Read on Twitter
Everyone being sad about the arclight is a cool thing to see in that it is really fun to live in a place where people genuinely LOVE the movies.
At the same time, one thing I wish was more clear was that the theater rents are in arrears first and foremost bc the family that owns Decurion doesn’t want to pay out of their private wealth
When I worked at the theater, guests complained about the seats every day, and we were coached to say that it was intentional to “provide a distraction free experience” when in reality they just didn’t want to. A small example but that’s the mindset.
While I worked there, projectionists jobs were automated and their union hours were cut. Every management shift was spent focusing on how to cut people as early as possible. My job paid $13/hr with an expectation of producing $2 mill in annual revenue.
Schedules were set up so that no one went over 40 hours a week. Workers were paid a wage that meant they couldn’t afford rent in the neighborhood let alone benefits.
I don’t think anyone is wrong to be sad about the theater or grieve the great times they had there. I also think it’s important to remember that even sophisticated brands and not just mega corporations take advantage of labor.
I hope someone comes in and runs a theater that loves its workers as much as we all loved the movies.
