International projectionist (Oct 1931-Sept 1933)

HOW TO JUDGE SOUND PICTURE RECORDING QUALITY Charles Felstead IT IS a difficult matter for persons not actively engaged in sound picture work to judge a production from the standpoint of sound quality with a reasonable degree of accuracy in indicating where fault, if any, exists in the recording. Yet, with a little training in sound evaluation, with some knowledge of the characteristics that make recorded sound poor or good, it becomes fairly easy to judge the relative merits of any example of sound recording, regardless of the types of sound recording and reproducing equipment and the recording medium employed. It must of course be known that the fidelity of the reproducing equipment used is as good as the average ; otherwise loss of quality due to the reproducing equipment would be attributed to the original recording. Where it is desired merely to make a comparison of quality between two sound tracks that run in sequence on the same projection equipment, the fidelity of the equipment is not a material factor. But to evaluate a single sound record for its individual characteristics requires that the reproducing equipment be as good as possible. The following short cut in judging sound quality is based on the assumption that the reproducing equipment employed has at least average fidelity. Sound Quality Evaluation The following form is supplied to Academy members for making personal memoranda at the annual exhibition of pictures for the purpose of granting the Sound Recording Award. Since all phases of recording must be considered, the form is necessarily rather elaborate. Even so, it requires but a minute to fill it in: 1. Production: Studio: 3. Articulation: Excellent Fair.. Poor 4. Sound Quality: Harsh Smooth.. Dull 5. Sets: Live Average Dead.. 6. Acoustic Perspective: Excellent.. Fair Poor Frequency Characteristic: Highs: Lows: Ground Noise: Loud Medium.. Low Remarks: 7. Sound Character: Dialogue: Clear Rounded Muffled Distorted Music: Clear Rounded Muffled Distorted In making this record of sound quality, check marks are employed wherever possible to simplify the work. The names of the production and the studio at which it was made are entered at 1 in the form. In recording the sound character, the quality of the dialogue and music in the sound track are indicated by cheek marks. The meanings of the terms clear and rounded should be evident; and by mujjled is meant speech or music which sounds as though it were spoken into a barrel. It is difi^erent from distortion, which is usually due Observations , , . Subsequent developments confirmed this viewpoint. The essence of the NIRA is compulsory observance of a spread of employment and a minimum wage. A "minimum wage" does not mean the only wage, however, as wages over and above the minimum requirements of a given code still remain a matter for "collective bargaining" between employer and employee. A code for the legitimate theatre has already been submitted, and practically unanimous agreement was obtained to maintain stagehands' pay at the rate prevailing on July 1. All contracts will continue in force. The motion picture code, in which projectionists will be included, undoubtedly will approve existing projectionist wage scales. The only possible fight will concern the number of projectionists on a shift — our old friend, the two-men question popping up again. As an organization, projectionists have done nothing by way of preparing for such a battle, and they have no foundation upon which to rest their contentions. Such efforts would be extending aid to dual unions, don't you know? However, thanks to certain individuals, to whom the buck was passed by those who followed a policy of looking wise and doing nothing, much valuable information on this point is available. [ Permit Men Status ''■''HE New York Supreme Court decision relative to the -* effort of 327 permit men to gain full membership in Local 306 (reprinted verbatim in this issue) while favorable to the Local, does not settle this vexing question. Next month, or six months from now, or a year from now another group of permit men will begin a similar action elsewhere, with ultimate success practically assured. It is one thing to stand upon the "rights" of organized labor to control conditions of membership; but it is something else again to be sure that organized labor will always be judged on a strictly legalistic basis. Labor will be wisely advised indeed if it comes speedily to the conclusion that permit men cannot forever be bound by the restrictions now imposed upon them. The payment of per capita tax on permit men, considered a smart move when legislated at Columbus, comes pretty close to being taxation without representation in that it constitutes payment for "privileges" as yet undetermined and certainly not enjoyed by permit men. Buck-passing will not suffice longer to keep this situation under control. These remarks should not be construed as urging favorable action toward permit men ; but they do constitute a plea for decisive action one way or the other before the privilege of deciding is usurped by the courts. James J. Finn. 22]