International projectionist (Oct 1931-Sept 1933)

August 1932 INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST 13 impression will be confused and unstable. The fence itself will seem to be in rapid motion and flying past us. The shrubbery will also appear to be moving by us but more slowly. The tree in the distance will seem to be still, till we look beyond it to the distance mountain top, and then it will appear to be slowly moving past us. Illusory Sense of Motion The sense of motion is emphasized by the relationship of one object to another that appears to be moving faster because of our nearness to it. An illusion is often produced of an object that seems to be in motion when it is we ourselves that are moving and the object is still, or the reverse in which we appear to be still when it is we that are moving and the object itself is quiet. This is most evident in the starting of a railway train on the track next to the one in which we are waiting, or from a ship's deck as we are leaving the pier. We may feel quite convinced that it is our train that is in motion although it has not yet started, or that it is the pier that is moving instead of the boat. A far distance object such as the moon or a star may be speeding across the heavens with almost inconceivable rapidity and yet seem absolutely stationary until we watch it for a few minutes in relation to a flying cloud or another star. All of this may seem to be a long introduction to a very simple subject, but it is necessary to understand how the eyes act together and in relation to moving objects if we would realize how moving objects may disagreeably or even disastrously affect them. It is even necessary to know a little more about the eye and its construction as well as of its reactions to outside influences. The eye warns us of the approach of a coming automobile. It prevents us from colliding with passersby in the street. It has the quality of recognizing brightness and moving forms to a higher degree than can the visual center. This may be easily demonstrated by looking directly at a star of lower magnitude. If the eyes be then directed a little to one side or the other of it, its brilliancy will be immediately increased. This area is made up of a preponderance of longer and slimmer nerve terminals which are called rods. Many birds have almost exclusive rod terminals which enable them to avoid each other in their rapid flights. A person standing in the twilight will hardly be seen until he moves; then at once this ' part of the eye is conscious of his presence. Elements of a Motion Picture The importance of these physiological facts will be apparent when we realize that in looking at the screen we are watching the blending of a series of en Important Decision on Grid-Bias Patent 'T^HE United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, in -* New York, on July 18, 1932, handed down a decision modifying the decree of United States District Court for the western district of New York in the case of Western Electric Company and others against Sol Wallerstein, Buffalo theatre owner. This action was originally brought against Wallerstein for the use in his theatre of Pacent talking picture reproducing equipment which was alleged to infringe several Western Electric patents. The District Court decided that the Pacent equipment did infringe three of these patents, but that a fourth was not infringed. A fifth, the so-called Lewenstein grid bias patent, it said, was invalid. Both Western Electric and Wallerstein filed appeals. The decision just announced declares the Lowenstein patent valid and infringed but that the Pacent equipment is free of infringement on the other four patents. Of the Lowenstein patent the decision says: "This contribution to the art has been of great merit." The invention covered by this patent is an extremely valuable factor in the design of the amplifiers used in the Western Electric sound system and is generally regarded as essential to any high grade amplifying equipment. Wallerstein's interests were represented by Warner Brothers who set up an additional claim that because, as producers of pictures, they had a license to employ the Western Electric Recording System, they had the right also to pass a license along to the exhibitor to show their pictures on any type of equipment. The Court of Appeals denied this contention as also did the lower court. The decision in this case will have an important effect in other suits involving the Lowenstein patent now pending. larged pictures illuminated by transmitted light projected from a distance. There are, therefore, four elements to be considered in an inquiry as to whether the pictures shown in this way can in any degree be injurious to the eyes of the observer. These have to do with the quality of the film, with the arrangement of the lighting and the mechanism of the motion, and with the position of the observer. The final and important requirement is that his own eyes shall function normally. The first requisite is that the screen picture shall be clear and distinct. The captions and other descriptive matter accompanying the view should be sufficiently large to be easily read and not so redundant that the reading may not be easily completed before it disappears. That the film may be clearly shown depends on several elements. The first is the illumination. This should be adequate but not glaring. A glare is an excess of unfocused light; a sharp unshielded bundle of light rays coming from one side or the other or reflected from the screen itself, or from an unshaded light bulb in the dimness of the playhouse, will cause unnecessary discomfort. The arrangement of the scene itself so that glaring reflections are thrown back on the audience is now of infrequent occurrence, as the good producers are employing the assistance of the best artistic and illuminating engineering talent. It is better that the hall in which the picture is shown be not too dark. Strong contrasts of light and darkness are not pleas ant and the details of the picture are brought out with even greater clearness in a twilight atmosphere if there are no distracting light sources visible. It is imperative that the film be run through with just the right degree of rapidity to make the images stand out and to move with the deliberation of actual living people'. The beauty as well as the eye comfort of what might otherwise be an exquisite picture is often ruined by the rapidity with which it is shown. In the exhibition of an instructive picture recently shown in an educational institution of high standing a current of twenty-five instead of sixty cycles was used. This together with some fault in the motor mechanism caused a constant flickering of the light that gave the impression of a picture seen through falling water. The sensation produced was most uncomfortable and soon became fatiguing. The whole effect of the picture was thereby lost and the illusion completely destroyed. Worn Film Harmful It is also important that films be retired from service after a reasonable amount of use. When they become spotted and cracked either from the heat of the lamp or from too long continued use, they give blurred and indistinct impressions and are neither attractive nor com {Please Turn to Page 30 j * Acceptable reproduction of sound pictures requires a minimum running speed of the film which removes this factor as an important consideration.— Ed.