The Moving Picture World (1907)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD. ii ployed, and at Christmas he and three others received substantial cash bonuses as gifts. He remarked that it was a pleasure to do the work, and it was worth while to make sacrifices and put himself to inconvenience some- times, if the success of the exhibition demanded it, well knowing that his (and his colleague's) efforts were fully appreciated by their employer, who made their interests his, thus securing better service and more careful oper- ators. These are two extremes, mayhap. All are not alike, we know; but if the happy medium is struck it will tend to improve the status of the operator, save the machines, give a longer lease of life to the films, and a general trust- worthiness all round. An Operator Who Runs His Own Show. vt AN OPERATORS' LEAGUE, AND WHY? The Editor of Moving Picture World: Dear Sir—I enclose an article on the subject we talked over to-day. If we can establish a school of operating and issue certificates to graduates and have an enrolment of all duly qualified operators so that you can conduct an Operators' Bureau, I think it would meet a long-needed requirement. Now, if a good operator is required there are no headquarters to which to apply, and the trial of a poor operator is terrible for an entertainer to take chances upon. I enclose my card.and would be glad to join you in pushing through an Operators' League and securing proper legislation in New York State. From the viewpoint of eight years' experience as an operator of moving picture machines, I earnestly voice the necessity of all operators coming under an organiza- tion. /. For Their Own Protection. An operator sustains a responsible position? the safety of human lives depends on his knowledge. Is he qualified to operate? Has any responsible board of inspection passed upon his qualifications? The League would help to protect the operator by equipping him-with full knowl- edge of the danger points to be guarded against in his occupation. //. Organise for Mutual Advantage. At the present time an expert operator who under- stands about the different electric currents, the capacity of rheostats; how to get as good a result, or nearly so, from an alternating as from a direct current; the perfect adjustment of the lamp; the kind of, and correct posi- tions of the carbons; how to get a steady result without flicker—a man who understands how to meet every con- dition, whose experience makes every exhibition a first- class • affair, and whose presence at the machine is a guarantee of safety to the audience, is worthy a fair compensation, and should not be headed off by inexperi- enced, raw, ignorant experimenters, whose presence at the machine is a menace and peril to the audience, and whose principal qualification is r a willingness to try to operate at, half-price, or starvation wages. When operators are licensed, as in Massachusetts, where they are obliged to give evidence of their fitness for the position, such fires as occurred on the Bowery last week could not occur. Cheapness and ignorance of re- quirements may be blamed for the constantly occurring accidents. ///. Organise for Instruction. The League could be made a "school of instruction" under the direction of an expert. After three months' instruction, covering a thorough knowledge and demon- stration of the science of operating and electricity, a cer- tificate could be issued stating the qualifications of the party, this being a guarantee of efficiency. How few operators but wish there was some place to go, where they could secure instruction on the different points they do not understand. Such a course would tend to safeguard every audience against disaster. The financial interests of operators undertaking this course would be advanced, as then there would be less chance of a failure of a moving picture exhibition. Such instruction would create and maintain a high standard of efficiency among operators. IV. Organise for Standing. ■ r An operator should be entitled to standing as such by some accredited authority or organization. In Massa- chusetts it is placed by the Legislature under the author- ity of the Inspection Department District Police. No operator can give an exhibition with a moving pic- ture machine without a license. He must demonstrate "before the Inspector his abilities, and pass a fair exam- ination before he can obtain his license; but, once having' this, it is a valuable asset wherever he goes. Further than this, the public are not only safeguarded by the State against ignorant, inefficient operators, but also against the use of machines which are fire-traps. Every machine must also pass a rigid examination, must be equipped with safety magazines, must be sealed and tagged, and for using machines or exhibiting other than above specified a fine of from five to five hundred dollars may be imposed. Why should the New York Legislature delay regulat- ing until some awful disaster emphasizes the importance of such a measurer It is earnestly desired that every operator in New York State will at once send his name and address to the editor of The Moving Picture World, 361 Broadway, New York, and by so doing safeguard the welfare of the pub- lic who enjoy and patronize the moving picture shows. • "G." [We are quite willing to allow The Moving Picture World to be the official organ of tire League and report its progress from time to time. ' Operators desirous of carrying out the suggestion of the bureau can use our free register slip in sending .in their names for registra- tion.— Ed.]