The Film Daily (1930)

THE mm DAILY Sunday, December 28. 1930 €> T HEATER By M. P. Showmanship in Illumination Essential for Small Theaters These days of competition from the great supers and the new developments that are continually taking place in the industry are trying for the small exhibitor, and his resources are taxed to the utmost to keep in alignment with the needs of the moment. Yet he must manage to keep his house attractive and his patrons pleased even without the assistance of atmospheric scenes and luxurious devices of subtle appeal. As everyone knows, brightness and light are vital factors in attracting patrons, while a poorly illuminated theater will keep away, perhaps unconsciously, potential occupiers of seats. Therefore, as a utility and as ,i decoration, light properly applied, controlled and distributed is one of the most important factors in the theater. Light as a decorative medium is unsurpassed. In addition to being a decorative medium in itself, light stimulates other decorative mediums and ornamental effects. Helpful Points to Remember For low mounting, place lamps close together; for high mounting place lights further away. Shadows and colors on pictures and objects, properly used, create very pleasing effects. Use natural colored lamps for coves, foots, borders, etc., not sprayed lamps. Inside color spray for outside lighting is better than outside frosting. It is not desirable to continually move lamps of high wattage. (Decreases life). Never have bright light sources in the vision of the audience. Contrast correct color on colored objects to produce punch effect. Color shadow effects are very pleasing and entertaining. Choose dimmer according to wattage used (rated capacity). One per cent drop in voltage means three per cent drop in efficiency. Use a few lamps of high wattage rather than many lamps of small wattage. Scour reflector fixtures periodically to insure maximum lumen efficiency. Because so much depends on proper STAGE EQUIPMENT Console Orchestra Elevators Magnescopic-Grandeur Screen BRUCKNER-MITCHELL, INC. 532 West 22nd Street New York .lghting and lighting effects, it is advisable to have someone who has made a study of theater lighting assist in securing proper illumination. Theater Eng. Service Markets New Cue-Meter A new cue-meter, the invention of James J. Graham and designed to enable the projectionist to make perfect changeovers without in any way marking or mutilating the film, is being marketed by the Theater Engineering Service Co. of Hollywood. This new indicating device, driven by the projector, indicates the number of feet of film passing through the projector. Its operation is based on the length of film being projected. The film (before being projected, is run through a film-measuring machine, and the exact length between the starting mark and changeover is noted. Then when this film is threaded into the projector, the hands of the cue-meter are set to indicate the footage, as before noted. When the projector is started, the meter subtracts one unit from the total for each foot of film run through the projector. In this manner the cuemeter always indicates, at any instant, the exact number of feet of film from the aperture to the point where it is desired to make the changeover. National Screen in Dallas Dallas — National Screen Service has opened a distributing office here under the direction of Wallace Walthall of Oklahoma City, district representative of the. concern. Walthall will now make his headquarters here and will retain Roger Miller, who has been in charge of the Dallas office, as his chief sales lieutenant. I HIS Stamp of Approval in advertisements of equipment end supplies means: That the NATIONAL GUARANTEE of highest quality is coupled with that of a manufacturer. NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY COMPANY Brunches in all Principal Cities NEW THEATERS Seneca, Ore. — The Olive is the name of a new house to be opened here shortly by G. F. Kennedy. Longview, Tex. — A theater called the Aladdin is to be equipped and operated in this city by G. H. Mercer. Charlottesville, Va. — The new Paramount planned here will be the most massive and up-to-date structure of the kind in this section of the state. In connection with the project, the Charlottesville Theater Corporation, has been chartered with P. Engle, of Birmingham, Ala., as president. Oklahoma City — A theater is being erected here by G. A. Peterson and Sol Teeter. The house is being built for colored patrons. Holland, Mich. — The erection of a 1,200seat house here has been announced by the Butterfield interests. Warren, R. I. — Associate Theaters of Rhode Island plans the erection of a brick theater and store building here at an estimated cost of $150,000. Boston — The Adams House Realty Corp., H. K. Noyes, president, has plans by A. H. Bowditch of this city for the theater to be built here at an estimated cost of $2,500,000. The house, to be leased by Paramount-Publix Corp., New York, will have a seating capacity of 2,000 when completed. Sherman, Tex. — A house which will seat 1,200 is being erected here by Geo. W. Spence, operator of the Gem and Washington of this city. ERPI Service Being Maintained Although Electrical Research Products is discontinuing some of its sales branches now that the number of unwired theaters has greatly diminished, the company points out that service offices for Western Electric equipment will be maintained at all points. The clo?:ng of ERPI sales branches has no connection with the Western Electric branches in the same cities. SIMPLEX TICKET REGISTERS Protection — Speed — Efficiency GENERAL REGISTER CORP. Paramount Building Chickering 4065 New York J. C. Ensi.en, Gen. Sales Mgr. RUBBER SOUND SCREEN DEVELOPED IN ENGLAND London — A new type of screen, made of a rubber composition, fireoof, easily washable, perforated for sound transm ssions and said to be 10 per cent more brilliant in its relective powers than the ordinary :reen, has been demonstrated with success by Sir Oswald Stoll at his itoll theater, Kingsway. The material of which this screen is made is of such an open type that t is particularly suitable for the ransmission of sound waves. From the front it gives the appearance of being absolutely solid rubber, but -bservation and inspection from the ick shows it to be apparently transparent in substance. The screen is hung on a batten nd is laced at the side. There is no limit to the size, as these screens are made in sections, and no sign if the joints can be detected further away than about six feet. Hoffmann Issues New Catalogue Hoffmann & Sons, Inc., of New York, manufacturers of rheostats and electrical specialties for motion picture theaters, have just issued a new 54-page descriptive catalogue treating of rheostats, voltmeters, meter panels, ammeters, switches, etc. Bring Back the Kiddies with the "Universal" Surprise Bag. A sure shot. Repeat ^business guaran LAZA t wood's most convenient ... for your winter stay in Southern California IE of California's most popular winter Otels. Right in the heart of movieland i door to famous theatres, studios, MB fend shops. ..near golf courses, bridle ^Jand other amusement places. and LEADER "STANDS IN a variety olf standard designs, with spacious and adjustable music rests, evenly illuminated without glare or light leaUs ; stable and sturdy; artistically ( finished; furnished completely wired with an extension cord. We also rnanufacture a complete line of stage lighting specialties. KLiEGL BROS Universal Electric Stage Lighting Co.,Im. 321 West 50th Street NewYork.NY.