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Rogers was taken away from cinema duties, so I ran the cinema, now three nights a week, and the Saturday children's show, with the help of a group of keen Airmen volunteers. In a short time, and with the use of timber and screws from old reclaimed packing cases, some scrounged electrical gear from the tech site, and tools from the Armoury, we built a bench for rewinding films and some storage shelves. We then set the projectors up in such a way that we could show multi-reel feature films without breaks for film changes. The quality of performances was thus much improved.
1px-trans.gif, 43 bytesMany of my evenings were spent with the volunteers in the projection box. I didn't always have to be there. I just enjoyed it. Doing this, I saw bits of many of the well known films of the time. One of the most popular was 'High Society' of which, by popular demand, extra performances were laid on and, quite illicitly, Sqn.Ldr. Ellison asked me to run it through for him in the projection box while he taperecorded most of the popular songs. It was probably 'High Society' and its popularity that was the catalyst for me being asked if I could give either Saturday or Sunday evening showings in the Officers Mess, rather than the Officers going to the Airmens Mess as had been the routine. I could hardly refuse even though I had to show these films myself, unaided.
1px-trans.gif, 43 bytesThese shows involved my temporarily removing ornamental glass from the dining-room doors so that I could rig the projectors outside in the corridor where they were less noisy. I set my own screen up on a table at the other end of the room. The Mess staff arranged the chairs for the audience. Officers and their wives and families would then come to their own private showings. I found this more than a little irksome because it cut into my free time; I was working when everyone else was enjoying themselves. I saw 'High Society', mostly right through, at least a dozen times before it was returned.
1px-trans.gif, 43 bytesIt was my job, also, to select the films and make up the shows, usually a feature film and two 'shorts', from a list sent in advance by the RAF Cinema Corporation. If the feature films were shorter than usual I might show two of these instead. Pathé Pictorial Newsreels were almost always included in each programme. According to requirements I also ordered, and sometimes projected, training and educational films. All films were delivered to me and collected on a weekly basis.
1px-trans.gif, 43 bytesAlmost as an afterthought, in November 1957, I was sent on a projectionist's course at the RAF Cinema Corporation offices in Africa House, Kingsway, London. I stayed at the Milestone Hotel, Kensington High Street, at the cost of thirty shillings a night bed and breakfast, for the duration of the course and found that evenings in London could be extremely lonely. We students were sent out to buy our own lunches at midday at local cafés, but one of our number knew the back way into the Air Ministry building (Ad Astral House) canteen. There, the food was free. No-one ever questioned us, and we were able to claim the price of the meals against our expenses.
1px-trans.gif, 43 bytesI learned all the professional techniques of cinema projection. I was trained, with the 11 others, all in civilian clothes, in the use of Debrie and Bell & Howell projectors. (We called the latter Hell and Bowel because of their inferior nature). Film rewinds, emergency 'keep the show running' procedures, and film splicing and checking, were also covered. We used old newsreels as our material. When it came to our final tests the old films were cut about and generally mutilated before they were given to us to show. These final sessions were therefore not without some hilarity.
1px-trans.gif, 43 bytesWhen the final results were announced I came first with a 92% average score and an A1 pass. A senior RAFCC manager told me that if I wished, on leaving the RAF, I would be welcome to work for the Corporation as a cinema manager.
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