International projectionist (July-Dec 1934)

July 1934 INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST 19 objection to this new 0.945 sprocket, the finest job of its kind ever turned out, of a type that not only gives perfect service but actually reduces film mutilation in projection by at least five-sixths? The Sensitive Souls The answer to these questions lies in the experience of International Projector Corp. during the job of replacing the old sprocket by the new. It is nothing more or less than super-sensitive ears — projectionists' ears which, assailed by almost every conceivable kind of raucous noise in the projection room, surprisingly retain the ability of detecting the slight extra flapping sound between sprocket and film which is induced by the new 0.945 sprocket. It is freely admitted by all concerned that this new sprocket does give rise to a bit more noise than did the old 0.935 type. And, sad to relate, there is absolutely nothing that can be done in the way of supressing the noise. However, during a special demonstration arranged for this writer at the International factory, the extra bit of flapping noise resulting from the use of the new 0.945 sprocket did not shape up as a major worry for the projectionist. The noise is more "worrisome" than actual, and is this only because it is different from the sprocket noise heretofore experienced. Certainly this new 0.945 sprocket induces a noise differing from that produced by the old type sprocket, but it can be stated definitely that the difference is wholly one of character rather than of degree, is of such a level as to be infinitesimal and to require extremely close attention for its detection, and after a few days run should be lost in the Novel Fair Exhibit on Science of Seeing Electricity's assistance in promoting the science of seeing is vividly shown in the 1934 Science of Seeing exhibit at Chicago's World's Fair. Entirely new sound movie equipment both demonstrates and explains the use of light. The first demonstration is "Glare", in which by a novel arrangement are shown the effects of bright or dim light thrown upon the object looked at. Another demonstration is called "Contrast", in which objects are seen against varying backgrounds, and one may note the effects of change in the amount of light used. In a test of "Speed of Vision", the letters of the alphabet appear upon a revolving cylinder. This cylinder appears to revolve very rapidly under dim light so that the letters blur and become invisible, and under bright lighting the revolutions appear to become slower and the letters are easily read, the fact being that the cylinder revolves at fixed speed and that the device shows the increase in speed of vision under adequate light. myriad noises present in the projection room. Thus, by a somewhat devious route we come to the crux of this article, which is the bald statement that projectionists should concentrate on the manifold advantages of the new 0.945 sprocket and not be finicky or mulish about its "noise," admittedly different from that of other Answers To Questions (Questions on Page 7) 1. The two parts of a logarithm are the mantissa and the characteristic. The characteristic is that part to the left of the decimal point and is based upon the number of whole numbers in the figure under consideration. The mantissa is that part of the logarithm to the right of the decimal point and is based entirely upon the combination of numbers making up the figure under consideration. 2. To raise any number to a power by the method of logarithms, multiply the logarithm of the number by the power, the product being the anti-log of the desired answer. 3. The fact that the slide rule is based upon logarithmic principles. 4. (a) 5 + 7 + 24 + 36—8 + 2=? 74 — 8=66, Answer. (b) 61—25+56=? 117—25 = 92, Answer. (c) 8— 5 x 3+ (6 + 4+1) = ? 8—15+11=? 19 — 15 = 4, Answer. (d) V(4+5 x 2) +11=? V(4+10)+ll=? VH+11=? \/25 = 5, Answer. 5. 27y— 7b +3 21y + 18b— 17 Changing signs of the subtrahend and adding, 27y— 7b +3 — 21y— 18b+17 6y — 25b +20, Answer. 6. Multiplying, —7 x 6 =—42 —4 x —5 = 20 8 x 9=72 7. Dividing, 81 by 9=9 56 by —8 =—7 by -8-5% —53=— 125 42 — 16 — 25=— 32 —2*= 16 V16=4 type sprocket, but which is nothing at all to worry about. Of interest to those projectionists whom Nature has endowed with such delicately attuned ears is the information that International Projector Corp., secure in the knowledge that the new 0.945 sprocket is correct in every essential and constitutes a major contribution to the projection art, will proceed with the work of replacing the old-style sprockets with the new. In the opinion of this writer, the new 0.945 sprocket is not only right in every particular but represents a great advance in projection work. Those projectionists who persist in favoring their overly-sensitive auditory organs by carping about imaginary harmful noises are merely holding up the parade of progress. Cease and desist is the advice in order. Small-Town Character of Movie Business Shown PROOF that the motion picture industry is essentially a "small town" business was adduced in a recent survey which shows that out of a total of 16,849 theatres now operating throughout the United States, more than 10,000 have 500 seats or less. Further, some 11,000 of these theatres are located in towns having less than 20,000 population. Very Few De-Luxers There are only 110 theatres in the U. S. with 3.000 or more seats, which is even more than was generally thought. So much for these "big motion picture palaces" about which so much is written but which small-towners never see. Boiled down, the big punch of the summary is that more than 8,000 U. S. theatres seat less than 500, with fivesixths of all theatres being under the 1,000-seat mark. Complete figures follow: Population Cities Theatres Over 500,000 13 2,215 200,000 to 500,000 27 1,025 100,000 to 200,000 53 778 50.000 to 100,000 95 775 20,000 to 50,000 258 1,168 7.500 to 20,000 726 1,703 4,000 to 7,500 867 1,400 2,000 to 4,000 1,464 1,806 1,000 to 2,000 2,023 2,149 1,000 and less .." 3,734 3,830 TOTAL 9,260 16,849 Seats Theatres 3,000 and over 110 2,000—3,000 346 1,500—2,000 621 1,000—1,500 1,327 500—1,000 4,280 200— 500 8,190 200 and under 1,975 TOTAL 16,849'