American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1926)

July, 1926 AMERICAN UinEMATOGRAPHER Nine PROJECTION * Conducted by Earl J. Denison Cause, Effect in Cleaninq Motion Picture Film Ways in which Film Accumulates Oil, Dust and the like Are Enumerated. 13u CTreuor Faulkner (From Transactions, Society of Motion Picture Engineers) Many Experiments to Find Machinery Adapted to Proper and Thorough Cleaning. The "Cause and Effect of Cleaning Mo leased and placed in the hands of the projection Picture Film" has been chosen as the sub tionist for exhibition, it is more sensitive to ject for an article that I have been asked to damage than when older, and consequently prepare and place before you, and in so doing, more care must be used in its handling. ReI am talking to you on a subject that has oc gardless of any prior waxing the film may cupied my thoughts and efforts since becom have had to prevent this probable damage, the ing identified with the motion picture in projectionist often applies oil to the film, dustry, which dates back many years, when Then there are many cases where the film is you consider the few that motion pictures, as often run through a continuous bath of lubrian industry, have known. eating oil, for in one make of projector, when In the beginning, as an "operator," then the projector is tilted to fit the angle at which as an exhibitor, later as an exchange man, and the light rays must be thrown to reach the now as head of a department that has as one screen, there is a receptacle created at the base of its chief functions the cleaning and reno of the mechanism that is capable of receiving vating of used positive film, I have experi and holding a sufficient amount of oil that is mented, striven, and constantly had the vision drained from the mechanism to give a long of ultimately developing, or at least helping to lower loop for this steady bath of oil. Another develop, a satisfactory plant for cleaning film, make of projector, the model of a year or two and now feel that this has, to a large degree, been accomplished, for we have evolved a department that is satisfactorily cleaning and revitalizing used positive film. back, gave the film a constant spray or sprinkle of oil through a worm intermittent bearing. It is also a usual thing for the projectionist to have a pan placed on the floor under the projector to catch the oil drip from the mechanism, and often this pan, with more or less oil in it, will also catch the ends of the film as the projectionist is either threading up the machine or is taking the film out of the lower magazine. You can rightfully place all of the blame for all oil on film to one or all of these conditions, for in no other way does film ever Projectionist's Compartment To begin, let us first consider the showcase that is used to display our stock, "motion picture film," — the projection room. In practically all cases this room is in the highest and most distant point in the entire theatre, and is seldom under the care of a janitor or porter, and in too large a percentage of come [n contact with oil. cases, is hardly ever seen by the manager. Again, on account of the compartment being at the highest point of a theatre, and usually with an exhaust fan in it, a large percentage of the dust that arises from the constant stir of patronage is drawn into the booth, and necessarily through the port holes in front of the Dust and Lint Motion picture film, when moving rapidly and subjected to any friction, will generate a sufficient amount of static electrical current to attract any dust or lint that it comes in con5 that tact with and will so pick up dust and lint we are displaying wares under conditions that, very much as a magnet will pick up small after a few such showings, offer a big handi particles of metal Consequently when the doors of an enclosed projector are opened, or when film is "spilled" on the floor, the film attracts and collects a large amount of the dust Care in Handling Now let us consider our stock of ware and its handling. When positive film is first re and lint that is around. The oil that is alreadv (Continued on Page 16)