Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers (1930-1949)

June, 1930] ABSTRACTS 705 tested. The following column shows how many db. louder or softer is the noise of the camera enclosed in its protecting device than average whispering. The last column indicates whether the tripod is a standard wood tripod or a special tripod. G. L. C. Orthochromatic and Color Motion Picture Photography: Color Filters. P. LOB AND W. EWALD. Kinotechnik, 11, Sept. 5, 1929, p. 453. Glass, glass mounted, and gelatin filters are studied and compared photographically as well as by means of a spectroscope, micro-actinometer, and photo-cell. -rKodak Abstr. Bull. Study of the Color Sensitiveness of Various Types of Photo-electric Cells. W. F. HESS. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Bulletin, No. 23, July, 1929. Spectral sensitivity curves from 400 to 800 millimicrons are given for five differently prepared caesium cells, for a rubidium and for a Burt sodium cell, and curves for the uniformity of one type of caesium cell, selecting six at random for the test. — Kodak Abstr. Butt. Soviet Educational Film Production. Intern. Phot. Bull., March, 1930, p. 16. The Soviet motion picture industry is actively engaged in turning out educational, scientific, and social films. Among the films now in production are: "Soviet Fordism," "The Grain Factory," "Hygiene for Women," "National Economy and Culture in the U. S. S. R.," "Coal and Metal." A monthly bulletin is issued for the workers in film studios concerning the achievements of the European and American motion picture industries, with a view to raising the skill of the Soviet workers. G. L. C. Paris Will Make Crime Talkies. Intern. Phot. Bull., March, 1930, p. 16. Sound pictures are to be used by the Paris Surete Generale to record every question and answer, and every gesture of the examining magistrate and the suspect when the latter undergoes examination. G. L. C. Muybridge Semi-Centennial. W. R. Mii^s. Internal. Phot., 1, June, 1929, p. 18. The author describes the ceremonies held at Stanford University on May 7 and 8, 1929, in honor of the fifteenth anniversary of E. J. Muybridge's experimental work. Leland Stanford, investigating the motion of a horse's legs, arranged to take a series of instantaneous consecutive photographs. This was the forerunner of motion picture photography. When Stanford began his experiments, Vi2 of a second exposure was required. The first picture was taken with a single camera and was hand operated, but later twelve cameras were arranged at intervals of 21 inches to take consecutive pictures. The shutter was first operated by a latch string, but later it was arranged that the horse closed an electric circuit at the proper point and thus photographed himself. Contact was also made by a spring operated electrical circuit breaker having one contact for each camera. By means of the electrically operated shutters it was possible to take a number of simultaneous photographs. — Kodak Abstr. Bull. Federal Chemist Warns against Improper Storage of Film. Mot. Pict. News, 40, Section 1, Dec. 28, 1929, p. 22. This is taken from a technical report prepared by C. E. Monroe, chief chemist of the U. S. Bureau of Mines. Flameless combustion of nitrocellulose films accompanied by evolution of nitrous fumes and carbon monoxide can be started at temperatures as low as 150°C. (300°F.), as a result of brief contact with an electric lamp, a heated steam coil, a glowing cigarette, or other sources of heat. No instances of spontaneous combus