International photographer (Jan-Dec 1934)

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Roop kC-Y ' s 0 t-ut-^ 51 2 T Lii^ Fi^7 CU-FT * VOLUME Is It H Q to from the wall. This type of treatment stops excessive reverberation, but does not eliminate enough external noise being transmitted through the walls and consequently interfering with production. Concrete floors are not popular with the art department or the recording engineers. When a set is built on a concrete floor, a wooden sub-floor is usually necessary, and this generally causes a drumminess to the recorded sound. When a stairway is required in the set, it becomes necessary to build the entire structure on a high platform, in order to get sufficient height above the concrete. Air conditioning is absolutely necessary to sound stages, not only to keep fresh air circulating, but to keep the temperature down to a reasonable figure. When the air is 80 degrees Fahrenheit 4 feet above the stage floor, I have seen it 110 degrees on high spot light platforms. Large electric lights throw off much radiant heat which does not become heat until it strikes some object; if it happens to be the actor, it is torture. The only way to overcome this is by circulating air from the level of the stage floor, in well distributed locations, and taking it out through the topmost part of the stage. A large fan or blower is built on steel stilts on the outside of the stage, with a heavily sound insulated air duct and necessary fil ters passing to the circulating points. Complete air conditioning plants with automatic temperature and humidity control were installed in the first sound stages, but this is another expense which has been dropped by the major studios. Some stages fortunately are located in a sound shadow, other buildings are directly between the stage and the most troublesome sound source. At United Artists the office building forms an unbroken line between Santa Monica Boulevard and the stages. This is also true at Darmours. At RKO-Pathe there is a double line of buildings causing a sound shadow from Washington Boulevard. This is a great help, as the diffused sound is greatly reduced in force. First National is less fortunately situated, as some of their stages face directly on Dark Canyon Boulevard. The general complaint from the sound engineers that I know is that the stages which are good enough to keep out troublesome noise are too dead inside ; while the stages that are alive enough inside do not keep out the troublesome noise. However, to strike a happy medium, there is not much chance that anyone can design a sound stage that will do everything it might be supposed to do, for any and all recording. By the use of hard and soft flats, or reflectors, ideal conditions are closely approximated. EARL THEISEN'S HOLLYWOOD NOTE BOOK | HERE are some rootless persons who accept the world as their just due. They are those mugs who never show appreciation for courtesies extended them. It seems that I am one of them. Last month Reis & Fitzpatrick, photographers, gave me some photographs to illustrate my "In the Realms of Tricks and Illusions." It was through an oversight on my part that credit was not given them. Sorry, I'll be over in a couple of days with a cigar. * * * As little a thing as a bunch of grapes may present a problem in the making of a movie. Rudy Bylek drove some 1800 miles through California and Mexico trying to locate some Tokay grapes to be used in filming "Caravan. ' None were found, since the local variety won't be ripe until after Thanksgiving. The eastern cold storage houses were also called upon without success. After a number of cables were sent out over the world the grapes were located below the Equator in Argentina, where they are experiencing their Fall and the Argentina grapes are already being picked. That night several tons of grapes were put aboard a fast moving coldstorage boat. Four weeks later they arrived. You will see them in the wine making sequences in "Caravan." * * * The Fox Newsreel is going to be changed. On Labor Day the Fox Film will have its own exclusive coverages throughout the world. Lawrence Stallings will edit and Lowell Thomas will be the commentator, according to plans. See also pages 29 and 38. Please mention The International Photographer when corresponding with advertisers.