Ask Pappy #3: Even a projector needs to cool before the next reel — so should you.

Reader Letter:

I’ve been going nonstop lately — long hours, no breaks, barely time to watch a movie, let alone enjoy one. You’ve been around the reel longer than most. How do you keep from burning out when everything starts feeling like work? — @FramesInFocus

Kid, if I had a nickel for every time my projector bulb blew out mid-show, I’d have enough to buy back all the snacks I spilled worrying about it.

Burnout, huh? That’s a nasty little reel that sneaks up on ya. Starts with a flicker — you tell yourself it’s just fatigue, a busy week, a stretch of bad coffee. Then next thing you know, your heart’s outta focus, and you can’t remember the last time you actually enjoyed the thing you love.

I’ve been there. I once ran triple features for a solid week — barely slept, lived on concession popcorn and cola, thought I was being a hero for keeping the reels turning. Then one night, halfway through the last show, the film jammed, the bulb popped, and for a moment… I was almost relieved.

That’s when it hit me: even machines need cool-down time.

See, the trick ain’t to stop working — it’s to stop forgetting yourself while you work. You can’t pour passion into something if your cup’s already cracked. Sometimes you gotta step out of the booth, breathe the night air, and remember why you started rolling film in the first place.

And you don’t need to make a grand production out of it. Rest doesn’t always mean a vacation in the tropics. It can mean taking a quiet walk, watching a movie for you and not for “research,” or sharing a laugh without trying to turn it into content.

I think the problem is, the world’s started treating rest like laziness and hustle like virtue. But burnout’s just passion left in the oven too long. When I feel it creeping in, I remind myself: even the best movies fade to black before they start again. That’s not failure — that’s rhythm.

So take your popcorn break, kid. The reel will still be there when you get back — and it’ll play better if you’re not running on fumes.

Stay kind, stay curious, and don’t spill the butter on your way out.— Pappy Hull, The Popcorn Philosopher