Educational film magazine; (January-December 1920)

,™i PROJECTION-EQUIPMENT I '^ Edited by JAMES R. CAMERON Projection Engineer INTRODUCTORY ARTICLE r James R. Cameron [T is the rule rather than the exception nowadays for producers to spend thousands of dollars in the production of a single picture. Directors and stars are engaged at salaries that are really staggering. Sets are built up without regard to cost, and months of hard labor are put in by hundreds of people to give us the finished product which we see upon the screen. Much of the labor of the star, director, and cameraman is lost through improper projec- tion. Mediocre results and failure to register are too often caused by lack of knowledge on the part of the operator of the projector. It has been the writers experience frequently to attend educational and church exhibits and even some New York City theaters where the projection was inexcusably bad. The operator either chased the film through the projector at a speed that gave the figures on the screen all sorts of unnatural movements or he ran the machine so slowly that the flicker on the screen seriously strained the eyes. We have seen a full thousand feet of film projected badly out of focus, and. for several minutes, out of frame. This was due to one of two things: lack of knowledge on the part of the operator, or carelessness. There are certain elementary principles which can easily be learned and which should be mastered by every person operating a projector or supervising such projection. While the projectionist does not necessarily have to be an electrician, yet he should have an element- ary knowledge of this subject together with a little knowledge of mechanics and optics as applied of course to the various conditions under which projection is attempted. There is also the important question of safety to be considered, "the powers that be" having drawn up stringent rules and regulations regarding the handling and projecting of motion picture film. 9 9 PROJECTION-EQUIPMENT INQUIRIES ANSWERED The editor of this department will be pleased to answer any inquiries from the magazine's subscribers, ain'^rtaining to projection and equipment matters. Those questions requiring a prompt response will be answered by mail, and these replies, together with the replies to other inquirers, will be published monthly in this department, so that the information will become available to all readers. Send along the story of your projection and equipment troubles, then, and let me see if I can solve them for you. 70.000 Copies Sold Within the Last Tnehe Months Elementary Text Book <)\ Motion Picture Projection BY JAMES R. CAMERON The Text Book used liy The -American Red Cross, Knights of Columbus, Community Motion Picture Bureau and Y. iM. C. A. Written in plain, overyda.v. understanrtalile language, and the ordy Te.xt Book publi.shed covering Hotion Picture projec- tion in question aiul answer form. 82.00 PRICE §2.00 /lis* Off' the Press Pocket Reference Book FOR Managers an<l Projectionists BY JAMES H. CAMEHON :.i, . I :iini)er of electrical, mechanical .and optical i;UiU-s. diagrams and data, together with a directory of film producers and exchanges, etc., and a lot of general informa- tion regarding the handling and care of the Motion I'icture Projector and acces.'.-ories. Sl.OO PRICE Sl.OO THEATRE SUPPLY COMPANY 126 West 45th Street, New York City ^mioiinceuient In connection with its efforts to facilitate general edtication bv ad\ocating and installing printing outfits in public schools the EDUCATION DEPARTMENT <i^merican Type Founders Company has decided to enlarge its scope of activities to include the sale of motion picture projecting machines and supplies, and to furnish infor- mation regarding films for educational pur- poses. After a thorough investigation,and after consulting leading educators,we are convinced that the portable motion picture projector is the kind best adapted to general educational work, and we are pleased to announce that we ha\ e made arrangements to sell The DeVry.Portable Motion Picture Projector Fi'K CSE WITH SLOW-CIRNING FILM Information regarding these machines may be secured upon application to the Education De- partment., or to the following Selling Houses of the American T\ pe Founders Company: CLEVELAND . CHICAGO MINNEAPOLIS KANSAS CITV PlTTSBl'RtJH DETROIT ST. LOl'lS DENVER . . I 5 St. CUiir Avenur, N E. 517-519 West Monroe Street . 421 Fourth Street, Soutll 10th and Wvandotte Streets •52^ Third .Avenue 1 69 West Lamed Street . Ninth and Walnut^Streets . . . 1621 Blake Street PHIL.'\DELFH1A, Keystone Type Foundry Supply House, Sth and Locust Streets 28