8mm Forum: Worst Screening you ever had...

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Posted by Alan Rik (Member # 73) on May 16, 2004, 09:03 AM:

How about a thread about the worst film screening you have ever had?
When I was a projectionist at Crest film in Hollywood (A film lab), I had to project a 16mm print for these clients. We had a projection booth, and a jack that was hooked up to an amplifier in the booth. However on this day the amplifier wasn't working. So they ran a simple extension speaker out of the room, down the aisle of the screening room, and right below the screen. However inside the projection booth they didn't have the right speaker connectors so instead they used little "alligator" clips for the positive/negative wires. I told them it wasn't a good idea as there were wires everywhere in the room. They said it will be fine.
During the screening our notorious Color Timer who just finished her 4 Martini lunch sat in on the screening. In her drunken voice I head her yelling, "Frame, frame!"
Finally she got up and when she walked into the room, she tripped on all the cords, the projector went flying to the ground while still running, and the print fell off the reel and was starting to accumulate on the ground! I stood there in shock!
Then she said, "Oh no. Stoooooppp the projector....."
As I lifted up the machine to get to the controls the door opens and the client is standing there with his mouth wide open!
I said, "it'll be a minute!"
That may have been my worst screening!

Posted by Robert Aragon (Member # 181) on May 20, 2004, 04:05 AM:

I CAN NOT TOP THAT! GREAT STORY!

Posted by Mike Peckham (Member # 16) on May 20, 2004, 11:56 AM:

I certainly can't top your story either Alan but seem to remember someone on here telling a story about a loaded front reel coming off the projector during a showing and rolling out of the booth and down the isle in between the rows of seated people with the projectionist in hot pursuit!

Who was that [Roll Eyes]

Mike

Posted by Tim Christian (Member # 48) on May 20, 2004, 02:57 PM:

A few years ago, I was asked to project some film in a fully-equipped library cinema. When I arrived, I was told that the projectors had just been serviced. I laced up and started. The first sound revealed that the projector was running very slow. The 16/24 switch was on 24, but I waggled it anyway. Nothing. So I stopped and announced the problem and gave the audience the choice: put up with it or forget it. Since the images were the main interest, they decided to carry on.

It was a v e r y long evening.

Next time I projected for that group, I started on 18 - and then switched to 24. At least it got a laugh [Embarrassed]

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on May 21, 2004, 10:42 AM:

Not a personal story, but I know of someone who moved his projector all the way out onto his back deck and projected through the patio doors in order to get the longest possible throw.

He went to change reels and found an entire reel of film had spilled over the railing and into the weeds (this was 16mm to boot!....)

Posted by Mike Billingsley (Member # 71) on May 21, 2004, 12:49 PM:

Mike,
I believe that was a story told by Gary Crawford.

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