International projectionist (Jan-Dec 1939)

S.M.P.E. Convention in N. Y., Oct. 16-19 Lists Varied Papers Program HOTEL PENNSYLVANIA, New York City, national headquarters oi the Society of Motion Picture Engineers, will be the scene of the twentyfourth annual convention of the Society, to be held Oct. 16 to 19, inclusive. The technical progress which the motion picture industry has made in the past year will be reviewed at the Convention, in many outstanding technical papers presented by the industries' leading engineers and executives. Local arrangements and reception of Society delegates will be in the hands of an 18-man committee headed by D. E. Hyndman, chairman of the Atlantic Coast Section. Hotel and transportation arrangements are in charge of J. Frank, Jr., and his committee. H. Griffin heads the committee on convention projection. Mrs. 0. F. Neu will act as hostess to the ladies, assisted by her Ladies Reception Committee. One of the principal events of the Convention will be the banquet and dance, to be held Oct. 18 at the Hotel Pennsylvania, when the annual presentations of the Progress Medal and Journal Award will be made. The Progress Medal is awarded annually in recognition of any invention, research or development which has resulted in a significant advance in motion picture technology. The Journal Award is made to the author or authors of the most outstanding paper originally published in the Journal of the Society during the preceding calendar year. • Special Television Showing Arrangements have been completed for the delegates to witness a special television demonstration at the RCA Exhibit in the New York World's Fair. J. Almonte, director of the exhibit, will be in charge of the demonstration, which will take place after the usual closing hour. Delegates wll also see an exhibit of the latest type of RCA Photophone motion picture sound reproducing equipment which is housed in the same building. The demonstration will be held at 9 p.m. Monday, Oct. 16, the opening day of the convention. A tentatively scheduled convention feature will be an address of welcome by New York's famous Mayor, F. H. LaGuardia. to be delivered at the informal get-together luncheon. Abstracts of those papers of particular interest to projectionists are appended hereto: TELEVISION CONTROL EQUIPMENT FOR FILM TRANSMISSION R. L. Campbell Allen B. DuMont Laboratories A television film chain with particular reference to amplifier, sweep, and power circuits in the film pick-up unit is described. Many improvements in television circuits have been made possible by recent advances in circuits and circuit components in radio and allied electronic fields. Application of some of ihe newer ideas to motion picture film pick-up equipment has resulted in improvedperformance and simplicity of operation. Circuit arrangements which permit flexibility in transmission standards are considered and their application discussed. Also the anticipation of possible future improvements in picture quality is indicated in some circuit capabilities. Simplification of controls from the television projectionist's standpoint is discussed. SCIENCE AND THE MOTION PICTURE H. Roger Rolab Photo-Service Laboratories The motion picture is a product of science. There is ample historical material available for those who wish to convince themselves of this fact; but a brief review is given of the work of Muybridge and Marey in order to clarify the cause of their inventions. The ensuing discussion centers around the question, "Has science maintained its interest in the motion picture and has it utilized its advantages to its full extent?" In this paper the word "science" is taken broadly and includes research, dissemination of knowledge, and industrial application. Motion picture's application to science is divided into two distinct categories and are discussed in detail: (1) The motion picture as an aid to scientific research; (2) The motion picture as a medium for the dissemination of knowledge. The paper concludes with descriptions and demonstrations of interesting material from the files of the Rolab Photo-Science Laboratories. Also an inside view is given of production activities of an unusual character. PRODUCTION OF A THREE-DIMENSIONAL MOTION PICTURE J. A. Norling Loucks and ISorling Some problems involved in the production of satisfactory three-dimensional motion pictures have not received much mention in the literature dealing with stereoscopy. Their practical solution has contributed marked improvements to the three-dimensional picture of today. Fundamental Problem of 'Depth' The fundamental problem in projecting three-dimensional pictures is that of providing a "right-eye" picture that will reach only the right eye and be prevented from reaching the left eye and, and to do the same for the "left-eye" picture. To attain this result two methods have been employed with success, namely: the "anaglyph" in which substantially complementary colors are employed in the viewing devices, and polarized light. The screen surface upon which threedimensional pictures are projected by polarization methods is of extreme importance. The selection of the proper type of screen raises real problems but these also have been overcome in a practical way. THE PRORLEM OF DISTORTION IN THE HUMAN EAR S. S. Stevens Harvard University The amount of distortion produced by the ear upon a simple sound-wave has been measured by analyzing the electrical output of the ears of animals and by indirect experiments with human ears. The amount ot distortion in a sound-wave which the human ear is just able to detect has also been determined, and it is found that the {Continued in col. 1, next page) I. P. C. E-7 Dual Shutter Available for Super and DUE to the success of the Simplex E-7 mechanism brought about in part by the introduction therein of the dual (front and rear-shutter) assemblies therein, International Projector Corp. has decided to make this major improvement in projection equipment available to users of its earlier models — the Super Simplex and Simplex Regular rear-shutter mechanisms. • Now Ready for the Field The assembly for the Super Simplex mechanism is now ready for distribution, the unit for the Regular rear-shutter mechanism will be available shortly. It will be distributed through National Theatre Supply Co. which anticipates a brisk demand from theatres having Simplex mechanisms installed. This unit provides not only considerably more illumination on the screen but at the same time very definitely improves the quality of the picture presentation brought about by sharpness of and Deflector Units Made Regular Simplex Heads definition, reduction of flicker and an illusive something that can best be described as a smoother and pleasanter picture from the observer's point of view. • Air Deflector Unit Included in the assembly modernization kit also is another improvement which International introduced at the time the E-7 was placed on the market, the E-75 Air Deflector and Aperture Cooling Unit, which definitely eliminates the possibility of interference with the arc lamp operation and prevents the fluttering of the arc and drawing of gases and carbon dust into the projection room. This latter assembly also provides for more even distribution of light in the projected picture. The assembly has been so simplified that it may be readily attached to any Super Simplex mechanism in very short time without removing it from its operating position. SEPTEMBER 1939 21