International projectionist (Oct 1931-Sept 1933)

PRACTICAL PROBLEMS OF THE PROJECTIONIST REPORT OF PROJECTION PRACTICE COMMITTEE, SOCIETY OF MOTION PICTURE ENGINEERS PROJECTION provides the industry's closest contact with the public, whose continued patronage is dependent largely upon the quality of the projected picture and the reproduced sound — the finished product which embodies the work of all other branches of the industry. Acceptance of the foregoing fact leads naturally to a consideration of the means available for maintaining at all times a high standard of quality. The Committee feels that every facility that aids, even remotely, in maintaining a high standard of projection should willingly be provided. A serious deficiency in the projection field heretofore has been the lack of an efficient test medium that would enable the speedy and convenient detection and correction of various defects common to both visual and sound apparatus. To meet this requirement, the Committee, in collaboration with the RCA A/'ictor Company, Inc., has devised a test reel that serves two distinct purposes in that it provides a means of accurately checking both the visual and the sound equipment. This film is suitable for use on all makes of equipment arranged for projecting film<^ that conform to the specifications of the Standard Release Print. The test reel is about 1,000 feet long, of which about 500 feet are devoted to various -targets (test objectives), to be used for detecting optical defects, the remaining 500 Jeet providing various means of testing sound quality. The latter section 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 " ^g 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 i 1 0 1 Unquestionably the greatest factor in elevating projection standards is the Projection Practice Committee of the S. M. P. E. Here is a group of unselfish individuals who work throughout the year, their common purpose the raising of projection standards, their work unattended by ballyhoo and their only reivard the satisfaction in a job well done. Craft recognition and cooperation is denied this group, surprisingly enough, . despite their record of accomplishment and the fact that there exists no modern projection room that does not reflect the influence of this Committee. International Projectionist is proud to publish the findings of this Committee and prouder still to list here the names of this unselfish group of men tvorthy of the name of craftsmen: HARRY RUBIN, Chairman J. O. Baker Thad C. Barrows George Edwards James J. Finn C. Flannagan Sam Glauber Chauncey Greene Herbert Griffin Jesse Hopkins W. C. Kunzmann R. H. McCullough P. A. McGuire Rudolph Miehhng F. H. Richardson Victor Welman Fig. 1. Travel-ghost target has sound tracks on both margins of the film, thus providing an effective test footage of approximately 1,000 feet. Optical Test Section The "optical" section of the test film will be considered first. It contains five test targets with appropriate descriptive legends in the following order: (1) Travel-ghost. (2) Picture-jump. (3) Vertical lines for testing marginal and radial aberration of the projection lens. (4) Horizontal lines for testing the marginal and radial aberration of projection lens. (5) Small squares for checking focus. 1. Travel Ghost Target (Fig. 1). — Unless the shutter is properly adjusted and timed, "travel-ghost" will be evidenced by the blurring of the bright portions of the screen into the dark portions, with resulting loss of detail in the vertical direction. The target consists of white geometric forms on a black field. Travelghost may be considered to have been eliminated when the outlines of these white forms are clearly and sharply defined on the screen against the black field. [12] 2. PictureJump Target (Fig. 2). — This target consists of two rows of white rectangles placed corner to corner along the diagonals of the screen image, against a black field. The amount of picturejump can be measured with a ruler held against the screen at the top or bottom of any of these rectangles. By holding the ruler to the vertical side of any of these rectangles, the amount of side-motion, or weave, may be determined. 3. Vertical Line Target (Fig. 3). — This target consists of a series of white vertical lines against a black field. Projection of this image in sharp focus over the entire area of the screen by a lens in one position, in this and in the following test, stamps the lens as one that is commonly referred to as having a "flat field." If, on the other hand, marginal aberration is present, it will be indicated by a blurring of the lines at the sides of the screen. Radial aberration will be . indicated by a blurring of the lines at the top and bottom of the screen. 4. Horizontal Line Target (Fig. 4). — This target serves the same purpose as the preceding target, except that it is partly intended to compen