Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1951)

Zke J^cedle’s Sye A Department on PRDJECTIDM & SOUND ★ "'No other art or industry in the world narrows down its success to quite such a NEEDLE’S EYE as that through which the motion picture has to pass — an optical aperture — in the continuous miracle of the screen by a man and his machine, the projectionist and his projector.” — TERRY RAMSAYE. How Today’s Lamps Can Make Movies Better Than Ever! By CIO CAGLIARDI Assistant Chief Engineer of Sound, Projection and Maintenance, Warner Theatres, Newark Zone NOWADAYS most of US have come to expect rapid progress in all sorts of technological matters, not only as a common necessity, but as a predictable, inevitable fact. We of the theatre business should therefore observe and investigate the progress that has occurred in the projection of motion pictures. During the years that motion pictures have been projected for public amusement, there has been consistent, though sometimes desultory, improvement in all the characteristics of the picture projected on the screen. Improvements have been made in size, steadiness, contrast, resolution, color and brightness. All these technical advances have become absolutely necessary supports and props for the maintenance of the value of motion picture exhibition. The only regrettable fact is that most of these advances have occurred too slowly and somewhat haphazardly. Manufacturers of the various products and equipment used in the projection of film have acted independently, and often have spent their research energies on unrelated subjects, which did not have the same common goal and plan. For this reason it is particularly gratifying to read about the new plans and proposals of the SMPTE screen brightness committee. It has been conceded that screen and picture brightness is one of the most important factors affecting the comfort of the motion picture patron and that there should be a scientific basis for establishing the optimum brightness of motion picture screens for every single installation in the country. During the ’teens and ’twenties most of the motion picture exhibitors were primarily interested in putting a picture, any kind of picture, on the screens without too much regard to its brightness or quality. Vertical and low-intensity carbon arcs supplied most of the projection light, which produced yellowish, low-level picture illumination. PURSUIT OF “WHITE” LIGHT Towards the end of the 1920’s, the highintensity and hi-lo rotating carbon arcs appeared and gave the industry a taste of the beautiful pictures that could be expected when high-level, white light could be projected on the screen. Unfortunately, those high-intensity equipments were both expensive to buy and costly to maintain, and these factors ruled them out for the majority of our theatres. Then around 1935-37, there appeared the various sizes of suprex carbons, with their new economical reflector lamps. These developments made it feasible for every exhibitor to provide his theatre with a source of high-quality, white light which could really bring out the pictorial values of the motion picture performance. It was at about this time that an SMPE committee began to investigate the relationship between picture brightness and the optimum conditions for patron comfort and viewing satisfaction. Representatives of many interested and reputable companies, such as Eastman, Bausch & GIO GAGLIARDI SLOW BURNING , . . from 10% to 25% savings in carbon consumption roportod. POWER CONSUmPTION . , . proved savings in power consumption . . . more light at lower amperages. SAVINGS IN MAINTENANCE . . . our new coppering process reduces lamp maintenance and mirror replacement and re-surfacing costs. FROM “LOW” to HIGHEST “HIGH” . . . screen brightness is brightest over , the entire surface of the screen. 1 LORRAINE “Star-Core” CARBONS . . . give greater controlled burning thus insuring More and Steadier Light. ^ THERE IS A LORRAINE CARBON TAILORED FOR YOUR SPECIFIC PROJECTION REQUIREMENT ; Send: necessary proiecfion equipment data to guide g's in recommending the Lorraine Carbons that will dp your theatre or drive-in projection job better and More Economically, LORItAtNt CARIONS ARE CELLOPHANE WRAPPED TO INSURE * MOiSTURE PROOF. AIRTICHT PRIDUCT BETTER THEATRES SECTION 2!