Motion Picture Projectionists
What Motion Picture Projectionists Do
Set up and operate motion picture projection and related sound reproduction equipment.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- Not available
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 2 of 5Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Job training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Computers and Electronicsimportance 4.1/5
- Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.3/5
- Mechanicalimportance 3.2/5
- English Languageimportance 3.2/5
- Administration and Managementimportance 2.8/5
- Communications and Mediaimportance 2.7/5
- Public Safety and Securityimportance 2.5/5
- Engineering and Technologyimportance 2.5/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.7/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.3/5
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.3/5
- Freedom to Make Decisions4.0/5
- Telephone Conversations3.9/5
- Frequency of Decision Making3.7/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Semiconductor Processing Technicians94% skill match
- Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic93% skill match
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons93% skill match
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood93% skill match
- Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining93% skill match
- Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders92% skill match
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers92% skill match
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic92% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Operations Monitoringimportance 3.1/5
- Operation and Controlimportance 3.0/5
- Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.9/5
- Coordinationimportance 2.9/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.9/5
- Troubleshootingimportance 2.9/5
- Repairingimportance 2.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 2.9/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
Other Software Used
- Audio calibration software
- Avid Technology iNEWS
- Web browser software
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Cautiousness
- Stress Tolerance
- Achievement Orientation
- Integrity
- Self-Control
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- RealisticHigh
- ConventionalMedium
- ArtisticMedium
- InvestigativeLow
- SocialLow
- EnterprisingLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where motion picture projectionists make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ2.54× national avg
- 2Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA1.65× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass FibersCareer Change
- Semiconductor Processing TechniciansCareer Change
- Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsCareer Change
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsCareer Change
See the full career path from Motion Picture Projectionists →