‘The Booth’ is a poignant photo series by photographer Joseph Holmes that documents the last days of film projection.
Shot in booths in Manhattan, Long Island, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, the photos reveal the decades-old film equipment, posters, weird smells, graffiti, and dusty toy relics of these closely-guarded workspaces, offering viewers a glimpse into an occupation that few give precious thought to.
With over 90% of movie theaters now digital, film projection is fast becoming a thing of the past for various reasons. Though celluloid is more vibrant than digital, it degrades over time and picture quality worsens with each screening, unlike digital which remains pristine after repeated viewings. Switching to digital also means lower overhead costs for theaters, who don’t need to ship cans of films or store them in warehouses, and can do away with hiring projectionists.
Despite the gloom, there are holdouts like the Film Forum, Anthology Film Archives, and the Museum of the Moving Image due to their catalog of old and rare films that may not survive the transition to digital. Other old-school theaters risk extinction due to the high costs of upgrading to digital.
Ultimately, the casualties of this sunset industry are the projectionists who are the subject of Holmes’ series. With film projection dying, their numbers are dwindling and a feeling of sadness and resignation pervades throughout the photos.
Thirty prints from ‘The Booth’ are currently on display at the Museum of the Moving Image in New York City from 5 October 2013 to 2 February 2014.
View some photos below and head to Holmes’ site for more images.
[via Fast Company, images via Joseph Holmes]