The motion picture projectionist (Nov 1931-Jan 1933)

16 Motion Picture Projectionist December, 1932 / \ B / i —^ — i f\ // A ' Screen T Figure 2. A diagram of the typical theatre with the usual sloping floor and high balcony. Spectator "A" must tilt his head backward in order to view the upper portion of the screen. The steep angle of the balcony makes it necessary for "B" and "C" to lean forward in order to view the screen. / // / / \ I \ I \l 6 6 Figure 1. This diagram explains graphically the distortion apparent by comparing the two illustrations at the bottom of the page. (plan view) . Dimension JS shows the foreshortening of Distance A due to the particular perspective view the motion picture camera has obtained — a view similar to that obtained by the spectator in a similar position in the legitimate theatre. Distance C represents Distance A decreased, first, by a natural foreshortening (due to the camera angle) and, secondly, by the poor position of the spectator in relation to the motion picture screen. It is easily seen that if Distance C must represent Distance A, the result can be only a distortion of the image. Distorted views of forms and background on the screen are accented most when the forms of background appear in sharp perspective. A view taken in sharp perspective in motion picture work is one of the most forceful and effective instruments of the motion picture art. Thus, it is neces sary that the means of exhibiting must be allied with the production of the motion picture itself. The comfort of the patron also requires more careful attention in the cinema than in the legitimate theatre. The spectator in the cinema must be at ease and must feel neither bodily nor ocular discomfort. This is essential to help complete the illusion of realism desired, despite the fact that the images on the screen have technically only two dimensions. Seats and Sight Comfort The comfort of the patron depends upon the seating arrangement, which involves chair spacings, aisle arrangements, and the floor slopes and the balcony pitches. Chair spacing and aisle arrangements are largely controlled by the local building ordinances and the economies of space utilization for each individual project. But a more important and heretofore neglected consideration is the seating arrangement as it is affected by the needs of ocular and bodily comfort. A scientific adjustment of the floor slopes, balcony pitches, sightlines and individual chair back pitches is needed to insure the patrons' comfort. The floor that slopes up from the stage has been commonly used to gain unobstructed vision and has served its purposes so far as the needs of the stage performance were concerned. However, this type of floor is not efficient for the cinema; first, because it does not allow for the designing of the seating areas within the confines from which the screen may be properly viewed, and, secondly, because it does not permit the use of proper seats and chair back angles needed for the spectator's comfort while viewing the entire height of the motion picture screen. On the orchestra floor level, the present arrangement of floor slope requires (except at the extreme rear of the auditorium) that the spectator tilt his head backward to see the upper portions of the screen, in some m .'"«*> a, i*Kfe1l Courtesy of Motion Picture Herald These two scenes from a motion picture, "The Washington Masquerade," illustrate (at the left) a direct view and (at the right) a distortion of the same scene if viewed from a position outsde an area 15 degrees to a perpendicular erected at the edge of the screen. A similar distortion takes place above the 15 degrees vertical maximum for good vision.