Movietone Bulletin (September 1928)

Projectionist 2 Fo OX CESE ‘Co REGEERON 460 WES! 54™ ST. NEw YORK VOLUME I, No. 39 SEPT. 29, 1928 “When Shadows Bawl” ECENTLY “Liberty,” a pub lication having a very wide circulation, printed the above title over an article in which a writer expressed his opinion concerning sound in synchronization with motion in motion pictures. My own impression was that the article was not so much meant to criticize excess in sound, as to express disapproval of the use of sound with pictures, except perhaps it be music, which disapproval I have small doubt but that the writer of the article in question will in due time regret. There is, however, a grain of truth in “When Shadows Bawl,” and it is right and proper that that grain be laid before movietone projectionists and theatre managers for examination and consideration. I have myself sat in theatres and because of ill judged excess in volume heard the “shadows” iiteraily “pawl.” Gentlemen, may I direct your undivided attention to the fact that, except excess volume be ordered by the theatre manager, there can be small excuse for the projectionist if there is real, persistent excess of volume in the theatre in which you are in charge of projection? It is freely granted that perfection in volume requirement cannot possibly be attained in all parts of large auditoriums, especially if the acoustic properties be bad. However, if you are a true movietone projectionist you will use every possible endeavor to secure the best possible balancing of sound, (in which connection see Bulletin No. 34), so that those seated the maxi mum distance away from the screen may hear at least in reasonable comfort, without setting up a veritable cyclone for those down front. Just now the regulation of sound volume seems to be one of the most pressing reproduction problems. Before me lies a letter from Mr. Harry Rubin, Supervisor of the great Publix Theatres chain. A part of it reads: “The present tendency of sound pictures is toward too much volume. Many theatre managers, apparently having in mind the considerable cost of the sound equipment, are determined the audiences shall be very much aware of its presence. The projectionist is in many cases literally ordered to raise the fader setting until the resultant volume is much greater than would be tolerated from, for example, an orchestra playing an accompaniment to the picture right there in the theatre, while the speaking figures are made to speak with a voice we might expect to emanate from a giant say twenty feet in height. It should be remembered that much better general results may be had through and by means of contrast between loud and soft music, than can be obtained by a continuously high level of volume. This contrast should, however, be taken care of completely in the production, rather than in the reproduction. The projectionist seldom is in position to satisfactorily regulate the sound volume for best effect, being partitioned off from the auditorium, often completely. He must therefore, in a room more or less filled with the noise of the machinery in operation, depend almost entirely upon the monitor horn for what he hears. Naturally this condition places him at the mercy of some one located in the auditorium, and that ‘some one’ not infrequently has but the most hazy, nebulous idea of capacity limitations of the sound equipment. Moreover it is not at all certain that this person will be able to recognize sound distortions set up by overload, unless they be very bad indeed. As I before said, the projectionist therefore is at the mercy of the ‘man down imont.; 7 There is unquestionable truth in what Supervisor Rubin says, but it seems reasonable to answer by saying the remedy is the careful cueing of each scene of each production in each individual theatre. It would seem quite practical to take care of the high and low in music to which Mr. Rubin refers, in production, but of course the matter of volume in general must be handled in projection, because of the great differences in sound requirements in various theatres. It seems to me that whoever is in charge of projection should, where possible, leave the projection room in charge of his assistant for short periods while he goes into the auditorium and carefully observes the effect. Surely no theatre manager would object to such a procedure, or regard as anything else than welcome the advice and suggestion of his Chief Projectionist with regard to such matters.