Kinematograph year book (1944)

278 The Kinematograph Year Book. agents are employed in the attainment of the highest speeds with minimum grain size. Mr. Thome Baker sums up with the hint of some substantial advance in the speed and quality of post-war negative film. Restrictions in the use of raw stock, although they set a thorny problem to the Trade, were not unexpected. It is recognised that the nitrocellulose base of the commercial entertainment film was an essential war material, and this with the scarcity of raw materials, the limited capacity of manufacturers, added to the huge requirements as regards raw stock base of both our own and American Government Departments was bound to exceed the available supply. The result was the 25 per cent, cut in film allocation which led to an adjustment of British releases and a campaign among producers against wasteful and careless production practices. One effect of the Government use of film has been an increase in the manufacture of acetate base, which is widely used in aerial and other Service work. It has the prime advantages of being non-inflammable and less liable to shrinkage than the ordinary celluloid base. Manufacture, however, is a considerably more lengthy process. The use of fine grain films for both sound negatives and prints and release positives is now almost universal in Hollywood. The reduction in film surface noise has permitted a much higher quality of reproduction, paiticularly for critical dialogue and musical sequences. This inci eased use of fine grain has been rendered possible by the higher optical efficiency arising from the adoption of coated lenses. Gevaart, Ltd. — Since the outbreak of war, Gevaert have established a fully equipped film factory at Williamstown, Mass., U.S.A., which is now working to capacity, and they are planning to resume their place in the world markets as soon as hosilities cease. The situation at Gevaert 's principal factory in Antwerp is obscure and it is not possible to issue any very definite news as to post-war functioning. Ilford Limited.— "When the wheels of industry turn again for peaceful purposes photographers everywhere, and particularly kine photographers, will appreciate the untiring work of Ilford Research Laboratories. At the present time their main efforts are directed to the war needs of the fighting services, but when once again supplies flow freely from manufacturer to user the kine trade will gain abundantly from the knowledge and experience which have accrued during the war years. One outstanding example has aheady been seen in Series III 35-mm. panchromatic negative film, which, although unfortunately available only in very limited quantity, has demonstrated the possibilities of a reconciliation between what have hitherto been two opposites in photographic emulsions, namely, extreme speed and fineness of grain. The sound recordist of the future is also likely to reap much benefit from the experience which has been gained during the past four or five years. Whilst it is premature to talk about the film of the future, there is not the least doubt that Ilford will be able to provide a very wide range of products accommodating every requirement of the kinematograph industry. The provision of fine grain, high speed emulsions is recognised as being of the first importance, and it is in this particular that the long manufacturing experience combined with unceasing experimental work of Ilford will be amply demonstrated. Kodak, Ltd.— During the past year the quality and uniformity of the "Kodak" 35-mm. motion picture materials have been maintained at their usual high standard. In addition to the wide range of picture negative, sound recording, duplication, and positive raw stocks, a new infra-red sensitive material was introduced. This new product, code numbered 1210, was introduced to meet the special requirements of the motion picture industry for a film of this type. The infra-red negative has considerably greater speed than any other film of similar type, and has exceptionally high sensitivity