Business screen magazine (1946)

technical reports Horizontal Editor Is "Producer's Best Friend" Although it arrived somewhat later on the American scene than other brands of horizontal editing equipment, Magnasync/ Moviola's new M-77 console editor has become, in the past vcar, one of the leading sellers across the country with production hard pushed to keep up with demand. Those who have used it for the first time, particularly those film makers who had been used to the old upright Moviola which, by the way. is still in production and still as much in demand as ever, have found the new system to provide an incredible increase in flexibility and economy of operation. One enthusiastic producer-user, who has owned an M-77 for the past year and four months, is Ralph Weisinger, of Avon Productions, in New York. Avon's M-77 has handled some three million feet of film during this time, has often operated for seven days a week, sometimes for 24 hours a day, with never a minute's down time, nor a single torn sprocket on picture or krack. "In this day and age of things that don't always work," Weisinger says, I think the M-77 is amazing. One reason for this is the console's modular construction, and the damndest maintenance manual I've ever seen. Little Droblems that on other pieces of equipnent would make you call for a repairnan, can easily be replaced, repaired 3r adjusted right on the spot. But, as a natter of fact, we've had very few jroblems of any sort beyond a loose <nob or a bulb burning out. Actually, he local Moviola distributor here in s'ew York, The Camera Mart, has a ull line of replacement modules and actory-trained mechanics, but we've arely needed them." Weisinger is convinced that the M-77 not only works, and makes hings physically easier for any editor, lut it makes better films, and that is vhat counts the most. "Many of us lave vivid memories of the old up"ight Moviola that sounded like an old owing machine stitching up brown ■. rapping paper. Working with that qiiipment everything had to be broken iou n into hundreds or even thousands >l pieces of film. And it was actually ;iard physical work — real drudgery. 1 vonder how many times we'd let a scene go through just because we were 'tired' and it was "good enough". No, the new system is better in every way. It allows us to use better judgment, to make more accurate cuts. I also think we can do a better job working with completely unscratched workprints — and with this machine they arc unscratched, and undamaged." Although neither Moviola, nor anyone else, recommends it, Weisinger has often given his original a single carefully-controlled run through the editor before ordering workprints. Because of possible dust problems this should only be done once, but he is so sure of the machine's reliability and of the fact that there is more than 1/32inch between the picture and any surface at all times that it is feasible to do it. One unique feature of the M-77 Moviola is its electronic synchronization rather than mechanical. Once the sync marks are established the scenes stay that way regardless of how fast or slow, backwards or forwards, they travel, from one frame at a time, all the way up to 240 frames a second — ten times normal speed, while the film need never be touched by hand. This also works with the two-plate satellite machine that can be plugged in the back, and operates electronically interlocked with the master console. Avon Productions recently demonstrated the first 35mm mag sound Splicing on the horizontal Moviola is simple; maintenance of sync no problem. head to be seen in New York. It drops in in a matter of seconds replacing a 16mm head, but operates with frame by frame sync with 16mm picture. Other features that Weisinger particularly likes are that it folds up, is easily rolled from one room to another, and will go in the back of a station wagon with no trouble. External speakers can be plugged in, when required, for almost theatre-like quality sound. In fact, one very useful adjunct to use of the horizontal machine is that it's easy, and proper, Weisinger thinks, to bring clients to the machine, rather than waiting for a final interlock. He likes to get his clients involved, and finds that it's easy to go over a sequence in several ways, if necessary, to explain why it is being done in a particular way. He thinks the procedure establishes rapport with the client, and that if changes are necessary they can be made early on before that process becomes too exf>ensive. Another useful feature is that the Ralph Weisinger makes cue sheet notations for workprint of new West Indies film. May/June, 1973— BUSINESS SCREEN | 33