Unusual Situations

Overview

Duty Managers need to be able to think on their feet to deal with a situation as it occurs and evolves. However there are some extreme examples all Duty Managers should know before working on a show which are described below. The steps taken are by no means the only way to look at the problem but to give you an example to follow and the priorities that should be taken. If you feel there is a better way to deal with the issue then please contact the Chief Duty Manager and he will add it as his discretion.

Shutdowns

Shutdowns are necessary when there is some sort of delay in starting the film and consist of putting the slideshow back on after the trailers and before the film to 'buy some time'. From a Front of House perspective this mainly occurs due to overrunning ticket sales, which could be down to a number of issues including large audience numbers or a delay in ticket sales, resulting in not being able to process all the sales before the film starts. It is better to decide early on that you may need a shutdown as it is good practice to keep the projectionist informed on the risk as it develops during ticket sales. This then allows them be prepared for the shutdown if it is still required. Similarly to avoid an end of show panic it's a good idea to tell the projectionist to do a shutdown unless told otherwise if you suspect you may need one.

Once the shutdown has occurred the Duty Manager must clear the queue (or other issue) as soon as possible to reduce the delay to the audience. It is often a good idea to go back to the projectionist and ask them to restart the film as the last few tickets are being sold.