American cinematographer (Feb-Dec 1929)

Eight AMERICAN CINEM ATOGRAPHER February, 1929 permit him to unwind and rewind small lengths of film for close inspection. Referring again to Fig. 1 it will be noticed that a supplementary part of the rewinding bridge, besides the usual handle, is a reel clutch fastened to the axle holding the rewinding reels. This clutch is, in fact, the most essential part of the whole apparatus. Its function is to maintain a constant tension on the film which is being rewound, irrespective of the size of the film roll. The clutch also serves to keep the constant separation between reels on the take-up bridge. Fig. 3 gives a view of the assembled clutch and of its component parts: (a) Shows the clutch. (b) Its central core which is held fast to the axle of the rewind by means of a set screw. (c) A free knob which becomes part of the reel itself when the fixed pin is inserted in the slot of the reel commonly used to hold the reel in any rewinding apparatus. Fig. 4 (d) A split fiber ring. (e) Two springs fastened at one end to the central core and at the other end to the split fiber ring. (f ) The set of screws necessary to hold the clutch together. The functioning of the clutch is quite easy to understand. By turning the handle an impulse is simultaneously given to the rewinding reels, making them turn at a uniform speed. If one of the reels is holding more film than another, its revolution should be slower in order to keep the frames of the picture to be synchronized in their proper position on the driving sprockets. In such case the fiber ring and springs act as a brake on the free knob, thus reducing the revolving speed of the reel, while the central core makes as many revolutions as there are imparted to the handle and axle. Fig. 4 presents the rewind complete with reels and two films in position. The four clutches are easily distinguishable. Once the films are set in the apparatus according to their starting mark, they may be wound and unwound at will without altering the synchronizing position. Needless to say that the number of driving sprockets is not limited to the four shown in the figures, but can be increased at will. This ingenious apparatus has proven very useful and practical and all film editors and cutters will undoubtedly welcome its appearance. "Cine-Art News" "Cine-Art Amateur Movie News," Vol 1, No. 7, is a new Hollywood publication of eight pages devoted to amateur motion picture cinematography and matters appertaining thereto. It is a newsy and skilfully edited periodical and appears to be on the way to a successful career. THE AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER welcomes the newcomer and wishes it a career of great usewulness and prosperity. The "Cine-Art News" is distributed by Cine-Art Productions, 6060 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood. Hail and Farewell In the following resolution the Board of Governors of the A. S. C. expressed the sentiments of the Society toward Mr. Joseph A. Dubray, until recently secretary of the A. S. C, who has gone to Chicago to assume the duties of director of technical service with the Bell & Howell Company. The gain of Bell & Howell and Chicago is the loss of Hollywood and the motion picture industry, but THE AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER is happy to note that Mr. Dubray still retains his position as technical editor of the A. S. C. magazine and will be a frequent contributor to its columns. The A. S. C. resolution follows: A Resolution WHEREAS, Our brother, Joseph Dubray, has tendered his resignation to the Board of Governors as secretary of the American Society of Cinematographers in order to assume duties in a new field of endeavor far removed from the permanent seat of this Society, be it RESOLVED: That the A. S. C. accepts Mr. Dubray^s resignation with the greatest regret, recognizing as it does his loyal, unselfish and efficient service to this Society and to the motion picture industry in general. A veteran camera master and technical expert in the science of photography, our retiring secretary has ever given freely of his knowledge and skill and has, because of his versatile talents, reflected great honor upon both the A. S. C. and himself. The A. S. C. therefore, by this resolution, goes on record as placing the stamp of unqualified approval upon our departing brother, recommends him without reserve to his new employers and bespeaks for him unqualified success and boundless prosperity and happiness in his new field. Dubray American SoundFilms on German Device-Tobis Claims For Inter changeability [ The American Cinematographer has just received this brief announcement from the general secretary of Tobis, the Tonbild-Syndikat, Berlin, Germany. It is evident that America is not alone in sound research as it is related to the cinema. — Editor's Note.] Last week the German Tonbild Syndikat Company (Tobis) gave in a Berlin West-end theatre a private demonstration to a number of known cinema experts to show the first time its new unified reproducing device for sound films. This does not need a special projector but consists in a very small and simple attachment which can be installed in a few hours in addition to any usual German cinema-projector, together with amplifiers and loud-speakers specially designed by Tobis, providing an excellent reproduction of speech, music, effects, etc. The Tobis-device is running usual film of normal width, bearing the sound track inside the sprocket-holes and claims for interchangeability with any English or American sound-on-film system, such as Movietone, Photophone, Cinephone, Phonofilm and so on. In order to prove that fact, the Tobis company showed, after a number of their own recently-produced sound subjects, three reels of American film, which were reproduced quite clearly. Tobis is now wiring five big houses in Berlin, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Leipzig and Munich at a price of a tenth of the Western Electric system, and will continue the installations from February at a rate of fifty sets per month.