Personal Care & Service
Motion Picture Projectionists
Also called: Booth Operator, Cinema Projectionist, Digital Projectionist, Film Specialist
US median pay
$38,270
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
-6.2%
declining
Openings a year (US)
300
1,500 employed
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Set up and operate motion picture projection and related sound reproduction equipment.
What they do day to day
- Monitor operations to ensure that standards for sound and image projection quality are met.
- Start projectors and open shutters to project images onto screens.
- Open and close facilities according to rules and schedules.
- Operate equipment to show films in a number of theaters simultaneously.
- Perform regular maintenance tasks, such as rotating or replacing xenon bulbs, cleaning projectors and lenses, lubricating machinery, and keeping electrical contacts clean and tight.
- Set up and adjust picture projectors and screens to achieve proper size, illumination, and focus of images, and proper volume and tone of sound.
- Inspect projection equipment prior to operation to ensure proper working order.
- Perform minor repairs, such as replacing worn sprockets, or notify maintenance personnel of the need for major repairs.
- Set up and inspect curtain and screen controls.
- Coordinate equipment operation with presentation of supplemental material, such as music, oral commentaries, or sound effects.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Operations Monitoring3.1/5
- Operation and Control3.0/5
- Troubleshooting2.9/5
- Time Management2.9/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.9/5
- Repairing2.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9/5
- Coordination2.9/5
Knowledge
- Computers and Electronics4.1/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.3/5
- Mechanical3.2/5
- English Language3.2/5
- Administration and Management2.8/5
- Communications and Media2.7/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): No formal educational credential.
Highest education of people in this job:
- High school diploma61%
- Less than high school20%
- Bachelor's degree10%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Artistic
Creating, designing and self-expression
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.