Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

777 ' anuar y 28, 192? 5 • NEW THEATRE , Construction & Equipment PROJECTION Department c a m e 8 * t P. M. ABBOTT - - - - TECHNICAL EDITOR i Adapting Colored Light to the Motion Picture Theatre i Colored Light Can Be Used in Many Striking Manners [ The progressive theatre manager takes t tdvantage of every opportunity for making 1 iis house more attractive, in order that he 1 nay draw and retain a high class clientele. The creation of novel effects is one of his )est advertising media. Novelty makes , people talk. Talk is advertising. Colored ; ighting can be used in many striking : nanners. ! There are three distinct applications of | ;olored, tinted, toned or modified light in 1 :he theatre, viz : A — Purely decorative effects B — Used in connection with music 1C — Used on the stage during the proogue Each of these demands is different, al.hough the general principles governing | ;hem are similar. This series of articles will discuss, first, :he methods of obtaining colored light ; [ second, the effect of colored light, and finally, the ways of using it in each of the :hree applications outlined. One may well base an analysis on the ! assumption that Mazda lamps are used, for they find application in practically all i types of interior lighting. Their high ef1 fciency, reliability, simplicity of operation, compactness and dependability are factors which have led to their universal adoption. The light emitted by the Mazda lamp has a continuous spectrum, in other words, all the colors of the rainbow are present. Hence, since all colors are available in the ‘ raw or unmodified,” we have a fortunate condition for obtaining any effect. Suppose we want red light, then we “ subtract ” or screen out the orange, yellow, green, blue and violet rays. If we want blue-green light, we remove the red, orange and yellow. If we want to obtain the effect of orange, we screen out the green, blue and violet portion. To remove any of these rays is a comparatively simple matter. It is only necessary to pass the light through some media which will absorb the particular part or parts we desire to lose. A piece of red glass or gelatin, for example, absorbs orange, yellow, green, blue By A. L. POWELL, Edison Lamp Works Opportunity Very rarely, indeed, is it the good fortune of the exhibitor, art or musical director, to have presented to them the theory and recommended practice of the little known subject of colored light and the connection of light and music, there is a series of especially prepared articles by a most eminent authority along these lines. “ Adapting Colored Light to the Motion Picture Theatre ” is the first of this series, which also will include “ Colored Light on Colored Objects;” “Decorative Colored Lighting;” “ The Connection of Music and Light,” and “ Stage Lighting.” Mr. Powell has endeavored in his first article to emphasize the necessity of increasing the lamp wattage when employing colored lighting, although it is not desirous to employ the same high intensity as used with ordinary lighting. Mr. Powell also points out the various ways of securing colored illumination, explaining their advantages and disadvantages. Again we wish to strongly recommend that every one connected with the motion picture theatre give these articles his close attention — Tech. Ed. and violet light, transmitting red light. A green screen may absorb red, orange, blue and violet rays, giving a yellowish-green light. From the above analysis, it is apparent that it is impossible to add anything to the light emitted by the lamp filament and all that can be done is to get rid of some portion that is not desired. Hence, all color changes of this character involve a loss of light, the exact amount depending on the color obtained. This means that to obtain the same illumination with colored light, two, three or even fifty times the wattage must be used in comparison with that used for unmodified, often called white, light. The following table gives some approximate figures on the absorption or loss of light necessary to obtain various colors of light from the Mazda lamp. These values are subject to considerable variation, depending on the purity of color secured and other factors. Fortunately, as will be pointed out later, Ordinary desig Absorp Trans Wattage to produce same illumination as with unmodified nation tion mission (white) light Red .... .85 75% 15-25% 400 to 600% Orange . .70 50% 30-50% 200 to 300% Yellow . .40-20% 60 80% 125 to 150% Green . , ..80 90% 10-20% 500 to 1000% Blue .... .95-90% 5 10% 1000 to 2000% Purple .. .98-95% 2 5% 2000 to 5000% we rarely require a high level of colored lighting. The next question is that of the mechanical means of obtaining colored light. There are several methods which possess certain advantages and disadvantages which will be analyzed. A — Superficially colored, sprayed or dipped bulbs. B — Natural colored glass bulbs. C — Colored glass caps fitted around and clipping on the lamp or socket. D— Colored glass plates across the mouths of reflectors. E — Gelatin color screens. F — Colored fabric, parchment or paper screens. A — Dipped lamps are inexpensive and effective. If the bulb becomes broken, the lamp is useless but the color effect is not marred. It is a rather unpleasant task to apply the dip and breakage of lamps during the process is likely to be rather high. Very few of the superficial colorings are permanent, fading from the heat of the lamp and requiring new coatings at frequent intervals. Where lamps are located in inaccessible places this is an expensive proposition. Small relatively inefficient lamps must be used, for none of the standard dyes will stand up under the higher temperature of the gas filled or Mazda C lamp. B — Natural colored lamps possess all the advantages outlined above and in addition are permanent, are available in any size, but of relatively high first cost. C — Glass caps possess the advantages of colored bulbs, are much lower in cost, but where lamps are exposed to view, somewhat unsightly. To date, caps have ( Continued on page 790)