Year book of motion pictures (1951)

MOTION PICTURE RESEARCH COUNCIL I T IS NOW three years since the Motion Picture Research Council was separated from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and, as a separate entity, became a California corporation. During the first two years we concentrated on projects leading to equipment, materials and methods immediately wanted and valuable in the production of motion pictures. This year our activities have aimed at greater emphasis on more basic, long-range problems of the industry. While this has necessarily reduced the number of completed projects, the story is being written and the script is being prepared for future accomplishments which may be of considerable importance to our industry. To review all of our accomplishments is not practical, but a few of the highlights may be desirable. The Research Council camera crane has proven its value in production during the past year. It is also used in two of the New York television studios and in film production, lioth in Canada and in England. The Houston Corp. is currently manufacturing an additional quantity, most of which have already been sold. The strippable adhesives developed by the Research Council for use on wall and floor coverings of various types, have found increasing use on the part of our member studios. One of these adhesives permits stripping wallpaper from hard fiats faster and easier than the old methods, prevents damage to flats, prolongs their life, and in many instances makes it unnecessary to strike a standing set. Where floor coverings are laid with this strippable adhesive, they can be removed without damage to either the Hoor or the floor covering. As the direct result of Research Council activity on sealed beam lamps, both the major lamp manufacturers are now making available to the industry special sealed beam lamps in accordance with Research Council specifications. While still in the lighting field, mention should be made of a new Fresnel lens developed at the request of the Research Council for use with the Type 170 arc iamp. This lens permits three lamps to do the work formerly done by four lamps. .After a very careful and thorough study of the problems of transporting equipment to location, the Research Council issued a report recommending a new type of transportation unit. The Research Council has developed three wind machines. A 72-inch "hurricane" wind machine for outdoor use, a 36-inch silent wind machine and an 18-inch silent wind machine, the latter two for use on the stage. The increasing use of color film on distant locations presents a special shipping problem. The Research Council has designed a container whose shipping weight is 100 pounds less than any comparable container presently in use in the industry. One of the important functions of the Research Council is to interest other research organizations and manufacturers in the problems of the motion picture industry. Such cooperation can be obtained only through an organization like ours. We have been able to consolidate the viewpoints of the various studios and to present a single coordinated proposal to these organizations. Our activities in this phase of our program have been most successful. Form an industry standpoint, this phase of our program enables us to interest organizations with large research facilities and manpower, and with our help they are able to channel their efforts in a direction which is of practical benefit to the industry. Many of the companies who are working with us are old friends of the industry and otheis are new to tire motion picture studios. These companies include film manufacturers, optical companies, chemical manufacturers, electrical manufacturers, and many specialty emulsions, faster camera lenses, heat filters, plastics, process screens, neutral density fillers, motors, set construction materials, flameproofing materials and many others. The impending change from a free economy to a managed economy will necessarily result in restrictions on materials, equipment and manpower for the production of motion pictures. The value of the time and materialsaving ideas which come from the Research Council will be materially increa ed under such an economy. 852