Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

MOTION HERALD Al Boasberg Radio writer and director William Johnson Heads electrical department Marquis de la Falaise Director of French versions Louis A. Sareclty Assistant vice president of Radio Pictures RADIO STUDIO PERSONNEL \Sound Stresses Need Of Technical Experts Pearl Eaton Director of dances for RKO Ernest Bachrach Head of portrait and stills Max Ree Art director for Radio_ productions Harry Tierney Composer of operettas of RKO productions ■ Holt Lindsley Head of scenic department Basil Deane l^roduction head, Radio Pictures. Ltd. Major Fairbanks Sttidio superintendent for RKO. Hollyxvood C. D. White General RKO studio manager Dave Strumff In charge of art for announcement Pandro Berman Assistant to William LeBaron Larry Darmour Short subject producer for Radio program Now that the motion picture has become mechanized through the talkies, sound and engineering branches of the industry have been assuming a greater importance in the sphere of production. One of the most important single phases of production during the current era of talking pictures is the extent to which technical skill and invention are employed in reproducing the voice. It is common know-ledge that such great engineering institutions as Radio Corporation of America, Western Electric, General Electric Company and Westinghouse Company and others conduct costly research laboratories in the investigation of new possibilities. Likewise have the motion picture companies had their experimental laboratories in constant operation as among the most complete and ingenious in any industry. "The technical branches," according to experts in the Radio experimental laboratory, "are of more than passing interest, because upon them depend the future of sound films in relation to more faithful reproductions of voice articulations and the realistic capturing of confidential tones such as breathing, sighing and whispering, and the elimination of annoying 'frying' noises. Life of Film Lengthened ■'Of vital interest to the patrons and oW'Uers of theatres is the attempt to perfect the film itself. In this respect Radio Pictures, when its process it finally applied, will hav^ an important scientific step in the industry. Under a new method of treatment, developing and printing, the studio's laboratory has hit upon a means to prolong the life of film three-fold and to make it more susceptible to photographic images. Radio's New Laboratory In order to make this process applicable to its product within the next few months, the studio has launched the construction of a great developing and printing laboratory. '"It is apparent that there must be considerable romance in this constant search for improvements which will reflect themselves in better motion pictures. And there is. In its romantic aspects, technical branches dramatize the most complicated of electrical and mechanical engineering problems into terms of entertainment. "It isn't merely a matter of chasing electrons, or tracing the electrical flow through resistances, chokes, transformers and tubes and mixing it with voice vibrations to resemble human tonalities. The aim of our sound department is to recreate the subtle phrasings of the voice and make them part and parcel of the dramatic moti\ ation. "To do this, an electrical engineer must have an inventor's vision, a dramatist's {Continued on page 69) Carl Dreher Director sound department Harold Hendee Head of research department Ernest Westmore Head of makeup department Leon D'usseau Head of silent ana foreign versions Henry Hobart Of the production stair at Radio studio ^ ^ ^ f 4«S»i*, ' Sann Comer Head of properly department Frank Vert Decorative features on sets Rex Bailey Casting director at Radio studio Betram Millhauser Associate producer of RKO Don Jahrus Head of miniature department Lou Ransome of the production department Earl McMurtrie Construction superintendent Hen-b Hirst In charge of location for Radio Lloyd Knechtei Head of photographic effects Myles Connolly Supervisor of RKO productions William Englinton Chief of camera difstoi. of Radw