The Film Daily (1929)

DAILY Sunday, November 17, 1929 Monday Fox understood planning string of newsreel theaters. . . . . Ten ner cent admission tax proposal slated to be offered at special session of Tennessee legislature. Secret society formed in France to boycott American films. Tuesday General Talking Pictures to start patent suits for alleged infringement of De Forest pat M A Lightman. Abram F. Myers and C. C. Pettijohn to address Ohio exhibitors meeting at Columbus. Nov. 19 and 20. Wednesday Plot to bomb Metropolitan studio on Coast foiled. , „„ , Fox reported negotiating for 150 houses in St. Louis territory. Government and distributors start conferences on arbitration case ruling. Thursday . Butterfield circuit in expansion drive in Michi Famous Canadian earnings up 124 per cent in year. . . Vitagraph and Vitaphone distinct companies, rules Pittsburgh arbitration board. Friday Liability on unmade films is point at issue at hearing in Washington in action brought against RKO by William Notes. Peace in St. Louis musicians' dispute is believed near. . Affiliated Exchanges starts releasing activity Dec. 15. Today Fox to build 5,000-seat house in Milwaukee. Western Electric starts European patent suits. Claude Neon will equip all Fox Metropolitan houses with company's lights. Bristolphone Makes New England Installations Boston — Installation of Bristolphone has been made at the Crescent Gardens, Revere, Mass.; State. Stoughton, Mass.; Nagatuck, Nagatuck, Conn.; Strand, Boothbay Harbor, Me.; Orpheum, Danielson, Conn.; Bradley, Putnam, Conn., and Strand, Southbridge, Mass., according to Eddie Fain, local representative. 5 More for Tone-O-Graph Five more installations of ToneO-Graph have been made by North American Sound and Talking Picture Equipment Corp. The houses are the Lyric, Third Ave., New York; Tompkins and Royal, Brooklyn; Dixie, Coalport, Pa., and Strand, Curwensville, Pa. Baltimore Rialto Wired Baltimore — Western Electric equipment has been installed at the Rialto. J. Louis Rome operates the house. Baltimore Gets Orchestraphone Baltimore — Moviegraphs, Inc., has installed Orchestraphone at the Little theater, managed by William Goldberg. Remodeling Temple, Syracuse Syracuse — Permit has been issued for the remodeling of the Temple. Improvements will cost about $100,000. Theater Equipment By WILLIAM ORN STEIN \ Projectionist Must Be Showman, Canavan Declares in Address Talkers in Mayville, N. D. Mayville, N. D. — Talking pictures now are being shown at the Dolchar, managed by Charles H. Tolman. Showmanship is one of the most essential qualities for the real projectionist, according to William F. Canavan in an address last week before the Projection Advisory Council. The operator must be show-minded in all that the term implies. Canavan declared, with a background of theatrical experience that will imbue him with that inherent theatrical spirit — "The show must go on" — no matter what may happen, and no amount of academic training could possibly produce an outstanding projectionist. Excerpts from Canavan's speech follow: To those of us who have a personal interest in this particular subject, there is great satisfaction when we visualize the tremendous strides that have recently been made in the development of projection room practices and equipment. These recent developments have been of signal importance to the millions of patrons of the justly popular motion picture entertainment, and have given a new impetus to one of America's greatest industries. With the coming of these vast changes in projection room practices and equipment, the members of the projectionists local unions throughout the United States and Canada are fully alive to the great responsibilities that will devolve upon them and are preparing themselves by intensive training and study, to meet the changed and changing conditions in projection problems, come what may. The projectionist is more of an idealist than a working man. He looks upon motion picture projection as a specialized art and is ever striving to improve the quality of screen entertainment even though it entails a personal sacrifice. The consciousness that the success or failure of the entire screen performance is dependent upon his skill and its application in the handling of the delicate projection equipment, has a natural tendency to keenly arouse him to sense the great responsibility of his profession. He approaches his task, not from the standpoint of a worker who is to receive a monetary consideration •li the form of wages for a given number of hours of service, but rather from the standpoint of an artist, mechanically etching upon 'he silver screen a series of beautiful photographic images that are unfolding to his movie audience a visual impression of a beautiful story told with the aid of his mechanical pen. The introduction of sound presented a series of problems that were entirely new to the projection field. To begin with, the sound equipment had only been subjected to superficial laboratory tests prior to its installation in the theater. These tests had been conducted under uniform and ideal conditions, by technicians who had developed a pace with the sound equipment. But theaters could not be re-constructed so as to make them ideal for the new sound installations. The physical conditions obtaining in many of the theaters were such that it was next to impossible to achieve the desired results. After the installation was made, the responsibility of operating and maintaining the sound equipment became the duty of the projectionist who had little or no knowledge of the complicated device, aside from a few hours of operating instruction. This unfamiliarity was not due to his indifference. There had been no opportunity to secure the technical information necessary or to prepare himself for this new responsibility. From the outset it was apparent there would be trouble. Many changes had to be made, before the sound equipment measured up to the exacting exhibition requirements of the modern motion picture theater. The projectionists who pioneered the introduction of sound have very right to feel a great satisfaction in the contribution they have made in the development of this epochal achievement. I feel one may safely say that the problems arising through the introduction of sound were far and away the most difficult with which projection room staffs had ever been confronted. The rren who have solved the problems in a practical and highly satisfactory manner are to be congratulated. They are deserving of the highest commendation from the entire industry for this splendid service. It is a pleasure to note that the better class of theaters have at last come to a realization of the importance of the projection room and are furnishing adequate and modern projectors and equipment, which enables the projectionist to produce proper screen results. It is to be regretted that many theaters are still using inadequate and antiquated equipment. Good projection requires good projectors. Poor screen results will do more to injure a theater's reputation and patronage than any other single factor. Bad projection and good business are never companions. Show me a theater where proper projection standards are not maintained, and I shall show you a theater where business is in the same category as its projection. I want to caution all of you who are projectionists against ever being satisfied with projection mediocrity. There is always room for improvement, no matter what has been accomplished. Perfection in projection has not been achieved, irrespective of the splendid progress that has been made. Let all of us who are interested in the advancement of the science of motion picture projection re-dedicate our purposes to the continuance of the struggle for better projection, a struggle not rooted in selfishness; an effort not in the interest of personal gain, but a contribution to the motion picture industry through cooperation and good will. A new to your method accurate NORMAL IMAGES from SOUND -ONFILM With POWERS-SIMPLEX-MOTIOGRAPH A New Lens Holder Centering Device Lens Holder Centering Device — Recently perfected — adaptable instantly projector requiring no adjustment of the mechanism. Positive speedchangeover from silent or sound disc to sound-on-film. accompanied by focus and perfect alignment. Write for Bulletin No. 42 CHICAGO CINEMA EQUIPMENT CO. 1752 N. Springfield Ave. Chicago, Illinois Claude Neon Electrical Reports Higher Earnings West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Los Angeles — The Claude Neon Electrical Products of Delaware reports for the nine months ended Sept. 30 net profits of $550,297, equal to $2.72 a share, an increase of 86 per cent over the same period last year. Net for the full current year is estimated at $800,000, an increase of 270 per cent over 1928, not including consolidated profits of the recently acquired Oregon company. Eollowing acquisition of Electrical Products Corp. of Washington, which is expected shortly, Neon plans to consolidate its remaining licensee, Electrical Products of Colorado. This will give the company control of the entire Western group of Neon licensees. New Disc Adopted by Watson Television Device At the suggestion of P. F. Pfeil. of Graf lens division of the QRS-DeYry Corp. a new and improved television disc has been adopted by Albert H. Watson in his television apparatus. The disc, which reflects the image to the audience, as originally designed by Watson, requires 48 concave mirrors, each separately adjusted and attached by three screws. The individual adjusting of the 48 mirrors was accomplished by forcing the mirror on a slitted edge of the disc, suggested by Pfeil, down into a cam arrangement below, thus automatically giving the necessary increased tilt to each of the successive mirrors. Air Column Horn to Be Distributed by A. E. Klein Cleveland — A. E. Klein, distributor of the Mellaphone and Perfectone sound recording apparatuses, has taken over the distribution of a new air column horn. One horn of this type is sufficient for any house up to 1,000 seats. Klein announced he will test the horn in any house equipped with dynamic speakers and prove to the exhibitor that the horn will remove all scratchy noises. Talkers in Bradford, Pa. Bradford, Pa. — Talkers have made their appearance at the Grand here. MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS of Every Type Consult Us and Save Money REPAIR SHOP with Experts on Professional Cameras Right on Premises uiicxwiGHBys ▼▼110 West 32"St. New *>*.»««• Phone Penna. 0330 Motion Picture Department U. S. and Canada Agents for Debris