Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Oct-Dec 1928)

October 27, 1928 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD 123 What the Bank Does with Theatres {Continued from page II) through the exhibitors' association, with the result that we made an appreciable saving there." I should mention several times Davis interrupted himself to say that he was referring only to the theatres with which he was connected. He did so again. "But they were losing money and now many of them aren't," I reminded him. "You found business' errors in them, and they may apply to theatres that are making money but might make more." "Sounds reasonable. But I don't want you to think I am criticizing. Let's put it this way: I've had certain experiences with a number of motion picture theatres and I've got certain ideas about the theatre business." "We're all entitled to our opinions," I put in. "And because cf your experiences, exhibitors in a lot of places might like to hear them." * * * That must have sounded reasonable too ! "For one thing," he said after a moment's thought, "I firmly believe that exhibitors are becoming obsessed with the deluxe house idea, and for having stage shows and large orchestras in theatres where the expenditure is not justified. Maybe the public did not demand and did not want such entertainment. They got it anyway. "A deluxe show at best is expensive. And to some they are long and tiring. Also, it is, of course, absurd to try to put on a show of this nature unless the best talent is obtained. "Most of the theatres we are operating as receivers were employing large orchestras and attempting stage productions of doubtful entertainment value. The combined cost of music and stage production was approximately . 50 per cent of the gross receipts. "Well, on top of that there was an advertising cost that ran approximately from 20 to 30 per cent, and a film cost of about 20 per cent. This left very little for salaries, rent, payment of mortgage indebtedness and other similar expenses. Where was the profit to come from? "Now, we didn't stand for that very long. In the smaller theatres such shows had to go. In others we continued orchestras and some kind of stage show policy. But not at any such cost as before. In the theatres where the combined cost of stage productions and music had been about 50 per cent of the gross receipts, we reduced the figure to 30 per cent. And we reduced the film cost too until it reached about 10 or 15 per cent. * * * 'In some of the theatres which have stages, and a clientele to warrant it, we present vaudeville over the weekend. But in these houses the combined cost of musicians and stage is not to exceed 15 per cent of the total gross receipts if the film costs run from 10 to 15 per cent of the gross. "The Movietone and Vitaphone are, of course, having their effect on the picture ouses and are, in my opinion, past the exerimental stage." His chat with me — which was a chat only because his tone of voice and manner had made it one — was over. The gesture that jule it so was the business man's — decisive, e abruptly picked up a paper from his desk, ut there's more to the picture. Chester avis is robust of build. His face is quite ound. The type is a genial one. I knew was dismissed because he already had given e liberally of his time. Then when I rose, and he did too, taking y hand, Chester Davis told me this : "It is my firm belief that the public desires a good film and a comfortable theatre, and that the picture is of primary importance. The side shows, such as stage productions and orchestras, have overemphasized and they are costly. "I feel that most exhibitors feel that they should get back to a strictly motion picture business, rather than the lavish productions which endeavored to compete with the theatrical revues." And I was on my way. An Organ in the Making (Continued from page 91) various parts of the theatre, such as the rear seats under the balcony, or its effect upon persons in the front rows. Each theatre presents its own special problems, I was told, and it is in recognition of this fact that the engineering department has developed into such an important unit. Today it is the rule, rather than the exception, for the architect or builder to place the problem of the organ arrangement in the hands of the organ builder's engineering experts sufficiently early to enable their recommendations to be included in his general layout. The extent to which the engineering department's work extends throughout the large plant was evidenced in a small adjoining room, which was equipped with modern machinery especially designed for making blue-prints for every department contributing in any way to the building of the instrument. Two methods of installing the organ chambers, each having its own advantages for special types of theatre conditions, are now generally used. One of these is the placement of the organ chambers on the sides of the proscenium arch, usually 12 to 14 feet above the level of the stage. The other method is to install it above and in the center of the proscenium arch. Two examples of typical installations of these methods are reproduced above. * * * Leaving the engineering department with a better appreciation of the important 1,680.630. PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM. Frank Forstcr Rcnwick. Parlin. N. J., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Du Pont-Pathe Film Manufacturing Corporation. Wilmington, Del., a Corporation if Oelawarc. Filed Aug. 20. 192S. Serial No. .">1.30o. 6 Claims. (CI. 9."> — 9.) BoJ, J protein, ?j notS'n 1. A cinematographic non-static photographic him having a body of cellulose nitrate and a non-scratching substantially smooth backing electrically positive with respect to the body and composed of a water-insoluble protein substantially free from grains and free from pigmentary and other granular materials. 1.687.048. MOTION-PICTURE-FILM STRIP. Edward C. Van Doom. Rochester. N. Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a Corporation of New York. Filed Aug. 23, 1926. Serial No. 130,799. 7 Claims. (CI. 95—9.) TTajC Sensilytd gelatinous. 1. A motion picture him strip including a band of sensitized material and a protective strip therefor comprising two co-extensive bands laminated together by a waterproof adhesive. part this department plays, it is but a few steps into the work rooms of the great plant itself. The cable department happens to be our first stop and here we see how the cables are made and tested before going into the wiring department, where they are fixed on actions. Some of these cables are from 150 to 200 feet long, and I was told that if the wire used in an average organ were figured in terms of mileage, it would stretch out between 50 and 100 miles. The arrangement of the wires, which off hand appears to be a hopelessly intricate task, is accomplished with speed and efficiency on a slotted bench. When taken off the bench the wires, amazingly it seemed, fitted correctly the action, where contact is made by a silver tube with silver wire. The pneumatics or motors for the action range in size from an inch square to eight and nine inches long. Sterling silver contact blocks and switches are used throughout, since it has been found that this is the only material which will stand up. Thousands of contacts are used in each organ. The next department we approach is one in which magnets are wound. There is a magnet for every pipe in the organ, I am informed. It is highly important that the magnets be wound alike and this is accomplished by automatic machines, which do the work with unerring precision. Later we see these magnets mounted on poles and coated with insulating varnish and baked in electric ovens. The next department proved to be one of the most interesting and fascinating in the plant. This was the voicing department. The voicing division consists of 21 individual sound proofed rooms in charge of master voicers, many of whom have devoted a life time to their particular craft. Every pipe in an organ, both metal and wood, is individually voiced. The voicer works from the specifications of every stop, and with him rests in a great measure the responsibiilty for the ultimate color tone of the organ. * * * The effort to achieve the finest in tone quality and the careful process of painstaking workmanship was never more in evidence than in the making and voicing of the pipes. For example, I was astounded to see handsome trumpets, such as are to be found in the windows of music stores, and learn that these trumpets are made of the best brass tubing, despite the fact that they will never be visible. In the metal pipe department I saw hundreds of pipes of various sizes being painstakingly cut and fashioned by hand. The metal for the pipes is cast at the plant. Pure tin, from the Cornish mines of England, spotted metal, plain metal and zinc and brass are used for the various pipes. For the wood pipes the finest quality of California sugar pine only is used — every inch of the wood is perfect, without a blemish. The wood pipes are treated with two coats of orange shellac. This, however, is getting ahead of my story, for the preparations for the building of a wood pipe really begin two years before, when the wood is still in the rouRh lumber stage and is placed for air drying in special sheds having a capacity of about two million feet. It is later treated in steam heated dry kilns to take out all the moisture. An organ pipe must be able to withstand, without deterioration, the changes of atmospheric conditions in various parts of the country. Those having a penchant for comparisons will find it interesting to speculate on the fact that the smallest pipe in an organ may be a half inch long and the diameter of a straw, while the largest pipe may tower to a height of 32 feet. [Thi* description of th makine of an o-gan will be concluded in the next issue of "Better Theatre*. ,f]