International projectionist (Jan 1959-Dec 1960)

AUDIO VISUAL EDUCATIONAL • INDUSTRIAL • COMMERCIAL A Two-Sided View of Filmstrip Technique COMMENT: Some critical notes anent our "Notes on Filmstrip Technique" (IP, October, 1958, p. 15) appear on the following page. We welcome this commentary if only on the basis that the world needs not so much to be told as to be reminded. If our comments be provocative, we fulfill our function. We stated that "some manufacturers offer free replacement of filmstrips which have been damaged in use" — the manufacturer's comment being that the "suitable" word should have been "majority" instead of "some." This difference of opinion anent semantics still brings us back to the fact that replacement charges for each strip damaged accidentally run from 25 to 75 cents, a not inconsiderable charge against budget-ridden departments. Nobody questions the validity of the statement that, on the cost basis, the "free replacement" comment should have been qualified, as previously stated. We suggested that additional footage would be useful in confining any potential damage to an area of the strip which does not contain pictorial information. The manufacturers state that at a recent meeting in Chicago they adopted a recommendation for additional leader film. They say that this change was adopted for the simple reason that certain filmstrip projectors require extra length "so that the entire mechanism could be engaged before the first picture was on the screen." Relatively unimportant is the fact that the precise reason for additional leader may differ from the one assigned Religious Film Guide Purchasers of religious films and strips may obtain the 4th Edition of "Audio-Visual Resource Guide," published by the Department of AudioVisual and Broadcast Information, National Council of Churches, 257 4th Avenue, New York 10, N. Y. — a useful addition to the A-V library. Purchasers of items in the religious field will find this objective evaluation of materials by an impartial committee of invaluable help, particularly in saving hours of screening time. by us. We are aggressively more interested in the fact that such a change will make the use of filmstrips more satisfactory. The concensus stemming from a survey conducted by IP is that damage to opening frames used for threading purposes was "quite common in some of the earlier projectors where the gates swung open and it was necessary to properly place the filmstrip on the feed sprocket". The manufacturer quite correctly points out that projectors manufactured today in almost every case provide for push-in threading, but there are many who are forced to use obsolete equipment. Damage to opening frames does occur all too frequently on any equipment under certain conditions; we repeat that those who experience difficulty in this regard would do well to add more leader to filmstrips until such time as the new manufacturers' recommendation is generally adopted. Showing simple arrangement to provide film transport cues to filmstrip projector operator The boxes in the playback scheme indicate the point at which volume attenuation and impedance matching devices may be inserted. The box No. 1 represents a suitable resistance pad; box No. 2 indicates a transformer or resistance matching pad. Those who read the item "New Filmstrip Sound For The Old," (IP for November 1958, p. 14) might do well to observe closely the automatic slide projector described in the same issue (p. 17). If the features of manual operation need be retained, we emphasize that a two-channel recorder of the stereophonic variety may be used without costly modification for producing transport signals which are inaudible to a group. The accompanying illustration shows the steps required for this type of operation. Here we have reserved the second track of the tape for the signal which indicates a change of slides to the operator. While this method does not permit of the automatic operation of the projector, it may serve those organizations which may not immediately be able to make use of the fullyautomatic equipment. Never allow the heat filter to remain out of the light path. Serious damage may result to the center and end frames of a strip by the removal or breakage of the heat filter. One year ago, we were asked to furnish song slides for a children's Christmas party. The type desired were in the popular vein such as "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Jingle Bells," etc. It was a distinct surprise to us in consulting normal channels that such filmstrips or slides are not readily found. Perhaps some of our readers have had similar experiences. — Joseph F. Holt. R. A. Mitchell Comments Without solicitation, and as a contributing editor to IP, I was intensely disturbed to read on the advance galleys that Mr. Holt's presentation in the October issue was deemed by a filmstrip JjhU MICROPHONE PLACED IN fitrft ISOLATED SPOT: BUZZER ~Tj£_ Oli CHIMES RECORDED TO !<-— GIVE TRANSPORT CUE RECORDING SCHEME DESIRED COMMENTARY. RECORDED BY MEANS OF THIS CHANNEL STEREOPHONIC RECORDER PLAYBACK SCHEKE USUAL SPEAKER SYSTEM TOR VIEWERS 14 INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST • JANUARY 1959