Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Mar 1932)

February 13, 1932 Motion Picture Herald 47 PLANNING THE THEATRE A SERVICE CONDUCTED BY PETER hi. HUESBiEN, A. I. A. The Question: WILL YOU be kind enough to give me an answer to my question in the next issue of Better Theatres? I want to re-seat my house, and have been consulting with several chair manufacturers as the acoustics in my theatre are not the best. I inquired whether this could be improved by installing a certain kind of a seat. Some tell me that the acoustical properties of a theatre can be improved by installing a certain seat, and others tell me that a certain seat will give the same sound effects Avhether the house is partially or entirely occupied. Do you really think that a theatre seat has anything to do with good sound qualities? Awaiting your reply and thanking you for same. — S. M. B. The Answer: THE SALESMEN representing the different chair manufacturers whom you consulted certainly gave you the correct information. The sound properties in a theatre change considerably with the capacity of the audience, and as the audience plays a great part in the acoustics, the more people there are in the audience the greater the absorption. Now any good manufacturer can properly design a chair with suitable material to equalize the absorption value of a person. I do not know Avhether such a seat is on the market among the more popular models, but I believe it would be rather expensive, as I think they come under special manufactured and designed seats. But I am sure that seats are being manufactured today which reduce the difference between a small and a large audience. ▲ The Question: REFERRING TO the department conducted by Mr. Peter M. Hu'sken in Better Theatres, I have a proposition here regarding placing of screen and speaker for sound pictures that is causing some concern, as the owner of the building will not allow the taking up of any part of the stage by setting the screen and speakers forward, as the stage is small. _ W e have been running silent, but now either intend to go to sound or close down entirely. It occurs to me that possibly some alteration in the end of the building back of stage could be made at a reasonable cost, and I had in mind something of this kind : Building a small room or box-like com NOTE: IN THIS department Better Theatres will be glad to answer questions pertaining to the preliminary consideration involved In the planning of a new theatre or in the remodeling of an existing one. Only requests for ideas will be answered, since this department cannot assume the practical functions of an architect. All communications intended for this department should be addressed to "Better Theatres," 1790 Broadway, New York. They will be answered in this department. None will be answered by mail. Although only initials will be used in signing the questions published, it is a requirement that all letters bear the signature and address of their writers. The replies will be prepared personally by Mr. Hulsken, who is a practical architect and a member of the American Institute of Architects. partment of size of screen or larger and setting sound screen flush with end wall of building, using the 12x16 box or room for speaker ; this of course, means the cutting of end wall and placing of box on outside of building. What do you think of this idea, and what depth should this box-like room be for the storing of this speaker? This building is approximately 80x40 feet, and not sealed, height about 30 feet. Building is trussed all overhead. Building gives good sound with non-sync outfit, but we wonder with sound pictures if this building should be sealed. Some of the engineers for the sound equipment people tell us the unsealed building makes no difference, but if it could be improved, we would like to have some idea of this. — W. M. R. The Answer: IN several small theatres a horn room has been built in back of the stage, and there is no reason Avhy in your case this method could not be used also. Of course you will have to cut an opening in the rear wall of the stage. The space required for a horn room is approximately 12 feet in length and 60 feet in depth, and the height according to the size of screen you are using. It is, however, not necessary to make the horn room the size of the screen, as a door could be installed so as to give access to horns for adjustment without removing the screen. This horn room can be built at a very economical cost, with 9-inch brick or hollow tile walls, using concrete slab roof. I do not agree with some of the engineers for sound equipment, that it does not make any difference whether your auditorium is sealed or not. You state in your inquiry that your trusses are exposed and no ceiling installed. I do not think that the trusses will help the acoustical quality of your house, and I feel very confident that after you have installed the ceiling you certainly will notice a great improvement in the sound. A The Question: I HAVE been planning to install a cooling system in my theatre, but when I received estimates of cost for same they were so high that it was impossible for me to make the installation. My house needs it very badly, not only because it gets very warm in this locality during the summer months, but my competitor installed a cooling system last year and I noticed a great falling o£f in my box office receipts. So after considering this matter, I thought I had a great idea to build a large insulated box in my fan room and fill same with ice and let the fan blow the air through the ice. I could have done this for a small amount of money, and I thought I had my problem solved, but now several people who are supposed to know tell me this would not work at all. If you have heard of any such installation, will you please give me your opinion of same, or advise me of any other method of installing a cooling system at a low cost. — L. T. S. The Answer: YOU ARE NOT the only exhibitor who has had a "great idea" of cooling his theatre with ice. I know of several such instances, but by investigation I found that they generally did not continue this method very long — perhaps largely due to the supply of ice needed or on account of the large ice bills. You know that in hot summer weather, ice does not last very long, especially when warm air is blown through it, and besides there are other things to be taken into consideration outside of cooling the air. There are several ways of installing excellent cooling systems. The most expensive way is to refrigerate the air through coils. A less expensive way is to install an air washer, provided, that 3'our fans are of the proper size.