The film was handled with the utmost care to avoid scratches and fingerprints, and to avoid tearing the seams. Once it was placed in the projector, the film began to play with a clattering sound. It was just like the dark room to which young Toto was drawn in Cinema Paradiso.
When asked what the first movie she saw was, projectionist Yukako Muraoka said her memory was hazy and she couldn't remember the title. "But the scene in the movie theater at the time and the sense of fear I felt as a child still come back to me." It was dark, there were loud noises, and the fear of an unknown world projected before your eyes intersecting with reality.
"But I've come to like the space of a movie theater. Many different people gather at the same time with the same purpose, and are together, yet when I sit in the auditorium I can be alone."
Even though I was in a one-on-one relationship with the screen, the excitement and heat of the air was palpable. I fell in love with it so much that I wanted to live there, and so I became a projectionist.
He has made it a rule to wear black clothing when he is at work. "I was taught that a projectionist is literally a stagehand." He also forbids wearing knitwear, as it generates static electricity on the film. 
Each film is divided into six or seven stacked reels. "Film is like a living thing, and temperature and humidity need to be controlled, so storing it is a lot of work," he says. 
The projector has a function that automatically switches to the next reel when it detects a silver contactless tape. "Other cinemas also apply this tape to the film," he said. 
The main building of the National Film Archive of Japan in Kyobashi, Tokyo, has the Nagase Memorial Hall OZU (310 seats) and the Small Hall (151 seats). Artistic films and films of cultural historical importance are screened here. 
They hold screenings based on themes such as director, actor, country of production, genre, and era. Many senior customers are nostalgic for old movies, but they also run educational activities such as a "children's cinema." 
"Before screening, we first carry all the reels of film close to the projector." When six or seven reels of film are stored in one bag, just carrying them is a struggle due to their weight.
"At first, I worked part-time as a movie ticket taker in my hometown of Yamaguchi during university. The projection room felt like a sacred space, and I had a longing for it."
At the same time, screenings using digital materials (Digital Cinema Package = DCP) were becoming mainstream, and Muraoka, who had wanted to learn projection techniques, felt a sense of crisis.
"I looked for art house cinemas that showed film and called here and there asking to work." It wasn't easy to find work, but veteran projectionists taught me various techniques. "I had many mentors." Depending on the projector, it could be automatic or manual, just like driving a car. Some older machines still have gears that rattle the film.
"First, we have to create a proper loop (slack) in the film. We read the sound on this frame, and the video 20 frames after that. This is to make sure there is no lag between the video and the sound." As Muraoka checks the screen, his expression becomes more serious. "I do it because I love it, but it is also a job. The words of a veteran mentor that I once had, to be aware that you make a living from projection, have stayed with me."
If the thickness of the film varies depending on the era in which the film was made, this alone can cause the focus to shift, so you can't let your guard down. Also, a single film is divided into several reels of film, so you have to keep an eye on it even while it's being shown. A change mark appears in the top right corner of the screen as a sign to the projectionist. When projectors are switched manually, the first change mark indicates that the next reel's projector should begin, and the switch should be completed when the second change mark appears.
"One roll of film weighs 3 to 4 kilograms, so it feels like holding a newborn baby. If there are seven rolls, the total weight is 21 kilograms. It hurts your back, so you can't carry it all in one go."
When I see the beauty of each frame, I think, "Wow, what a beautiful picture." The colors and information data that can be expressed with film are much more extensive than with digital. 
Before the film begins, a chart film is attached to the screen to adjust its width and position. Getting it just right is where the projectionist's skill comes into play. 
During the intermission before the screening, the focus and angle of view are adjusted using a chart film. "The film used in the main feature is old, so it can be difficult to get the focus right." 
Remove the can vertically so that the film wrapping does not unravel. Support the outermost part and the sides of the film, being careful not to damage it. 
The film is then wound onto the reel below, which takes 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the length of the roll, and projected. 
Hands move carefully as they load the film into the projector. "You can even see footage from 100 or 120 years ago. I believe film will never go away as a preservation medium." 
As Muraoka pulls the film onto the reel below, the numbers five seconds before are visible between his fingers. "This is a count reader, but you still need to be careful not to get fingerprints on the film." 
"The movie I've been enjoying lately is 'A Cute and Amazing Woman,' directed by Konishi Michio in 1966." The film stars my favorite actress, Midori Mako, and I found myself captivated by the screening.
The National Film Archive, where this projection room is located, is the only national film institution in Japan that collects, restores, and preserves domestic and international film and related materials. Screenings and open exhibits attract fans of film culture.
"There are directors who always come to see my films when they are screened, and sometimes they tell me that today's screening was good." The projectionist's job is to be the final player in delivering a film to the audience. "If it was delivered well, I'm honestly happy that I was able to fulfill my role."
Movies viewed on film are much more realistic than those viewed digitally.
"The texture of a person's sweaty skin is something that can only be seen on film. The colors, the detail, it feels so luxurious. I hope that more of them will be projected and that more people will come to love film movies." There are only a handful of people of Muraoka's generation who work in projection. Even so, he wants to pass on the techniques of film projection to even younger people. "The veteran projectionists who know about the heyday of film are getting older, so now is the only chance we have to hear stories about that time."
Films reflect the times. The technology of one generation, the thoughts of another. Gazing at the light and shadows emanating from the projection room, Muraoka aims to be a bridge that will carry on this tradition.
