Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1925)

December 5 , 1925 2703 CONSTRUCTIW^EQUIPMENT DEPARTMENT Owner Should Inspect Specifications Points For Exhibitors To Consider In Sizing Up Clarity and Fairness By H. Robins Burroughs, Theatre Engineer THE subject of specifications is one that is usually not given much attention by owners, who contemplate building. This is probably due to the fact that specification work is considered more or less technical and is something that the average owner feels that he is not qualified to pass upon. This may be true to a certain degree but on the other hand, if he were purchasing an 1 automobile, for instance, which | is admittedly a technical subject, considerable attention and [ study would be given to the specifications of any given automobile or automobiles which it might be contemplated to buy. This point may be illustrated by a remark made to the writer by a theatre owner who had taken sufficient interest in the construction of his theatre to familiarize himself with the various angles of construction, some of which were more or less technical, and particular reference was made to the purchase of two projection machines. The question was raised as to the whys and wherefores of certain parts of this machine to which it was answered that this particular manager to whom he was talking was not familiar with the subject. The owner replied that, were he in the manager's position, he would know all about just how the machine worked. So it is with owners who are really managers of their construction work. They should interest themselves at least to the extent of knowing in a general way the different types of construction and be able to judge their value to such a degree that, when they authorize work to be done or sign contracts, they know that the amount of cost involved is approximately correct. It may not occur to every . building owner who reads these lines that a specification is really a part of the contract. No one would think of signing a contract without a careful reading of each paragraph, yet frequently the same men, who are accustomed to give the most careful consideration to a building contract, will affix their names or initials to specifications without reading them carefully. This is a mistake from every reasonable point of view. It may be that the specifications are bulky and usually make dry reading. They offer, however, an effective cure for insomnia but for CREDITS HE credit situation is clearing up most encouragingly throughout all phases of this industry. The last strong hold of poor credits is being successfully attacked with promises of a complete victory in the not distant future. This latest trend toward better business methods is the result of a concerted effort on the part of important equipment manufacturers who are now demanding payment of goods sold on terms in agreement with established precedents of other industries. This procedure is a mighty good thing for everybody concerned, even those who derive the benefits — if they actually were that — from unbusiness like credits. It was only a short time ago that credits were the very bugaboo of the motion picture industry. Eventually, however, methods of paying for film, more or less satisfactory both to exhibitors and distributors, were fixed upon. Collections by equipment manufacturers, nevertheless, continued in their former slovenly hit or miss method. To demonstrate the extreme degree of mistreatment tendered equipment credits, by exhibitors to distributors and distributors to manufacturers, it is sufficient to point out that one of the world's foremost makers of electrical products found the situation so hopelessly involved that they withdrew from this field — in face of the fact that they were doing good business. This industry is operated on essentially a cash basis — the source of the gross revenue for its entire operation starting with strictly cash customers. It therefore follows that practically cash payments should prevail right on down through. Such a system certainly makes for most healthy and sound business principles and operates to everyone's advantage. There are still exceptions to this sound policy in the equipment field but every indication points to their elimination. It certainly is a proud day with this industry when it can lay claim to high standards of business methods on a par with the older established industries. Every industry while in the formative stages, goes through practically the equivalent cycles of stabilization. It is the final step when definite credit policies are established. We can now look forward to many more manufacturers of high grade equipment placing their products before this market — which all tends toward better theatres and bigger business. P. M. ABBOTT. the investor or owner to ignore them on the supposition that all architects or engineers write good specifications is probably paying too high a compliment to them. While it is true that a determined effort is being made by some of the engineers and architects, who are striving with the help of good contractors to standardize specifications, and the technical magazines are sup § porting this effort in a very helpful spirit, it is nevertheless a fact that many specifications which are issued in connection with important projects are carelessly drawn, full of contradictions or overlappings and are excellent illustrations of the art of "passing the buck." It would be an interesting subject for investigation by laboratory or psychology to trace a reason for the intellectual laziness in this field which leaves to someone else the work of writing the specifications or the job of looking them over before they are issued to the builders. Lest the writer be misunderstood, he would admit that possibly he too has been guilty of this so-called intellectual laziness in this field of construction practice. He remembers very carefully the strain of specification writing made doubly hard because of a cordial dislike for the task and a preference for the graphical side of the work, but he had to learn his lesson in due time and that lesson was to the effect that success in practice must be achieved by scrupulous care in attending to the prosaic or uninteresting phases of routine office work. This may seem more or less like preaching a doctrine but it actually is nothing more or less than sound common sense. The writer believes that poor specification writing contributes to the high cost of building. There is no doubt about that. It is consequently with sincere convictions on the subject that he addresses himself to the investor. It is not possible in the small amount of space allotted to a brief article to completely de