The Bioscope (Jul-Sep 1931)

VI THE BIOSCOPE MODERN CINEMA TECHNIQUE August 12, 1931 CARBON CONSTRUCTION OUTLINED ( Continued from page v.) Here we see rodsTof carbon in fireclay seggars stacked in the oven, where they bake for three weeks ; the temperature rising by degrees to 1400 degrees centigrade ! Photo by courtesy of Charles H. Champion <£: Co., Ltd. but later on, when we come to consider the distribution of current intensity in a carbon consisting of an outer shell of pure carbon, an inner core of hard retort carbon and the electrolytically deposited coating of copper which must make efficient contact with both shell and core, it will be seen that we have to apply the laws relating to resistances joined in parallel. A Good Carbon’s Three Essentials Perhaps " resistances ” is an unfortunate term ; in carbon work we are concerned more with conductivity, which is, of course, the converse of resistance. Our efforts are devoted towards assisting the carbon to conduct current, and that is one of the reasons why, for instance, such care is exercised in the selection of the various grades of milling referred to above. We must get a homogeneous carbon, so that its burning rate will be constant ; we must get a pure carbon, so that there shall be no spitting or hissing ; and we must get a carbon of high conductivity which will efficiently play its part as an integral portion of an electrical circuit. Millings of the various grades are, therefore, carefully selected with a view to the current which the carbon will be called upon to pass, this assortment of carbon granules is then “ bound ” by making a paste with tar or pitch, the oils and other matters are then calcined out by heat treatment, and the carbon, having been cored, ground, pointed, tested, labelled and packed, is ready for despatch to your lamp. Remember To the Editor of The Bioscope. Dear Sir, The current number of The Bioscope contains an interesting article by Mr. R. Watkins Pitchford on what an arc lamp carbon should be. In his anxiety to “ barrack ” for a good light, however, he ignores the contributive merits of a good film print. Never in cinematograph history have films been so dense as now. We have happily lost the bad old method of suggesting a night scene by dyeing the finished print blue, but now in many pictures most of the scenes simulate night whether the action is supposed to take place at night or in the daytime. Presumably it is “ artistic ” to focus a spotlight on the characters immediately interesting, leaving the other actors and the rest of the set in the gloom which would obtain on a dark night with only the moon throwing its beams on the centre of the scene through some aperture. What is worse is that even the lighted portion is usually overprinted or overdeveloped and therefore without sparkle. Contrast Craze Kills Close-Ups This craze for violent contrast (for which the producer and not the printer is responsible) extends now to exteriors. One gets day scenes on sea or on shore where, as soon as a close-up occurs, the background (which in nature would be visible) is as velvety black as a starless midnight would make it. Is this “ realism ” ? A greater fault is the employment of deep heliotrope stock for prints. The use of this base has only one object so far as I can see, and that is to stop a large percentage of the arc’s light. The residue which reaches the screen presents objects a cold, steely grey, faces almost corpse colour. Directly an the Print ! operator comes across this stuff in spooling up his programme he says unprintable things, and speculates to what extent he can overload his dynamo. On the next change day he may receive a picture of beautiful photographic quality, and then wonders why they cannot all be good, or at least passable. The Better Course Surely it would be better to make films which may perhaps require (in some cinemas where super high intensity current is used) the use of less “ juice ” than to rush out careless prints the despair of projectionists and managers whose generators have only a reasonable output. Decreasing light to any extent is always possible ; the reverse is not so. Included in my 22 years’ experience in the trade are two years’ camera and dark room work. Yours faithfully, A. Guest. Welwyn Theatre, August 8, 1931. Farnborough's New Plaza A very prominent site at the junction of Netley Street and Alexandra Road, Farnborough, Hants, has been selected for the erection of a new 1,000-seater cinema. The architect is N. Powell, of Liverpool. This new super, which will be known as the Plaza, will, apart from being a luxury theatre, incorporate a Winter Garden, a large cafe and tea lounge. The preliminary work on the erection has not yet been started, but as the site is already cleared rapid progress should certainly be seen as soon as the work is commenced. Building News In Brief The steelwork contract for the new Carlton Cinema, Green I.ane, Liverpool, has been let to Banister, Walton & Co., Ltd., Trafford Park, Manchester. Several new features in constructional practice have been decided upon in connection with this cinema, which will have seating accommodation for about 2,000 persons. The architect is A. Ernest Shennan, F.R.I.B.A., North John Street, Liverpool. * * * Plans have been approved for conversion of the Winter Gardens, Waterloo, into a cinema theatre. , * * * The promoters of the scheme for the erection of a new cinema at the corner of Rochdale Road and Victoria Avenue, Blackley, have had a set-back. They submitted the plans to, and sought permission to start the building, from the Corporation Town Planning Special Committee. Consent has been withheld because the proposed building contravenes the building lines. * * * Ilford Corporation has passed plans, submitted by Eley & Nunn, for alterations at Seven Kings Cinema, Cameron Road. * * * The Estates Committee of the Oxford Corporation recommends that a licence be granted to the Oxford Cinematograph Company, Ltd., to assign the lease of 32, Gecrge Street, to the Union Theatres, Ltd., whose registered office is 167, Wardour Street, London, but that they be informed that this consent does not imply in any way that a renewal of the present lease will be granted on its expiry in 1936. * * * Isle of Ely County Licensing Committee has passed plans prepared by Ward & Woolnough, architects, for the erection of a theatre in Hill Street, Wisbech, for Wisbech Hippodromes, Ltd.