Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

May 9, 1931 WARPED FILM IT IS A BIT surprising the number of inquiries that are received from both projectionists and theatre managers concerning warped film. The}" will average, I think, at least a dozen a week, to which I have been replying by mail, for the reason that this particular thing has been so often dealt with in the past in this department. However, here is a typical question of the sort. It comes from a small city in Minnesota. It is propounded by a member of Local 219, Minneapolis, who, however, is now working elsewhere. It reads : "I take the liberty of asking a small bit of information. Was present when you addressed Local 219, of which I am a member, last summer at the Minneapolis Orpheum theatre. Am having a little trouble which thus far I have been unable to remedy. The film vibrates over the aperture of our projectors. That is to say, it moves back and forth toward and away from the projection lens, thus throwing the screen out of focus. "Have installed new aperture plates, tension shoes and springs without effect. It still does the same, except on good film. Is this due entirely to warped prints, or is it the fault of the projector mechanism, which latter is in good condition?" I rather suspect this good friend has had argument with his friend, the boss, who possibly insists the fault is at least partly due to the projector. If that is true it would seem the manager is in error. If the aperture plates, the tension shoes and their springs are in perfect condition, then certainly the fault cannot possibly lie in the mechanism. It must perforce be in the film itself. Also, I note he says the fault is there "except on good film," and that itself comes pretty near to being the answer, does it not ? The film is evidently buckled, or at least under heavy buckling strain. I have no doubt but that in most such cases, if the film be stretched out gently and evenly, it will be found that it will not be perfectly flat. It will be found to be visibly buckled. No need to go into the whys and wherefores of the fault. Suffice it to say the fault is there, possibly because the film has been subjected to excessive heat, and possibly because of faults in the development process. However, I have had film samples sent me which set up this in-and-out-of-focus trouble, which so far as the eye could determine, was perfectly flat. Careful tests, however, showed that while this was true, nevertheless the film was under an internal strain which caused it to buckle slightly when put under strain and heat. I doubt if this condition is often present, but just the same it occasionally is. To projectionists I would say, if your aperture plates are in good condition and both their tracks and the tension shoes are perfectly flat and true, and if the tension springs are as they should be, then such trouble cannot possibly be anywhere else than in the film itself. It is warped. Motion Picture Herald 63 Light! Color! Action ! Bring Box Office Profits Light when properly controlled is a box office attraction. The showmen who have learned this have built their businesses to great chains. You can in your own theatre put on unusual lighting effects that will help draw and hold your audiences. The control of every light in Auditorium or on Stage within a few inches of the electrician's hand — this is the achieved result originated in The Major System. Modern lighting is elaborate, but its control can be both flexible and simple as you will find in the All-Master @) Major System. Send for complete details. ELECTRIC COMPANY ST. LOUIS Offices in All Principal Cities