Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1929)

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46 Motion Picture News December 7, 1929 Solving Your Theatre Construction Problems Conducted by Victor A. Rigaumont Theatre Architect Note : — This department is conducted as a general service to exhibitors and as ain aid to them in solving their various construction problems {excepting those which relate to projection rooms.) All correspondence will be treated in strict confidence and answers will be identified by initials only. Address all communications, Victor A. Rigaumont, in care of Motion Picture News, 729 Sezvnth Avenue, New York City. Readers incur absolutely no obtigatiem through requests for advice on construction addressed to this department. House for Plot 90 x 40 Dear Mr. Rigaumont: We intend building a theatre in a town of 26,000 population. There are two first run houses and the one we intend to build will be the third. The size of the lot is 90 ft. x 40 ft. We would like to have from 500 to 600 seats with one center aisle and two wall aisles. One floor only. What size and kind of stage would you suggest? Entrance? Exits? This theatre is to be wired for sound. What height would you suggest? How many ventilators will we need? Give us all the above information and whatever advice we failed to ask. P. S. — We would like an attractive front, and a nice stage of beauty. Answer by mail and in the News. G. K. Answering G. K. : Your lot is not large, it is narrow. You can get 17 seats across the auditorium, with a center bank of nine ".eats and an aisle on each side and seats at walls, there being four seats at each wall bank. The platform stage can be twelve feet deep, the lobby twelve feet deep, and the standing room six feet deep. This arrangement would produce twenty-four rows of seats. You will then have 408 seats, less a loss of 18 at sides of stage, or 390 seats on the main floor. The only way you can get about 600 seats is to have a balcony of say, about 170 seats. The stairs leading to the balcony being in the lobby. The auditorium would be about twentyeight feet high at the ceiling. The rest room would be in the basement under the lobby, and small dressing rooms under the stage if permitted. A< to the exits, place them at the front and rear, and check up if the authorities insist on side wall exits also. The ventilation is simple. Blow the fresh air in at the stage end, and take the foul air out at the street end; but be certain that the fans arc quiet in operation, so as not to interfere with Movietone. Above all, don't forget that the Grandeur Screen involves a wide screen and proscenium arch, so provide for it. Also, make the projection room large enough to take care of all installations necessary for the showing of Movietone and Grandeur Pictures. » * * Problem of Narrow Theatre Plot Dear Mr. Rigaumont: We are planning a new theatre building and would appreciate some information. We have a lot with brick building on each side, we own a half interest in each of these waUs. The measurement between said waUs is 24 feet, 4 inches and the lot is 116 feet deep. Could we build a theatre on this lot to seat 450 people, if not what is the limit of seats we could have? Would a theatre of these dimensions be satisfactory for sound pictures? Can yon tell us how to build so as to have the best possible acoustics? Have you an architect that would draw us a rough sketch of how to build In order to give us the best advantage of what space we have? Owning the lot and the waUs on each side, what would you estimate the cost of such a building be? It is our intention to build a nice theatre, but nothing elaborate. Thanking you for an immediate reply, F. F. Mgr. Answering F. F. : The most you can get is about 350 seats, allowing a 15-foot platform, 12-foot lobby, 8-foot foyer, two wall aisles, all on one floor. You could get more in a balcony, about 125 more, this would let you have 450 seats. About $35,000 for the building, not including equipment, should see you through. Frankly, I believe anyone building a narrow show room is making a mistake. It is better for everything, including acoustics to build wider, but since you own the walls, you are limited. You can deduct the value of these walls from the estimated cost. You can gain 32 seats by using one aisle in the center; but this is poor for control, and puts seats against walls. • • • Remodeling Flat Floor Dear Mr. Rigaumont: We have been operating a small theatre here in and have come to the conclusion that we should slope the floor. Our funds are limited, so we must get through the Job with as little money as possible. Please advise us regarding the Job. What suggestions can you give us for remodeling the walls? M. M. B. Answering M. M. B.: Your improvement is not an expensive one to carry out. Leave the first rows flat, but slope the last twelve rows one inch to i lir foot. Any good local carpenter can do this job. There is no trick to it. The auditorium walls can be draped, or banners and hangings placed at nice locations. This will produce a change and that is what the patrons want. Whatever you put up, let it all be of good quality. This pays for itself in results. • • * Stages for Sound Picture Theatres Dear Mr. Rigaumont: In planning a new theatre building, I am puzzled regarding the importance of a stage since sound pictures compose today's shows. Do you advocate that stage be omitted in new buildings intended for the showing of sound pictures? If it is your opinion that a stage is worth building in these days, what size do you consider practical? F. J. S. Answering F. J. S. : Sound picture entertainment has moved' the stage into the projection booth. There is no question about that. Projection booths of today are far more important than ever and too little attention has ever been given them. I recommend a large booth with plenty of space because no one knows what tomorrow will bring out. The same element of doubt exists regarding stages. You or I or anyone else cannot tell if stages are in the discard. Therefore, I suggest that you do construct ai stage or leave space for one. There is but little money involved in constructing the shell and foundations. And you will haveit if your particular town demands stage entertainment. You can place whatever equipment you think you can afford, when the occasion arises. By all means build your stage. * » » Accommodating Wide Screen Pictures Dear Mr. Rigaumont: How wide should a proscenium arch be to accommodate Grandeur Pictures? How about the size of the projection booth? G. S. Answering G. S. : The proscenium arch should be 35 feet wide. Every theatre should be equipped to show wide screen or Grandeur pictures. Showmanship today demands that patrons be provided with the last word in entertainment and the live showman keeps apace. The projection booth should be slightly enlarged in new theatres and the wiring and generators made ample enough for the load. Do not forget that your orchestra and dressing rooms and actors are located in the projection booth, on the film, and that it takes several operators. Therefore, the modern projection room should be large, airy, comfortable, and as sound-proof as possible, not forgetting the workshop, toilets, battery room and electrical room. Stores and Offices Source of Income Dear Mr. Rigaumont: We have sufficient ground for a theatre and have an option to purchase additional gTound fronting the street. Do you believe it would be practical to construct stores and second floor offices? L. A. B. Answering Ij. A. B. : There should be no reason for not building these stores and offices provided llir town need, them. Generally it is easy to rent stores near a theatre and if the offices can be rented you, no doubt, will find it much easier to use this income producing unit as a medium to obtain financing assistance for the construction of the theatre.