Movietone Bulletin (July 1928)

Note: I overlooked one point. The aperture mask Mr. Smith showed me had both the regular standard silent picture and the movietone opening, so spaced that if the movietone mask were in place it was only necessary to remove it, reverse it (turn it, end for end) and shove it clear in, whereupon the regular silent picture aperture would be in its proper place. I forgot to ask him whether cutting the plate slot destroyed the regular aperture, and to ascertain that point now would cause a delay in publication. It is not especially important anyhow. If the regular aperture is not injured by cutting the slot in the aperture plate, I see no reason why the slide should contain two openings, though it does no harm to have them. In the following I will disregard the regular opening. Having finished the slot and slide, next proceed to cut, in one end of it, at such distance from the end that the opening will be located sidewise exactly where the movietone aperture was located, an opening of exactly the same width as the regular movietone aperture, but only .614 of an inch in height. This will give you an opening of precisely the same relative width and height as the regular silent picture aperture opening, which is .906 of an inch wide by .6795 of an inch high. With this aperture opening in place, you will have movietone exactly the same proportions, as to width and height, as the silent pictures, but the screen image (picture) will be smaller, of course, hence will not fill your silent picture screen. You have now but to secure a projection lens of sufficiently shorter focal length to enlarge the picture to fill the screen, and all is well. To secure such a lens, provide the lens maker with the following data: (a) Exact measurements of aperture, both as to its height and width. (b) Exact distance lens to screen. (c) Exact width and height of picture on screen. Note: If the projection angle is such that you have had to file the silent picture aperture sides to parallel the sides of the screen image, you will of course have to do the same thing with the new movietone aperture. This plan eliminates just a wee bit of both the top and bottom of the film photograph, true, but what of it? It is very seldom indeed, that it would make any appreciable difference. In fact, I doubt if it ever would. Roxy uses the plan and approves of it, and if it is all right in that great theatre, surely it should be all right in other theatres. The only bad feature is the necessity for changing the projection lens when it must be screwed into and out of the mount, but as I said, I have no doubt but that, too, will be unnecessary very soon. Of course, if you have a special projector for movietone, there will be no lens changing at all. In closing, permit me to add that this plan makes possible the use of many new and novel effects in aperture masks. Chief Projectionist Smith showed me at least two dozen masks he had made and used. There were leaf shaped ones, heart shaped ones, et cetera. One might slip in a leaf shaped aperture mask when showing a forest scenic. Or when the hero grabs the heroine and smears his countenance all over hers at the end, a heart shaped mask might be used—maybe. Duty Well Done When one has done his duty well; when he has kept his equipment in the very best possible condition he is able to with the materials supplied; when he has projected a sparkling, steady, beautiful picture before his audiences; when he has projected a great singer or one of the Leaders of Earth before an audience, and made him or her talk just as naturally and appear just as naturally as though they were present in person, and the audience applauds, or the manager slaps your back and says: “Good work, old timer, good work!” Gosh, but Ain’t It The Grand And Glorious Feeling! If you are looking for a secret of success, take Biblical advice and learn from the ant. The first thing an ant pulls for is the sugarbowl. FLICKERS Necessity is the mother of invention. Likewise the sister, cousin, aunt or what have you. They were making a picture with movietone accompaniment. In one scene there was a battle skirmish and they were ready to shoot it when they discovered to their dismay they didn’t have anything with which to simulate machine gun fire. For once the prop man had overlooked something. A hurried consultation was held, and brains were racked and heads were scratched and everybody made suggestions at once. Finally they solved the problem. They called in one of the stenographers from the office and had her pop her gum several times in quick succession. The illusion was perfect. We were reading about a moving picture machine to take shots of the workings of the stomach. Tabloid reporters ought to have one to get the inside dope. Generally speaking, there are two gates in which the projectionist is supremely interested. The one his girl gives him and the sound gate. If things get all out of tune and the machinery starts to acting queer and you don’t know what to do, just think of the weather man. He hardly ever sees his way clear. Envy the lucky mechanism of the projecting apparatus. It does its best work when well-oiled. Not many of us can do that. Pass clean film along to the next man. Give him a show and he’ll give the audience a show. Talk is generally cheap. But movietone talk is never cheap unless careless projecting cheapens it. A Scotchman ought to make a good marathon dancer. You never see one looking spent. It is bad luck to break a mirror. Especially if you are a woman and don’t have another one handy.