Cinema Projectionist

Tasks & duties

Cinema projectionists may do some or all of the following:

• receive movie-length films that usually come on separate reels
• splice (join) and unsplice film
• splice on the advertisements and movie trailers
• feed the film into the projector
• play the film on the projector
• adjust the focus and sound while the film is playing if necessary
• return the film to its source
• look after the equipment
• replace parts that have worn out, such as the Xenon lamp, which provides the light needed to project the movie onto the cinema screen

Skills & knowledge

Cinema projectionists need to have:

• knowledge of how to look after a movie projector
• knowledge of how to cut and splice film
• knowledge of basic electronics and mechanics
• technical skills to operate the equipment
• problem-solving skills
• organisational ability

Entry requirements

There are no specific entry requirements to become a cinema projectionist, but an interest in films or the film industry is important.

Secondary education

School Certificate or NCEA equivalent is preferred by most employers.

Training on the job

Cinema projectionists gain skills on the job.

Useful experience

Useful experience for cinema projectionists includes:

• work as an audiovisual operator
• other work using and handling film
• work with digital film technology

Related courses

Audio Visual Studies

For more information, please refer to Career Services.