The international photographer (Jan-Dec 1937)

PHOTOGRAPHER (Camera — Cont.) SEPTEMBER, 1937—19 Jack Oosgrove, head of Selznick Internationa] special effects department, with new projection background printer for color. Western Lithograph's color experimental laboratory, headed by Don Hooper, Local 683, IATSE, and MGM with its new color research laboratory, costing over $110,000, which was completed last month, are taking leadership in attacking the problems involved. International Photographer in cooperation with the manufacturers and studios, will present full news coverage of the program. This issue presents details of the Curtis one shot camera, which has been used in the Selznick-Western Litho experiments. Next month we will feature articles on Kodachrome action stills obtained by Hooper and Fred Parrish and the setup of the MGM color still department. PnceAA Color Printer Construction was completed last month on a new type projection printer which will radically revolutionize color, process photography. Machine-made, from designs by Jack Cosgrove, head of Selznick International's special effects department, the new mechanism makes it possible to produce in color virtually every special effect known to black-and-white photography. The new printer was completed after a year's experimental work. "Nothing Sacred," co-starring Carole Lombard and Predric March, was the first film to make use of the latest development. Cosgrove, whose contract was renewed recently by David O. Selznick, was enabled to finance his experiments on the new printer through company subsidy. STwW Volome Level In order to fully utilize the greater volume range capabilities of the newer Mirrophonic and Ultra Violet Push-pull recording systems, it has been found necessary to improve the older volume level indicators. The greatest step forward in this field was the introduction, a year or so ago, of the Weston high speed meter movement which allowed more accurate determination of sound peaks. Recently still more improvements have come along which will help the mixer to work closer to the overload point of the recording system without danger of overload "crack-up". At the SMPE summer convention this year (International Photographer, June, 1937) several papers were presented on useful improvements in volume indicators, and these papers are appearing in current issues of the SMPE Journal. The August issue contains a good summary of the NT problem by F. L. Hopper of ERPI. His paper describes a rather new peak reading level indicator, notable mainly for its high speed operation with slow restoring so that the needle "hangs on," after swinging up to a peak. A great deal of work has also been done in the studios in obtaining a linear decibel scale on the level indicator. Perhaps the outstanding development in this respect is the volume indicator developed at United Artists by Fred Albin. Level changes of about 2 0 db are easily readable directly without using a meter multiplier. This allows the mixer to keep track of low level dialogue that ordinarily is unreadable on the conventional level indicator. This new linear scale indicator is also very useful in dubbing, where the mixer wants to maintain a fairly constant level of TEAGUE PROCESS MEANS: "The utmost in technical excellence and showmanship values in process scenes." Manufacturers of Complete Transparency Equipment: Background Rear Projectors, Motion and Still Back, Projection Screens. Service : Complete Major Studio Process Units and Service for either Black-and-White or Color. TEAGUE PROCESS Photographic •Transparency MAIN OFFICE General Service Studio 1040 N. Las Palmas Hollywood, Calif. Telephone: GRanite 3111 AND Special Facilities for Expert Engineering, Designing and Pattern Making. Scale Models and Miniature Models of All Types.