Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Mar 1932)

44 Better Theatres Section February 13, 1932 PROJECTION LAMPS The accepted Standard in all parts of the World for the Best Screen Illumination. HALL & CONNOLLY, Inc. 24 Van Dam St., N. Y. C. Why Strike Your Arc on High When You Can Use PERF$CTION REMOTE CONTROL 3Wire Rheostats with Perfection Booster Switches for Perfect Projection Now equipped with solderless, adjustable lugs to take wire sizes from No. 4 to 4/0 without any additional cost. SAVES CONDENSERS. CARBONS. CURRENT THE ONLY UNION MADE RHEOSTAT Sold by Your Dealers or N. T. S. Co.; S. Kaplan: Cont. T. A.. Inc. Suitable for D. C. and Generator Equipments of Any VoltaKo Used by All I.«adlnK Theatres ThrouKliout the Country HOFFMANN-SOONS ELECT. & ENG'RG. CORP'N. Mfo. Division 387 First Avenue New York City Contracting Electrical Ennineers — Moving Picture Theatre Electrical Specialists ON THE STANDARD RELEASE PRINT ELMER E. TINKHAM^ projectionist of the Bijou theatre in Pittsfield, Me., writes, "I notice in Better Theatres you ask that we set forth faults to be found with the Standard Release Print. It does seem too bad now that we have such a good thing as the Standard Release Print, it cannot be kept in good condition. "Personally I believe the blame lies both with projectionists and producers. The chief fault I find is the absence of the cue marks on alternating reels, brought about by the doubling-up process. I cannot kick about the doubling up, though, as I do it myself, though only when the cue marks are missing. If I receive a print in which the cue marks are okay, I have enough respect for that print to refuse to double. "Paramount exchanges are certainly due a lot of credit because of the manner in which their prints are kept up. That is to say, at least our Maine exchanges keep them in excellent condition. Since the arrival of the Standard Release Print I have not doubled up either a Paramount feature or a comedy. The prints received always have the leaders and trailers, also the cue marks are never missing. The only trouble I find with Paramount prints is the splicing in of leader with frame lines across the sound track. It is bad enough to have a frame line across the track, but when you get that little triangle also, and project sometimes as many as 15 frames of this leader, it sounds like — er — ^well, a machine gun. I have written the exchange about this without result. It seems to me it would be just as easy to put the leader on right as wrong, though in this I may be in error. When I receive a print in this condition, the leader is cut off and sent back to the exchange attached to the reel band. "And now back to the Standard Release Print. As Friend McWay says, in doubling-up, the leaders are cut and respliced, thus destroying as least a couple of frames. I have received prints with only five or six feet of leader. It seems to me that if Paramount can keep these prints in good condition, the others ought to be able to do the same. Making shipments on 2,000-foot reels would help. Most projectionists double-up films, for which they cannot be much blamed, especially if they are working alone. I believe the next step in the maintainence of the Standard Release Print is, as you say, for the producers to release their product on 2,000-foot reels. "I am working in the only theatre in a town of about 1,500 population, with a fair rural district to draw from. The nearest theatre is seven miles away, at Newport. Waterville is the nearest city, 22 miles away. We have two performances each night, six nights a week, with matinees on Monday, Wednesday and Saturdays." A most interesting letter and one I would like to comment on at length, but space will only permit me to say that after examining the sample of leader Tinkham sent me, I cannot compliment the intelli gence of the person who attached it. The leader itself is all right, but it is attached upside down. Just remove that leader and attach it the-other-end-to and it will be quite all right. As it is, however, it would certainly set up an ear-splitting racket if projected. I certainly agree with Friend Tinkham that there is no earthly reason why the other exchanges cannot send films to theatres in just as good a condition as Paramount does. Unfortunately, however, not all of them do. Paramount is indeed entitled to the hearty thanks and appreciation of every projectionist because of the fact that they do keep their prints in good condition. Tinkham is by no manner of means the only projectionist who has made note of that fact. Also, he is not the only one who treats Paramount films with respect, because Paramount shows respect for projection and projectionists. Turn about is fair play. A CASE OF FLUTTERING SOUND FROM ST. LOUIS comes this letter: "Dear Richardson, four of us are joining in asking your advice. Please do not publish our names, though, for we would get 'razzed.' Here is the dirty work: Last week we had a production in which, every once in a while, in three of the reels, there would be a rather highpitched fluttering sound lasting from a short time to as much as a minute. It did not sound much like the engine of an airplane, but nearer that than anything else we can think of. In the three reels this happened seven times, every time they were used. All the other reels were okay. They were Reels 2, 4 and 5. "We have examined the equipment but have been unable to find anything wrong. We could call in the service engineer, but he would probably give us a call-doAvn for not finding it ourselves. Can vou help us, Old Timer?" Your trouble is, I believe, very simple. It is, unless I am in error, due entirely to faulty printing of the film. Either the picture edges (frame edges) or the sprocket hole edges are extending into the sound track at certain points. The fact that the other reels and other productions run perfectly is conclusive evidence that the sound gate film guides are all right. Several cases of this sort of faulty printing have been reported to this department, though this is the first time it has been said to occur so many times in one production. The cases are rare, however. Just what causes such an error I have been unable to ascertain, though I have written three producers concerning it. Each has claimed that no such fault ever appeared in any of his prints — dear vie, no! ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO F. H. RICHARDSON SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS FOLLOWS: F, H. Richardson 43-28 Thirty-ninth Place Long Island City, N. Y.