How to add sound to amateur films (1954)

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recording service. But the best apparatus, however carefully operated, cannot record frequencies much above 5,000 cycles per second. Even this requires a film speed of 24 pictures or frames per second instead of the 16 f.p.s. usually employed by amateurs for silent films. The cost is higher than disc recording in the long run because you must have a copy of your picture made on the same film as the sound. With colour this also incurs an appreciable loss in quality. On the other hand, you have the advantage of having picture and sound on a single film. Anyone can show this on a standard 16-mm. sound projector without special instructions regarding synchronisation. In fact, once the sound has been recorded in step with the picture, it is there for keeps. If you can record the sound directly on to the positive — i.e., if you do not have to copy from your original recording to get it on the same film as the picture — then you can get comparable results at the normal silent film projection speed of 16 f.p.s. However, this calls for the best equipment for both recording and reproduction. In any case, if you intend your film to be shown by strangers, you should use 24 f.p.s. This is the standard speed for an optical sound film and they will never believe that it should be shown at 16 f.p.s. At least, not until they have seen and heard it at 24 f.p.s. Magnetic Tape Recording A disadvantage of optical recording is that you cannot immediately play back a new recording to check that it is satisfactory. You must first develop and fix the film as with any other photographic emulsion. Magnetic recording, on the other hand, does not suffer from this limitation. After recording, no processing whatever is required. You can therefore reproduce a magnetic recording immediately. With the necessary equipment, you can even reproduce the sounds while they are still being recorded. This greatly helps to get the best possible recording without waste of time and temper. 46