International projectionist (Jan 1959-Dec 1960)

"ve>4 International PROJECTIONIST R. A. ENTRACHT, Publisher JAMES J. FINN, Editor R. A. MITCHELL, Contributing Editor Volume 34 JANUARY 1959 No. 1 Index and Monthly Chat 3 New Insight Into the Carbon Arc 5 Robert A. Mitchell Ampex Mag-Optical Converter for Theatre Sound Systems 8 Book Review 10 Devious Ways of Light and Lenses 11 H. E. ROSENBERGER Versatility of Film Cited by Kodak Executive ... 11 Audio-Visual Section: A Two-Sided View of Filmstrip Technique .... 14 Joseph F. Holt Not at All Quiet on the Filmstrip Front — What Happens? Just This 15 In the Spotlight: "Iterate and Reiterate Anent "Videotape" Technique 16 "Stereo" — The Magic Word Today: What it is and What it Does 18 Features of the Victor "1600" Carbon Arc Projector 18 IA Elections 20 News Notes — Miscellaneous Items — Technical Hints INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST, published monthly by the International Projectionist Publishing Co., Inc., 19 West 44 Street, New York 36, R. A. Entracht, President. 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Entire contents copyrighted 1959 by INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST PUBLISHING CO., INC. j 420 mo/rfkty ghat That Old Devil Toll-TV Again NOT long ago, last March to be exact, this corner expressed wonderment at the opposition of organized labor to pay-TV. We cited the testimony of David Sarnoff. board chairman of RCA. before a Congressional committee to the effect that toll-TV would kill what he described as "free" TV. With this view IP is wholly in agreement — and even more — our notion being that pay-TV would not only kill "free" TV but also toll-TV. This is the reason why IP, practically alone among those who are interested in the welfare of the organized crafts — including the talent and technical production forces — could never and does not now "buy" the argument against toll-TV. Its reluctance to accept the argument advanced is based not alone upon the nauseating technique employed in presenting old movies on pay-TV but rather on the simple fact that the imposition of a charge for viewing the large slices of tripe offered on TV today, and not alone the old movies shown, would quickly chase people out of their homes in search of other entertainment. This opinion was buttressed by an item which appeared in "Film Daily," esteemed newspaper of filmdom. We quote from an informative column therein conducted by Phil M. Daly: "Speaking of TV, Phil M. the other day found one large theatre operator who is very much in favor of tollTV. The gentleman, in fact, said he wished all TV was on a fee basis. 'The quickest way to eliminate TV as a serious theatre competitor is to introduce the admission charge,' he argued. 'That would shrink the sale of sets and the sets now in homes would be turned off far more than they would be turned on.' the circuit man added." IP wishes to add to the foregoing statement a fervent ■Amen". Industry's Will for Self-Destrucrion What a pity it is that the Motion Picture Research Council has terminated its traveling field staff which for the past two years has done excellent work in the interest of efficient and mutually beneficial interchange of information between the production and theatre branches of the industry. During this period the field staff, all highly competent technicians, visited more than 700 first and second-run theatres in 100-odd cities, applying rigid tests to visual and aural projection units and offering recommendations for improvement to exhibitors. That such a service was sorely needed and constituted a boon to exhibitors is indicated by a list of only the chief deficiencies exposed: focus, screen brightness levels, focal length of lenses, screen masking, print damage, and drive-in theatre optical standards. Council President Dr. William F. Kelly stated that there will be "continuing studies of theatre problems"; but it is obvious to practically everybody in the field that even with the best will in the world these "studies" will fade away almost to the vanishing point. "The cost." said Dr. Kelly, "can no longer be borne by the producers alone." Mark well these mournful words from an industry which now charges an admission price of from one to three dollars for a single picture — and for which a single "star" gets as much as $750,000! INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST JANUARY 1959 3