Year book of motion pictures (1951)

handle and to install. The screen surface is a silver-coated white material, a product of the Williams Screen Co. of Akron, O. It is tear-proof and weather-proof and can be used in outdoor as well as indoor houses. It's perforated. Norpat Sales, Inc., of New York City, of which M. D. "Doc" Faige is head, has been appointed as general agents for the distribution of the Trans-Color screen. Radiant Makes Contributions To Better Film Projection gEVERAL CONTRIBUTIONS to better projection of films and slides were made last year by the Radiant Manufacturing Corp. of Chicago. Th« most important development was the use of Radiant's new Vyna-Flect glass-beaded screen surface on its Model "DLS" Screenmaster and Model "EC" wall and ceiling type projecting screens as standard equipment. This fabric is washable, mildew-proof and flame-proof and does not turn yellow. The firm introduced its Sky-Lift, a single tripod holder for large wall and ceiling type screens, permitting these large size units to be used either as a platform screen or floor screen where it is impractical or impossible to support the unit from the wall or ceiling. Years of research into aluminized silver fabrics for threedimensional projection brought about the addition of the Radiant Stereomaster portable tripod screen, which is made in two sizes, 40"x40" and 50 x50 , and is seamless. The Automatic, electrically operated projection screen with sizes from 6 x8 to 9'xl2', was improved considerably. Radiant will continue to feature its Per-Fold matte white perforated theater screen. This year will see the continuation of Radiant's complete line of portable tripod wall and wall and ceiling screens. The year will record the delivery of the "XL" Picturemaster, a beautifully styled, durably constructed portable trpiod screen in sizes ranging from 63"x84" to 72" 96". Despite material shortages every effort will be made to keep the factory producing at the maximum possible level to insure availability of Radiant Screens for important film markets throughout the country. Sales Volume of Bay tone Shows Increase Over 1949 JN 19 50 the Ray tone Screen Corp.'s volume of sales increased over 1949. The firm's principal activity during the year was in theater sound screens utilizing a vinyl plastic coating considered by the company superior to other matte white surfaces. Other products marketed during the year were Raytone carbon savers, drive-in screen paint, cleaning light stands, theater lighting fixtures, downlights, directory signs and box office price signs. New Raytone products for 195 1 include a device called the "Speaker-lok" and a new allvinyl screen called "Pantex." The "Speaker-lok" prevents theft of drive-in speakers by locking one front car wheel until the speaker is returned to its position. The "Pantex" screen has all the desirable characteristics of other Raytone screens plus greater resistance to tearing, fruit acids and alkalies and is indefinitely pliable, can be shipped folded and is somewhat lower in cost. Other new products are planned for 1951. Williams Claims Biggest Sales Volume in History ^^^ILLIAMS SCREEN CO. claims to have sold more screens during 19 50 than any previous year. Early in the year it began supplying screens through the Ballantyne Co. and thereby developed a nation-wide distribution. It also continued selling screens direct. The firm is entering its fourth year of manufacturing seamless, all-plastic screens. Either white or silver reflective finishes are available. Williams still has screen refinishing crews operating in many states to resurface white and silver screen as a special service. Market for Glascreen Is Reported Expanded Abroad 'JpHE MARKET for Glascreen, produced by NuScreen Corp. of New York, last year was extended to Lebanon, India, South Africa and other far-off places. The market is being still further expanded this year to include Australia and Japan. The company says it "has been working overtime" to take care of its backlog of order, from theaters in this country and abroad. Foreseeing that the defense needs of the nation were going to curtail essential materials, among them fiberglas, of which Glascreen is made, the NuScreen Corp. provided for sufficient inventories to take care of all its customers, and the firm feels assured that its present stocks "can take care of the current demand for Glascreen for some time to come." Use of Firestone's Velon Extended to Screen Making 'pHE USE OF VELON, a plastic made by the Firestone Plastics Co., was extended to the production of motion picture screens. The product went into the manufacture of the RCAdistributed Snowhite vinyl screen, said to be the first entirely of plastic made available to theaters. Special advantages of the Velon screen are that it is resistant to creasing, mildew and flame, impervious to soap and water and economical in cost. Velon plastic is a calendered vinyl in 12 gauge, and was specially fabricated by Firestone to RCA specifications. It contains chemical components to resist stains and chemical change and is pigmented throughout to give it a bright white surface, providing a most satisfactory reflection value. It is embossed to insure high diffusion of reflected light at all viewing angles, which results in a bright picture for patrons in any part of the theater. Particularly clean perforations are possible with the all-plastic material. 635