Harrison's Reports (1929)

64 HARRISON’S REPORTS April 20, 1929 out affecting the sound. Sound transferred on the disc from such a system is nearly as good as the original sound ; but not quite as good, for nothing can be as good as the original recording. Exhibitors that intend to contract for. talking pictures with the sound on the disc should insist that the recording should be original, and should so state in the contract. They will then be protected, for any attempt on the part of some producer to furnish them with “duped” sound would be a \dolation of the contract. If it is to be “duped” sound, the contract should so state. In such an event, the exhibitor must not pay more than seventy-five per cent of the original sound price, if the “duping” is done from Photophone recording, and no more than fifty per cent, if it is done from Movietone recording. Again About Sound-on-Film vs. Sound-on-Disc The discussion of sound transferred from the film to the disc brings us back again to the question of the merit of the sound-on-film as against the sound-on-disc system. This prompts me to make some additional observations. There is no comparison between the sound-on-disc and the sound-on-film ; the sound-on-film can reproduce sounds that the disc cannot reproduce. Last week I had the good fortune of seeing and hearing a test of the finest piece of recording that has so far been made, the kind that will not be exceeded for some time to come. The recording was made by the Photophone system, and showed Mr. Walter Damrosch, of the Philharmonic Society, striking some notes on the piano. The notes resounded so perfectly that it would be impossible for any one that did not know that it was a film reproduction to distinguish it from the real tone. Not in all the world could wax reproduce such a tone quality. How Should the Sound-On-Film Be Made to Prevail There is no question that the film system of sound recording will eventually prevail. But to attempt to enforce it arbitrarily now would lead to disaster, for not many exhibitors are in a financial position to install a film instrument just now, and without the sound-on-disc it would be years before all the exhibitors tliat can install a talking picture instrument profitably could install a film instrument. The change must come about gradually. First, the smaller exhibitors must be helped to install a disc instrument so that they might be enabled to install a film instrument with the profits they could make. Every exhibitor must consider this a transition period; he must always have in mind the day when he will install a film instrument. The quicker he does it the better off, not only he, but the entire industry will be, for do not forget that when your competitor has a poor instrument not only he but also you suffer from it; the public does not always remember where they heard a poor tone quality and are apt to condemn talking pictures on the whole. Let the life of the disc not be more than two years. Warner Bros, the Key to the Situation The one concern that could bring about the change from disc to film is Warner Bros. As long as Warner Bros, adhere to the disc, the disc will continue to exist. Warner Bros, command the admiration of ever>' right-thinking person in the motion picture industry. No matter what their motive was, by their tenacity they have saved the industry from bankruptcy just the same. This has proved them to be really big men. But they would lose none of their bigness and greatness if they were to adopt the film system now ; if anything, they would command greater admiration, and it would bring them greater profits. Let them show us again what sportsmen they are. The Variable Width Better Than the Variable Density System If Warner Bros, should decide to adopt the film system of sound recording, this paper hopes that they will not make the mistake of adopting the less efficient of the two systems. The RCA Photophone system is far superior to the Movietone system, and once they decide to make the change let them make the right change. I don’t know what difficulties there may be in the way, but I am sure that, whatever these difficulties may be, they are not unsurmountable. On behalf of its thousands of subscriber-exhibitors and of the thousands that are not subscribers but follow its thoughts, Harrison’s reports urges Warner Bros. to think seriously of adopting the film method of soimd recording. If they should do so, they are sure to have the good will of all the exhibitors. All Should Adopt the Photophone Sound Track Since we are talking about our hope that Warner Bros, adopt also the film system of sound recording, and that if they do so they adopt the variable width system, Harrison’s reports again urges the other producers, too, to consider seriously adopting the variable width system, which has proved the better. By so doing, they will not only save millions of dollars yearly in preventing retakes, which are unavoidable with the variable density system, but also get better results. Where Should These Suggestions Have Come From? It is a pity that these suggestions, made to producers, should have come from the exhibitor side. But the mouldiness of the Hays organization has made this necessary. The Hays organization is today an anachronism. They have done nothing beyond installing an arbitration system, and they will do nothing, for they know nothing. There isn’t one executive in tliat organization that knows anything about sound. Any wonder that no suggestions have come from that source ? When the industry was topsy turvy as a result of the swooping down on us of the talking picture craze, there was no one to guide the producers ; they all rushed like sheep to rally under a sound banner, not knowing what they were doing. The result has been that they have tied up themselves with contracts that may eventually place some of them in an inferior position, if not put them out of business altogether. During that transition period, not a word of advice was given to them by the Hays organization, not a move for the guidance of its members was made. How different would it have been had Mr. Hays taken charge of the situation, engaged engineers to study the problem and to advise him ! He was not short of funds ; his yearly budget exceeds one million dollars. Instead, his organization has fallen into a rut With one exception or two, tliose that surround him now are expert politicians, able to drive away every constructive thought. But not one of them understands the serious problem that now confronts the industry. The Patent Situation I have been asked by several exhibitors to advise them whether any of the independent talking picture instruments is free from patent infringements. It is my opinion that every independent talking picture instrument, whether of the film or of the disc type, or of both types, infringes on some patents owned either by the W estern Electric Company, or by the Radio Corporation of America, or by the American Telephone & Telegraph Company, or by some concern allied vtith them. And this includes, I believe, also Dr. Lee De Forest. Dr. De Forest, to the best of my information, has certain valid patents in the sound recording field, the most important of them being the gas tube, a fact which will, in my opinion, make it pretty tough for Fox, who uses these patents without a license, as I understand. But Dr. De Forest himself may be found infringing on the patents owned by the three concerns just mentioned. The high Vacuum Tube is one of them. The Lowenstein Patent (the Negative Grid Bias), which has already been adjudicated (particulars about this patent will be given in a future issue) is another ; there are others. Western Electric has already started a suit against Pacent for infringement of its patents. Whether, however. it will start suits against the manufacturers of other independent talking picture instruments, almost all of whom use these patents without a license, I do not know. All I can say is that they could, if they wanted, bring such suits, which must be fought in the courts with the exception of cases of infringement of the Lowenstein patent, which has, as said, been already adjudicated. When you ask me to tell you which of the independent talking picture instruments is the best and I point out to yoti which one is in my opinion the best, bear in mind that I am not advising you on the patent situation. It is up to vou to determine whether you should take a chance at buying an instrument that infringes on patents or not. I don’t want to take any responsibility on that point.