Movie Age (1927)

PAGE 24 MOVIE AGE A Few Practical Needs in the Field of Projection By ARTHUR GRAY The interest of the theatre going pub¬ lic in motion pictures, today, extends considerably beyond the star, the cast, and the story which the picture tells. They have been educated to expect good photography, good music and better pro¬ jection. Astute theatre exhibitors find that high grade projection is good showman¬ ship, and some have used this as an ef¬ fective advertising feature, and busi¬ ness getter. An increasing number of exhibitors have come to realize the fact that a scratched, dirty film seriously impairs the entertainmnent value of the picture, and are insisting upon receiving better conditioned film from the film distribut¬ ing exchanges. The general condition of the aver¬ age circulating print, judged from the standard of screen appearance as well as by its ability to pass without mishap through a projector, is undoubtedly gradually improving, but need for fur¬ ther improvement continues to exist. A normal amount of wear and tear on the film is inevitable during the pro¬ cess of projection, but a large amount of the damage which a film often in¬ curs is unnecessary, and is caused by careless handling either during inspec¬ tion at the exchange, during shipment, or in the projection room at the thea¬ tre. Loose splices which separate while the film is being projected, and thereby cause an interruption in the show, con¬ tinue to be one of the toughest prob¬ lems with which a projectionist must contend. The fewer splices there are in a print, the less probability there will be for mishaps of this nature. Any planning which will result in the number of splices being kept at the very minimum is desirable and very important. The recent circulation of a con¬ siderable amount of buckled film, which results in an oscillating, in-and-out-offocus effect in the picture when the film is projected, is giving wide spread trouble. Various causes have been as¬ cribed as being responsible for this con¬ dition, and attempts are undoubtedly being made to abate the trouble. It seems to be a rather complex prob¬ lems, and must receive the cooperative efforts of technical workers in several different fields of the industry if it is to be quickly and effectively remedied. That the trouble be remedied as soon as possible is imperative. Use of Peerless Speed Indicator Popularized Though never having been advertised extensively, possibly because the com¬ pany handling it devotes the major at¬ tention to the Peerless reflecting arc lamp, the Peerless speed indicator, manufactured by the J. E. McCauley Co., of Chicago, is rapidly becoming a popular selection, especially among the large theatres, scores of which are re¬ porting its use as invaluable. The value of a speed-indicating sys¬ tem can be and is most frequently un¬ derestimated. With a dependable de¬ vice of this kind as a part of the booth equipment, the manager, musical direct¬ or, stage manager, head ushers and oth¬ er department heads of the theatre may easily determine the progress of the per¬ formance, and the projectionist is bet¬ ter able to maintain a schedule of his screen time. It may be used to most beneficial ad¬ vantage in the rehearsal room for pre¬ viewing films and cueing the pictures. With individual registering dials on each projector, it is easy to determine which machine is in operation with merely a glance at the indicating dials, positioned at one or several points in the theatre and wherever desired. Generator Will Eliminate Objectionable Fluctuation One very annoying characteristic by which we remember the early moving picture exhibition was the continual fluctuation in the brightness of the screen amounting in many cases to com¬ plete extinction to the projector light. Much of this was due to variation in the “voltage” or pressure at which elec¬ tricity was supplied to the building. The “Deluxe” presentation which we now enjoy is made possible by the use of electric motor-generator sets which have been worked out in the electrical engineering laboratories for use in thea¬ tres. These generators deliver electrical current at a constant pressure and so eliminate entirely the objectionable fluc¬ tuation. BOX OFFICE REPORT BLANK Tear Out. Fill In Mail Today For the Next Issue If Every Exhibitor Does His Duty There Will Be No Inferior Pictures. Title _ Star _ Producer _ Remarks _ 1 _ Title Star _ Producer Remarks Title Star _ Producer Remarks Exhibitor’s Name H ouse Name Kind of Patronage Town State