Working as a relief projectionist (Mick Corfield)
Is part of Mick Corfield Interview (incomplete)
Mick Corfield interviewed by Richard Wallace
Projectionist and BECTU representative Mick Corfield describes his experiences working as a relief projectionist in a variety of cinemas around the UK.
Projectionists are a strange breed. I mean, when I was a relief projectionist if the projectionist wanted a genuine day off I would be treated like royalty. There would be tea, coffee, even sandwiches being left, magazines of various descriptions to help me through my 14 hour day, the TV plugged in ready. Absolutely, you know what I mean, seriously looked after. If the projectionist wanted to get time and a half and do it himself, I have been to more than a few cinemas where the switch room has been hidden by fire extinguishers so I couldn’t turn any of the power on, so then they’d have to ring this fella and then I would look an idiot. Sour milk. And then when you delve into it a little bit more you find out that actually it was his seventh day and he was on double time or whatever. It’s not my choice to do this, you know, they’ve said, “You’ve got to have a day off.” If you were wanted, perfect, if you were not wanted every single thing conceivable that could go wrong would go wrong. And you find that hard to believe but I’m afraid that’s human nature. I’ve been in many a time and films have shut down and thought, “I know what that is.” I’ve know many a time when films won’t start and I know what that is, because a trip’s been moved out. Projectionists aren’t as sweet and everything wasn’t as wonderful as people make out.
Title
Working as a relief projectionist (Mick Corfield)
Subject
working at other cinemas
working with other projectionists
Description
Projectionist and BECTU representative Mick Corfield describes his experiences working as a relief projectionist in a variety of cinemas around the UK.
Creator
The Projection Project
Source
Interview with Mick Corfield
Publisher
The University of Warwick
Date
08/12/2015
Contributor
Richard Wallace
Mick Corfield
Format
.mp3
Language
English
Type
Sound recording
interview extract
Coverage
1989-
Interviewer
Richard Wallace
Interviewee
Mick Corfield
Date of Interview
03/08/2015
Location
Coventry
Transcription
Projectionists are a strange breed. I mean, when I was a relief projectionist if the projectionist wanted a genuine day off I would be treated like royalty. There would be tea, coffee, even sandwiches being left, magazines of various descriptions to help me through my 14 hour day, the TV plugged in ready. Absolutely, you know what I mean, seriously looked after. If the projectionist wanted to get time and a half and do it himself, I have been to more than a few cinemas where the switch room has been hidden by fire extinguishers so I couldn’t turn any of the power on, so then they’d have to ring this fella and then I would look an idiot. Sour milk. And then when you delve into it a little bit more you find out that actually it was his seventh day and he was on double time or whatever. It’s not my choice to do this, you know, they’ve said, “You’ve got to have a day off.” If you were wanted, perfect, if you were not wanted every single thing conceivable that could go wrong would go wrong. And you find that hard to believe but I’m afraid that’s human nature. I’ve been in many a time and films have shut down and thought, “I know what that is.” I’ve know many a time when films won’t start and I know what that is, because a trip’s been moved out. Projectionists aren’t as sweet and everything wasn’t as wonderful as people make out.
Original Format
One-to-one interview
Duration
00:01:14
Bit Rate/Frequency
320kbps