The Moving picture world (February 1920-March 1920)

March 27, 1920 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 2123 PRO J E CTION TJy F.H.RICHARDSON Sounds Plausible, But — SEVERAL weeks ago T. A. Reynolds, Brooklyn, wrote asking for some book on projection which was, as we understood him, simpler than the handbook. We commented on his letter and sent him a carbon. He now says : I asked for something less diffuse, not less difficult. I am sorry any misunderstanding: arose, because even an apparent reflection on either yourself or the handbook was very far from my thoughts. I bought a handbook as a matter of course. It being the standard work on projection. It was the very first work I secured bearing In any way on the moving picture business. I have often wondered at the amount of Industry and practical experience which made such a work possible. But let me explain. I do not believe that the mere fact of having passed an examination and secured license proves a man to be an A-1, fully qualified projectionist, or that he is even safe to leave in charge of a projection installation. I believe the chief purpose of the examination, and of all civil service examinations, is to limit the supply of men to the needs of the business and 'to prevent overcrowding trades and professions. As to Examinations. Examining boards will ask one man twenty questions and the next one only two. They do not try to make things easy for the applicant, so as to ascertain his real knowledge. They try to tangle him, mix up the circuit one way or another, or disarrange some of the many parts of the mechanism and in various ways cause him to lose his presence of mind. This would be quite fair if they had already given him credit for knowing his job under ordinary circumstances, but such Is not the case. I think there should be a work (book) coaching men for examination, the same as in every other line of work, and once the applicant secures license he should serve his apprenticeship, meanwhile studying the handbook and the other works you made mention of. Pardon my being lengthy. I wanted you to get my viewpoint. Got the Viewpoint. I secured the viewpoint all right, but I do not at all agree. I have right now in my desk something which I, at great labor, compiled for another purpose, and then laid carefully aside because it would be the most wonderful little "coacher for examination" that ever happened. I could print it and make at the very least calculation $10,000 in one year by so doing, but I could only do that at the expense of flooding the industry with incompetents and working irreparable injury to the men and the profession that I have for years tried to help, and I cannot agree to that, for any amount of money. No, an examination is not for the purpose of "limiting the supply," but to prevent incompetents entering the field, injuring the business by butchering up film, ruining machinery, wasting electrical energy, which means coal, man-handling productions which cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, and injuring the quality of the show people pay real money to see. Lucky If He Didn't Bite. Yoli say the man should serve an apprenticeship once he has secured his license. Umph I Sounds good, but I have a tintype of more than one out of about 9,876 doing it. The rest of them would give you the haughty glare if you even presumed to suggest such a thing. "Apprenticeship I Whatcha mean, man? See my license? I'm a projectionist, I am." iimiuninimnminiiiiniimiiitinmn Notice to AU | PRESSURE on our columns is such § that published replies to questions § cannot be guaranteed under two or 1 three weeks. If quick action la desired, g remit four cents, stamps, and we will 1 send carbon copy of department reply E as soon as written. g For special replies, by mall, on mat g ters which, for any reason, cannot be g replied to through the department, re g mlt one dollar. § QUESTION BOOKLETS. | We have two paper covered booklets g containing ISO questions designed as a g Kulde to study. They indicate what the S projectionist should know. g Either booklet, postpaid, twenty-flve m cents; both, forty cents . United States § stamps accepted; cannot use Canadian 1 stamps. g THE LENS CHARTS. | Are Yon Working; by "Gae«s," or Do | Yon Employ Up-to-Date 1 Methods f | Tou demand that your employer keep g his equipment In good order and up to g date. He owes It both to himself and to § you to do so, but you ofo It to him to i keep abreast with the times In knowl g edge and In your methods. 1 The lens charts (two In one, 11x17 | Inches, on heavy paper for framing) g are in successful use by hundreds of g progressive projectionists. g Don't "guess." Do your work RIGHT, a Price, fifty cents, stamps. 1 Address IMovlng Picture World, either | B16 Fifth avenue. New Tork City; | Schiller Building, Chicago, 111., or | Wright & Callender Building, Los An | geles, Cal. | iiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiisiniiuuniMnDniiiinnfliiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiw^ Why, you would be lucky if he didn't bite you for even suggesting so absurd a procedure. The whole trouble lies right here. I was obliged to serve five years' apprenticeship to be adjudged capable of running a locomotive, although there is much less to learn in order to become a proficient, locomotive engineer than is necessary to learn to be a competent projectionist. Yet men seem to think it a terrific hardship that they are not allowed to handle projectors after a wee bit of study, or coaching for examination, and just a few months of apprenticeship — or none of the latter at all. I grant that a large percentage of the present day projectionists have entered the profession in just that way, but that does NOT prove the procedure to be right. I venture the assertion that were the British Columbia examination put into effect here in New York City tomorrow, with Mr. Oswald as examiner, there would be one of the most terrific shakings up any trade or business in the city of New York ever experienced, and that the number of cards now in existence would shrink from more than a thousand to decidedly less than one (1) hundred — yes, to less than fifty, and, mind you, the British Columbia examination is absolutely fair and just in every detail. Of course there are quite a number of New York men, above the number named, who could pass the B. S. examination with some study, but there are a great number who either could not pass it at all or could not pass without beginning at the very beginning and learning the profession they now know practically nothing at all about, from the ground up. They handle lenses every day, yet they know as much about lens action as a cat knows about heaven. They handle valuable films, yet they could not make an intelligent test of the tension of their projectors. What's the Use? They handle a hundred amperes D. C. and brag about it, not knowing that by the application of a little knowledge they could get aS good or a better result with 75, or maybe 60 amperes. They handle valuable films, and have a reel can under their projector to catch the surplus oil, or as much of it as the film does not mop up. They work under conditions which make it utterly impossible to project a high class screen result, yet are unable to tell the exhibitor what changes are necessary or desirable, because they do not know. They rewind valuable films on a rewinder that is out of line, at high speed, on crooked reels, and then curse the "rotten service" they get. They — oh, what's the use I I could spend pages telling what they do NOT know, and LINES telling what they do. Yes, I know it is rough to tell the truth this way, and right out in meeting too. But it is also rough to have the profession cumbered with incompetents. In closing let me tell you this: If you know your business, no examiner on earth can tangle you up. If you don't know it the examiner commits a moral crime when he passes you, and gives you a card. Oh, yes, I nearly forgot. An examiner often asks only a couple of questions to some men because their answers to those two are quite sufficient to prove their entire lack of real knowledge. Interest in Projection Room Aroused On page 1468, February 28 issue, we published our idea of the possibility for frontof-the-balcony projection room location, together with sketch somewhat condensed, illustrating the various details. From Reginald WycklifTe Geare, Architect, Washington, D. C., comes the following encouraging letter : Tour article with reference to the location of projection rooms in the balcony Is an Interesting one. You certainly deserve commendation for suggesting such an idea to the prospective theatre builders and exhibitors of the country. If such co-operation can be enlisted in the interest of "The Perfect Theatre," in all branches of theatre design, then the perfect theatre will very soon become a reality. Trlctl to Incorporate the Idea. I have several times attempted to incorporate the idea you suggest in theatres designed in my office, but have always met with difficulties in construction or lack of interest on the part of owners. Last fall Harry Crandall, who is, by the way, progressive and willing to take a chance, engaged me to design an eighteen hundred seat, combination legitimate and moving picture theatre in Cumberland, Maryland. This house, which is now under roof, will be the nearest approach to a perfect medium sized theatre that has been erected up to this date, not because of my connection therewith, but because of the co-operation of every essential party to that end. Needless to say it embodies the Idea as illustrated in your sketch, with all the objections eliminated. In view of the vast