International photographer (Feb-Dec 1929)

Six Th INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER August, 1929 approximately %xl inch. Since the advent of talking pictures the photographed and projected picture has been decreased in width, due to the addition of the sound track, until it is nearly square. "One of the worst objections to the present size picture," says Mr. Fear, "is the fact that it has lost, in a large measure, the quality of naturalness. Normal vision subtends an angle that is approximately twice as wide as it is long. The standard motion picture as projected today, appears almost square and this is one of the reasons present pictures do not appear natural on the screen. "Many suggestions have been made for the improvement of the present pictures, the most logical being to increase the width of the film. However, so many difficulties are encountered with the 70 m.m., or double-width film that I cannot see where it can ever become a commercial success. "The difficulties begin at the time the raw film is made and will continue through the photographing and processing of the film and its subsequent use for projection purposes." "In the first place, with doublewidth film, there is a far greater tendency for the film to curl in the making. Special slitting is required to secure the double-width film. A special perforator is needed. Special cans are necessary for shipment from film manufacturer to consumer. The latter requires a special camera for photographing and has considerable trouble keeping the film flat at the aperature so that all parts of the picture are in focus. The tendency of wide film to curl makes it difficult to eliminate scratches during the process of photography. "The 70 m.m. camera requires new type magazines and magazine spools. After the picture has been photographed it is sent to the laboratory where it again necessitates special apparatus. First, a special developing machine is required. Second, a special printer is needed for the positive. This in turn is developed and wound on special reels. It then requires special polish and waxing machines, and if spliced, special splicing machines. For inspection, special machines are necessary. After that it is shipped to the exhibitor in special containers. He in turn must have a special machine for projection. "In short, if this film comes into common use it will mean that all of the motion picture equipment in present use will have to be scrapped. This will entail a cost of untold millions." Mr. Fear, after years of experience in the film industry realizes that any radical change in the motion picture of today necessitating a complete alteration of the present equipment is impractical. He also knows that there must be a change, not only in the size of the projected picture, but in the so called sound track. "The present sound track," he points out, "is not wide enough to give absolute fidelity of reproduction. Due to it's narrow width, any weaving of the film while passing the aperature which permits light to pass through the film to the photoelectric cell, will cause a change of tone in the reproduced sound. This is often very objectionable. The recording of the higher frequencies of sound presents another problem. This has been only partially solved. Sound engineers have increased the speed of photography from 16 to 24 pictures per second. This was done to give a longer sound track. At 24 pictures per second the film travels at the rate of 90 feet per minute or 18 inches per second.." "When a ribbon light-valve is used with an aperture of .004 of an inch, says Mr. Fear, "the highest frequency that can be recorded is 4-18.000 or 4500. This is about the highest frequency successfully recorded by the variable density method. This comparatively low frequency cuts off many of the harmonics and overtones that are so necessary for correct rendition of sound. And this is one of the reasons why the speech recorded by different actors frequently sounds the same, since it is these overtones and harmonics, due to different speech characteristics, that give individuality to the different voices. The same thing applies to music and other sounds. This gives rise to the universal complaint of 'canned' or 'tinny' music. "The use of double-width film only partially overcomes the sound engineer's difficulty, for although a wider sound track is used, the 70 m.m. film (Continued on Page Twenty-seven) I8i Color Is Here -+-+ I VITACOLOR Attachments for Standard 16 MM Cameras and Projectors ASK YOUR DEALER Or Write to us Direct THREE BRANCHES TO SERVE YOU % In the East at 11 West 42nd Street NEW YORK CITY MAX B. DUPONT In the South at 610 Baronne Street NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA |j CORPORATION M 207-209 North Occidental Boulevard y LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 1 1 a