Automation (Neil Thompson)
Is part of Neil Thompson Interview (incomplete)
Neil Thompson interviewed by Richard Wallace
Projectionist Neil Thompson describes the process of using automated projection systems from the 1980s onwards.
We used to have to put pulses on because everything was automated. What it did was, when the pulse went through the projector and it, you had the pick off, well we used to call it the proximity detector, that was the name for it, and when the pulse went by it just connected to a circuit. You used to have two metal drums on this Cinemation circuit and on the drums there was holes in them and you used to have pegs in the holes. And these holes corresponded to these switches. And then these switches used to correspond with your masking, the lights, the curtains. And when that pulse went through it used to advance the drum, once like that. And when the drums advanced, the peg used to correspond with the switch. And of course the switch used to do whatever it had to do you see. When the leader started going through the machine, the first pulse would strike your lamp so the first pulse would go through on the leader and you’d hear the lamp strike. And then next the curtains would open and the lights would go down, and it would switch over to film from your non-sync. Your non-sync by the way is the CD that’s playing. It’s short for non-synchronous. It did everything for you. At the end of the show used to put a pulse on about 30 feet before the end and when that went through it closed the curtains and everything for you. It brought the lights up and it stopped the projector at the end, and, of course, your leader was just hanging. So all you had to do was to switch it on again and make sure it went back onto the bottom plate, clean the machine and then take the ring out and then start and lace it up ready for the next one. So that was still interesting enough ‘cause as I say, you had to be there, you had to do everything. It was up to you to make sure the thing went on. But even though it was automated you still had to keep an eye on it, because with the pulses going through it would get dirty, they might miss when they go through, the pickup might just miss it, and the lamp probably wouldn’t strike. And you would hear it start and you think, “I never heard that lamp strike.” Even when you had automation you still had to keep an eye on these things.
Title
Automation (Neil Thompson)
Subject
automated projection
Description
Projectionist Neil Thompson describes the process of using automated projection systems from the 1980s onwards.
Creator
The Projection Project
Source
Interview with Neil Thompson
Publisher
The University of Warwick
Date
29/12/2015
Contributor
Richard Wallace
Neil Thompson
Relation
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/3307
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/25181
Format
.mp3
Language
English
Type
Sound recording
interview extract
Coverage
1980-2014
Interviewer
Richard Wallace
Interviewee
Neil Thompson
Date of Interview
11/11/2014
Location
Gateshead
Transcription
We used to have to put pulses on because everything was automated. What it did was, when the pulse went through the projector and it, you had the pick off, well we used to call it the proximity detector, that was the name for it, and when the pulse went by it just connected to a circuit. You used to have two metal drums on this Cinemation circuit and on the drums there was holes in them and you used to have pegs in the holes. And these holes corresponded to these switches. And then these switches used to correspond with your masking, the lights, the curtains. And when that pulse went through it used to advance the drum, once like that. And when the drums advanced, the peg used to correspond with the switch. And of course the switch used to do whatever it had to do you see. When the leader started going through the machine, the first pulse would strike your lamp so the first pulse would go through on the leader and you’d hear the lamp strike. And then next the curtains would open and the lights would go down, and it would switch over to film from your non-sync. Your non-sync by the way is the CD that’s playing. It’s short for non-synchronous. It did everything for you. At the end of the show used to put a pulse on about 30 feet before the end and when that went through it closed the curtains and everything for you. It brought the lights up and it stopped the projector at the end, and, of course, your leader was just hanging. So all you had to do was to switch it on again and make sure it went back onto the bottom plate, clean the machine and then take the ring out and then start and lace it up ready for the next one. So that was still interesting enough ‘cause as I say, you had to be there, you had to do everything. It was up to you to make sure the thing went on. But even though it was automated you still had to keep an eye on it, because with the pulses going through it would get dirty, they might miss when they go through, the pickup might just miss it, and the lamp probably wouldn’t strike. And you would hear it start and you think, “I never heard that lamp strike.” Even when you had automation you still had to keep an eye on these things.
Original Format
One-to-one interview
Duration
00:02:58
Bit Rate/Frequency
320kbps
Cinema
Odeon Newcastle upon Tyne, Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne
Empire Cinema, The Gate, Newgate Street, Newcastle upon Tyne