International photographer (Jan-Dec 1935)

April, 1935 T h INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER Twenty-five The Film Industry Solves Another Problem How Successful American Films May Be Translated By Kay The film industry's language barrier problem has been solved, according to claims made by George P. Regan and Albert R. Day of International Cinema, Inc., by means of their new translation process. In this process, English speaking actors and actresses will speak foreign languages with perfect similitude, and successful American films may be translated into German, Spanish, or French at little expense to the producer. Based on the principle that the visible manifestation of speech is the same in all languages, they have invented a new translation process which is accomplished by the use of English code words and a new sound head which will start or stop in 1/200 second, to be used in dubbing the close-ups. Previously, when a film was dubbed in any foreign language, the chief shortcomings lay in the close shots. If these synchronized correctly at all, the meaning was distorted. Now, the long shots are left as originally made, but in the close-ups — in place of the original script, the actor will use code words which carry out the meaning and the spirit of the lines, if not actually the same words. For example, in a portion of the "Invisible Man," the actor cried out: "Don't let the police see you," which carried the same movements as the Spanish version into which it was translated: "No es la policia." The original script had read the same as the Spanish translation — "That's not the police," a sort of fearful query to the girl in the cast whose name was Myra. In the English version where he calls her by name, it was translated into a Spanish outcry: "Look," or in Spanish, "Mira!" Again the lip movements were identical. If the film had been intended for a German translation, the actor would have said: "I shan't ride in a police car," which offers the same lip movements as "Das ist nicht die polizei." Or, if it were for a French audience, the actor could have said: "Don't let pass the police," identical with "Ce n'est pas la police." In dubbing the film, the new Regan-Day sound translation equipment is used, in which the synchronizing device is operated by means of a magnetic clutch and two into Foreign Languages at Little Cost to the Producer Campbell photo-cells which make it possible to instantly start and stop film at the rate of ninety feet per minute, without flutter or sound distortion. This s\ nchronizing machine consists of a special reproducing head, heavily filtered against vibration and fitted with an extremely quick acting magnetic clutch. The film is fed from a supply reel, over a series of idling rollers, over a sound drum and back to the take-up. The sound drum is sprocketless, having a series of spirally arranged holes to which the film clings because of the vacuum. The drum is hollow. Two photo-electric cells are used. One is utilized in the normal manner as a sound pick-up. The other is actuated by an exciter beam, reflected by a mirror. It operates relay circuits, which disengage the magnetic clutch, immediately stopping the film, whenever modulation strikes the pick-up. It starts or stops in 1/200 second. The entire process, codifying system, synchronizing mechanism and auxiliary equipment is protected by patents in the United States and all countries. This process culminated three years' effort on the part of Albert Day, University of California engineer and inventor, to secure the perfect illusion of reality in the translation of languages. George P. Regan, president of the company, has also been working on the language and dialogue problem. Others interested in the company are: H. T. James, formerly owner of the Bennett Film Laboratory; A. J. Guerin and A. C. Snyder, formerly associated with Consolidated Film Industries; and Bonar Russell, Pacific Coast banker. Construction work is now in progress on a Class A structure where the latest laboratory equipment will be installed as rapidly as building conditions permit, at the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Citrus Street. The initial laboratory installation will provide for a plant capacity of 150,000 feet of film positive and 75,000 feet of negative an eight-hour day, Regan announced. The plant will represent an initial investment of $150,000. The main building under construction will have a ninetyfoot front on Santa Monica Boulevard and one hundred and forty-foot depth. \ > SOUNDOLA For Editing, and Inspecting Sound Track Only — Positive or Negative Will Not Scratch Negative Does Not Heat — Operates From Any Lamp Socket. Price Amplifier and Sound Head, $150.00 j-folrWv'ood Motion PicTure/^quipmemT(o. |Td. 645 NORTH MARTEL AVE CABLE ADDRESS ARTREEVES HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA. US A