International projectionist (Oct 1931-Sept 1933)

THE ART OF CONTINUOUS CINEMATOGRAPHY William C. Plank IN this article we shall submit to projectionists various reasons why the art of continuous cinematography advances precision in projection to a higher standard. In cinematography, precision will always remain the predominant thing; and old and less accurate methods must invariably give way to newer and more precise ones. That is the handwriting on the wall that everyone can read. Precision is always useful, but never more so that when it is dedicated to the comfort of the eyes and the preservation of vision. And in no other direction can it be applied to a more generally useful purpose than in improving motion picture projection. It is axiomatic that the most precise and perfect method of dividing a motion picture film into evenly spaced divisions or frames is by imparting a uniform motion to it, and spacing off the divisions by the beats of a pendulum or the regular periods of a rotary body revolving at a uniform velocity. This is the fundamental principle of the registration in the continuous cinematograph. And the thing that makes it important and full of interest is that the ideal can be approached more closely upon this principle than upon any other. Freeing the registration from the tyranny of the perforations and permanently establishing it upon the basis of uniformity of motions or the law of inertia, is the outstanding achievement of the continuous cinematograph. Many improvements proceed from this revolu tionary innovation in the principle of registration. The most important of these are undoubtedly the ones that conspire to greater perfection in the projected image, for they directly concern the public. Major Advantages It should be a matter of interest to the public, therefore, that the art of continuous cinematography offers six optical improvements, all of which contribute to the comfort of the eyes and the preservation of vision, or to the quality and beauty of the image. These are: I. A characteristic steadiness or smoothness in the projected image, derived from the extraordinary precision of the registration. The cumulative effect of the more precise registration improves the definition, increases the contrast, and lessens eyestrain. II. A restful quality that is more pleasing to the eyes. This is due to the continuity of the illumination made possible by the elimination of the dark-periods. It is a quality that is immediately perceived and remarked upon by many. III. The much longer stationary-period which is made possible, improves the half-tones and increases the depth and "snappiness" of the image. IV. A more perfect and natural reproduction of motion. This is one of the most important of the improvements made possible through the art of continuous cinematography, for it adds life and action to the image. It tends to correct the jerky mechanical quality of motion pictures. The reason will be found to reside in two distinct phenomena. The first of these is the creation of composite or intermediate postures during the blending period. These composite images take the place of the usual darkperiods in intermittent projection, and thus very appositely fill in the blanks in the record. In Figure 1, the thin hand of the colored boy illustrates one of these intermediate postures, for it will be observed that it is half-way between the faint outlines of the two original postures from which it is created. Our rhomboidaF prism projector was stopped at the dissolve-period and the two images of adjacent film photographs were thus superposed upon the screen, and photographed. It will be noticed that corresponding parts of the two superposed images remain unaffected by the blending, but those parts that do not coincide (the parts that were in motion in the object), become partly obliterated by the highlights of the complemental frame. Where these parts overlap, however, the highlights cannot affect them and a conspicuous intermediate posture or pose is created. The thin hand of the colored boy constitutes such a composite posture, for it can be proved by shutting off ^ A four-sided figure having its opposite sides equal, and its angles not right angles; lozengeshaped. •i ^ i', ii:^ 'f!rl':'M / Figure 1 Figure 2 [22]