British Kinematography (1951)

Vol. 18, No. 1 MOTION PICTURE PRESENTATION S. B. Swingler, A.I.E.E. (Member)* and R. R. E. Pulman (Fellow)* Read to a meeting of the British Kinematograph Society on November /, 1950 THE subject of motion picture presentation is by no means a simple matter of good picture quaLty and sound reproduction alone, but goes much deeper than that, involving other important factors such as patron comfort and emotional stimulation. Entertainment is a business, and can be defined as ' To receive and treat hospitably, to hold the attention of and to amuse." Comfort, consideration and courtesy for the customer should be the primary aims. It is believed that it can be fairly stated that in no other business premises in the world is the customer given more consideration than in the properly operated motion picture theatre. Nevertheless, we rely entirely upon repeat orders, for the customer purchases the product upon our guarantee of quality and satisfaction, and furthermore he pays for the product before he sees it. The task is ours to present motion pictures to the public in such a manner as to assure those repeat orders for which we strive so mightily. The exhibitor is entrusted ■ with the task of selling the product, and the box offices see the ebb and flow of the money that will finance the future. Technical Aspects of Presentation Many thousands of pounds are spent annually on presentation of motion pictures in the kinemas of this country, and the vast facilities of the electronic, electrical, mechanical, optical, and other fields, together with the latest developments in furnishing, acoustic and thermal materials, are utilised to the one aim of furthering the enjoyment and comfort of the patron. Only a perfectly co-ordinated combination of high quality projection and sound reproduction, ample comfort and calculated emotional stimulation will assure patron enjoyment in full measure and thereby complete satisfaction. Successful presentation of a motion picture entails painstaking attention to a multiplicity of small details, each of which, if neglected, can detract from the final result. On the other hand, due attention to each of these details will be rewarded by the excellence of that final result. We are concerned here only with the engineering aspects of motion picture presentation, but attention to detail is as necessary right through the wide field of kinema theatre operation. Obsolescent Equipment Let it be admitted right away that there are many kinemas in this country using equipment that is simply not capable of producing results commensurate with the desirable standards now recognised. The most conscientious projectionist cannot get out of any equipment more than its capabilities allow or, for that matter, get more out of a release print than it contains. In the course of time and through force of circumstance, all kinema theatres will be brought up to standard, and this in itself will allow the present British Standards to be tightened up, for, rightly, they cater for wide variations at the moment. To achieve successful motion picture presentation in the fullest sense of the word, projection and sound reproduction must be as nearly perfect as the skill and wit of man can devise. Lighting, both decorative and advertising, must be attractive and stimulating, and, at the focal point of the auditorium, used to create pleasure and vitality. Heating and ventilation must cater adequately for patron comfort through warmth and the movement of air without draughts. Carpets and decorations must convey a sense of luxury, seating must give * Circuits Management Association, Ltd.