Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

April 7, 192s 1707 NEW THEATRE Construction & Equipment projection Department camera P. M. ABBOTT TECHNICAL EDITOR Behind the Scenes with E. L. Hyman, Brooklyn Mark Strand ChoosingGelatins for Various Color Harmonies for Effective Stage Presentation Articles by Lee S. Ferguson ON the desk of Edward L. Hyman there is a card about five by ten inches in size that shows about two dozen samples of colored gelatin. It is always within arm's reach, and serves its purpose when new sheets of the material must be ordered. Observation would disclose that the chief operator has an exact duplicate of this sample card in the projection room, and a third would be found in the sanctum of the stage manager. This triangular arrangement cuts down the chances of getting the wrong shade of gelatin when colors are bought. An inharmonious lighting effect is considered as disastrous by Hyman as a musical discord is to Bodanzky, and thus the very simple but particular system through which gelatins are bulletined and recorded when needed. Of course there are several colors that Hyman does not use. Through experimentation and rehearsals he has discovered those which can evolve the best effects and has eliminated those that jar or do not offer contrast. Those which he manipulates to good advantage are amber, orange, red, magenta, dark violet, light blue, medium blue, dark blue, medium green and dark green. A bluegreen or moonlight blue is used for flooding purposes quite often. Certain Colors Not Used Those colors which Hyman has eliminated are light lemon, dark lemon, medium and dark amber, light and dark red, rose pink and rose purple. Amber serves the purpose of the light and dark lemon; orange does the work of medium and dark amber; light and dark red offer nothing that cannot be brought out with plain red, and magenta answers for rose pink and rose purple. Through the use of those colored gelatins which he has placed on the eligible list, and with lamps dipped in corresponding shades of colorine, Hyman has developed about fifty harmony combinations, offering variety enough to form an apparently endless parade of eolors and shadings before the eyes if all were used at once. By using scrims and an assortment of curtains, and through various devices worked out from time to time the effects are changing constantly. Recently a complete orange combination was used for a number, with an almost unnoticeable degree of contrast. This contrast was in the foot lights of the small, or presentation stage, which were THE use of colored lights for effective presentation of prologues and the creation of atmosphere for the motion picture is an art in itself. To secure modified lighting in the theatre is extremely simple thru the use of colored gelatines, yet the selection of the proper combinations of colors to secure the desirable results, requires a great deal of care and study. In the series of articles which have been presented on this page on the methods employed by Edward L. Hyman, it is possible to attain a general idea of the fundamentals and practices employed to work out proper color effects. In this article, Mr. Hyman brings out the way the different gelatines are standardized in use in his theatre. Modified lighting lends an excellent opportunity for the individual exhibitor to display his individuality and gain much popularity for his theatre at relatively no outlay of expense. It may well be predicted that in the near future, effective colored lighting will be a demand that no motion picture exhibitor can ignore and the practical self-education along these lines is an excellent investment. blue. All other stage and orchestra lighting was orange, as follows: Mestrum covering entire stage (flood) ; Kliegl flood on the orchestra; a huge transparent window at either side of the orchestra stage, lighted from behind ; four 2,000-watt overhead spots on the orchestra; four arch spots, two up and two down, focused on the draw curtains, and two entrance spots focused on the ceiling and over the windows. As explained, all this lighting was orange with the exception of the blue foots on the small stage, and the effect was striking, to say the least. Good Color Combination An overture combination used not long ago had medium blue and green arch spots on the draw curtains, medium green transparent windows, light pink entrance spots on ceiling, four 2,000-watt overhead spots light green, one red and two blue coves, blue foots and green borders on the stage, magenta X-rays three-quarters, Mestrum deep pink flooding entire stage, and Kliegl flood medium blue on the orchestra. This more complex lighting idea is in many respects as fascinating to an audience as any combination that may be worked out, although a straight combination such as the orange described above draws and holds the attention because of its beauty. For the week of March 18, orange was brought into play for the overture, which was " Tannhauser." This number started with the Pilgrim's Chorus from the well-known opera, and at about the center of the overture, as time goes, went into " Evening Star," the curtains parting on a special set with basso singer putting on the song. At the close of the song the orchestra took up the last part of the " Tannhauser " overture, which closes strong. The lighting at the beginning and leading up to the song number, and then to finish the overture following the song was as follows: Mestrum orange from the projection booth covering the entire stage, Kliegl orange on the members of the orchestra, borders on large stage (orchestra stage) full reds and whites one-half, transparent windows either side of the orchestra were orange, four orange 2,000-watt overhead spots on the orchestra, blue foots on small stage, magenta X-rays on small stage, and red cove lights. Use of Tab Curtain As the tab curtains parted for the vocal number, this front lighting was dimmed off, concentrating the attention upon the set and artist. Through a round opening in a black mask curtain mountains were seen on a back drop, lighted deep blue for night. Stars were in the sky, made possible by transparencies, with the Evening Star most prominent. The artist, in correct operatic costume, was lighted by a steel blue spot from the side. The method of using the mask curtain offers much to anj' exhibitor who wishes to use a vocal number or tableau. The size of opening in the curtain may depend upon the space available for the number, and the shape of the opening may be round, oval, square, rectangular, star shaped or most anything wanted. All lighting may be back of the mask curtain, the gelatins on two or three spot lights giving the desired effect. A combination used recently for a soloist in front of the orchestra, upon the large stage, was as follows : Mestrum medium blue focused on the draw curtains. Magenta X-rays on this curtain. Two top arch spots medium green, and lower ones orange; medium green transparent window to the left and blue transparent window to the right. Blue foots on the large stage, with green borders; blue cove lights, and magenta-green Kliegl flood on the orchestra. An amber spot picked out the artist when she appeared.