The Moving Picture World (1907)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD. <559 Published Evesi? Saturday. ru World Photographic Publishing Coopany, Now Tori &LFBED E. SAUHSSnS. Bdit*?. J. P. C&abur*» /ierwcieto BtSiis? oad Bcslsiesa rfan«<w. Vol. 1., DECEMBER 14 No. 41 SUBSCRIPTION: $2.00 per year. Post free in the United States, Mexico, Hawaii, Porto Rico and the Philippine Islands. CANADA AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES: $2.50 per year.- All communications should be addressed to P. 0. BOX 450, NEW YORK CITY. Net Advertising Rate: $2 per inch; 17 cents per line torial. Som& Careless Operators, - We were paying a visit to one of our advertisers the other day, and he called our attention to a reel of film just returned from a. nickelodeon. The film was abso- lutely new, never used before, and yet this film was use- less for any further exhibition. It was scratched from beginning-to finish in so disgraceful a manner that none but an arrant ignoramus of the value of film could have treated it so. A little time spent on wiping the machine, cleaning off all dust, and careful oiling, would obviate all scratches, or a good brush used on the velvet guides after each reel has been run through. On another occasion we were shown a new film of which some three to four hundred feet had been broken all down the sprocket perforations. Film that breaks lie this is shoddy, cheap and nasty. We have been try- ing to find out who manufactures this sort, but so far have failed. We have the assurance from Eastman Com- pany that it does not emanate from them. Even in a cast '" e this, when the operator sees the result he ought to at once stop and examine his sprocket, which may be out of gear and needs but the adjustment of a screw or two to again put it in order. Several exhibitions we have visited of late were very poor; one operator was working away at the crank and the machine was running heavily and groaning as, if it was grinding corn, going off in leaps and bounds, giving a jerky, blurred picture on the screen, and what we were waiting for and expecting, soon came to pass—the film broke three times and there was a long, dreary wait after each break. The exhibition, which would ordinarily have taken fifteen minutes, occu- pied forty, and the audience went out with a sigh of relief. We spoke to the proprietor, and he said he had tried five operators and was giving this man a good salary, as he was supposed to be an expert. (He was, at carelessness.) Another exhibition was showing what was supposed to be a funeral procession, and the horses were walking at a sedate, stately pace, or ought to have been, but in this case they slid along the screen in a most ludi- crous manner that brought a satirical laugh from the audience. The next picture was a hunting scene, and here the operator reversed the whole performance. If operators will only bear in mind that the camera goes at one even rate "of speed and fully catches all the action necessary, then if they will try and get this even rhythm .of speed in their machines, they will secure the true life- like motion their pictures ought to depict. Another defect very noticeable is the manner of oper- ating the arc. We have seen rainbows in the sky, black patches in the center, and ghostly images galore. When we have spoken to the operator he has said: "Oh 1 it is the glasses that ain't just right." The condensers have nothing to do with the effect on the light. Each-operator ought to know how to center his arc so that only a white light is seen on the screen; it is an easy matter to adjust the light to or from the condensor, up or down, right or left, until it is perfect. An operator does not know his business until all these little details are as simple as ABC to him. Another point we wish to touch upon is the fire risk. We were told about a fire that occurred in Pennsylvania in a complete fireproof box. No damage was done except to the film, the operator escaping with a few slight burns. His explanation of the fire was that the rapid friction in the take-up gear caused it to spark- and set itself on fire. We told our informant to tell that story to the marines. The operator is known to be a most inveterate smoker—in fact, he often goes to bed with a cigarette—and our contention is that his cigarette is responsible for the damage and that he ought to seek occupation in another sphere, or give up smoking. A Good Organization would know how to deal with such as we have described, 'and unless they improved they would be given march- ing orders to get another job. We commend the two let- ters from correspondents on another page to the earnest consideration of every operator, and if the whole of the known 5,000 operators would join hands, they would command recognition in the Federal Union under a sep- arate and distinct flag of their own, and secure the elim- ination of the" careless operator. . "I could not do without the Moving Picture World. It is looked for every week by my employees," writes a Subscriber. YOU NEED IT TOO Subscription $2.00 peryear.