Projection engineering (Jan 1932-Mar 1933)

Projection Engineering FEBRUARY, 1932 Internationalizing talking pictures By Dr. Alfred Gradenwitz WHEN the now famous Remarque film, "Nothing New at the Western Front," a short time ago created such a stir in Berlin, spectators did not ^ask how the German version of this American picture had been produced. So naturally did the German phrases seem to flow from the lips of American actors that no doubt of its German origin occurred to the average lookerson. Still, the film had originally and exclusively been turned in English, and dp 1 J? §4' * _l ■■■mi ■iiiiuTf 1 The rhythmographic method. A group of actors recording a scene of "Nothing New at the Western Front." the German text had been added afterwards, with such perfect agreement of rhythm that spectators were not even conscious of the typically. Anglo-Saxon faces of the artists. This unprecedented result was brought about by a new method which is bound to revolutionize the talking film industry, putting the "talkie" on the same footing, economic and technical, and making it as international as its predecessor the silent film. This "rhythmographic" method is the invention of Carl Robert Blum, of Berlin, and is, even outside the film industry, likely to prove useful. The method is based on a new means of rhythmic remote control securing synchronism, i. e., perfect agreement of rhythm between any number of electrical devices. Unlike the familiar synchronous motor, it is independent of the actual speed of motion. According to the new method, the picture film is turned just as in the case of a silent film ; without regard to the text, music and noises. These, the acoustic part of the 'talkie," are afterwards recorded on a "band" moving in front of the operator in an electrical recorder (or "rhythmograph") in perfect rhythmical agreement with the picture film. The original record is eventually checked up by several consecutive rehearsals, in the course of which it is compared with the picture film, on the one hand, and a recital of the various roles, on the other. Any correction can thus be made very easily, so that the "rhythm band" ultimately produced secures absolute rhythmic agreement. In fact, the text and music are, on this band, accurately spaced in accordance with the rhythm of the picture, so that actors have only to read their respective parts from the band as it passes in front of them, to be sure of perfect agreement between picture and speech (as well as music). An apparatus called rhythmoscope is A new rhy+hmoscopic method of recording sound effects enables picture directors to nationalize in language, talking pictures produced in foreign tongues. JK .^H . ■ Oi '^? ,)"""5 ^?*—-5/ / : . ft *-. Carl Robert Blum, inventor of the rhythmographic method, working at the rhythmograph, where the text is inscribed on rhythmic bands. used to prepare from the original rhythmic band, comprising the whole text, the various bands containing the part of each artist. Several lengths of tape are in front of the operator, passing in uniform motion ; in rhythmic agreement between one another as well as with the picture, and the operator is all the while checking them with a phonograph record. Each artist's rhythm band is fitted into a rhythmonome of his own, in the window of which there appears the text of his part as it moves along — always in rhythmical agreement with the remaining roles and the picture. After these preparations the acoustic part of the film is turned, each artist speaking into a microphone the text read from his rhythmonome, as the band is moving past a mark in front of him. His phrases are thus in permanent agreement with gestures and movements of his lips. The same process can, of course, be repeated in as many languages as there (Concluded on page 23) Erich Dunskus. of the Berlin State Theatre, reading his role from his rhythmic band.