Motion Picture Herald (Jun-Sep 1934)

June 30, 1934 Motion Picture Herald 13 Space does not permit an elaborate description and discussion of all the types of records and summaries which a theatre manager might keep to aid him in knowing his business so I shall concentrate on a practical suggestion which I believe has many advantages and which tells a long story with many details emphasized. A SYSTEM OF FACT-FINDING The accompanying diagram represents the business done on a Saturday by a theatre of 1,100 seating capacity in a town sufficiently close to a large city to be considered a suburb of the city. The box office opened at one o'clock p.m., and stayed open continuously till 10 p.m. The numbers of the tickets were noted by the cashier every thirty minutes, so that the number of tickets sold, or the number of people entering the theatre, during the preceding half hour was determined. The number of people is indicated by the space between the horizontal lines, and the key figures along the vertical line at the left are indicated in intervals of 250 ; hence the space between each horizontal line represents 50 people. The distance between the vertical lines represents time, the space between each line represents 12 minutes; five spaces represent one hour. Below the heavy horizontal line, where the hours 1 :00, 2 :00, 3 :00 and so on up to 10 o'clock are indicated, is noted in brief the program. This shows the feature picture and the rest of the program. In reading this chart you will see that between 1:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., 100 people entered the theatre ; between 1 :30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. 250 people entered; and between 2:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. 100 people entered, and so on up to 10:00 p.m. You can also see that between 1 :30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. film was showing, but that 2:00 p.m. the regular show started; the feature picture of the first show started at 3:00 p.m. and lasted till 4:12 p.m. Also note that "fill in film" was used again between 5:12 p.m. and 5:36 p.m., so on through till 10:00 p.m. when the feature picture started for the last time. So also at half hour intervals, the manager, assistant manager or usher checks the number of people actually in the theatre. This can be an estimated check of the house, and with a little practice such estimating becomes surprisingly accurate ; or it can be an actual count ; or it may be an actual count by a hand tally. These points are plotted and connected with the dotted line. So the chart indicates that at 1 :30 there were 100 people in the theatre; at 2:00 there were 300; at 2:30, 400; at 3:00, 650, and so on. The horizontal dashes at 1,100 represent the house capacity, therefore the space below this dash line and above the dotted line represents the portion of the house that was empty. That space above the dash line and below the dotted line represents people waiting to get in (this occurs between about 8:10 and 9:03 p.m.). Right at this point it is well to realize that this is not actually a lot of work. Title and text copyrighted 1934. Reproduction of any I'art ivitlmut I'crmission is expressly forbidden ERADICATING MOTHS (answering H. R. M.): The moth condition which you outline in your letter is evidently very serious. I assume that during the two or three years that the theatre has been closed, that they have gained such headway that nothing but the most drastic measures can be taken now to get rid of them. A fumigation of the entire theatre with hydrocyanic acid gas Is the most effective procedure. This gas Is deadly to ALL ANIMAL LIFE, including HUMAN BEINGS. This can only be done by experts with the full approval and cooperation of the Health Department of your city. Don't attempt this yourself. Let the job out to an accredited company and cover yourself in writing against all kinds of damage claims. Ten breaths of this gas In the concentrated use In house fumigation will cause death. My second suggestion is this: Depending upon the quantity of carpet and the amount of your investment In the carpet, I would recommend your taking it up from the floor. Vacuum clean it well and sprinkle It thoroughly with paradichlorobenzene crystals, onehalf pound to the square yard, then fold or roil up with the nap of the carpet inside. Make these rolls or bundles as compact and air tight as possible. As these crystals evaporate they form a gas or vapor, that if confined sufficiently long will kill moths In all stages of their development. If the theatre continues to remain closed this treatment should be repeated every six months. This you can do yourself with theatre help. There Is no danger to human life involved. The third suggestion Is this: Seal the theatre up tight with 3 or 4-Inch gummed tape on all doors or other openings to the outside. Try to seal ventilating ducts in some way. Then after the carpet has been vacuumed, sprinkle over the carpet the same paradichlorobenzene crystals mentioned above, but at the rate of one pound for every 1 ,000 cubic feet of volume of air space. Be sure that every Inch of carpet" Is covered with these crystals. This process should protect the carpets from 9 to 12 months, provided there Is a minimum of air leakage from or Into the theatre. The fumes from these crystals in carrying out fhis treatment will Irritate the eyes of the workers, but will do no permanent damage to human beings. However, I do not recommend exposure to these fumes longer than necessary. MOTORS (answering W. H. A., Jr.): Your questions are very general, I can't answer them In anything but general terms. All motors fall somewhere in the following classification: Motors classified as to the current supplied to them are either direct (d.c.) or Alternating (a.c.) current. D.C. motors are classified as (I) shunt, motors, (2) series motors, (3) compound motors, and (4) compensating motors. A.C. motors are classified as (I) synch ronous motors, (2) Induction motors. In turn classified as (a) squirrel cage rotor motors, (b) phase wound rotor motors; and (3) commutator motors. Probably the most common theatre usage of motors is as follows: D.C. motors: Shunt wound, for pumps and general purposes. Shunt wound motors with resistance in series with armature (variable peed), for fans and blowers. A.C. motors: Synchronous, for motor generator sets, pumps and compressors. Squirrel cage (low resistance rotor windings), for pumps, fans and blowers, and general purposes. Your question with reference to lubrication Is equally as general as the motor type question. I shall try to cover that briefly in these columns in the July 28th Issue. You might get some Immediate help by referring to my article entitled "Maintenance of Theatre Machinery" In the February 10, 1934, issue of BETTER THEATRES. AIR WASHERS (answering J. S.): Dig out of your files the Spring Buyers Number of Better Theatres, dated April 7, 1934. !n there you will find an article entitled "Summer Comfort Through Ventilation," and on page 16 a section entitled, "Effect and use of Air Washer." Read this carefully, it does contain a lot of information. Th en in that same Issue, turn over to page 59, where under the heading, "Equipment Affairs," you will find brief descriptions of different systems all of which use air washers, and any or all of those companies could quote on your job. In addition to the four described, airwashers and ventilation systems are advertised on pages 35, 36, 37, 38 and 42. If there is anything more we can do for you let us know. We will be glad to advise you further upon receipt of more specific details and questions.