Journal of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (1950-1954)

should be kept in small bottles which should be tightly capped when not in use. Film cement is composed of very volatile chemicals which are essential for dissolving the film base. Eastman Film Cement has been very satisfactory. Most stations purchase cement in large bottles from which they refill the oneounce bottles used at the editing table. After a thin coat of cement is applied, the splice is clamped in the splicer for 10 sec. Then one side of the splicer is opened to admit air for another 10 sec of drying. The splice is then wiped clean of excess cement. Film Cleaning. Much of the film supplied to television stations has been handled several times and has accumulated dirt, lint and hair. Film cleaning can be easily accomplished in commercial film cleaners utilizing a solution that cleans the film and also deposits a thin layer of wax on it for protection, or small quantities of film can easily be cleaned with soft powder puffs or velvet pads saturated in carbon tetrachloride containing a small amount of beeswax. It is necessary to ventilate film-cleaning areas since the fumes of the cleaning solvent are toxic. Maintenance of Projection Facilities. All film-projection equipment should have regular maintenance to insure that it is clean and well lubricated. Most stations find it desirable to have one man assigned to maintain projection equipment as well as have the services of a manufacturer's service organization. It is essential to have compressed air available near the projectors to blow lint or hair out of the film gate during operation and for use during maintenance. Film Department Staff. In addition to the technicians who operate the station, KRON-TV presently has a film-room staff of three splicers, one editor and a shipping and receiving clerk who also has other duties. The editor times film features and edits them to fit into given broadcast periods with their respective commercials. A messenger service is utilized to transport the film to the transmitter film room, which is on San Bruno Mountain approximately ten miles from the studio by road. Conclusion Through coordination in scheduling programs and assigning appropriate facilities, it is possible to operate a television station with essentially unattended film-projection equipment. However, consideration must be given to possible film-room emergencies which can be covered by a man who is normally assigned to maintenance. The number of technical operating personnel of a television station can be kept small by combining some of their operating functions. Film-projection facilities installed at a transmitter plant will reduce the number of studio personnel required. However, each station's situation should be analyzed with respect to other convenience and cost factors such as program coordination, distance and condition of roads. The methods of operation, as described in this paper, were developed by the management and staff of KRON-TV while the writer was its chief engineer. Credit is especially due to H. P. See, Manager of KRON-TV, for the inauguration of these policies, and to J. L. Berryhill, KRON-TV's chief engineer, for his assistance in preparing this paper. Discussion Harry R. Lubcke (Consulting Engineer}: Would you say, on the basis of KRON's experience, that, if the studio wer$ supplied with one of the remote-controlled cameras, the men would have time to manipulate that also? Mr. Isberg: Oh, yes. These practices which I've described for KRON-TV mountain operations certainly apply to studios. In other words, I have described a divided studio and transmitter operation having film facilities and a one-camera studio at the transmitter. This camera is electrically adjusted from the operating Isberg: TV Station Film Operation 459