British Kinematography (1951)

April, 19,51 WELLS COATES I PLANNING THE TELEKTNEMA 110 three special Festival films of a documentary nature, followed by two or more specially developed stereoscopic films with stereophonic sound effects. The stereophonic sound system will also be used to provide a special " sound only " programme ending with the National Anthem. The whole programme will last about 80 minutes. Spectacles of the polarised type will be handed out during one of the interludes and collected at the end of the performance. Conclusion I trust that I have given you an overall picture of the problems involved in planning the Festival of Britain Telekinema, which have given me and my associates a lively time, and brought forward solutions which may form in some sense a precedent for future planning of small theatres of this kind. During the course of the developments of the plans for this theatre we have encountered many new problems and endeavoured to solve them in a straightforward and logical manner. We have also devised systems of structure and requirements for new types of equipment for the kinema of the future out of the experience and knowledge gained in planning, building and equipping this experimental laboratory, the Telekinema. REFERENCES 1. Brit. Kine., 15, No. 6, Dec, 1949, p. 178. 2. Ideal Kinema, Oct., 1940, p. vii. 3. Brit. Kine., 15, No. 1, July, 1949, p. 13. 4. Ideal Kinema, May, 1951. 5. Brit. Kine., 16, No. 4, Apr., 1950, p. 122. 6. Func. Phot., Dec, 1950, p. 12. 7. G.E.C. JnL, Oct., 1950, p. 159. DISCUSSION Mr. R. H. Cricks: Dr. Wells Coates has modestly under-estimated the acoustic problems of the site — that a few yards away is a railway bridge carrying five lines. If five trains were to pass simultaneously, does he consider that the noise would be inaudible in the auditorium? The Author : The problem of sound insulation in that part of the site is very difficult. It was looked into very carefully by the Building Research Station in regard to the permanent building, the L.C.C. concert hall, where requirements are far fiercer than those normally required in a kinema. They have solved the problem there by a full double wall construction. In planning the little theatre, we have endeavoured to meet the conditions to the best of our ability. We are using, for instance, sound insulated doors. We hope to have a sound reduction through the main side wall of the theatre and through the roof of something of the order of 40 to 45 units, bringing us down inside the theatre to a level of between 30 and 35 phons. I devised the system myself, and submitted it to the Building Research Station, who thought it would do the job reasonably well. The fiercest condition is the low frequency level, which is quite fundamental on the site. If five trains were going through at the same time, one would hear a low groan. Mr. H. Lambert: In the plan of the projection suite I noticed there is no provision made for a rewind room. Is rewinding going to be done in the projection room? The Author : Yes, we decided not to have a separate rewind room, because we wanted to show the whole of the area to the public. There will be a rewind bench in one of the corners, and also storage for the film being projected. Mr. R. H. Cricks: Is this exemption from legal requirements to be made general in the case of theatres running non-flam film? The Author: The Festival authorities are absolved from the provisions of the London Building Act, but they have their own safety precautions department. I decided it was not possible to conform to the sound insulation problems, and produce a merely temporary building with onehour fire risk. I decided it would have to be built more solidly, and it was, in fact, an economy to do so. The extra mass of the walls is of great value in the reduction of sounds. A Visitor : Having this large window at the back of the box, there will be a fair amount of light in the projection room. The Author : The projection room will be visible to the public only before the start of the show. We hope by suitable adjustment of the general lighting to prevent reflections into the television booth during television projection. Mr. J. L. Stableford : Is there any special reason for the screen surround to be at an angle of 45° ? The Author: My feeling was that I wanted to get rid of the old stage proscenium type of surround, and I therefore put a frame right round the picture. The frame closer to the screen is in the same material as the screen itself ; the curtains come in front of that, and then a further picture frame, providing an acoustic absorption area, will carry cove lighting to illuminate the curtains. A Visitor : What provision is being made to prevent the intensive interference from the electric trains in such close proximity to the television equipment? The Author : I imagine that Cinema-Television are dealing with this problem. We are not taking television material from an aerial in the area, it is a " piped " transmission. I am assured there is no difficulty.