Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers (1930-1949)

Record Details:

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March, 1930] A YEAR OF SOUND 305 operation. In our Grauman's Chinese and Carthay Circle Theaters in Los Angeles such controls are mounted on a small panel in a seat on the orchestra floor where the volume and tonal quality of sound is controlled from the vantage point of a place in the audience. Speech must be audible. Many theater patrons have been lost because of speech not being audible. Others have condemned sound because it was too loud. It is very essential that an observer be placed in the audience, at all times, so that the sound may be governed accordingly. No one can doubt that with the development of sound synchronization electrical science has entered the entertainment field. It is to be expected that the great electrical organizations will take an ever increasing interest in the future of the industry. Organizations such as the American Telephone & Telegraph Company through its subsidiary, the Western Electric Company, the General Electric Company, the Westinghouse Electric Company, and the Radio Corporation will further encourage the development of sound and will make available to the public the resources of their laboratories. In view of this interest the possibilities of motion picture entertainment may be said to have scarcely been scratched. Newer methods and revolutionary improvements will come in direct ratio to the scientific facilities applied to them. This will probably bring to a practical solution such problems as stereoscopics as well as the further development of natural color. The possible future of the motion picture screen, with animation, sound, color, third dimension, and screen magnification, gives unbounded play to the imagination. Eventually there could be such perfection along these lines that one entering a theater and seeing such an exhibition for the first time will get the impression that he is actually seeing and hearing living people in action. Already we have sound, color photography, and the double width screen. The double width film is now being developed by different organizations. It is hoped that standardization will guide them in their final development, if the double width motion picture is to be accepted by the industry under the most favorable auspices. By this means an image of wider vista may be extended through the proscenium opening. To bring the innovation to the public will require important changes, involving new cameras and projectors, as well as new screens. In production, the optical and photographic principles involve a new technic in set construction, as well as lighting. Pessimistic forecasts concerning the sound motion picture have been