# Motion Picture Projectionists

> Set up and operate motion picture projection and related sound reproduction equipment.

- **SOC code:** 39-3021.00
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-39-3021-00
- **Also known as:** Booth Operator, Movie Projectionist, Projectionist, Technical Projection Guide, Cinema Projectionist, Digital Projectionist, Film Specialist, Motion Picture Projectionist
- **Frame:** "AI exposure" means task overlap (how codifiable the work is), not jobs lost or a forecast. Every figure below is traced to a named public dataset.

## What this work is

**Core tasks** (O*NET):
- Monitor operations to ensure that standards for sound and image projection quality are met.
- Inspect movie films to ensure that they are complete and in good condition.
- 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.
- Remove full take-up reels and run film through rewinding machines to rewind projected films so they may be shown again.
- Install and connect auxiliary equipment, such as microphones, amplifiers, disc playback machines, and lights.

**Emerging tasks** (O*NET):
- Download digital keys to unlock digital movie files.
- Ingest digital content, such as films, advertisements, or trailers, into servers or projectors.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Knowledge, skills & abilities** (O*NET, highest importance first):
- Computers and Electronics _(knowledge)_
- Far Vision _(ability)_
- Near Vision _(ability)_
- Customer and Personal Service _(knowledge)_
- Mechanical _(knowledge)_
- English Language _(knowledge)_
- Operations Monitoring _(transferable_skill)_
- Oral Comprehension _(ability)_
- Oral Expression _(ability)_
- Problem Sensitivity _(ability)_
- Control Precision _(ability)_
- Reading Comprehension _(essential_skill)_

**Skills in demand:**
- English Language _(Common Skill)_
- Speech Recognition _(Specialized Skill)_
- Reading Comprehension _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft Word _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft PowerPoint _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft Outlook _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft Excel _(Common Skill)_
- Information Ordering _(Specialized Skill)_
- Finger Dexterity _(Common Skill)_
- Facebook _(Specialized Skill)_
- Active Listening _(Common Skill)_
- Time Management _(Common Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- Apple macOS _(hot technology)_
- Autodesk AutoCAD _(hot technology)_
- Facebook _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Excel _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Office software _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Outlook _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft PowerPoint _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Word _(hot technology)_
- Audio calibration software
- Avid Technology iNEWS
- Web browser software

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 24th percentile (Low) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.):** 38th percentile (Moderate) — source: felten_aioe.
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 30th percentile (Low) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **AI assistant applicability (Microsoft):** 11th percentile (Low) — source: microsoft_applicability.
- **Frey–Osborne (2013, historical computerization estimate):** 94th percentile — kept separate from current-era studies.
- **Remote-capable (Dingel–Neiman):** no — task structure, not who actually works remote.
- **Projected employment (BLS 2024–34):** -3.7% growth (Declining); 0.5k annual openings; 2k → 2k jobs.
- **Pay & employment (BLS OEWS, May 2024):** median $38,180; 1,950 employed.

## Sources

- **O*NET** (30.3) — U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** (May 2024) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- **BLS Employment Projections** (2024–2034) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- **Microsoft “Working with AI”** (working-with-ai) — Microsoft Research. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/
- **“GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.)** (arXiv 2303.10130) — OpenAI / academic. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130
- **AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE)** (Felten, Raj & Seamans) — academic. https://github.com/AIOE-Data/AIOE
- **Frey & Osborne (2013)** (frey-osborne-automation) — academic. https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/publications/the-future-of-employment/
- **Dingel & Neiman (2020)** (dingel-neiman-workathome) — academic. https://github.com/jdingel/DingelNeiman-workathome

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_Generated from Singulariki's joined dataset; data snapshot 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-39-3021-00_