International projectionist (Jan-Dec 1947)

Presenting: Fred J. Loakes I NFILTRATION, that's what it is, when I studio guys grab space herein after what we exhibitionists— pardon, theatre people — have to endure in the form of bum prints and . . . aw, let it go. Anyhow, our jobs are safe because fellows like Chamberlin and Loakes and McCormick and others of that stripe are strictly projection-on-the-level addicts — and that's levelling. Who wants new aperture dimensions? Loakes, Fred J., is the guy whose likeness {he says) adorns this section. The rap against him as a sub sub -L. A. booster (you know, like B for Barrows and, er, Boston) is mitigated by the fact that he was born in Cleveland oh, so many years ago. After leaving school Freddie took a course in electricity (as though anybody can learn anything in Cleveland — Vic Welman won't be East for awhile) and wound up with the American Steel and Wire Co. The boys "struck" this outfit in 1919, and Freddie still is out. He recalls that labor unions were pretty rugged in 1919. Guess he must wear dark glasses around Hollywood today to avoid seeing "rugged" stuff. Freddie scrammed West via the Kansas wheat fields — Hoxie was the town — pretty stern stuff for a city guy, quite apart from the I.W.W. outfit which was also a bit rugged. Influenced Insurance Rates This treasonable Loakes guy now has the temerity to say that Los Angeles didn't impress him at first sight: he just stayed on because he was broke. Brother ! wait until those Southern Cals read this. Anyhow, Freddie wired a few houses in L. A., which efforts were reflected in a soaring fire insurance rate, and then joined Pacific Tel. & Tel. as a central office and P. B. X. installer and thus learned plenty about circuits, relays and such stuff. In 1926 Freddie heard about motion pictures and, thinking to work "extra," he grabbed a license and went to work on some Main Street or other on one of those long grinds. Local 150 beckoned in 1929, and Freddie went to work at Pathe, Culver City. With sound coming in, the workday ran from 8 a. m. one day to 2 a. m. the next, seven days a week. Even at the then prevailing scale the dough was big — and so was the body ache. Fred then hit the "brackets" as chief projectionist at the old Tiffany Studios on Sunset Boulevard, remaining there until 1933 — a tough year for dear old I. A. in the studios. Freddie free-lanced (meaning he grabbed jobs here, there and everywhere) for the next couple years, including several studios and theatre work for Local 150. Studio projectionists were taken over by Local 37, but after a hard fight a separate charter was issued which turned out to be Local 165. Freddie is a charter member of Local 165 and one of its first executive board members. Daffy Daily Associates Universal studios housed Freddie from 1936 to 1943, and then he went over to Walt Disney as chief projectionist, which post he still fills. Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and Donald are on extremely intimate terms with Freddie, but despite the superlative beauty of these color masterpieces he occassional! y yearns to handle a lush drawing-room film or a topical subject about, for example, food. Freddie has been saying "Yes, dear," to the same gal for 23 years, and their two boys, 18 and 20, are now in the armed forces — one with the Army in China, the other a gob at Pearl Harbor. Freddie is a member of the Masonic Lodge, Consistory of Pasadena, and Al Malaikah Temple of Los Angeles. The Opulent iFantasia!' Wonder if Freddie knows that a revival of "Fantasia," sans separate sound tracks and intricate interlocks, is now playing on Broadway at $1.50 per ticket? Admitting the timeless quality and universal appeal of Disney's stuff, art comes high at these rates. This Loakes fellow has the reputation of being a fine host to visiting firemen from the effete East and other sectors, but he would appreciate at least five minutes advance notice of any contemplated pa-and-ma-and-kids combinations who seek to enter the Disney fairyland. The Trivision 3-Dimensional Process Fred J. Loakes I ENSES of virtually every description have been produced at Bausch & Lomb Optical Company to meet specific requirements. Over the years, specifications have ranged from tiny hemisphere lenses no larger than the head of a pin to the 379-pound prism for the world's largest Schmidt-type telescope at Puebla, Mexico. One of the latest and most interesting jobs undertaken is production of a large, fast, Balcoted lens for a three-dimensional photographic process invented by Douglas F. Winnek, University of Rochester-trained optics engineer. Winnek's picture-taking method, known as Trivision, was developed after several years' experimental work. Those viewing his pictures find it difficult to believe their eyes, so amazingly true to life is their depth. More amazing still, his photographs are taken with a single lens and do not require the aid of viewing glasses to bring out their startling depth or relief. Unique Large Diameter Lens The lens is a 14%-inch /:2.2 portrait-type lens. In size, it closely resembles the headlight on a locomotive, measuring eight inches in diameter when mounted. One factor in the success of the startling picture-taking process is the lens' large diameter. Winnek maintains that a camera lens, like human vision can see partly around any object. Thus, the wider the lens, the better the depth perception. Trivision's inventor points out that this property of a lens is wasted in an ordinary camera because all the light reflections focus on a flat surface. This is actually the remainder of Winnek's secret, for he devised a method of embossing any standard film, black-and-white or color, on the side opposite the emulsion, with microscopically small ridges or lenticulations. These ridges take the shape of simple piano convex cylindrical lenses numbering about 200 per linear inch. Each tiny ridge acts as a separate miniature lens and divides its portion of the image into two parts. In other words, the film is converted into an optical surface which supplements the action of the large B. & L. lens. Mobile Camera and Film To obtain maximum depth or relief, the camera is designed so that it moves across or scans the subject laterally. The film, too, is moved during exposures. It all sounds complicated and it is, but the results are something at which to marvel. When viewing an ordinary portrait, for instance, it looks the same whether one stands directly in front of it or off to one side. Not so with Trivision pictures which provide an astonishing sense of depth. It is actually possible to see around and beyond objects as one changes one's position or angle of view. For example, objects in the foreground appear to move in relation to objects in the background. Foreground objects also appear to project out in front of the photograph or mount itself. If a pencil point be placed on an object in the picture, such as the center of a flower, the flower appears to project out and beyond the pencil point. Enormous Possibilities Envisioned The possibilities opened up by Trivision are obviously enormous. Not only in portraiture, but in aerial reconnaissance, motion pictures, X-ray and clinical work will the effects be of great value. Its inventor says additional work is under way to adapt it to lithographs for use on billboards. Governmental recognition of the value of Winnek's idea was granted early in the war and much progress toward its perfection came about through special grants of money and facilities. The Navy spent about one million dollars developing the process and also worked out a photo-engraving process to pick up the depth perception of the Trivision camera. INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST • January 1947 17