Harrison's Reports (1928-1928)

Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the pest office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879. Harrison’s Reports Yearly Subscription Rates: United States $10.00 U. S. Insular Possessions 12.00 Canada and Mexico.. 12.00 England and New Zealand 14.50 Other Foreign Countries 16.50 25c. a Copy 1440 BROADWAY New York, N. Y. A Motion Picture Reviewing' Service by a Former Exhibitor Devoted Exclusively to the Interests of Exhibitors Its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor. Published Weekly by P. S. HARRISON Editor and Publisher Established July 1,1919 Tel. : Pennsylvania 7649 Cable Address : Harreports (Bentley Code) A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING Vol. X SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 1928 No. 33 Facts About Talking Pictures and Instruments The question that is troubling almost every one connected with motion pictures today is whether the talking pictures are here to stay, or are merely a novelty, destined to pass out of existence as soon as their newness wears off. It is puzzling to the producers and distributors, it is puzzling to the artists, and it is puzzling to the exhibitors, small as well as big. Some say that there is no merit in this invention; some, that no theatre will be able to exist unless it installs a talking picture device; but the majority are at sea and are seeking to be enlightened. To say with accuracy whether talking pictures are here to stay or will soon die out is, of course, out of the question; one must be endowed with occult powers to see what is going to happen in the future. But one can make a study of them, bring to aid what occurred in kindred businesses so that, with whatever knowledge one can muster, one may be able to arrive at certain conclusions. It is with the object of helping exhibitors form their own conclusions by presenting to them whatever facts are at our disposal and by expressing certain opinions that I have undertaken to write this article. Let us for the present let the question of the fate of talking pictures for another part ot this article, confining ourselves to other relevant questions: The question next in’ importance to the future of the talking pictures asked most frequently is: What is the best instrument in the market? To enable you to determine this answer for yourself, let me present you with the facts that 1 have been able to gather after close study. There are three types of instruments made: the disc type, the film type, and a combination of the two. The type that is a combination of the two uses the film as a “disc," the grooves running alongside the film. The reproduction is by needle, just as it is in the phonograph. But because the instrument using this type of film is still in embryo form, let us leave it to one side at present; we may discuss it only when it is manufactured. and the demonstrations prove that it is successful beyond any doubt. Of the other two types, the disc type is, as every one of you no doubt knows, a duplication of the phonograph, on a large scale. The moving picture machine is coupled to the disc turntable, and run by the same motor. There is a starting point on the film and a starting point on the disc. The two must start at the same time, from these given points. If one should start ahead of the other by more than one-eighth second, the result is disastrous; the voice and the motion work against each other, disconcerting the spectator. The film type has the sound imprinted on the film itself, in the form of a sound track, of about one-eighth inch in width, running alongside the film between the sprocket holes and pictures. When a piece of film is cut off, the words or the sound is cut off also. From this you will readily see that the film can never get out of synchronism except for a short length whenever a piece of film is cut off and is not replaced. This occurs because of the fact that the sound is not recorded on the same spot as is the action, for the reason that, on account of mechanical requirements, the sound aperture (slit) is twenty frames ahead of the moving picture aperture through which the motion is projected on the screen, film of this length being required to cover the distance between the moving picture machine aperture and the —No. 1 slit, as well as to form the required loop. The picture gets out of synchronism for twenty frames every time a break occurs and the part removed is not replaced in the patching. But the time during which the picture is out of synchronism is of so short a duration that it is hardly noticed; because of the fact that the twenty frames are run in one second, the film remains out of synchronism only for one second (or for 20/24ths of a second, to be exact); that is, until the patch, leaving the moving picture aperture, reaches the sound-track aperture (slit). Even then, the motion and the sound still are synchronous in case no more than three frames are removed in the patching and are not replaced, for the reason that the one can, as it has been observed, be ahead or behind the other one-eighth of a second without bad results. And three frames represent but oneeighth of a second, for, in talking pictures, the moving picture machine is run at 90 revolutions per minute, or, at one and one-half revolutions per minute; and as each revolution “eats" 16 frames, 24 frames are run at each minute. And three frames are one-eighth of the twenty-four. Recording Let us now deal with the recording process of the two types : In the disc type, the sound waves strike the diaphragm of a microphone. This generates electricity, which causes the steel point to cut into the revolving record, “chiseling’ out undulations that correspond to the strength and the volume of the sound. As said in these columns before, there is a disadvantage in this method of recording, in that the .energy required to set the diaphragm into motion (to overcome the inertia) must be deducted from the energy generated by the sound, which sound is to be “chiseled" into the record in the form of undulations. In dealing with the energy generated by speaking or by other sound we are dealing with faint power, and anything lost anywhere on the “road" must be deducted from the result. And that is exactly what happens in this type of recording. And that is why the overtones, so necessary in harmonics, do not record themselves on a disc record. Strike a bell once and you will notice, if you will observe carefully, that there are other notes, of different pitches, superimposed on the basic note. These are what in acoustics are called “overtones." They are absent in the disc method of reproduction. Another defect in the disc type of reproduction is the fact that the low frequency sounds (bass notes) and the high-frequency sounds (high notes) do not record themselves, either at all, or faithfully, for this reason: There are 100 grooves on an inch of record. In the lowfrequency sounds, the oscillationssideways are so wide that the steel point breaks the wall of the next groove. For this reason the talking picture producers dare not record sounds below a certain range. In the highfrequency range, the steel point works so fast that, instead of “carving” out the sound path, it chips it, with the result that such tones are not natural when reproduced. In the film type, a delicate mirror in one system, hung on fine wires so that it may oscillate freely, reflects on the film (which is reserved for the sound track) light, received from a lamp conveniently placed. Another film system uses the microphone arrangement. In ( Continued on last page)