The Exhibitor (1962)

LIGHT {Continued from page PE-4) are doing this, make mental notes of how closely your theatre seems to conform to ac¬ cepted lighting standards. If you have reason to suspect that your lighting is poor, there are many things that you can do to improve it, from something as simple as changing the wattage of bulbs the next time they are re¬ placed, to relocating or adding light fixtures where they are needed. Do not hesitate to call on a lighting fixture specialist. He will have the know how and equipment to give you all the advantages good lighting offers. If you are wary about costs, inquire about estimates. Dealers who specialize in theatre decorating and supplies will be sympathetic. They know the industry and its special prob¬ lems. At any rate, your walking tour should bring the following things to your attention: From the brightly lit exterior of the theatre, traffic flows into the main lobby. Immediate¬ ly, there should be a substantial reduction in brightness from the 40 or 50 foot candles to a level of about 20 foot candles. Your eye should tell you roughly if the lobby seems too bright, or too dim. Remember that this is the general lighting level. Points of in¬ terest that need emphasis by local lighting such as attraction boards, can be substantial¬ ly higher. Next go into the foyer. You should notice the lighting level of the lobby falling by r ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ — ““ ““ ““ I WANT FURTHER /NFORMATION ON I PRODUCTS I I ADVERTISED IN THIS ISSUE I Plea se Check: j I □ BALLATYNE INSTRUMENTS AND ELECTRONICS, I I INC., Theatre Equipment I I □ CARBONS, INC., Lorraine Carbons ' I □ HEYWOOD-WAKEFIELD CO., Encore Theatre Seat I ing I □ MASSEY SEATING CO., Theatre Seat Rehabilitation □ NATIONAL CARBON CO., " National" Projector ■ I Carbons . □ NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY, Simplex Projection I and Sound Systems . □ NORTH AMERICAN PHILIPS CO., INC., Norelco I 70/35mm projectors , j O STRONG ELECTRIC CORP., THE, Projection Lamps i I O UNION CITY BODY CO., INC., International Seat I j Div., International Seats i j WANT FURTHER INFORMATION ON I NEW PRODUCTS I I SHOWN IN THIS ISSUE? 1 I LIST ITEMS _ ! ISSUE OF APRIL 18. 1962 NAME . THEATRE . ADDRESS . CITY. STATE . MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 317 N. Broad St., Philadelphia 7, Pa. about one half, that is, to roughly 10 foot candles. This will be quite a drop from the outside level and accustom your patron’s eyes to a more intense darkness. Location of a concession stand in this area means that the general level may be somewhat lower, pro¬ vided stray light from the stand permits safe traffic movement in the foyer. If there are unusual decorations in the foyer, you may want them highlighted by special local lighing, or, on the other hand, you may use lighting to deemphasize flaws or defects imtil redecoration is possible. A little imagination is the best “how to” available. The next leg of your trip should be through the auditorium. Hesitate at the rear for a moment. Does the lighting along the auditorium walls seem to fall off in bright¬ ness as your eye moves down to the screen? It should. Stray light from the screen will considerably brighten the front of the audi¬ torium, and an even level of luminaire (shielded light sources along the walls, ceil¬ ing, etc.) lighting will detract from screen brilliance and clarity by casting stray light on the screen itself. The more modern thea¬ tres tend to have the auditorium walls curve and blend into the sides of the screen so that the auditorium walls are barely noticeable. No more than of a foot candle should be registered at the front of the auditorium near the screen. The level at the rear of the audi¬ torium may be substantially higher (up to 1/2 or 1/4 of a foot candle), permitting an even and gradual transition from the bright¬ est to the dimest parts of the house. Color plays an important part in good lighting too. The high visibility colors (red, yellow, and certain oranges) are often used on exit markers. Surprisingly small wattages will keep these markers plainly visible, while reducing the distraction and stray light problem. The proper selection of wall color will have a lot to do with your lighting situation too. Currently, gray is being fa¬ vored, as it contributes to depth and sharp picture presentation. Notice too, that a fea¬ ture in color will present much less of a lighting problem than a black-and-white film. Newsreels are cited as giving the lowest screen brightness levels, so it may be well to work from a point that considers how the auditorium will look when black-and-white subjects are shown. The house lights are another factor. If you’ keep a rule-of-thumb in mmd, you won’t have any trouble. The highest you can go with hquse lighting during intermission or before a performance should be the lowest possible level that permits safe traffic move¬ ment. This varies so much from theatre to theatre that a lengthy discussion would be necessary. While the pic Lure is on, lighting should ideally be kept to a point where it ceases to detract from picture brilliance. This varies considerably with color or blackand-white film. After you have made your inspection, make a list of those things that seemed to be wrjng. Remember that any improvements you make will contribute three ways to better operation: they will increase safety for your patron, make your house “easy on the eye,” and help improve the quality of screen pres¬ entation. Next Month! In the May issue of Physical Theatre, Extra Profits, "Playground Operation at the Drive-In" will be featured. Up to the minute data on the complete D-l play¬ ground operation will help you conduct your spring and summer diversion for the kiddies with added safety and lower operating cost. BUY DIRECT FROM allantyriG m D Save on equipment from one of the oldest equipment companies. Ballantyne equipment— famous patented DubT-Cone and Single cone speakers, single and dual channel amplifiers, soundheads and hundreds of other items have equipped theatres throughout the world for nearly 30 years. Fewer theatres, full service facilities and modern fast transportation have made it possible for Ballantyne to sell direct and save you money. YOU BUY WITH CONFIDENCE Ballantyne equipment carries a reliable full guarantee of performance. You can be sure Ballantyne will be making theatre equipment for the drive-in and indoor theatres of the future. If you're planning a purchase, we furnish prompt airmail quotations. Just tell us what you need. • R ® allantynG BALLANTYNE INSTRUMENTS AND ELECTRONICS, INC. A DIVISION OF ABC VENDING CORPORATION 1712 JACKSON ST., OMAHA, NEBRASKA April 18. 1962 PHYSICAL THEATRE EXTRA PROFITS DEPARTMENT of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR PE1 1