American cinematographer. (1953)

of development by the spray method — the only method that insures absolutely clean and unstained film, according to Solow. Just before the processed film leaves the drying cabinets, it is sub¬ jected to a protective coating. Consoli¬ dated is probably the only 16mm film laboratory which includes the protective coating as part of its laboratory service. With 16mm neg-pos color film only a matter of time, Consolidated engineers have provided for the demands that use of this film will make on the company’s facilities. The company will be able to make any changes necessary as use of this film begins, and to gradually ex¬ pand its facilities in keeping with the increasing use of the film without hamp¬ ering the laboratory’s other operations in any way. Continuing along on this same floor, we find the modern, full-equipped pro¬ jections rooms in which all film pro¬ cessed by the company will be checked visually through big-screen projection before being delivered to the customer. Two 32mm projectors will be running constantly in making such checks. After¬ ward the film will proceed via conveyor to the hand inspectors, cutters, packers, and finally to the shipping department. The plant will have a capacity of halfa-million feet of 16mm film per day. The second floor is devoted to cus¬ tomers’ service. Here are a spacious lounge, two 16mm projection rooms — each with several types of screens; 20 cutting rooms, each with individual temperature control, and the negative cutting room for Republic Pictures Corp. — the parent company, incidentally. In the basement are located the com¬ pany’s steam plant, air conditioning and humidifying equipment, film developing tanks, and the solutions control system. Sidney Solow, who has been associ¬ ated with Consolidated for over 20 years, says the new plant will easily care for the great expansion in 16mm film production now under way on the West coast. The company serves mainly four major groups of 16mm film producers: Business and Commercial, Educational, Religious, and Television. Solow, inci¬ dentally, has been an important contri¬ butor in the science of correct develop¬ ing and printing procedure for films for television. Before satisfactory trans¬ mission of 16mm motion pictures on television was possible, it was necessary for the industry to determine the density ratios most compatible with existing electronics equipment. As a result of its extensive research and the technical as¬ sistance which the company has rend¬ ered to both film producers and TV transmission engineers, Consolidated has become a leading processor of tele¬ vision films on the West coast. END THE EXCELLENCE OF YOUR PRODUCTION NEEDS Perfect Precision Prints CUSTOM-PROCESSED AUTOMATICALLY! These machines print the picture portion of the film by step method — original and print stock both sta¬ tionary and held in intimate contact during exposure for each frame. Machines are automatically preset by the Control Strip. Color balance can be changed from scene to scene, or fades and lap dissolves added. YOUR ASSURANCE OF BETTER 16mm PRINTS 15 Years Research and Spe¬ cialization in every phase of 16mm processing, visual and aural. So organized and equip¬ ped that all Precision jobs are of the highest quality. Individual Attention is given each film, each reel, each scene, each frame — through every phase of the complex business of processing — assuring you of the very best results. Our Advanced Methods and our constant checking and adop¬ tion of up-to-the-minute tech¬ niques, plus new engineering principles and special machinery EH.. Precision Film Laboratories — a di¬ vision of J. A. Maurer, Inc., has 14 years of specialization in the 16mm field, consistently meets the latest de¬ mands for higher quality and speed. enable us to offer service un¬ equalled anywhere! Newest Facilities in the 16mm field are available to customers of Precision, including the most modern applications of elec¬ tronics, chemistry, physics, optics, sensitometry and densitometryincluding exclusive Maurerdesigned equipment— your guar¬ antee that only the best is yours at Precision! PRECISION FILM LABORATORIES, INC. 21 West 46th St., New York 19, N.Y. JU 2-3970 February, 1953 American Cinematographer 75