International projectionist (Jan-Dec 1937)

^A e Vol. 12. No. 4 EDITORIAL PAGE APRIL 1937 Color Pictures : Color is the current darling of the motion picture industry, which has An Opportunity ever been prone to rush away from j n » one J°h badly done to tackle an other. Black-and-white reproduction is pretty bad in more than one-half of U. S. theatres, yet the reproducing mechanism is to be saddled shortly with another and greater burden — color. Color motion pictures intrigue us, particularly in the reproduction phase, and we have been grabbing for publication almost everything relative thereto that we could lay our hands upon. This material has ranged from extremely good to extremely bad; and some of the funniest stuff, judged from the viewpoint of the known limitations of present projection equipment, has been pushed out by proponents of the lenticular color film process, who are enjoying a field day right now. This process has been dis-. cussed herein (Aug., 1936; Jan., Feb., March, 1937). Grand National, one of the newer producing companies, plans to utilize the Keller-Dorian (lenticular) color process, which requires a filter in projection. G.N. at the moment is trying to decide just how they will service theatre accounts with filters on color releases. We pray for an early decision in this direction, but we fear that even when made the decision will have no practical significance. We have seen lenticular film projected under ideal conditions before an engineering group. To suppose that even the de luxe theatres could approximate these ideal conditions is akin to wishing for the moon. First, there is a little matter of pepping up the projector light output by 400%. Eastman Kodak Co. claimed to have attained this goal; but many projection men were skeptical. Next, a lens faster than f/2 is required, and it is necessary to fill this lens completely. Then there is the question of horizontal lines, the result of the lenticulations, manifesting themselves on the screen, due to magnification. The nature of the color itself is 0. K., but for projection it is necessary to stop the blues down. The projection lens must have a special holder, and the filter must be fitted with a key to insure proper fit. This filter, incidentally, is positively not adaptable to an ordinary lens. Negative carbon pitting requires the removal of the arc away from the condenser, despite the utilization of a special non-pitting fin developed by Hall & Connolly. These are some of the problems incident to the projection of lenticular color film. Other problems were enumerated by Messrs. Capstaff, Miller and Wilder in I. P. for Jan., 1937, p. 20. Acceptable reproduction of such film might be accomplished on a small theatre screen, provided the illumination has been hopped up considerably; but in a theatre having 16-. 18-. or 20-foot screens there is insufficient light. This, then, is the manner in which the motion picture industry is planning to introduce a new color process. Once these color releases start circulating, smart projectionists will undoubtedly uncover other serious defects not apparent to one sitting at a desk instead of ranged alongside a projector. Evidence is not lacking that the industry was a bit premature in exhibiting certain color releases which were away below par. The public was badgered by terrific ballyhoo into expecting magnificient color pictures; and what they finally saw was something less palatable than a cold pancake. Not yet has there been released a feature picture in color of which the industry could be unreservedly proud. Disney does it consistently, to be sure, but his cartoons lend themselves naturally to color treatment. A feature picture is really a screen halftone, and cartoon technique is not applicable. The results of all this muddling in color will do the industry no little harm, and might possibly induce a knockout blow from which color pictures will not recover for a period of years. Color pictures certainly are on the way; and nobody will welcome them more enthusiastically than this corner. But they must be good. It is not enough to lick the problem of color film production in the studios where every step in the process can be and is subjected to the most rigorous control. Projection problems of a type enumerated previously must be overcome — and first. It is wholly unfair, if not incredibly stupid, on the part of producers to expect that they can use the theatres of America, which charge admission, as laboratories wherein color film problems will be worked out on the basis of trial and error. Should they adopt this course (and it appears likely that they will) one can only shudder at the havoc that will result — not only through the discrediting of color pictures but to the industry as a whole. We have just finished inspecting the /Veto Mass. Kules new regulations governing motion a Credit to an P^ture exhibition promulgated by j-, . „ the Massachusetts Dept. of Safety. Energetic (*roup These reguiations are sane, sensible and eminently fair to all concerned, not excluding projectionists. We like them so much that we will publish them in detail at the first opportunity. Here is another fine job by Local 182 of Boston, which also was the first group to jump in and tie up the exchange workers. While projection units throughout the country were meekly saying "Yes" to requests that they 0. K. the double-reel standard, Local 182 battled the proposition down to the bitter end. In the end they bowed to the inevitable on the reel project; but they gave nothing away without getting something in return — which was precisely what I. P. advised all other units to do. If one assumes that in losing the reel fight Local 182 gained the regulations now in effect, one might wish for similar "defeats" for projection units throughout the country. Those interested in a model set of rules relating to motion picture exhibition should obtain a copy of the Mass. regulations. Our article on exchange film inspecExchahge Work tion last month elicited no response Improvement By irom those who might be considered jt . . . to be most vitally interested in such Unionization matters. That the article would accomplish at one fell swoop that which has been attempted for so many years was not expected. Still, it is well to get such information into circulation, even if only for the record. Both the M.P.P.D.A. and the Academy, as sponsors of the long reel standard, have a definite obligation to the industry in effecting improvement in exchange inspection; but our thoughts in this direction will be unproductive. Strangely enough (that is, from the distributor viewpoint) first improvement along this line likely will result from the current exchange unionization drive, having as two of its objectives shorter hours and a slowing down of the pace. [21]