We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
r
Six
AMERICAN C 1 in E M AT OG R A PHER
April, 1926
[
PROJECTION * Conducted by Earl J. Denison
Dialoque on Projection
(Richard Barthelmess long has been known to his associates as an ardent admirer of good projection. Cognizant of this fact, the American Cinematograph er, as soon as Barthelmess arrived in Hollywood to make "Ransom's Folly" which Sidney Olcott is directing, re • quested Joseph Steele, publicity director for Barthelmess, to record his star's views on the /natter of projection. Herewith, then, Steele presents, in a most entertaining way, highlights of Barthelmess' convictions about projection. — Editor's Note.)
Mr. Steele:
The American Cinematoghapher has asked me to get a story from you on projection ; do you happen to know anything about it?
Mr. Barthelmess :
I happen to know that projection is to the completed picture what cutting is to the picture during production.
Mr. Steele:
Please elucidate, Mr. Barthelmess.
Mr. Barthelmess :
Very well. The cutter, as you know, is the gentleman of the shears who can insert a piece of film showing the Roman galleons into the middle of an American western, and thereby transform it into a travelogue. Similarly, the projectionist, if he is not competent, may ruin what might have been a perfect entertainment.
Mr. Steele:
Quite right. Do you mind expatiating still further.
Between Joseph Steele
and Richard Barthelmess
Mr. Barthelmess :
Of course, and gladly. Many component parts of this thing we call "projection" may go wrong; there is the screen itself, the illumination, and others with which I am not technically familiar.
Mr. Steele:
Please be good enough to cite a specific instance of the terrible destruction that the demon projection is capable of. ,
Mr. Barthelmess :
Let me see — yes, I have it! I have one that should serve amply for the purpose of illustration. Last September when we were shooting a location in fashionable Southampton down on Long Island, we arranged with the local Cinema Emporium to run
Famous Star Emphasizes Value of Perfect Projection to Finished Picture
our "rushes." The antique institution was set in order and a whole week's work was projected before what was probably the most terrorstricken audience in the history of this infant industry. I turned to Mr. J. Boyce Smith, our general manager. He was pale and it is highly probable that my own complexion matched his. "Great Gamaliel!" he exclaimed. "We will have to shoot that stuff all over again!"
Mr. Steele:
Yes, yes — go on.
Mr. Barthelmess:
Well, I cogitated over the impending catastrophe. And after due deliberation I suggested that we take the "rushes" to New York and run them in our own projection room. We did so, and I assure you that the difference in the appearance of the pictures was the difference between a daguerrotype and the modern photographer's art.
Mr. Steele:
Do you think, then, that given any picture the modern projection equipment will present it to advantage?
Mr. Barthelmess :
I think nothing of the kind. After all, the projector merely reflects what it sees, and if the camera has recorded a blur on the celluloid that blur will appear in all its glory. I dare say that the ratio of pep feet projection is in proportion to the quality of photography in the picture. I
(Continued on Puge 24)