When people discover what I do, the next question is always - “I bet you get to see hundreds of films?” and my answer is always the same – “Well sort of, but never in the right order and never all the way through!”

The truth is that the projectionist’s job may not be as glamorous as you think; if indeed you ever thought it was! I know at 14 years of age I certainly did, and on some occasions still do…or maybe I’ve just spent too much of my life in the dark…who knows?! The projectionist’s job is one where the better you are at it the less you get noticed. Nobody will thank you for showing the film in focus, with the sound at the correct level and the lighting moods changed so subtly that you don’t notice them going out. This is what the audience expect, and quite rightly. My motivation is always to never lose sight of the fact that many people have laboured for years over these films, with pre and post production sometimes lasting up to five years. You, the audience get one chance to see a film for the first time, whether with hundreds or sometimes just a few, and it’s a memory that can stay with you for many years, if not a lifetime. I don’t want your memory marred by poor focus or shoddy presentation. Whether I sometimes feel like it, it’s not my job to judge a film – we are here to present the film exactly as it was intended to be seen and give credit to all those hours spent creating it. Just out of interest who has actually sat through all the credits of a modern film? My goodness there is a lot!

For a projectionist think Wizard of Oz for a minute: the illusion created by a fierce angry ogre who shaped the lives of all who dared to approach him has some parallels. Sit down to watch a film in the right environment (forget your DVD with all its interruptions and distractions for a minute…) and you are transported into a world of dreams with your emotions manipulated at the filmmaker’s whim. However, go behind the curtain/porthole and it’s a world of noise, heat and all things mechanical. So before you decide to visit “The Projection Room” make sure you really want to see the mechanics of the dream factory because films may never be the same again once the “Wizard” has been revealed.

Simon Nicholls

Head Projectionist

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