Moving Picture World (Mar-May 1927)

pketter Projection KJ <Jhi$ Department Was founded, in 1910 by its Present 6ditor~ Richardson Better Projection Pays Wants to Live Up to His Title of “Projectionist” FROM a large city comes this one : “Inclosed find check for the new Bluebook. Have seen earlier editions and feel that I must have the new one myself. Am projectionist at the Lyric Theatre, this city. At least I call myself a projectionist and do my best to live up to the title (do you get that last? It is the answer to the whole Projectionist-Operator argument. The man has adopted the title Projectionist and feels he HAS SOMETHING TO LIVE UP TO!— Ed.) so far as the equipment provided will permit. Am using A. C. at the arc, through A. C. to A. C. Compensarcs. Get a pretty fair light, but am troubled by the breaking of the 6^2inch focal length collector lens. A new one lasts but a day. Could you suggest a remedy? Arc is about three inches from the collector lens. Condenser lenses spaced % inch apart. Converging condenser lens to aperture 15 inches. Projection distance 125 feet. At what angle should the % National carbons be set to get best results? Have followed the Bluebook school for a long while. Have gained a lot from it. SEVERAL OF MY PROJECTIONIST ACQUAINTANCES AS MUCH AS RIDICULE ME FOR STUDYING AND TRYING TO LEARN. THEY SAY IT WILL DO ME NO APPRECIABLE GOOD. THEY SAY IT IS ONLY ESSENTIAL FOR AN “OPERATOR” (AS THEY TERM THEMSELVES) TO PUT A PICTURE ON THE SCREEN AND KEEP IT THERE. So when I attempt to discuss the principles of electrics, optics, etc., with them, they show no interest whatever and I am lost among them. ALSO MY EMPLOYER DOES NOT REALIZE THE VALUE OF GOOD EQUIPMENT, HENCE I MUST, FOR THE PRESENT AT LEAST, PUT UP WITH WHAT I HAVE, ALTHOUGH IT IS IN SAD CONDITION. HOWEVER, SO LONG AS IT WILL FUNCTION WITHOUT ACTUAL BREAKS AND STOPS THE “BOSS” IS SATISFIED. I want to thank you for the help I have had from our department. Please do not mention my name or location. Gentlemen, I could consume at least ten pages in answering this letter in commenting upon the utter foolishness of the policy described— foolishness on the part of both the men and the employers. First of all the very fact that your employer understands the moving picture theatre business so little that he still permits the use of A. C. at the arc for projection purposes in a large city where he is in competition with many other theatres, is proof positive that he is NOT a good man to work for, because he does not know enough about projection to appreciate high grade work. The sooner you equip yourself with practical and technical knowledge enabling you to handle a better position, the better. It is a sorry, discourag ing business working for such a man. Also IT IS DISCOURAGING TO HAVE FOR YOUR ASSOCIATES MEN WITH SO LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OF, AND PRIDE IN PROJECTION THAT THEY CONSIDER THE ACQUISITION OF TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE TO BE FOOLISHNESS. I can understand your position, and can and do sympathise with you. I am truly sorry for your “machine operator” colleagues. Such men are of the type who never get much of anywhere. Appreciation for work well performed means nothing to them. All they can ever hope to get in the way of monetary reward is what the union can force out of an unwilling boss, who rather naturally objects to paying much for men merely to “operate a machine” which they regard as pretty nearly semi-automatic anyhow. They never amount to anything, and finally drop down and out, neither missed or regretted by any one except their little clique of personal friends on their own level. As for employers of the type you are now working for — well, the motion picture ship has many barnacles clinging to its hull, but of them all he is perhaps the worst. He and the machine operator make a bully good team. They should by all means be together. And now as to your troubles. You have not advised me as to your amperage. I think your carbons are too large. A carbon of too great diameter makes the arc relatively easy to handle and burns away slowly, BUT it won’t produce the light per watt of electric energy a smaller one will. Unless your current is in excess of sixty, a 54 White Flame carbon is plenty large enough. I am a bit rusty on A. C. carbon combinations, as there are relatively so few A. C. arcs used for projection now, but this rule may be relied upon : any size carbon which does not pencil (burn to a long slim point) appreciably is NOT too small. As to the collector lens : Be certain that the flame from the arc don’t touch its upper edge, or come too close to it. If it does it will break the lens. If it does you must either manage to protect the lens from it by suspending an asbestos baffle plate to intercept the flame without interfering too much in the light, or else pull you light source further from the lens. That latter means heavy light loss, however, and should be avoided if possible. That effect will be explained to you by Fig. 36H in the first volume of your new Bluebook. Make sure that your lamphouse has free ventilation. Stoppage of the ventilation will create high temperature inside the lamphouse, superheat the collector lens, and induce breakage. If you can’t stop the trouble, then advise me as to your amperage and send a couple of upper carbon stubs and I will advise you further. You will have the best general results by using the same set for A. C. that you would use for D. C. However, some prefer setting the lower carbon more or less straight up and down, angling the upper carbon to meet it. I don’t believe in this, or agree with it, however fairly good results may be had that way. Two Bluebooks Really at This Office — Soon Now! Last Saturday, April 16, I nearly had the papsy lal for when I entered the office they actually showed me two completed Bluebooks and informed me that the first shipment was on the way from the bindery, arriving not later than Monday, or Tuesday, at the very latest. Gentlemen, the delay has N OT been my fault, or the fault of the Chalmers Publishing Company either. There have been times when I think had I had the combined necks of the printer and binder in a noose I’d have — well,, they’d have stopped breathing. When I told you the book would be out about January first I had every reason to believe it would be. I told you exactly what I believed to be true. Well, men, I’m sure when you get it you’ll agree it was worth the wait, for it certainly is one handsome job. The two volumes are of practically equal thickness, handsomely bound in a rich blue flexible cover. The inside— well, you’ve all approved of the four previous editions and I think you will of this one, too. The first volume is designed to be permanent. You will only have to get the second volume hereafter in order to keep right up to date. What is in the first volume is permanent, unchangeable matter. Detroit Local Starts Educational Campaign LOCAL 199, Detroit, Michigan, formally announced to its members, members of sister locals, and permit men now operating under its jurisdiction, a plan for holding regular educational meetings once each month, for the purpose of aggressively promoting educational work among projectionists in the Detroit district. The first of these regular meetings was given over to Brenkert Light Projection Company, Detroit. Before a gathering of projectionists which numbered considerably over two hundred, Karl Brenkert and J. H. Kurlander, president and engineer, respectively, of the Brenkert Company, gave illustrated lectures followed by practical demonstrations, on the subjects of “Effect Lighting and Spotlighting.” The total time consumed by these talks was four hours and intense interest evinced by the projectionists was proved by the innumerable questions asked and by the fact that from midnight, when the meeting was called to order, until 4 A. M., thirty or more men, unable to find seats in the auditorium, patiently stood in a rear hall and listened to the talks through an open door. In pursuance of the program thus started by the Brenkert Company, the next regular meeting will be held Wednesday evening, April 20, at which time the representatives of the National Carbon Company will describe the operating characteristics of the various types of arc lamps.