Cleaning and taking pride in the job (Phil Fawke)

Phil Fawke interviewed by Richard Wallace

Projectionist and cinema manager Phil Fawke describes his morning routine and the process of cleaning the projection box.

You used to have to go in the morning as well you see to clean up. I mean a projection room in the old days used to be absolutely… the floor used to be absolutely polished. ‘cause most of them were wood block floors and all lino, thick lino. They were absolutely polished to perfection, everywhere and all the passageways would all be painted red paint and… And really, you prided yourself in the job. You just, you loved doing it really. You’d check all the lamps. They’d be checked every day, all the exits and everything. Then you would clean the projectors, you’d clean the mirrors in the arc lamp. There’s lot of little jobs that you sort of did. Chat to the cleaners. But then, of course, when the show was on, you didn’t really have much time because every 20 minutes you changed over you see, not like today, you just switch a button. I mean when I worked at the MAC I could start the film and go in and watch it. Sit down and watch it! You couldn’t do that you see, unless you were the chief and somebody else was doing it. There was a lot of things. Maintenance you did, you had to maintain… all cinemas had secondary lighting which was primary batteries. You used to have to check them and check all the equipment, check the boiler house. That was another thing you used to have to do. There's lots of jobs that you sort of did which you just did naturally. Have a cup of tea, of course. You always had a cup of tea.

Title

Cleaning and taking pride in the job (Phil Fawke)

Subject

cleaning
routine

Description

Projectionist and cinema manager Phil Fawke describes his morning routine and the process of cleaning the projection box.

Creator

The Projection Project

Source

Interview with Phil Fawke

Publisher

The University of Warwick

Date

09/12/2015

Contributor

Richard Wallace
Phil Fawke

Relation

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/24797
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/48440
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/5886

Format

.mp3

Language

English

Type

Sound recording
interview extract

Coverage

1940-1980s

Interviewer

Richard Wallace

Interviewee

Phil Fawke

Date of Interview

04/12/2014

Location

Birmingham

Transcription

You used to have to go in the morning as well you see to clean up. I mean a projection room in the old days used to be absolutely… the floor used to be absolutely polished. ‘cause most of them were wood block floors and all lino, thick lino. They were absolutely polished to perfection, everywhere and all the passageways would all be painted red paint and… And really, you prided yourself in the job. You just, you loved doing it really. You’d check all the lamps. They’d be checked every day, all the exits and everything. Then you would clean the projectors, you’d clean the mirrors in the arc lamp. There’s lot of little jobs that you sort of did. Chat to the cleaners. But then, of course, when the show was on, you didn’t really have much time because every 20 minutes you changed over you see, not like today, you just switch a button. I mean when I worked at the MAC I could start the film and go in and watch it. Sit down and watch it! You couldn’t do that you see, unless you were the chief and somebody else was doing it. There was a lot of things. Maintenance you did, you had to maintain… all cinemas had secondary lighting which was primary batteries. You used to have to check them and check all the equipment, check the boiler house. That was another thing you used to have to do. There's lots of jobs that you sort of did which you just did naturally. Have a cup of tea, of course. You always had a cup of tea.

Original Format

One-to-one interview

Duration

00:02:11

Bit Rate/Frequency

320kbps

Cinema

Regal/Vue, Portland Place, Leamington Spa
Regal, 511 Foleshill Road, Coventry
King's Norton Cinema, The Green, King's Norton, Birmingham

Citation

The Projection Project, “Cleaning and taking pride in the job (Phil Fawke),” Cinema Projectionist, accessed March 29, 2024, https://cinemaprojectionist.co.uk/items/show/422.

Output Formats