Home Movies (1946)

• Fig. I — Portable and quickly •raetad li this parlor itaga for prasanta • Fig. 2— Hara tha curtalni hava baan drawn aslda by motor pow«r to ravaal tion of homa movlai. Cempoiad lubitantlally of Pratdweod It faaturai tha leraan. This vary profaitlonal-llka faatura anhaneas pratantation of avan a curtain that opans and eloiai by rameta control. madlocra mevlat. PiRLOR SHOWMMSHIP Friends Are Inclined To Come Often To View Our Movies When They Are Presented Expertly And In Comfortable Surroundings By ARTHUR M. SHARP THE pleasure one can derive from his personal movies is more than doubled when a little showmanship is employed in their presentation. The extra effort and work mvoived will do wonders for one's ego, too. In fact considerable prestige is to be gained by consistently showing movies in theatre-like presentation. Mediocre films — and who will deny that he has made at least one? — take on an aura of perfection when shown m appropriate setting and supported with a background of soft music. Friends are inclined to come often to see movies thus screened. Without disparging the home movie screen, few will deny the fact that a naked screen at one end of the living room adds nothing to the decorative scheme of one's home. So if we soften the lines and add some means of decoration compatible to the decor of the room's interior, we have at once set a more acceptable stage on which to display our films. The sliding curtain, too, adds a note of skillful presentation. Then at the business end of our living room theatre, the ever present bugaboo of light flare from the lamp house needs attention as does the projector noise. This suggests a method of blimping or better still, a portable projection booth plus a means for playing background music which, in addition to complementing the picture, also obscures any projector noise. Mr. Albert Feinauer, a cinebug of Cranston, Rhode Island, has found the answer to these home movie showmanship problems in a unique portable stage and a projection booth, pictured above, which he built and consistently uses whenever movies are shown in his home. Two trips to the cellar and less than fifteen minutes preparation, and Mr. Feinauer has his stage, screen and projection booth ready for a show. And when the show is over, the "scenery," as Mr. Feinauer calls it, may be quickly dismantled and stored away. First the screen is set up on its tripod; then the stage front arranged so that the curtain covers it. A sheet of hard tempered presdwood was used for building a base for the whole front. Across the bottom is a length of ^ round moulding while the other three sides employ one inch decorative moulding to reinforce the panel. In the center, near the bottom, a section is cut out and covered with brocaded drapery material such as used to cover radio speakers. Arranged vertically are three braces that reinforce the speaker opening, and above this is the Feinauer monogram. Arranged on a frame behind this cutout is a secondary speaker for the family radio. Necessary cords are attached to a phono plug so that the speaker can be quickly connected with the combination radio and record player. Behind the curtains at each end are two folding strips of wood which support the top valence. These strips are attached to the bottom panel by bolts and wing nuts for ease in fastening, also to allow them to fold down behind the lower panel when in storage. The top presdwood valence which receives the supporting strips, is fitted with brackets in such a manner that the whole top slides down onto the strips and into place. There is conveniently a door behind the screen, so Mr. Feinauer made two clamps which hook onto the top of the door frame moulding to hold the whole outfit rigid and vertical. The two pole standards are attached to the bottom panel in front of the curtain by means of two brackets. At the top, holding the poles to the valence, are spring clips such as used for hanging brooms in a closet. Below the presdwood valence, which is suitably paneled with moulding, is a decorative fringe to add to the theatrical effect. Cut-out stars complete the design of the stage front. Behind the valence is a curtain rod fitted with a number of small metal curtain rings. The two halves of the sliding curtain are so sewed to the rings, that they fold neatly when the curtain cords are drawn. These curtains are decorated with a stenciled border — designed and handmade by Mrs. Feinauer. 544