International projectionist (Jan 1963-June 1965)

INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST Including a special Audio-Visual section relating to the operation and maintenance of A-V equipment in the educational and industrial fields. Volume 38 January, 1963 No. 1 FRANK W. COOLEY, JR. Editor and Publisher MIDWEST OFFICE 1645 Hennepin Avenue Minneapolis 3, Minnesota AL BLOOM Managing Editor RAY GALLO General Manager Associate Publisher EAST COAST OFFICE 545 Fifth Avenue New York 17, N. Y. Murray Hill 7-7746 TOM KENNEDY Equipment Editor IN THIS ISSUE Projectionist News 4 Improvement of Theatres 5 By D. E. HYNDMAN Up-Dating the Disc Reproducer 6 By ROBERT A. MITCHELL Arc-Lamp Demonstrations 8 Automatic Projection1 14 News Notes — Technical Hints — Miscellaneous Notes INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST, published monthly by the International Projectionist Publishing Co. division of The Northern Publishing Co., Post Office Box 6174, Minneapolis 24, Minnesota. Editorial offices, 1645 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis 3, Minn. Subscription Representatives: AUSTRALIA—McGills, 183 Elizabeth St., Melbourne; NEW ZEALAND — Wixon's, Ltd., 64 Courtnay Place, Wellington; ENGLAND and ELSEWHERE — Wm. Dawson & Sons, Ltd., Macklin St., London, W. C. 2. Subscription Rates: United States, Canada, and U. S. Possessions, $3.00 per year (12 issues) and $5.00 for two years (24 issues). Foreign countries: $4.00 per year and $7.00 for two years. Changes of address should be submitted four weeks in advance of publication date to insure receipt of current issue. Second-class postage paid at Minneapolis, Minn. INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST assumes no responsibility for personal opinions appearing in signed articles, or for unsolicited articles. Entire contents copyrighted 1963 by INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST PUBLISHING CO. 1 MONTHLY CHAT Lip Service to Good Projection The late Harold B. Franklin, when he was president of the West Coast Theatres, published a book on motion picture theatre management, which had this to say about projection. "Good projection is the heart of a motion picture theatre. Without a clear picture, with proper intensity of light, all the management's efforts are in vain." In other words, no matter if the theatre owner picks and chooses from the available product supply those attractions suited to his patrons; the clean, attractive and comfortable surroundings; courteous service by the theatre personnel; effective exploitation and advertising in the city or community, all those efficient showmanship things go out the window if the theatre does not have good projection, with up-to-date equipment for the craftsmen in the theatre's booth. Many progressive circuit heads and individual theatre owners have long agreed that without good projection the management, no matter how sufficient, is useless. And the reason we quoted Franklin about good projection is because he rose through the ranks — usher to theatre manager to general manager of Shea's Theatres in Buffalo, to general manager of Publix Theatres and finally to president of West Coast Theatres. Still, many exhibitors who have out-dated equipment think they can go along buying expensive pictures — in these days theatres can't book low cost attractions — and the patrons are cheated out of the modern techniques the film maker puts in his picture at great cost. There's now a rising trend to build new theatres and do major remodeling of existing theatres, so that the old and neglected theatres with worn-out booth equipment will have to get new projectors, arc lamps, and sound systems or face dwindling patronage. So maybe the day will come for projectionists to have modern projectors, arc lamps, sound systems and all the necessary accessories — and the sooner the better. Of course the projectionist who works with old equipment will have to be on his toes, with the knowhow about the up-to-date projectors, lamps and sound systems. The theatre owner, having spent thousands of dollars for new booth machines, has the right to demand that his projectionists operate the new equipment efficiently. The manufacturer or the dealer says the new equipment will get all the details out of the print, with a rocksteady picture, more light on the screen and with quality sound. So the theatre owner won't be satisfied unless it's the best picture he has ever seen, and will blame the projectionist if it isn't perfect. (Tlie projectionist crew should insist the installation man get things right, and give a demonstration to the exhibitor on screen. ) The theatre owner also has the right to ask the projectionists to keep machines oiled, cleaned, with the proper maintenance for all the equipment in the booth. Rightly, the exhibitor expects the new equipment to last for years, otherwise he has a bad investment, for projectors, lamps and sound systems are costly to buy. This is a challenge the top craftsman will relish. After all, the projectionist has great respect for his machines, because he well knows that without the efficient tools (Continued on Page 8) International Projectionist January, 1963