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I just remembered that today it is now 56 years since i began my 4 years apprenticeship in order to qualify as Cinema Film Projectionist .
It was my first ever job and the main career i chose for most of my working life .
I was only a young lad of 15 years old on Monday 14th April 1969 when i started full time employment at The Capitol Theatre Aberdeen Scotland .
I remember it like it was only yesterday and my first task was to put the kettle on in the staff room and make the Chief Projectionist and 3rd projectionist a cup of tea . My second task was to sweep and polish the projection box floors by hand until you could see your reflection in it . After that i had to clean and polish and shine all the brass work . It was a few weeks before i was trained to clean out the carbon rod copper droppings from the sand tray and daily wipe and polish the light reflector mirrors of the Peerless Magnarc lamphouses of those Westar Film Projectors .
Sadly all those original projectionists and other teams in other sites have now since passed away to the great projection box in the sky and i have seen and had hands on experience with the many technological changes , practices and equipment within many projection boxes ( booths ) right up and into the Digital era .
However i can still recall from memory those lingering combinations and unmistakeable odours of burning arc light carbon rods , film , film waxes , film splicer cements , Westrex sound system valve ( tube ) amplifiers , fresh floor wax polishes and of course the whirring sounds of those Westar projectors in action during a performance .
My how things have changed in the moving picture exhibition business since those far off days and also the years have flown by so very quickly . R.I.P guys i miss you all and thanks for everything you taught me about real film presentation . CHEERS !
It was my first ever job and the main career i chose for most of my working life .
I was only a young lad of 15 years old on Monday 14th April 1969 when i started full time employment at The Capitol Theatre Aberdeen Scotland .
I remember it like it was only yesterday and my first task was to put the kettle on in the staff room and make the Chief Projectionist and 3rd projectionist a cup of tea . My second task was to sweep and polish the projection box floors by hand until you could see your reflection in it . After that i had to clean and polish and shine all the brass work . It was a few weeks before i was trained to clean out the carbon rod copper droppings from the sand tray and daily wipe and polish the light reflector mirrors of the Peerless Magnarc lamphouses of those Westar Film Projectors .
Sadly all those original projectionists and other teams in other sites have now since passed away to the great projection box in the sky and i have seen and had hands on experience with the many technological changes , practices and equipment within many projection boxes ( booths ) right up and into the Digital era .
However i can still recall from memory those lingering combinations and unmistakeable odours of burning arc light carbon rods , film , film waxes , film splicer cements , Westrex sound system valve ( tube ) amplifiers , fresh floor wax polishes and of course the whirring sounds of those Westar projectors in action during a performance .
My how things have changed in the moving picture exhibition business since those far off days and also the years have flown by so very quickly . R.I.P guys i miss you all and thanks for everything you taught me about real film presentation . CHEERS !
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