British Kinematography (1951)

April, 1951 WELLS COATES '. PLANNING THE TELEKINEMA 117 vision have devised entirely new equipment to produce, through power packs and R.F. units, the requisite voltage of 50,000 volts for the projector. In the forward projection area is located the " remote controller " for picture correction by an operator in full view of the screen. Inside the main projection suite, and to the left of the film projectors, is located the Cintel console with its monitor tube, monitor speakers, etc., receiving television material and passing it through to the projector. To the left of this unit is located the main switchboard, and the Westinghouse 3-phase rectifier2 for the British Thomson-Houston projection units. Centrally to left and right are the two B.T.H. SUPA equipments,3'4 and immediately behind these the two sound reproducers developed by B.T.H. and E.M.I, in collaboration, to produce four channels for the stereophonic or " panoramic sound " effects. The SUPA equipments embody their new devices for projecting the " colour surround." The remainder of the B.T.H. equipment comprises Selsyn generator and contactor units, located under the lower landing of access block stairs to stalls level, in an insulated room. Associated with this is a Selsyn selector box, located on the wall to the left of the left hand projector in main projection suite.4 Speaker Assemblies The loud speaker assemblies are controlled through a loud-speaker selector box located to the right of the right hand projector in main projection suite, and comprise: — (a) At screen end, three loud-speaker assemblies for stereophonic effects. (b) 2 loud-speakers in main ceiling. (c) 4 loud-speakers under projection room, serving back stalls. (d) 2 speakers on back wall of circle seats. (e) 4 speakers on back wall of stalls seats. There will be some 24 separate speakers in the theatre, including monitor speakers in the projection suite. To the right of the projection suite are located two sound reproducers by E.M.I. , one for " binaural " interlude music and the other for monaural music as a standby unit. In this area is also located the Rigby rewind bench5 and film-drum store, with special equipment for rewinding synchronously the left and right eye films required for the stereoscopic films.6 Television Cameras Lastly, the television camera unit, with Marconi equipment, including camera on a special dolly, monitoring and control units, are located as mobile units. It was necessary to have our own television camera unit inside the building to ensure some television material for each of the hourly programmes. The main foyer and the projection suite will be used as a studio for live interviews: these areas have consequently been provided wTith special lighting. These pictures will be piped direct to the Cintel control console and thence to the projector ; it will be possible to take pictures, through the projection ports, of the television projector " projecting itself." When suitable outside broadcasting material is available from the Festival Exhibition site, or from the B.B.C. broadcasts, this will be channelled into the programme. Auditorium Lighting The main lighting of the theatre is split up as follows: — (a) Main ceiling : primary and secondary " maintained " lighting and oval spotlighting for general illumination. (b) Stalls aisles: a continuous lighting strip (incandescent). (c) Ante-proscenium : cold cathode continuous strip lighting by G.E.C. (d) Screen picture frame : cold cathode continuous strip lighting by G.E.C. All lighting is controlled through the G.E.C. dimmer7 located in a room in access block, and specially developed for this building. The screen itself has been specially developed by Mr. J. L. Stableford and is stretched on a light metal frame behind the picture frame, which, unlike the normal proscenium arch, runs in a splayed shape all round the screen. This frame is constructed of fibrous plaster with steel supports ; the perforations allow sound to escape to the rockwool insulation behind.