Meet the projectionists: Tiana

What and where was your first job as a projectionist?

At the BFI IMAX… and currently still here!

How did you first get into it, and was the training on the job? 

I started out as a cinema host who then made my way into management and then into the projection booth. I had no technical know-how or experience and was trained completely from scratch on the job by my incredible mentors Michael Ford and Cesar Mendive. I’ve never looked back.

Of all the films you have projected over your career, is there one screening that stands out most vividly in your memory?

Running Interstellar (2014) on 15/70mm print for the first time completely on my own. We hold a very special copy at the BFI IMAX and it felt like an amazing achievement being trusted to run it without supervision.

What is the future for projecting analogue film?

Sadly, the skills and knowledge surrounding analogue projection are decreasing due to the increase in digital demand. Analogue film is a form of history, so I feel it’s really important to maintain the projectors that we have, continue screening prints when we can, and for technicians to pass their extensive knowledge on to others, like it has been passed on to me. I would hope to see analogue film hold its place firmly in the world of cinema because its disappearance would be a great shame.

Why is projecting film special, and different to digital projection?

There is a great deal of knowledge and skill that you need to project film as it is much more hands-on than digital projection. Digital projection is comfortable, but running film always feels like an adrenaline rush and comes with a great sense of accomplishment every time you put on a successful screening. There are always elements of risk when running print, so it requires your full attention at all times in order to preserve it and ensure the best viewing experience for your audience. I would choose film over digital any day.

What is the most common misconception you’ve encountered of what a projectionist does?

“You just have to press play.”

What’s your best war story of a projection that went horribly wrong?

I was fairly early into my solo-run showings of 15/70mm prints and was on an overnight shift running Tenet (2022) when it came out. While lacing up at around 3am I had a bit of a disagreement with the print, and it ended with me sat on the floor surrounded by metres of print, having to hand-roll it back together.

The BFI Film on Film Festival runs 8 to 11 June 2023.