International projectionist (Jan 1963-June 1965)

Sound Track by J. G. Jackson Cinemascope and Wide Screen have for the past ten years been going through a period of adjustment, with each settling down to its own aspect ration. In most theatres the Cinemascope picture is only a very few feet wider than the flat wide screen. In some, the depth is exactly the same for both Scope and Flat. Where there is a difference? It is only a matter of inches, so what's the percentage? How much better is Scope than Wide Screen, if at all? Not more than one percent of the theatre patrons know the difference between Cinemascope and Wide Screen. Furthermore not one of them give a hoot whether the picture is in Scope or Wide Screen. I doubt if any customer buys a ticket to see a show just because it's in Scope. Let's face it, it is the story that brings the patrons to the box office, the Gimmick called Aspect Ratio has lost its appeal, if it ever had any. I am not going to argue which is better, but I do think it is high time the industry accepted one or the other as a standard and make all release prints accordingly. Ten years of teething should be sufficient for the industry to arrive at a point of standardization. Such a move would eliminate all the confusion of changing lenses, apertures and screen maskings countless times during a show. All of which does nothing to sell tickets at the box office. I would like to hear from readers as to what they think would be best to accept as a standard. Dear J. G.: Regarding curtain-cues — I always use a red pencil to put them on and I rub it off when I ship out. The so called Kid and Drive In operators in some places in N.C. and S.C. are doing most of the change over cue damage. Ernest Tipton Gastonia, N. C. Dear J.G.: First, let me say that I am very happy to see an article such as yours back in the I. P. I feel that manv projectionists enjoyed an article that was opened to comment. I know myself that 1 profited from the ideas 8 and comments that I have read in the past. In answer to your comment in the last (May) issue of LP. I would like to express my sentiments. If the exchanges did cue the end of a feature for curtain it would certainly cut down on what I call mutilating of film. However, I don't think this mutilating of film will ever end. Fortunately, I have never been employed in a theatre with this problem, but they must exist. These theatres are using undersized apertures for their anamorphic prints. Apparently these apertures are so small that the cue marks will be blocked from the screen. If these fellows would use a crayon or something that can be erased from the film after their use, it would certainly be appreciated by a great many in the craft. However there are a certain few that scratch the film from the cue in, thus enabling them to make a change-over. More than once I have cut these scratches out of an entire feature and then re-cued it One, a real artist had the letter "R" scratched inside the cue marks. Whoever he may be he doesn't belong in a projection room. If some of these fellows who have a very small aperture would please use a crayon instead of scratching the film it would certainly be appreciated by a great number of projectionists. James Bursey West Palm Beach, Fla. Dear J. G.: Your column in LP. May 1964 was very good. We could certainly use a curtain cue and yours is a good suggestion. As for the change over cues, why the heck don't the operators just leave the prints alone without punching holes, scratches, etc. They are all right just as they are. Lawrence Scheverer New York Dear J. G.: As a regular reader of LP., may I congratulate you on "Sound Track." It will allow conscientious Projectionists to contribute their ideas with the view of reaching an ultimate in projection standard throughout our industry and by so doing, adding to the enjoyment of that most important individual, the Patron. Every theatre has different cur Address your cards and letters to Sound Track, 1645 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, Minn., 55403. Dupage Automatic Dry Splicer Now in 16mm An easy to use motion picture splicer, that splices and tapes both sides of your film at once, is now available in 16mm as well as 8mm models. Designed for color and black and white film (sound or silent), these DuPage splicers combine three features to make splicing faster and better. Special strong, thin, filmbacked tape is dispensed by a roll built right into the splicer. The new 16mm all metal die cast model is $12.95. 8mm models range from $4.95 to $7.95. (For additional information write DuPage Products. Box 295, Lombard, 111. Request folder No. S-7). Pictured above is the DuPage Automatic Dry Splicer, available in both 16 & 8mm sizes. tain speeds, and — as found in Melbourne (Australia) — times range from 30 seconds down to 10 seconds closing time. Because of these variations, these are my suggestions for a cueing system compatible to all requirements — 1. "The End" titles to be made to a standard 30 second length, where there is no cast-titling. 2. A series of inconspicuous count down numbers at 5 second intervals be printed in the top right corner starting at 25 seconds, then 20, 15 and 10 seconds from the end. These numbers should be printed on similarly to the framing guide lines originally printed onto the start of spools on Vistavision prints which went unnoticed to the general patron. This should give plenty of latitude for any theatre anywhere and help in eliminating the most annoying mutilation of curtain cueing. You may recall that big M.G.M. productions such as "King of Kings'', "Mutiny on the Bounty", and "Ben Hur", bad very long end and Intermission titles, about the length which has been suggested. Clayton, Victoria, Australia B. A. Quigley International Projectionist October, 1964