The motion picture projectionist (Oct 1928-Oct 1929)

32 The Motion Picture Projectionist April, 1929 When YOU equip for sound A RELIABLE CHANGEOVER DEVICE is more necessary than ever. Over 1500 installations of Strong Electric Changeovers during the past year, show how this reliable device, is demanded by the best projectionists in the country. You Need Them More Than Ever With Sound Manufactured by ESSANNAY ELECTRIC MFG. CO. MAYWOOD, ILL. Distributed by NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY CO. PERFECTION RHEOSTATS RHEOSTATS FIRST AID TO GOOD PROJECTION KNOWN AND USED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY Type R. C. 3 SOLD BY ALL BRANCHES NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY CO., AND BY SAM KAPLAN, N. Y. C. HOFFMANN & SOONS 387 FIRST AVENUE Mfg. Division NEW YORK CITY Contracting Electrical Engineers — Moving Picture Theatre Electrical Specialists Changeovers Causing Trouble Throughout Country IT was expected that with the advent of sound pictures, not to mention the constant stressing of the necessity for keeping the film free from mutilation and the wide publicity given the need for careful handling of sound film, that the old changeover mark nuisance would be a thing of the past, or at least occur so seldom as to indicate that the craft at large had determined to rid itself of one of its prize bugaboos. But not so. For the number of complaints on the score of damaged film resulting from careless handling by projectionists has grown instead of decreasing. From every section of the country come complaints of the marking, punching and scratching of film, with or without sound accompaniment. Mutilating silent film was bad enough and did enough to bring the craft into disfavor ; but now that sound film is being treated with equal, if not more, carelessness, the problem has become acute. It would not be fair to say that all projectionists engage in these shiftless tactics, for a goodly portion of the complaints are from projectionists themselves who have to use film after it has been abused on a prior run. As an indication that many, many projectionists are earnestly trying to better film conditions this news is cheering; but it is unlikely that cheering news alone will suffice to curb the activities of those who continue to project in the 1910 manner. Trick "Conferences" Often the matter of introducing to the industry a compulsory standardization for changeovers, has come up for consideration, with the slightest deviation from the standard agreed upon to be followed by summary penalizing in one form or another. In all instances such proposals were short-lived and were speedily forgotten after the end of this, that or the other conference. One of our correspondents states that several times lately he received film in such poor condition that it was impossible to run it under any circumstances. It is too bad to have to admit that often projectionists are forced to "nurse" a poor print along through several performances simply because the show must go on. On the other hand, the forced cancellation of a few programs, with the consequent loss of revenue at the box office, would seem to be about the only method left through which to awaken the sleeping beauty producers and exhibitors to the necessity for facing and dealing with this important problem at once. Local Unions Must Cooperate Those projectionists who have their own pet "gadgets" for changing over are, in the main, men who have cast about for a safe method of changing over without having to mutilate the film. These men are not the group from whom damaged film may be expected. Rather is it the lazy, incompetent projectionist who must be so restricted by set rules, that his mutilating