The handbook of kinematography, the history, theory, and practice of motion photography and projection (1911)

PUBLISHERS' FOREWORD. In 1905 we converted THE MAGIC LANTERN JOURNAL, for thirteen years successfully conducted by Mr. J. Hay Taylor, into THE OPTICAL LANTERN AND CINEMATOGRAPH JOURNAL. For two years this monthly publication met the exigencies of the growing trade, and on May iCrfh, 1907, we launched a sixteen page weekly entitled THE KINEMATOGRAPH AND LANTERN WEEKLY. This has grown until at the present time it has become a bulky periodical of about one hundred pages at each issue. Notwithstanding these enormous strides, which have developed in ratio to the wonderfully increasing popularity of Motion Pictures, there has not yet been produced a standard handbook containing information on every department of kinematography, that could be utilised by those desiring to enter the profession, or could be referred to with confidence by those anxious to perfect their knowledge in the science. That the time is ripe for such a work is proved by the numerous technical, legal and varied questions which we have answered from time to time in our pages, and by the very many applications we have received for such a book. The varied knowledge—-photography , electricity, stage managership, legal and local necessities and what not — however, make the production of such a work no easy task. After much consideration, we arranged for Mr. Colin N. Bennett, F.C.S., an expert in photography and kinema- tography, and a well-known writer on scientific matters to collaborate with experts in the legal, business, and other cognate branches of the subject, and to produce an exhaustive book worthy of what has now become a gigantic industry.