International projectionist (Jan 1963-June 1965)

start, or what they will need, or with whom to counsel, who can really guide them and who really knows. "W ith no new. up-to-date guide line? and requirements to go by for today s streamlined functional theatre an inexperienced person is bound to make costly errors and come up with obsolete facilities. View the Future "Here, again, research by a group such as yours can be invaluable to the industry, Guess work — personal opinion — tradition must go. Everything must start with the customer and end with the customer — his needs, his like-, his wa\ of life: anil with vision to the future. "\K company has been ver) active in this new expansion program; has completed several new projects, both conventional and drive-in theatre-. And there air man\ more in the planning stage. \\ e need many replacementof obsolete facilities, not only in metropolitan areas, hut in town of 25,000 to 100,000 population, as well. "The tremendous cost of these completed projects has made our officials consider each project more carefully. It would be m\ guess that others interested in expansion and improvement are finding the same condition. "It would also he m\ guess that for ever) new project under ua\ or completed, there are at least twenty to thirty more which are desired and needed, but which have been shelved or halted. "In my company, those of us in the design and construction field have been challenged by our top management to do something about this problem: to produce a new. deluxe conventional theatre for $300. per seat, complete in ever) respect, fulh equipped, exclusive of land cost. The past completed theatres have been costing between $400. to S600. per seat. This means cutting the cost of an average 800-seat. equipped theatre by $50,000.00 to $100,000.00. Can Be Done "This, you may say. is impossible. Yet, every indication is that it can and will be done. it can not be done by some of our ancient standards. "Getting back to the challenge of creating a greatly reduced cost on our new theatre . . . "\X e cut our over-building height by 30" by using the former attic space to mount draperies and tracks. This eliminates a valance and also International Projectionist cut out another 14,000 cubic feet from the auditorium, helping on heating and air conditioning requirements and future costs. This also improves the picture presentation. "Electrical systems can and are being simplified, primarily in the projection booth, and simplification of the main distribution system. While some of this ma) create a few extra steps for theatre personnel, it -a\es thousands of dollars in first cost and later maintenance. "Catwalks through the attic have been eliminated by discarding old standards — new engineering and adapting new type fixtures, lhiitem. alone, saves approximated $3,000.00. "New approaches to traffic patterns of patrons entering and exiting also conserve precious square feet. b\ rmfing normally waste -pace to w or' " \ unique use of common materials has eliminated plaster or acou-tical materials for auditorium sidewalls not < overed l>\ draperies. New Products "Special products ha\e been developed in conjunction with standard. inexpensive T Grid acoustical ceiling products, which eliminate the appearance of the grids, making possible a one-hour rated ceiling at 2.V . less COSt from normal method-. "Win can't we gel manufacturers to consider the problems and the cost he creates in the use of his product? The market i large enough to warrant consideration. "If \ou will recall my previous remarks, nowhere have I mentioned eliminating, changing or cheapening any item or phase of the composite theatre which would diminish in any wa\ the esthetic atmosphere — the comfort — the functional qualities — the maintenance — the abilit\ to present motion pictures as they should be presented. Because all of these are primary, and are of extreme importance. "I have not covered drive-in theatres. Here again, most are still in the cow pasture stage. Prestige is seriouslv lacking. "We need improvements, studies, research, and cost reductions in every phase of the composite theatre, tuned to today's and tomorrow's needs: functional design of building, use of materials, boxoffice equipment and security control, floor coverings, lighting and electrical, seating, adver (Please turn to page 18) June, 1964 35 and 70mm "teg** —