Fab Grabs

I snapped several behind-the-scenes cell phone photographs last week during our technical preparations in Atlanta's Fabulous Fox Theatre. The first leg of the annual summer film festival was about to get underway. I've shown many movies in this room, off and on since 1978, and joined projectionists Scott and Stan in the current toiling, too.

From the Dress Circle, the screen is seen masked to its widest "scope" setting, which we utilized for "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "Jaws."

My belt was snugged to 34 inches, its widest "mope" setting, which I used for all five flicks and Mike Durrett's diet off, jawing Quiznos.

In a reverse shot of the auditorium, the 35/70mm projector pre-screens one of the films, while I sneak downstairs to invade the crew's backstage snack machines. I estimate the descent to be seven stories, but quite worth the hike and U-turn climb back up to the booth. Twenty-cent Cafe Mocha rules!

One of the perks of employment in a theatre is you can get close, watching movies from the stage wings. Of course, I had to learn to nibble popcorn perpendicular.