Being called an "incorrigible asshole" is all in a day's work for David Walton.

Walton's official title is lab coordinator for 2 Carnegie, and dealing with angry, frustrated film majors can really try his patience.

The equipment room in Carnegie supplies all the necessary machinery for film majors. But it can get pretty chaotic, especially on Friday afternoons when students are fighting tooth and nail for a camera to start a project that is due on Monday.

"At Friday from 11 to 5 there is non-stop yelling and screaming outside the room," said Steve Kucharski (senior-film), who works in 2 Carnegie for work-study. "Monday morning there is equipment everywhere. People yell about everything, but it's not our fault. When people start to yell, I just go to the back."

Students and faculty agree that they need more equipment, and what they do have needs to be better maintained. Students may sign out a camera in advance, but because of the scarce amount of equipment, sometimes they leave the room angry and empty-handed because of damaged materials.

Walton and Mike Lutz are responsible for the $500,000 worth of film and video equipment that is available at no cost to University students. They both agree that they've been pegged the "bad guys" in these situations.

"This certainly is not a job with glory," Walton said.

But many film majors appreciate these "bad guys."

"Some of the people behind the desk are fantastic," said Rachel Schulman (sophomore-film). "You need experienced people (there)."

Walton and Lutz have that experience and use it in many ways.

"We have to be the jack-of-all-trades," Walton said. "We fix the equipment with bubble gum and Band-Aids so these kids can use it and are constantly answering production questions."

When Walton and Lutz leave Carnegie Building after a hard day of work, their job still haunts them.

"I have to screen my calls at home because students call me who are frantic," Lutz said. "People think we have an easy job, because sometimes it gets slow. But when we're busy, we're busy."

Walton said students get pretty weird when they are under pressure. Last year he was getting ready to leave the room at 5:15 p.m. on a Friday when he heard a student standing outside screaming at the door, saying, "You can't be closed. I need a camera!"

Walton and Lutz stress the need for students to be in control of their equipment. It is imperative for them to check everything out before they leave.

Ned Faust, assistant professor of film and video, said film majors need to learn how to discipline themselves now, before they have real jobs. Although the students do not pay to use the equipment, they are fined if they do not return it on time.

"In the real world, they will get charged another day," Faust said.