International projectionist (Jan-Dec 1947)

Historical Development of Sound Film By E. I. SPONABLE Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation VI. FOREIGN PROGRESS IN SOUND FILMS AND RELATIONS WITH FOX THE first showing of acoustic films was made at the Alhambra Theatre, Berlin. These were made using the Tri-Ergon method with the sound recorded on a film about 42-mm wide and the sound placed outside the sprocket holes. (This system was worked out by three inventors — Engl, Massole, and Vogt, who had formed a sound-film company called the Tri-Ergon A. G., of Zurich.) July 1926: F. A. Schroeder, who was the American representative of the German group, brought their system to the attention of Courtland Smith. Aug. 1926: John Joy went to Europe to investigate Tri-Ergon for Fox. Dec. 1926: At Joy's request Dr. Engl brought a complete unit of the German apparatus to New York for examination and tests. Records were made and shown under the direction of Dr. Engl; the results were judged to be fair, but not so good as Movietone. This was to some extent the result of the use of condenser loudspeakers in the German system. The equipment as a whole was typically German in design and offered few features that could be advantageously combined with the Movietone system. July 1927: Fox took over rights to the German system for North America and rejected a chance to acquire the world rights. This soon proved to be a mistake, since the patents became troublesome in foreign countries, and royalties were collected on them. Shortly thereafter, Joy and Schroeder went to Europe to get an extension of scope to the Fox agreement to permit use throughout the world. Also during this time, UFA of Germany acquired a license under the German system. Feb. 1928: During the interval since July 1927, Tri-Ergon had tried to bring together all German companies interested t J. Soc. Mot. Pict. Eng., April, 1947, p. 275. in sound pictures including Siemens and Halske, AEG, and others. This was not entirely successful as Siemens and Halske and AEG wanted too much and Tri-Ergon would not agree to their stand. Aug. 1928: Tri-Ergon formed a German operating company backed by the Commerce and Private Bank and called Tonbild Syndicate A. G. (or Tobis) with rights in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Sept. 1928: Negotiations were carried on by Joy and Rogers for Fox with TriErgon and Tobis to make a working arrangement to record and reproduce sound throughout the world under TriErgon patents. No agreement was reached. Nov--Dec. 1928: Schlesinger, of London and South Africa, who had purchased the de Forest Phonofilm Company, attempted negotiation with Tobis and TriErgon for joining de Forest and TriErgon on a world basis. This did not go through. Jan. 1929: Siemens and Halske and AEG combined interests in the sound picture field by organizing a company called Klangfilm. Tri-Ergon Patent Rights Klangfilm attempted to release a picture made by RCA in America in one of the UFA Theatres in Berlin. Tobis stopped this with an injunction on the grounds that the picture was recorded by double system i. e., sound and picture separate, and recombined in a single positive. It was claimed this infringed Tri-Ergon patents. The result of the court's decision, sustained by the higher court made Klangfilm make a working agreement with Tobis. During this time Fox interests kept up communication with representatives of Tobis and Tri-Ergon for the purpose of making a working agreement through American Tri-Ergon to permit Fox to record and reproduce throughout the world under the German patents. No such arrangement was agreed upon. Apr. 1929: Attempts were being made at this time by various groups to join together the various Tri-Ergon interests and Klangfilm in opposition to Western Electric progress in foreign countries. Nothing resulted from this. June 1929: Kuckenmeister, a German phonograph manufacturer, through connections with Oyens and Sons, a Holland banking firm, became interested in organizing a holding company to unite various Tri-Ergon interests, not controlled by Fox, into one group. This was concluded in June 1929, and called "Acoustic Products Company of Holland." About this time Tri-Ergon started suits against Electrical Research Products, Inc., and during the summer obtained injunctions restraining the reproduction of all American pictures on ERPI apparatus in Germany. Some of the original decisions have since been sustained so that, except by special agreement with Tobis, American sound films were prevented from being released in Germany. Warner Brothers obtained a special license from Tobis and have released their films. MayAug. 1929: Joy attempted to obtain a working agreement with Tobis to protect Newsreel recording and allow (Continued on page 30) have it that the images are "projected simultaneously," but no definite conclusions can be drawn from this sparse commentary. In any event, the film is projected onto a screen made up of hundreds of small conical lenses, 4 to 5 microns thick, mounted on plate glass. This contrasts with the huge screen used in 1940, with its 30-tons weight and its grids of fine wire. Ivanov asserts that the present screen, as compared with the 1940 model, is of a "simple, inexpensive construction that can be mass-produced." In fact, he is now working on a more elaborate screen which will present "more that 1000 separate images." Restricted Viewing Angle Reported Licked This new system no longer makes it necessary to restrict the viewing angle to about 200 specially-positioned seats, it is stated, and the plastic effect of the image is easily and comfortably viewed from any point in a conventionalsize theatre. This assertion doesn't jibe with the views expressed in the accompanying eyewitness account. One report has it that at the start of any given picture the spectator is momentarily confused by reason of the "switching" back and forth from a two to a three-dimensional image, but that after a few minutes the eye becomes adjusted and thereafter perceives a true depth effect. On the basis of the information at hand, and particularly in view of reports from trained observers who have viewed the pictures, there is no reason to doubt that not only has Ivanov made giant strides forward since his 1940 experimental system, but that he bids fair to resolve in a practical manner, and soon, one of the most difficult problems ever to challenge the ingenuity of man. INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST • December 1947 19