Moving Picture Weekly (1915-1920)

46 THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY The Operator's Department CERTAIN well-known film magazine in a recent issue ofifered a prize to the operator who made the best suggestion or submitted the best idea for the establishment of an Operators' Department in that publication. The widespread interest was evidenced by the many letters received in reply. Many of the letters received, however, merely recited the ways in which such a department would help the operators, while but few made really definite or original suggestions, or submitted a basic idea for such a department. The prize was finally awarded to the writer of the letter from which the following. extracts were taken : "I have found in your talks to operators many things of the greatest interest to myself and, I imagine, to hundreds of other operators. I agree with you that there is no room in your estimable publication for all the suggestions, questions and answers that might be gathered from week to week. Therefore I suggest that you publish another book entitled 'The Operators' \\'eekly,' and have all the operators ask questions and make reports on their methods of overcoming projection difficulties, etc. By doing this some operator who is trying to learn will find things in the book that will be of great value to him, and their brothers and to raise the standard of operators all along the line. I am sure that such a publication would be welcomed by every operator in the business worthy of the name. All the publications play up to the owner and manager and the operator must do the best he can, although on him rests the responsibility of producing a good show, no matter what handicaps he works under. I would gladly pay $3 a year for such a publication, and I would sit up all night to read it. Do you know that an operator would take a great interest in reading what other operators had to say and how they do things? If he wouldn't he is not an operator. You could also have a Help Wanted and For Sale column and talks by the editor, etc. I am sure such a book would meet a long felt want among conscientious operators the world over." There is nothing startlingly new in the ideas advanced, but from this germ there has grown an idea in the mind of the editor of the MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY, which we propose to put into practice in the course of the next few weeks. This then, is to announce that at the earliest possible date, arrangements will be made to devote pages to a department in this magazine to be known as "The Operators' Weekly." It will be written by operators themselves. The editor will add a comment when advisable, but the matter will be such as is sent in by interested operators. We hope to start some lively discussions on film care, machine care and other problems of the projection booth. We shall depend largely on contributions from operators and we hope that all will send in anything genuinely worth while in the way of information, such as best methods of patching, rewinding, loop adjusting, prevention of scratches on the prints, caring for leaders, prevention of torn sprocket holes and other things, which, though sHght in themselves, all have a great bearing on the life of the film and on the quality of the show thrown on the screen. If you have any little handy way of doing things, that you have worked out yourself; or any bits of friendly advice that will help some operator who has not had your experience it will be welcomed. There are no rules or restrictions. The editor reserves the right to accept or reject without prejudice any contribution received. Write onlj^ on one .side of the paper, say what you want to say, and then stop. The briefer the articles the more of them can be published. Names will be published only when permission is given. No contributions can be returned unless accompanied by self-addressed, stamped envelope. Many things incident to the establishment of a new publication prevent the inauguration of the department for some weeks to come. But we want you operators to watch the WEEKLY for announcement of your department, and we suggest that, as you will not wish to miss a single number, you send in vour subscription promptlv. Rates of subscription are $2.50 a year. THE EDITOR.