International projectionist (Jan 1963-June 1965)

INTERNATIONAL PROJ ECTIONIST Including a special Audio-Visual section relating to the operation and maintenance of A-V equipment in the educational and industrial fields. Volume 39 February, 1964 No. 2 FRANK W. COOLEY, JR. Editor and Publisher RAY GALLO Executive Publisher AL BLOOM Managing Editor TOM KENNEDY Equipment Editor RAY GALLO ASSOCIATES National Advertising Representatives 545 Fifth Avenue, New York 17, N. Y. Telephone Murrayhill 7-7746 (Area Code 212) IN THIS ISSUE That Vital Leader Footage By Robert A. Mitchell New Strong Lamp XeTRON for Rear Projection The Cover Story 10 11 Harry Rubin, Part 2 13 News Notes — Technical Hints — Miscellaneous Notes INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST, published monthly by the International Projectionist Publishing Co. division of The Northern Publishing Co., Post Office Box 6174, Minneapo'is 24, Minnesota. Editorial offices, 1645 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis 3, Minn. Subscription Representatives: AUSTRALIA — McGills, 183 Elizabeth St., Melbourne; NEW ZEALAND — Wixon's, Ltd., 64 Courtnay Place, Wellington; ENGLAND and ELSEWHERE — Wm. Dawson & Sons, Ltd., Macklin St., London, W. C. 2. Subscription Rates: United Stores, Canada, and U. S. Possessions, $3.00 per year (12 issues) and $5.00 for two years (24 issues). Foreign countries: $4.00 per year and $7.00 for two years. Changes of address should be submitted four weeks in advance of publication date to insure receipt of current issue. Second-class postage paid at Minneapolis, Minn. INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST assumes no responsibility for personal opinions appearing in signed articles, or for unsolicited articles. Entire contents copyrighted 1963 by INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST PUBLISHING CO. <2^^ta> International Projectionist February, 1964 MONTHLY CHAT THE DESIGN FOR PROJECTION ROOMS Thank heaven for new theatres. They're designed and constructed around the projection room, enabling the craftsman t<> act around his machines. The older theatres, except for the downtown city houses, have their quota of cages and what-nots, where in b\ dint of much squeezing, a pair of projectors and rewind bench nestle up to one another in an effort to remain within the confines of the space so grudgingh allowed them. In spite of the increasing recognition of the importance which is attached to the projection in motion picture theatres, no small number of freaks in the projection room design continue to make their appearance. The question might logicalh he asked: "In what manner do improperly designed projection rooms affect the presentation of the pictures on the screen?" It is true that the effects of relatively minor errors in design are seldom visible on the screen, since they but serve to make the craftsman work harder in order to overcome the handicaps needlessly and thoughtlessly Imposed upon him. The major errors, however, of which the undersized projection room is perhaps the most serious, result in the curtailment of equipment ami the effects of such curtailment are plainly visible to an experienced observer, since certain elements which are necessary to a well balanced program must be sacrificed, due to the lack of projection equipment. The construction of which dates back to the times when the builders held less tolerant views concerning tin importance of projection than do those now engaged in the business of exhibition. In the final analysis, the responsibility for such errors rests with the architect, or at least with some member of his organization whose duty it is to look after such details. Indirectly, the owner of the theatre is to blame, since he should see to it that where the architect is incapable of handling the design of the projection room with all its ramifications, the logical person to call upon for assistance is the chief, or senior projectionist, and the supply house. Even where the architect is experienced in such matters, the projectionists should be consulted — -while the plans are being drawn and not after the construction of the theatre has advanced to such a stage that the size of the pro jection room governs the amount of the equipment to be used rather than letting the selected equipment determine the size of the booth. There is a simple way, of course. The owner of the theatre could ask a competent projectionist to supervise the selection of equipment, and charge him with the responsibility of seeing to it that all matters per taming to projection are carried out in strict accordance with the plans. The owner should then go to the architect with a list of proposed equipment and a notation of the space required by each piece and insist that the projection room be of a size sufficienf to meet the necessary space requirements. UP