Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1930)

November 22, 1930 Exhibitors Herald-World 47 THREE QUESTIONS FROM John E. Allen of West Webster, N. Y., comes the following letter : "Dear Mr. Richardson: Here's a letter from a somewhat intermittent reader of your pages in the HeraldWorld. Perhaps it is because of my not reading your articles more often that I have to pop these questions to you, but the Herald-World is in great demand around here and your articles often are cut out before I get to it. "We opened with sound last week, have a Syncrodisk outfit with a special Stromberg-Carlson amplifier and four Racon directional horns that cover our 300-seat house perfectly. We have a rubber screen and have put two speakers on each side of the screen. In spite of the fact that the house was declared acoustically bad by engineers from the Victor company, we have used no padding or other preparations for the walls and the sound is as good as any I've yet heard. Now here are the questions: "(1) Do you think that a monitor speaker is essential in the projection room? My projection room was equipped with one, but the incessant blat from it made it very confusing. I think the less confusion there is in the projection room the better off the projectionist is, so I cut mine out and cued my pictures as I did in the silent days, by action rather than sound. The results are good. I have a buzzer that is connected with the auditorium, and a system of rings for establishing the volume. However, I note that all the large theatres in Rochester have the monitor horns, and I want to have things right. Hence the question. "(2) Can anything be done about the way producers and distributors send out there sound prints — on so many reels, I mean. We played Paramount's 'Virginian.' By actual measurement it was 8,029 feet long, yet it came to me on twelve reels, and one of them, the fifth, was only about 250 feet in length. Imagine the time a fellow has lacing up his projector and trimming his arcs in the few minutes allowed by this extreme shortness! We still have the old fashioned arc lights, too — those you adjust by hand. "(3) I notice that all prints from Paramount for our disc equipment carry a sound track. What is the best way to tackle the problem of masking this off? Whatever I do like this must be done by myself. Little cooperation from friend manager. He doesn't seem to care whether it shows or not, but for me it spoils the whole picture, and I believe that it does distract the attention of the audience. "I'm just learning the projection business. I've projected for six years, I'm 20 years old now. There is a heck of a lot that I don't know. I've always made enough from this work to help a lot in paying for my education and I'd like to Is Your Theatre Lighting Out of Date 1 Your present lighting system may be only two or three years old — but still out of date. Theatre lighting systems have developed rapidly in the last few years — and we have been leaders in this rapid development. Competition is so keen in the motion picture theatre business that you owners and managers cannot be too careful in making certain that your patrons are well pleased with your theatre and its arrangements. Antiquated lighting often drives away your more particular patrons. It is our business to advise with owners of theatres regarding their lighting systems. We will gladly place the complete facilities of our organization at your disposal in determining what is needed to bring your system right up to the minute. And there is no obligation on your part when you take advantage of this advisory service. Would you like to see a copy of our most comprehensive theatre lighting catalogue recently published? A copy is yours for the asking. Hub ElectkicOom^ny Sound Reproduction Equipment Stage Switchboards Footlights Border-lights Stage Pockets Emergency and Exit Lighting Units Complete Theatre Lighdng Equipment Factory and General Offices 2219-2225 West Grand Avenue Chicago Telephone Seeley 6440-1-2-3 Branch Offices in New York, Toledo, Milwaukee, Minneapolis Cove Lighting Exit Signs Spotlights Service Boards Panelboards Usher Signals Directional Signs Flood Lights Mobile Flood Lighting Equipment CINEPHOR LENSES The secret of the unvaryingly high quality of Cinephor Lenses lies in the continuous control of every process. We believe that Cinephors are unequalled for critical definition, flatness of field, illumination and maximum contrast between black and white. Write for literature, Bausch & Lomb Optical Co. 679 St. Paul St., Rochester, N. y. Makers of Orthogon Eyeglass Lenses for Better Vision BESTEROPTICON Slide Projector Low in Price — High in Results Price $26.00 at All Dealers BEST DEVICES CO. 200 Film Bldg., Cleveland, Ohio