International photographer (Feb-Dec 1929)

September, 1929 The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER Twenty-three Present Projector ^Aperture S^KS and Methods Used to Project Movietone Subjects — . by R. H. McCULLOUGH, Supervisor of Projection and Electrical Equipment, W est Coast Theatres Not more than a year ago sound reproduction, in theatres, was only a novelty, but now it is a popular, legitimate entertainment. Theatre patrons now can very easily determine the difference between good and poor sound reproduction. Good projection is required along with good sound. The one great question, which is before the entire industry at the present time, is the restoring of the Movietone picture to normal size. Many projection departments in theatres, have solved this problem, but not to the satisfaction of the producer. There are two methods used at the present time to restore the Movietone picture to normal size. The lens method is used in many theatres. The practice of using a masking piece, attached to the screen, so that it may be pulled on and off the screen as desired to cover up the space omitted, because of masking the sound track at the aperture, is also used in many theatres. There are several theatres where they do not use anything. Of course, we do realize that the importance of this subject has been dealt with very lightly by producers. However, it is one of the most important of subjects and one which everyone in the industry should endeavor to give consideration. First of all, we have to give a dignified sound picture performance. Two picture sizes are objectionable in any theatre, when the same height remains and the width is reduced. When Vitaphone or silent subjects are being presented, they are normal width and height, but when Movietone subjects are presented, it is not only necessary to mask the sound track at the aperture, but the space on the screen, which is omitted, must be taken care of. The Movietone picture appears very square in theatres having steep angle throws, and our audiences are not accustomed to this type of projection. Manufacturers of sound equipment have not made any effort toward helping to correct this unsatisfactory situation. By using a shorter focal lens, and an undersize aperture, the present Movietone picture can be restored to normal size. This necessitates the changing of lenses and apertures when projecting Movietone and Vitaphone subjects. A clamp is usually placed around each one of the lenses, so that the focus will be unchanged when interchanging lenses. Fifty per cent of our theatres use the lens method and the remainder are using the screen masking piece. As most of you know, the present Electrical Research Products Inc. Universal Projector Base cannot be moved sideways. This is one reason why more theatres are not using the lens method for restoring the Movietone picture to normal size. When using the lens method it is necessary to center the Movietone picture on the screen, so as to compensate for half of the sound track width, and when using an undersize aperture, as the height is reduced proportionally. We have many sound installations with the Three Point Type-S Simplex Base, which can be moved sideways as desired. However, we have a few installations with the Electrical Research Products Inc. Universal Base using lens mounts on Simplex mechanisms, which can be moved slightly parallel sideways, and which centers the picture as desired, so that the lens method can be used. When the lens method is used we cut a portion off the top and bottom of the picture. We have requested a few studios to keep their objects within 19/32, so as to avoid this. When using the mask on the side of the screen it is either manipulated by hand or remote control. However, the operation is smooth, but the appearance is very undignified. The mask, called the Movietone Flipper, costs less to install than the lens method. This mask is installed and supported on a slote fastened to the top of the screen and is operated by an endless chain at the side of the screen. The width of this mask varies, according to the picture size. Cable clamps are clamped to the cable at two places, which act as stops, so when the mask is pulled on and off the screen, it will stop at the same place. We do not believe either of these methods is satisfactory, as it is only a temporary method of correcting a detrimental condition in our theatres. However, the producers are the only ones who can correct this undesirable condition. Our recommendation would be to standardize on one size camera aperture in all studios, and that this aperture size be used when taking Silent, Movietone or Vitaphone productions. We do realize that it would take some time for this to be worked out to everyone's satisfaction, but nevertheless it would improve a very serious unstandardized situation. Theatres would have to change their objective lenses, providing they wished to maintain their present picture size, but not necessarily, because if the picture were reduced it would only require additional material to mat in the normal picture size to the reduced picture size and, also, all projector apertures would have to be changed to conform with the camera aperture size. This new aperture size would have to be proportionate to the normal size picture aperture. The standardizing of one aperture size will eventually be adopted by many producers. However, we must not forget the fact that, probably within the next year, we will be projecting the wide film in many theatres and this problem will have to be gone over again. The entertainment communication and sound with motion pictures depend entirely upon the progress of the Research and Engineering departments of the various crafts connected with recording and sound reproduction. LOCAL BOY MAKES GOOD How does it feel to win a $12,500 prize? Ask William T. Scanlon of Local 666, Chicago, for that is just what happened to him last month. Illustrated by Raymond Sisley, Brother Scanlon's "God Have Mercy on Us," great prize winning story of the world war, begins in the August number of the American Legion Monthly. The $25,000 prize offered jointly by the American Legion Monthly and Houghton Mifflin Company for the best war novel — a contest open to the whole world, the only stipulation being that every manuscript must be in English — has been divided equally, between William T. Scanlon of Fontana, Wisconsin, and Miss Mary Lee of Westport, New York. Brother Scanlon holds a card in Local 666, I. A. T. S. E. and M. P. M. O. He is employed at the A. B. C. studios, and recently has been engaged in experimental work in talkies for that organization. In January of 1918 the Second Division went into the lines in the reasonably quiet Verdun area. They heard their first shell at Dugny. But Scanlon's front line history really begins with the Second Division's march into the Chateau Thierry sector at the end of May, and that is where his prize-winning novel begins. "God Have Mercy on Us" is a wonderful translation into words of the deep psychology of the mental and spiritual problems confronting the average man in the great war. The plot of the story lacks the conventional hero, a conventional heroine and a conventional ending, but has a plot, in the strictest technical interpretation of the word, as clear as those of "Hamlet," or "The Scarlet Letter." BORN IN SEPTEMBER The members of Local No. 659 whose birth month is September are numerous and puissant and they are willing to challenge the children of any other month to contest with them in any game ever invented — nothing barred. They also claim to be the handsomest group in the calendar and the greatest favorites with the ladies. Their birth-stone is a brick bat and their favorite color green (long). Here they are: M. A. Anderson, Arthur E. Arling, John W. Boyle, William Bradford, Wilford M. Cline, Cecil Cooney, Harry H. Cooper, Jackson Eagan, A. F. Fernandez, John Finger, Perry Finnerman, James M. Fort, J. W. Fuqua, Pliny Goodfriend, Joseph M. F. Haase, J. B. Harper, Forrest E. Hershey, Paul Hill, Newton J. Hopcraft, Allen E. Irving, Clifton Kling, Eugene Kornman, Anthony Kornman, John S. Landrigan, Lionel Lindon, J. R. Lockwood, Bert Longnecker, Jack Mackenzie, John McCormick, Enzo Martinelli, Clifton T. Maupin, Russell L. Metty, Raleigh B. Nichol, Raider B. Olsen, Harry L. Osborne, Robert Wm. Pittack, Arthur Reed, Michael Santacroce, James B. Shackelford, William Snyder, Harold Stine, Herbert C. VanDyke, John P. Van Wormer and Robert H. Wagner.