Page 15 - CR31R.pdf

It can be seen that plenty of time is allowed for the Tivoli to receive the film from the Civic as the first reel of"Wally's
Kingdom" should be off at the Civic at 9.37 (i.e. 10 minutes after starting time). Allowing travel time of 10 minutes
between the theatres, a further ll minutes is available for film checking, rewinding, threadir}g etc.

It was emphasised that the manager of the first theatre- the Empire, Rosanna- had to ensure that both runners arrived on
time, at least I 0 minutes before they were needed, and that each had clear instructions as to which reels/spools they had
to switch, and from where, and to.

rf a runner did not appear as instructed, projectionists had to report same to the manager who then had to make
altemative arrangements, the cost of which had to be born by the absent runner.

Should No. 2 theatre (Civic, Macleod) experience late running, No. 3 (Tivoli, Watsonia) must be advised as early as
possible so the programming adjustments can be made to accommodate the changed circumstances.

Perhaps readers fami[iar with "accommodating changed circumstances" could tell their tales.

Today film switching is not used and films are now dispatched either in metal cans or more likely in city and suburban
areas in cardboard boxes. In some case films made up onto foot platters are moved in vans and are ready to be threaded
to the projectors on arrival at the theatres.

Reel Runners of Early Melbourne

or

"A Cinematic Flying Squad"

Photo: The Australasian Cinema 1518/ /980

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