American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1924)

July, 1924 AMERICAN CINEM ATOGRAPHER Tiverfty-t/iret experience I have never known of any actor, of high or low grade, voicing even the smallest objection. I once sat next to one of the really big stars in a theatre. She was watching one of her own productions, without the knowledge of any one that she was present. The "schedule" was about right for seven reels, but the projectionist was given eight reels all rather overloaded, and one somewhat less than loaded, which he must jam through in the allotted time. The 'star' was made to move around like mad, and the whole of her work was ruined. I fully expected her to be indignant, but not so. She merely giggled and remarked: "Isn't it awful the way they run them?" It did not seem to occur to her that she could possibly do anything to stop such butchery of her work, by calling the attention of the public to it in some of the many "interviews" printed in newspapers as coming from her. What is needed is a campaign on the part of producers, stars and all those who have influence, to educate not only the projectionist and the exhibitor, but the public as well on the bad effect of non-synchronism of taking and projection speed. Once let the public understand the matter and the reason behind the ridiculously fast moving actors, and it will call a halt. I am sure all trade papers would be glad to lend every assistance possible, and a few articles in the Sunday editions and magazines on the subject would cost nothing but the effort of preparing and presenting them. This would help to advise the public on the injury done to productions by the exhibitor and projectionist who fail to project at taking speed, or approximately so. The real solution of course is to compel a really unvarying standard camera speed, and then so construct projectors that they will operate at that speed only, but this is, I fear, impracticable. I even am not sure that it would, for several reasons, be desirable, but surely variations in camera speed can, with proper effort, be confined within close limits, and this would help very greatly. In this connection allow me to once more call your attention to the fact that under present conditions of high screen brilliancy in a very large percentage of our high grade theatres, and in some which are not high grade, it is entirely impossible to synchronize projection speed with any camera speed less than seventy (70) feet of film per minute, and sixty-five (65) is an absolute minimum. In fact in very many theatres seventy (70) feet is the minimum projection speed possible without flicker, especially on the lighter (less dense) scenes. It is quite true that the high grade, competent projectionist, who thoroughly understands the optical train of his projector, and how to get the best possible optical balance in his projector rotating shutter, can project at a considerably lower speed, before encountering flicker, than can the incompetent projectionist who has the same screen brilliancy, but who has no knowledge beyond the mere operation of the projector mechanism. However, since we must perforce deal with both classes, it follows that until exhibitors wake up to the importance of high grade skill and knowledge in their projection rooms, we must, for the best effect, adopt a taking speed enabling the low grade projectionist to project at that speed without flicker. As the matter now lies the projectionists of pretty nearly all high grade theatres would be compelled to over-speed Seldom available, A. S. C. members are always in demand for every phase of cinematographic work. A. S. C. members can always be reached by telephoning HOllywood 4404 at the headquarters of AMERICAN Society of CinematographERS at 1103 No. El Centro Avenue, temporary address until completion of new A. S. C. office in Guaranty Building, Hollywood. " Ruo" the New Camera Lens SPEED 2.5 Focus 32. 35, 40, 50, 75 and 100 millimeter ROBERT ACKERSCHOTT 1735 Hudson Ave. Hollywood, Cal. Importer and Agent for the U. S. A. any production taken at the speed of sixty per minute, which is the standard adopted by this society, since ar sixty per minute there would be a terrible flicker, even with the best possible condition as to optical balance of the projector rotating shutter. As a matter of fact the screen brilliancy in some theatres is such that productions having many light scenes must be projected at close to eighty feet per minute in order to avoid flicker. You may therefore see, gentlemen, that while the standard of taking and projection speed adopted by this society may have been quite correct when it was adopted, due to increased screen brilliancy it is now entirely too low, and should be changed.