Motion Picture News (Oct 1913 - Jan 1914)

THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS 27 CONCERNING THE VANOSCOPE By W. F. Herzberg, Director of the International Research Company Editor's Note — So much has been said and written about the Vanoscope optical projector, some affirming and some denying the possibility of optical projection by reflection, that The Motion Picture News some time ago authorized the International Research Company to undertake a thorough investigation of the machine and make a report of their findings on the facts for the benefit of our readers. The standing and authority of the International Research Company in the world of science and commerce, alike, is such that The Motion Picture News submits this report to its readers without further comment. The Motion Picture News, 220 West Forty-second Street, New York City. Gentlemen : In compliance with your request of some months since, we have made an exhaustive investigation of motion picture machines manufactured and offered for sale at the present day, and at this time beg to submit a summary report which is but a synopsis of the great mass of detail which has been collected in the course of our investigation. Our findings in the above can be summarized under, a few general headings, viz.: Mechanical Principles The mechanical principles used in projecting a series of pictures intermittently at a speed of approximately sixteen per second, are, in all types of machines on the market to-day, dependent upon what is known in machines as the "Geneva movement" (in Cinematography termed the "intermittent movement"). This movement, variously adapted in connection with a revolving sector or series of sectors (termed "the shutter" or "shutters") is the basis of all existing motion picture machines. In short, the film, on which is imprinted the series of pictures, is drawn across a standard aperture in the path of the light rays from an optical lantern; each picture stopping momentarily before this aperture by reason of the film having imparted to it a "start'' and "stop" motion by means of the Geneva movement. During the travel period of the film the sector or shutter cuts off the light rays from the aperture, thus eliminating the film movement on the screen. To realize the ideal in this principle of projection each picture should be projected for the longest possible period, and 'the changing from one picture to another should occupy the shortest possible period of time. When these conditions are fully met the result would be a brilliant picture without "flicker" (a term used in the art to denote the dark period pro The Vanoscope's Construction With the great volume of data before us, which our complete research into every phase of cinematography produced, we proceeded to investigate the Vanoscope, both as to its mechanical construction, soundness THE VANOSCOPE duced by the sector cutting off the rays of light during the interval in which the change from one picture to another is made). Therefore these two functions in conjunction with an optical lantern, condenser system and projecting lens, variously assembled, constitute what is termed "the machine" and is either hand or motor driven. of optical principles involved, its adaptability for the purpose intended, wherein it meets the requirements lacking in projecting machines of the period, and its possibilities on the market. We herewith summarize our conclusions and findings under a few general headings. Both the large commercial machine