Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Sep 1955)

RCA Sets Patron Ads To Publicize "Push-Backs"' PLANS FOR A promotional program to help exhibitors exploit the advantages of auditorium “push-back” chairs among their patrons have been announced by John P. Tatdor, manager, Advertising and Sales Promotion, Engineering Products Division, RCA. The chair is manufactured by the Griggs Equipment Company and distributed by RCA theatre supply dealers. The program will give exhibitors contracting for new installation of “pushbacks” a variety of advertising and promotional aids for use at the neighborhood level, Mr. Taylor said. The ads will announce the new installation and describe the advantages with an emphasis on “elimination of the confusion and annoyance caused by patrons passing through seating lanes provided by the push-back, which, with slight backward pressure by the occupant, slides back to provide adequate passing room.” • “PUSH-BACKS” IN WEST VIRGINIA Griggs’ “push-back” auditorium chairs have been installed in the Palace theatre in Huntington, West Va., according to an announcement by A. J. Platt, manager. Theatre Equipment Sales, Engineering Products Division, RCA, distributor of the seats. The sale was made to the theatre through the Midwest Theatre Supply Company, Cincinnati, RCA theatre supply dealer. The installation was carried out by technicians of the Griggs Equipment Company, which manufactures the “pushback” models. Adapting Theatres To the Big Picture {Continued from page 20) use of a film wider than 35mm involves such installations of special theatre equipment that it is reasonable to think of them, at least at the outset, as techniques restricted to certain extraordinary productions intended for “roadshow” exhibition at relatively high admission prices, probably w'ith reserved seat policy. Their successful application, however, no matter what the policy under which they are exploited, is bound to exert influence on the art, and wider film, at any rate a much wider film photograph, is likely to figure, in some way, at some time, in motion picture technique generally. One hears opinion that there could be two basic techniques, each having its own sphere of public interest. One would represent the fullest possible development of the “big picture” format, with a relatively large film photograph produced by wide-angle cinematography contemplating an audience assembly best adapted to it through a policy of “individualized” exhibition, with a deeply curved screen. The other would continue “wide-screen” technique essentially as it has developed with 35mm film cinematography and projection used more or less conventionally. The future will have to decide how far and how long the industry could go in those directions. It is difficult not to believe, however, that the better story material will always tend to find expression through the better medium. In any case, for all theatres, the “big picture” format is here, with the prospect of a consistent increase in the amount of production employing the more competent devices of “wide-screen” technique as they develop ; and wide-film, or some other means of achieving a much larger film photograph, has a natural claim to place among those devices. EFFECT ON SEATING PATTERN Projection systems for producing the larger, wider picture definitely affect the seating pattern of a theatre. Existing seating patterns commonly vary from long and narrow to a shorter rectangle in shape, with some theatres having a seating plan actually square, or almost so. The long, narrow shape was useful and acceptable, and the medium rectangle was excellent until 1953, up to which time screen width averaged one-third the width of the seating area. With former screen widths doubled, the desirable seating positions moved to the rear half of the pattern {see Figure 1). Those theatres that happened to be given seating patterns that flared out toward the rear, now have valuable viewing positions to make up for the loss of seats in the front rows due to over-magnification of 35mm film. A substantial increase in film photograph width reverses the distance from the screen of the valuable seating locations, the front portion of the pattern becoming the more valuable area, the rear portion less favorable to the desired effect of the picture (though at least as effective as it would be for 35mm projection). A wide-film system advises avoidance of remote viewing positions. The optimum shape for wide-film seating is close to a square, with the long, narrow shape being the least desirable. Figure 1 compares desirable seating positions for wide-film and for 35mm film projection. The effect on the seating pattern of increasing picture size without increasing film width is also indicated by comparing these diagrams. How long present requirements of “technological transition” are to complicate so many of our considerations of theatre design and remodeling cannot be measured now. The questions of standardization are many and they are influenced by many interests, technical, economic and proprietary. But doesn’t Avide-film itself offer a method of dealing with this situation? Might tve not have an “all-purpose” film? AN “ALL-PURPOSE” FILM Say, for purposes of discussion, that 70mm film were adopted. Pictures could then he photographed at an aspect ratio of 2-to-l,, o a CAMERA FIGURE 2 — Illustrating how 70mm film may be used with vertclal, instead of horizontal anamorphosis, to produce an "all-purpose" film for either wide-film or 35mm projection (and making the film readily adapted also to subsequent use for television). See text. SCREEINI with it squeezed anamorphotically in the vertical direction, instead of horizontally as anamorphic processes now do, with this anamorphosis calculated for a projected picture in a ratio of about 1.5-to-l. (This, incidentally, would be adaptable as well for subsequent use on television without serious cropping losses.) Theatres could use as much of this available picture height as conditions indicated, within limits allowing an aspect ratio of around 1.8-to-l (in production, composition could be arranged for such an optimum). Prints so made on 70mm films would be for theatres able to take advantage of widefilm projection. Eor theatres requiring, or for some reason preferring, 35mm projection, prints could be made by optical reduction of the 70mm master. 40 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JULY 2, 1955