Exhibitors Herald World (Jan-Mar 1930)

March I, 1930 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD 41 THE ILLUSION OF REALITY IN SOUND PICTURES WE aim to produce pictures which will be successful when run in a large number of theatres. The success is measured in dollars and cents but back of this measure there is the necessity for a careful analysis of the many factors — creative and technical — which have gone into the work. The story told by a picture is the major factor in the reception which it receives, although tempered by the treatment which is given in the direction and in the editing. The more technical factors of photograph and sound naturally are of importance, but greater perfection of them has the effect of merely enhancing the value of an otherwise good picture. Good photography or sound have rarely salvaged a poor picture — poor quality of either, or both, has made many an otherwise good picture mediocre or poor as presented to the audience. If such degradation of a product is possible, and we all know that it is, it is well worth our while to find the cause of trouble and the possible methods of relief. Before the advent of the sound, the motion picture art had reached the point where a great portion of its tremendous appeal came from the fluidity o'f the motion of the action. The ability to cut from place to place, to recognize no limits of time or space, had made it possible to play upon the imagination of the audience to the point where they were almost in the scenes depicted before them on the screen. This done silently or with suitable music left their minds undisturbed by anything but the picture, which, if at all good, could completely carry them away. Along with it all, however, it was still quite possible to talk or move around without losing enough of the sense of the picture to make it uninteresting. Sound immediately introduced a complication which is largely pyschological. If much of the story is told by the spoken dialog it becomes practically imperative to maintain silence and to pay strict attention to every word. This demands concentration to a degree which is not often relished by an audience which demands a method of recreation permitting more relaxation. It will readily be granted that the motion picture audience, taken by and large, is definitely different from the one which attends the legitimate stage play or even the musical comedy. These people go with the distinct knowledge that they will have to pay attention to every detail and will even have to strain a bit to get it all. The adaptation of our new medium to the audience is a problem which must be answered in two ways. In the first place the audience will fall into the habit of learning how to enjoy our product. How enthusiastically they will do it no one knows. Secondly, the producers have the artistic and technical analysis to make of what will best work out under the new conditions. It will not be the filming of stage presentations per se nor the attempt to merely introduce sound or dialog into a picture handled on a silent basis. It is evolving now and will result in a combination of the arts of each branch which will attain a success never dreamed of for any one alone. NECESSARY EXAGGERATION We perhaps dislike admitting it in public, but it seems to be a fact that the most natural appearing results obtained in this business are quite apt to be the result of intelligent and studied artifices. Some of these are pure ge *Chief Transmission Engineer, Metro-GoldwynMayer Studios. Wesley C. Miller In his article on "The Illusion of Reality in Sound Pictures," which constitutes the fifth paper in the Technical Digest compiled for the school of sound by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Wesley C. Miller, chief transmission engineer of the Metro-Goldvoyn Studios, points out that two practical answers to the problems of sound. These are: Creation of a better understanding between producer and distributor, and "constant attempt on the part of the studio and producer to so guide their work that full attention is given to the possible irregular conditions under which pictures may be shown." nius. This condition has not come about accidentally, but has as its cause the limitations which have been found and recognized in the various devices now available for production and reproduction. These limitations will become less severe as time goes on, but to some extent will always exist. W create artifically the effects of stereoscopic photography, we exaggerate perspective or we attract attention to some person or object through the device of the close up. Each time as we do this we keep in mind the probable effect which is to be produced in the theatre. With sound our problem is identical. The very best thing we can hope to do is fo produce rather imperfectly the illusion that the real thing is before us. If we can do this well enough to hold the auditor and to make hirn forget even temporarily that he is not seemg and hearing the original, we have gained our end. Suppose we review the factors which affect us. If we have before us on the stage a person singing or talking the best we can hope for is to get most of what is going on. Unless we sit in the first few rows we can practically never get it all. Fortunately our various faculties all work together in such a way that we piece together the various bits which we see and hear and thus gain an understanding of what is going on. If now we enlarge that which is on the stage to the size prevalent on the screen and we similarly amplify the sound to just nicely fit this enlargement, we have made an important step in assisting both our sight and hearing in keeping track of the progress of the act. There is an important provision in this however. The amplification of the sound must be just enough to fit the size of the picture — the combination of picture and sound must be so proportioned that the sound seems natural coming from the artificial person on the screen. Right here we run into several limitations. In the first place all people do not hear equally well, or perhaps we should say that a group of people will not hear the same thing in such a way as to get the same impression from it. They discount this in real life but it becomes confusing and perhaps unpleasant when the artificial becomes involved. We have then immediately to find some compromise on the loudness of the sound which will most nearly fit all. This should definitely be a compromise and not an attempt to suit the most difficult case. If we reason that the average person with average hearing and reactions make up the audience, it is his conditions that things should be adjusted. The theatre management has the problem of finding this average and of continuing to feel it out. HOW LOUD IS LOUD ENOUGH? Loudness of sound is a much misunderstood and misused term. All our lives we have been listening to things. If we do not hear them well we say they are not loud enough. If it is a speaker we get him to talk louder. ARE YOU GEHING the RAZZ from PATRONS bccciusc NEEDLES Keep JUMPING the TRACK? SYNCRODISK PICK-UPS COMPLETE for only $20 ea. WEBER MACHINE CORPORATION 'It's all in the Tone Arm" Careful, scientific construction is the principle that controls the building of every part. Many a man knows they have stopped his troubles. Order yours NOW. 59 RUTTER ST. ROCHESTER, N, Y.