn’t the most important part to preserve in terms of keeping it clean for future use or going into a repository. And absolutely, you want to be able to FEEL what you’re doing! That’s important in the archival world, too, especially when it comes to paper versus objects. It will always be a “controversial” debate on whether or not to wear gloves, what type of gloves, etc., but handling paper items without gloves is much much easier and more efficient to provide the care the artifact needs - we just want to make sure our hands are clean and any dangling items (like hair, jewelry, etc.) is out of the way to prevent damage. Regardless of glove wearing or not, any type of use is going to wear the item down over time (just like you mentioned with running the film), so damage is always going to happen. In archival work, it’s just about slowing that deterioration process down. Anyways, don’t know why I’m going on about this, but I just thought the reasoning behind your work with the film and mine in archives was similar! Thanks again, Drew. P.S. not that I have any experience or expertise on the matter, but your explanation of the resolution issue in imax vs regular 70mm made complete sense to me, and cleared some things up for me personally!

@RadioactiveDrew

8 ай бұрын

With paper items I would imagine more care needs to be taken than with films being shown in theaters.

@paigelong-wheeler4349

8 ай бұрын

@@RadioactiveDrew oh for sure. I’m also just thinking about how the appropriate archives or repositories will want to preserve special reels like these in the future, especially if we move further away from analog (which I hope all the talk of film with Oppenheimer will help bolster a bit).

@RadioactiveDrew

8 ай бұрын

@paigelong-wheeler4349 film has some clear advantages especially with data storage…if it’s stored correctly. They have archival prints that they keep and usually prints that have been run close to 100 times aren’t the ones selected for archival purposes. Like I said, doing these long runs on prints wear them out. I can see scratches from the film gate on the edge of my film. I can only see that because the aperture plate has been over cut, showing more of the frame than should be shown. Looks like a shadow but it’s a scratch on the base side of the film. If it was on the emulsion side it would look bright green and yellow. It on the base side it looks like a shadow.

This is a lot more technical than I had imagined, impressed.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

It’s surprising to most people because very rarely does anyone get to see this.

Awesome video thanks for taking us behind the scenes

I got to see it in 70MM IMAX last weekend in NYC and I am deeply grateful for it. I could see a difference from when I had seen it in a regular theatre. The picture was definitely clearer, I saw the “squiggles”, my term for the little scratches and stuff that popped up occasionally onscreen, and I noticed acting choices that I didn’t see before. Just the smallest quirk of someone’s mouth was magnified. I appreciate your skills, and the skills of projectionists around the world who gave us this experience.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Well, thanks. It’s nice that people appreciate the work of projectionists. Sad that it took it to be almost wiped out before people took notice.

The platter speed changes throughout the play due to the changing effective diameter of where the film pays out from the center. The linear speed of the film (24 FPS) never changes, but the platter rotation speed (RPM) starts high as the film is in a small diameter near the center and slows as the diameter increases.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Yes, exactly.

14:08 that's an amazing time-lapse

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Thanks. It turned out pretty good.

Incredible choice of music for your video and the cinematography as well. I was excited to see behind the scenes of you loading the film!

What an amazing perspective, thanks for making this. Such a cool craft 🔥

It's always blown my mind how projectionists make those change overs in the old system. I just can't wrap my mind around how you time it so perfectly (I guess I need to see someone doing it).

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Most of the film I have run being a projectionist has been changeovers. There are numbers that count out footage on the leader of each reel. If a projector has a fast start up time you could have the 10 foot mark in the "hot hole", where the light would come out of. Some projectors started up slower and you might have to thread up on 8 or 9 foot mark on the leader...or if you were just a slow on the motor start cue kind of projectionist. Doing changeovers well was a bit of an art.

I love the amount of passion you clearly have for projections, watching vids like these really do make me want to get into it if it were readily available to learn

Very cool! Nice overview of the film projection process. I have really enjoyed these videos.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed them.

Great Timelapse at the end. Thanks for hearing all the details really great to see

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Thanks. Glad you liked that timelapse. I think it turned out pretty good.

Awesome video Drew! Thanks for sharing this part of yourself. You do such an good job of shooting, explaining, editing.

@RadioactiveDrew

8 ай бұрын

Thanks. I really try and explain everything the best I can.

Fascinating!! Thanks Drew!!

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it.

I saw the 5 perf 70mm in an IMAX theatre in Århus in Denmark. Unfortunately we're not getting the 15 perf 70mm IMAX version. I was a projectionist myself back when I was studying at the university. It was a smaller place with 3 screens, all with double projectors setup with aluminium tape to trigger lights, doors, format change and changeover to the next machine. Cool times! After each machine was finished the film had to be wound back to the top spool to be ready for the next show. I made a big mistake one in that process. I put a smaller reel on top instead of the required size, and then I left for the 10-15 minutes it would take to rewind. I came back to the floor filled with film as there was not enough space on the reel. That cost a few ruined commercials, as it was luckily the first reel with the commercials on it! The projectionist for the coming day replaced the commercials, and all was fine again :)

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

I remember that cue tape. Pretty slick system when it worked correctly. Ours would just take down the lights, turn on the lamp and open the electrical dowser.

@MogensBeltoft

9 ай бұрын

@@RadioactiveDrew Yeah, we had the same sequence, but we would start the projector manually, and manually open the dowser. The first signal dimmed the lights after the commercials and released the doors so they would close before the trailers ran. Second signal would change to cinemascope if necessary. And then of course the change marker would shift over to the next projector.

Excellent video. Thank you, Drew

@RadioactiveDrew

8 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it.

Brought back memories from the 80s and high school. Our single theater had 2 projectors. We used one just for trailers. The other ran the movie off the platter. Timing the change over from the last trailer, opening and closing the curtains for ‘dramatic’ effect, and not cutting off the start of the movie was quite the accomplishment for an amateur projectionist. Awesome video series!

@RadioactiveDrew

7 ай бұрын

That sounds like such an awesome setup. I love hearing about other people’s experiences with projection.

Thanks for all of your hard work and sharing these enlightening vids!

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

I problem. Glad you enjoy them.

Thank you for keeping this art alive, I truly enjoyed it.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it.

Thank you for sharing this! So much more than I ever thought went into this, and it’s great to see the work in action. I now have a greater appreciation for this and projectionists. Thanks and God bless! 🙌

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed this behind the scenes look.

By far the most approachable informative video on IMAX/DTS

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Thanks. I tried to explain it as best I could without getting too much into the weeds.

Hi Drew! Thank you for your videos. I find them to be very well done; excellent photography; directing and editing. The music is very interesting. Overall, O find your videos very relaxing and tasteful. The quality is top notch! Take it easy!

Not sure if anyone else noticed but when I was watching this in 70mm most dialogue scenes were in 2.20 ratio and then on scenic shoots it changed to 1.43. For context I watched it twice in IMAX and non IMAX and really noticed it in the IMAX theater.

I drove to Nashville to see ol' Oppenheimer only to have it stop abruptly halfway through! Almost exactly half way, the audio started from the beginning and never synced back up. Everyone waited like 10 minutes until somebody told us the screening was over

@johnblunt1313

9 ай бұрын

With that said, it looked and sounded incredible. Without a doubt the premiere theater experience

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Sounds like you watched it in IMAX. Usually those type of sound problems happen with IMAX film if there’s a problem.

@johnblunt1313

9 ай бұрын

Yes, it was glorious 15/70mm for about 90 minutes @@RadioactiveDrew

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

@johnblunt1313 I can only imagine.

I love how you added the explanation into your video.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

I’m glad you liked it. Makes me feel like I’m doing a decent job at these videos.

@kevinfelker5544

9 ай бұрын

@@RadioactiveDrew you are doing a wonderful job on your videos. Especially your radioactive ones. I collect americium and uranium glass. Pretty much anything radioactive. U really do a great job showing us around different sites and your collections. I wish I could come out that way and go 5o those spots. Keep up the amazing work you do.

Gerat information, and I really appreciate the way that you are sharing. Please make more projection videos.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Well I don’t know if there are going to be any other projection videos from me. This was a temporary job. So maybe if there’s another job I could see another video happening.

@cfurner

9 ай бұрын

Well I really appreciate the ones you have made. Your typical content is always something I enjoy as well!

The way you filmed your job is pure art - really enjoyed it!

@RadioactiveDrew

6 ай бұрын

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.

This is amazing! What an incredible viewpoint on current film technologies. Keep up the great work! Love the channel.

@rty1955

9 ай бұрын

Haha "current film technology"? Serious? 2001 a space odyssey was released in 1968 on 70mm film. 70mm is a VERY old technology

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

@rty1955 believe it or not but this is current film technology. The format has changed since 2001 came out. The audio use to be mag stripe on both edges of the film. That went away and was replaced by the timecode for DTS.

@rty1955

9 ай бұрын

@@RadioactiveDrew the visual part of the film format has not changed though. One day you will just have time code on the side of the film to control the digital audio

Drew, phenominal work. Editing, sound and production on this YT video are simply stunning. Love the radiation stuff but this one up there.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Thanks. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

This video has given me great insight, even all the way here in UK. Thank you for your video and reigniting an old passion of mine!

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Excellent explanation Drew of the differences between IMAX 70mm and standard theatrical 70mm. I remember when I saw "Lawrence of Arabia" in 70mm back in the 90's and it was fabulous.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

I would have liked to see that film in 70mm.

@rty1955

9 ай бұрын

Hahah I saw 2001 a space odyssey back on 1968 on 70mm

Great videos, so informative - thanks Drew !

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

No problem. Glad you enjoyed them.

Former projectionist with a bit of history to share. Two projectors loaded with 20-minute reels of film changing back-and-forth, and projection booths constructed of concrete like bunkers used to be a necessity. Movie film used to be made of nitrate cellulose, which is chemically similar to GUNPOWDER. The fire safety standards had to be very strict. In the 1950's and 60's, the industry transitioned to acetate cellulose film stock. Acetate film will melt, but it burns poorly. After that transition was complete, a single projectionist managing multiple screens became possible. I began working at a four-screen theater where we spliced 20-minute reels together into 60-minute reels, and typically only needed to changeover from the first projector to the second projector once per screening. By the time I left, they had upgraded the theater to eight screens with a single projector plus a platter system per screen. But we still had to splice 20-minute reels into one big reel on the platter.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

I’ve been in a bunch of those old fireproof projection booths. Would be a bit of a scramble to get out of there if a fire broke out because of the fire door that closes when a fire breaks out. All of the changeover shows I’ve run have been one reel at a time. We never did 6000’ reels because we would only work one screening room at a time. Of course this was at the studios. Theaters were totally different.

@mobyhead1

9 ай бұрын

Those 20-minute reels of nitrate cellulose film resided in fireproof cassettes that were part of the projector, and the projectionist was required to keep the film reels not in use in fireproof storage. As long as the projectionist followed procedure, only the few feet of film actually between the two cassttes was in danger of igniting if something went wrong. Here is an example for everyone: i.ebayimg.com/images/g/-1QAAOSwyAxg5OKO/s-l1600.jpg @@RadioactiveDrew

That was really great. Thank you for an excellent presentation. 😊

@RadioactiveDrew

6 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it.

You’re a great filmmaker. Thanks for making these.

@RadioactiveDrew

8 ай бұрын

No problem. Glad you liked it.

I've been enjoying your videos about radiation and was pleasantly surprised to see these projection videos! Really took me back to my years working at movie theaters in my teens and early 20s. I was a projectionist for most of that time. The sound of the projectors running, although loud, is so soothing, relaxing, and now nostalgic to me. I never had the chance to run a 70mm film, but we did have two hybrid 70mm/35mm projectors at one place I worked and always wanted to see a 70mm film run through them. Thanks for sharing what it's like now!

Another great video. Really enjoyed the short time lapse piece and the little history lesson at the end. Almost a training video, I think after watching this I might be able to qualify as a projectionist.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

I think you might have some other experience that might make you qualify as a projectionist.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

I think you might have some other experience that might make you qualify as a projectionist.

That's pretty awesome watching the set up and how the film has to go run through quite the set up to run.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Yeah, it looks like a lot but once you do it a couple…hundred times you get very use to it. Glad you liked the video.

Great video Drew, it was like I was back in the Bio running the projectors myself again. Well done mate. 👍👏👏😎

I've seen alot of videos covering this subject, 70mm and IMAX 70mm but this is definitely the best and my favorite. You answered many questions I had that other channels never seem to cover, Drew 😊 I'm very envious of your job and your Radioactive pastime 😅 I saw Oppenheimer on IMAX 70mm here in London a few weeks ago and it blew my mind visually and the sound was something else. I'm amazed at the technology behind the 70mm formats. Thanks for these awesome videos 😊

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

I think a lot of people that are doing videos on the 70mm and the IMAX of Oppenheimer are doing it not as projectionists. I’ve seen a couple videos from an IMAX booth and some of that is very interesting. I just always wish it was shot better.

@halcyondaystunes

7 ай бұрын

​​@@RadioactiveDrewTotally agree 👍 The subject deserves more videos like your own.

Thank you for the video. Fantastic 👍👍👍

Just wanted to drop by and say, I’m really impressed by the amount of coverage you got for loading the projector. I’m starting a KZread project, and the sheer amount of time it must have taken to set up and get all of those individual shots must have been seriously laborious; thank you for doing so, I feel like I’ve seen the whole process. Great work!!

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Thanks. I have nothing but time while I’m working on this 70mm show.

I'm not 100% sure, but my guess is the analog code on the side of the film is most likely SMPTE time code. The analog to digital converter reads the analog code and converts it to a digital format. Then the digital SMPTE time code is used to align with the sound track. SMPTE time code is the industry standard for audio alignment. For example, it is used extensively in live performances to sync video with live acts at concerts. It's often used in conjunction with MIDI time code. We use SMPTE time code at theme parks to sync fireworks, flame throwers, lasers, drones, water fountains, etc. across the entire park for shows that involve a bunch of different elements. So it's either that, or perhaps a proprietary code just for that system. Either way, I really appreciate you detailed video! I just saw the movie a couple nights ago at the Indianapolis State Museum in 70mm. It was just as incredible as I thought it would be. I love that theater. And the movie was a masterclass in so many areas!

I’ve enjoyed the projector videos! ❤️

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Thanks. The videos about radiation and uranium mines aren’t bad either.

Hey Cutie, thanks again for sharing the technical details of how film projection works. I quite enjoyed it!

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

No problem. Glad you enjoyed it.

@dougle03

9 ай бұрын

@@RadioactiveDrew I think someone likes you... 😉😉

Drew, I did enjoy this one. I love film, analog video viewed on a CRT, and vinyl. These technologies have presence that is sometimes hard to convey to people who have not experienced them configured and running well. Completely agree regarding whether we get more detail. The information density per unit film area is almost the same as you correctly point out. Getting more film area to view is, for me at least, more immersive, but not more detailed, in the counting skin pores sense. All of these have a subtle element of experience that tends to amplify my enjoyment and that is no two instances of rendition are the same. Now, don't get me wrong. They are damn close. But still, each showing is precious, never to be seen again. And when I get to watch some insider view like this one you did for us, it gives me pause to think about all the human sweat, understanding and sacrifice that went into that moment of showing. Frankly, that is expensive! The people, resources, time, and more all come together to tickle our minds, make our hearts soar!

Watched it in IMAX. the sounds was incredible.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

I listened to a bit in the digital IMAX and yes the sound was great in there. They usually have their theaters tuned pretty good.

Thanks, Drew I was a "projectionist" back in the late 1950s when I was in the 7th and 8th grade. None of the teachers in grade-school were very proficient at threading those old Bell & Howell 16MM FIlmosound projectors. But I knew how to thread them and make the proper size loop between the gate and the sound-head. And keep the film tight against the sound-head flywheel, etc. Then in college we had a pair of navy-surplus 35mm projectors (designed for shipboard use). And I remember having to deal with a "flood" of film all over the floor when the takeup reel stopped.

My dad was a projectionist for a high school summer job at a small theater in Southern California. He ran old double feature Chinese movies on 35mm. He was fortunate to have the early platter system installed so no changeovers needed, but the film was not well taken care of lol. He told me about the many times when it broke. It was stressful getting it spliced back together with everyone booing in the theater! But he got much satisfaction when he heard the cheers afterwards! Imperfect medium during an imperfect time and no one complained! He had a lot fun with it, but it got boring according to him. It takes a certain mindset to physically care about something compared to pushing a button. I hope you stay a projectionist in the near future. Movie lovers need guys like you to keep film alive.

Fascinating, thank you very much!

Lifelong 70mm fan here. Thanks for putting these videos out to talk about and show how 70mm works, and what it takes to run the projectors. I do think you downplayed the comparison of the benefit of (true) IMAX 70mm vs 5 perf 70mm. Even if some sort of lens (anamorphic?) was used on 5 perf 70mm, the resolution would never be even close to what the 15 perf IMAX 70 can do. Yes, there is a huge difference in the visual information available in the IMAX format (even just looking at the two film strips side by side on the light table.) - there is no available information in the 5 perf beyond what that smaller frame can hold.

@RadioactiveDrew

3 ай бұрын

There is an advantage to IMAX over 70mm. I think the resolution claims are extremely hyped up.

So . Amazing! I love seeing how it works as much as the movie itself!

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it.

Thank you! I loved this!

i got to see the film in 70mm IMAX at the Universal Citywalk theater. Unfortunately didnt get the best seat in the house, but till a great movie. Added bonus to being on Universal property is they had actual costumes from the film on display.

Brilliant video thank you for uploading. Keep up the good work.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Thanks.

Hey Drew. Thank you for taking the time to teach this stuff, such a fascinating process. I was wondering if you’ve ever had a piece of celluloid burn on accident durning a screening or if that is even possible? I would imagine 70mm is less likely, but maybe if you’ve projected 16 or even 35mm prints? Would love to see what that would look like haha.

Fabulous look at projection. The guy who always ran the projectors in school, I moved on to run the film department of a major national tv production company. Always loved the medium. Yours was the very best explanation of “ new” projection. And the time lapse of the feed and take up reels gave a sense of how smooth it’s all meant to run. Kudos.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Glad you liked it. I remember watching films in school on 16mm. They had a self threading projector, which took zero skill to setup.

I was a projectionist at a university for a while (I only did digital, never got trained on the film side, but loved watching some of my coworkers do it). None of the booths had platter systems, they were all changeovers. I still wish I had the opportunity to learn those. So fascinating. Specifically I'm a sound person and ended up learning a TON about all the different sound formats and their histories.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Changeover systems are much easier to run than platter systems. There is more skill in doing a changeover than running a platter.

Being a projectionist as one of my first jobs after I left the army... It was soooooo cool. One of the coolest jobs I have ever had. Too bad a lot of those jobs disappeared due to the coming of digital projectors. Editing the films together on Wednesday evening, the projectors, lifting the movies on the plates for the next shows. Seeing the movie dancing in front of you on the screen. It was perfect. Years later I realised how much impact it had in my photography. Still use film now, only in a different way. :)

@RadioactiveDrew

8 ай бұрын

Yeah, it’s one of those jobs that really leaves a mark on people…in a good way.

This is fascinating - thank you!

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it.

Yes I did enjoy some more of the behind the scenes.

9:05 the cigarette burn got me more excited than it should have. Spending my career managing detailed complex systems often alone I am throughly enjoying your content on this part of your work.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Glad you’re enjoying the content. Seeing cues in films does kind of trigger something.

I watched the 70mm show Sunday at Bridgeport at noon. My son and I throughly enjoyed it. I am glad I did not wait to get to a full 15perf IMAX. Too many headshots and dialog to really show off IMAX capabilities. Saw some flickering at very beginning during trailers and then things got very smooth. Great job and thanks for sharing.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

No problem. Glad you enjoyed the show.

Interesting point at 2:30 about size comparison. We can put some numbers to that; A 70mm 5-perf frame at 48.6 x 22.1mm is 1074.1mm2. A 2.2:1 image frame inside an Imax 15-perf frame would be 70 x 31.9mm, or 2233mm2, so it would still be about twice as large as the 5-perf 70 frame without the extra areas above and below the 2.2:1 image area.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

It’s not twice as large with the 2.20 aspect ratio.

@gregfaris6959

9 ай бұрын

@@RadioactiveDrew ; You're right. It is 2.08x as large, as my numbers prove. If we coukd post images I would show you the dimensioned drawing that establishes this fact.

Been waiting for this 👏

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Hope you enjoy it.

I was a projectionist at the Century Cinema 16 in Mountain View, California from 2004 to 2008 or so. I worked my way up from being in concessions to box office to assistant manager / money room (it was no credit cards taken at the theater well past the theater having any right to be so) until finally I was asked to work "booth". We had only one digital projector when I started in projection (with the remainder being 35mm projectors). I don't recall ever getting to do a film assembly unfortunately, but your video brought me right back to threading the film from a platter through the projector. I remember being told about the dangers of putting a new projector bulb in as well (I don't think I ever did that either). I remember the film having a slight oily / greasy feel presumably from those de-duster rollers. The job paid my way through college and getting movie posters and free movie tickets scored me big brownie points with my girlfriend (now wife). While working in a movie theater had more downs than ups (especially in terms of customer service), I will treasure the fond memories of getting to be a part of the movie industry for a time and having a lot of knowledge of movies from that period of cinema history.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Film can sometimes feel greasy or oily because it’s so smooth. If it’s oily it will show on screen. I remember having a roll of re-admittance tickets. Those were as good as gold. Was almost as good as cash.

Just subbed, I've watched a lot of your radiation related vids, and just found these. I was able to see into a few projection booths back in the 35mm days (early 90's) and remember most of the places had the platter systems, but I'm pretty sure we went to one with the 2 projector set up, and reels on top. My Dad would just ask the manager, and they'd usually let us take a look. Tried this with my wife, as she likes this stuff too, and was told no at 2 different places :( Glad there are vids that show it! :)

Ty for the cool video!! Always wondered and like most places they only wanna hire people with experience, instead of spending the time to train someone, but your right they will be forced to since the older crowd is retiring.

you produce some awesome vids, i saw oppy twice in 15/70

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

I wish I could have seen it in 15/70. The 5/70 looks pretty amazing though.

this is art! keep doing it

@RadioactiveDrew

8 ай бұрын

Thanks.

Great Work.

@RadioactiveDrew

Ай бұрын

Thanks.

Great and fascinating video, thank you for making it. Talking of the old days and two projectors, the reason they had to have two projectors was the limitation on the burn time of carbon arcs. I worked in a projection room at a cinema in the UK in the fifties. The positive carbon would burn away about four inches of rod in the twenty minutes of one reel. If you missed checking the amount of carbon rod left before changing over to that projector it would run out of rod before the reel ended, as the arc gap became wider the picture would take on a blue hue! Not good. But wonderful days with the mercury vapour rectifier sitting under each projector arc housing glowing vivid blue as it rectified 240v mains and supplied the arc lamp with 45v at about 70 amps. Thank again for the video.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

I've only seen a carbon arc lamp fired up a couple times. They had one over at Paramount Studios that was used for a Vista Vision projector. I'm sure the burn time on carbons had a part to play on why reels of film were usually around 20 minutes or 2000'.

@dougle03

9 ай бұрын

It's where the phrase "Strike up the lights" in theatre comes from, the old days of carbon arc... Not in my time though, we'd already switched over to HMI or MSI lamps by that point in the late 80's... they still had to strike, but didn't involve any manipulation of the electrodes as they were in sealed into their glass enclosures, but you still need a small bank loan to buy them.....

Thanks for making this video.

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

No problem. Thanks for watching.

Greet's to Bozeman MT from Poland. Have a nice sunday !

Great video

@RadioactiveDrew

9 ай бұрын

Thanks.