The Film Daily (1928)

I luesday, August 14, 1928 THE -^^ DAILY NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FAST GROWING FIELD OF SYNCHRONIZATION SOUND PICTURES TIPS ON EQUIPMENT AND VARIOUS DE | VICES ARE NOW AVAILABLE By ARTHUR W. EDDY 10 SERVICE CHARGE ON HAN-A-PtlONE PIANNED j Minneapolis — No charge for mainnance is to be made by the Han-aIhone Co. of the Northwest, accordig to announcement of Frank Rubel, |ho with Dan E. Finkelstein com•ises the company, which controls e Han-a-Phone in Minnesota, the ,akotas, western Wisconsin and upi;r Michigan. The Han-a-Phone includes, besides He regular synchronizer, a non-synjironous, double-turntable device Iiat is installed without extra charge, ius giving the exhibitor either syn 'ironized or non-synchronized music )r his productions. In addition the features that will ? produced during the coming scam for Han-a-Phone, the company IS announced that there will be two ,iort subjects issued weekly, or a i)tal of 104 for the year. j-^'ox Gets Hoover Speech in Advance (Continued from Page 1) liii which carried not only the liketess of the Republican candidate but [Iso his words. Prints were ready [)r showing Sunday afternoon at the tiatinee performances at the Roxy, 'ilobe. Gaiety, Astor and Strand and j'ill continue to be shown throughjut the week. I Hoover made his speech for Fox ilovietone News in advance three ays ago at Palo Alto, setting up a iiractice for the talking newsreels imilar to that which has always been sed in giving newspapers advance opies of speeches. Hoover's speech uns five hundred and fifty feet on he screen and lasts seven minutes. Leonard Fields Named to Study Sound Films iji Leonard Fields, Universal's easti:rn scenario chief, has just been ^elected by Carl Laemmle, president )f the Universal Pictures Corp., to 'nake a comprehensive study of j.ound pictures and all talking piclures from the story standpoint. Wilby Contracts for Sound Atlanta— R. B. Wilby has return!d from New York where he concluded negotiations for sound reproducing apparatus and picture )roduct for several theaters in the Various groups which he controls. vVilby's interest include a number of louses in Alabama. several in jeorgia, and the Publix-Saenger (Theaters, of North Carolina. Selling Vitaphone to the Public JOHN BARRYMORE /^'^hen aMan/bvef ^^ wtth \'itapAone si/T/i/}/ion_i/ ore/zesrra o/ lOi/ pieces ^ — ' at the Cap I to L TH E ATRE, starting^ tomorrou/ As New and Distinctive as the "Vitaphone" ^ The Firtl SlKwint TOMORROW! VlTAPHDNE j Hear Al, unj^'S j PAN VTltCi'F. TkeDehutanieoftheSeasoj} ■tttWt: lirS V > It's Here! A iiCTV moiei trf the marveloii< .4.1 »'»*>"■*'■ OnMMtMln TO OUR PATRONS 0RTH0PH0N1C,, VICTROLA OFFER ! Orthophonic Victrola w i Model 4 J XK'PJLA I Let Us Take You to the Theatre! tnt Mind l^i: rev d j'jji.t lain It.* ' thi;W.<r c FURKITUft£ « COMPANY Vir-ginia Beclric mi Powsr forapany /V^ySfyHWARTZte Here's how the Capitol at Richmond announced the advent of Vitaphone entertainment at that house. Depinet Stresses Need of Good, Silent Pictures Importance of making pictures for the majority of theaters, which have no sound equipment, is stressed by Ned E. Depinet, vice president and general sales manager of First National. The primary aim of his company, he says, is to produce quality product for the regular run picture houses. Installations Being Speeded Minneapolis — Speeding of Movietone installations is under way, so that orders are being caught up with, George Levine, Movietone representative, declared here recently. Memphis Houses Lining up On Sound Film Policies Memphis — "Warming Up" is the initial sound picture to play here openuig at Loew's Palace. The State, for the time being, will not be wired for sound and the Strand is to open around Sept. 1, as a sound house. "The Jazz Singer," launches a sound policy at the municipal auditorium, where it will open around Labor Day. Sound Introduced at Memphis Memphis — Sound w^as introduced yesterday at Loew's Palace, with "Warming Up" as the attraction. LOUISVILLE 1ST RUNS ADOPTING VITAPHONE Louisville — All first run theaters in Louisville, apparently are turning to Vitaphone. Vitaphone at the Strand has now been a success for many months. Fred Dolle intends putting in Vitaphone at the Alamo and has already installed in his two new suburban houses, the Uptown and Parks. It is also reported that Ike Lipson, on behalf of the Keith interests, has arranged to put Vitaphone in at the Rialto, Majestic and Mar\ Anderson. Day of Sound Films In Towns Distant (Continued from Page 1) pictures practically prohibitive in towns under 25,000 population until l)art of this expense can be eliminated. If the original investment could be returned in two or three months the additional overhead might be taken care of by the increased gross business. Until recently the small exhibitor was not aware of the numerous charges made for sound devices and sound pictures. The increased rental which in some cases is double the price of black and white prints, the synchronizing fee which goes to some one in between the producer and exhibitor and tlie service charge for equipment niaintainance increases the average small theater overhead 100 per cent. The required increase in gross business to take care of this additional overhead cannot be secured and if secured cannot be maintained after the novelty of interpolated pictures has worn off. "Producers of pictures are in the habit of talking only by thousands and hundreds of thousands. The demand is so great for sound pictures that practically all the companies are synchronizing their better pictures. This means that both kinds of prints must be kept in every exchange in the United States and the extra for soui^d prints spread out over about one thousand accounts now have or will have equipment installed by Jan. 1. Until this synchronizing charge can obtain a greater spread or until the expense can be materially reduced the small theater will have to be satisfied with black and white I)rints. Where competition exists this will mean that thousands of towns will see many of the best pictures only as silent movies. It will be at least another year before the bread and butter theaters will be using synchronized pictures." Sound Studio for Boston? Boston — Carl Wenzel, here from the Coast, is considering opening a studio for sound film production.