The Moving picture world (January 1924-February 1924)

PKOJ ECT1 ON EDITED BY F. H. RICHARDSON Clever Stuff E. T. Markdey, Projectionist Opera House, Blenheim, Ontario, gives excellent directions for making reading slides, as follows: Here is a thing which seems very simple; though it took several hours to work out. When I finally did. though, I got excellent results, and believe that projectionists who wish to, or who are required to make their own announcement slides, will find it to be not only entirely practical but also a great help. Might mention, in passing, that I am projecting motion pictures for Mr. E. W. Knight, at the Opera House. How It Is Done Having thoroughly cleaned one or more slide glasses, having first made necessary arrangements with its King (Foreman) to go to the local print shop and set, or have set in type, what you want to say to your audience, being careful of course, that it (the type) does not exceed in size the dimensions of a slide mat. With a rather well-inked roller, ink the type thoroughly, after which comes "the dirty work", the most important part of it all. Get a PERFECTLY CLEAN ink roller and run it over the inked type, once only, after which, being very careful to get it properly centered on the slide glass, run the roller over the glass, which will take up the ink from the impression of the type on the roller. Dost get the idea? Try it, men! It works splendidly! I did and have not the slightest doubt but that the plan is entirely practical and that, properly done, it will produce really fine results. The "go to the print shop" end of it is the only drawback. Seems to me here is a corking good plan for theatres having to make slides advertising future program etc., but that it would be entirely possible to purchase sufficient type, two small rollers, a small stone and a bottle of ink, and thus be in position to make all the slides they may need. However, is it not something which ought to be in the theatre OFFICE, rather than used by the projectionist, though of course the latter could use it all right. I don't see why rubber type would not be practical though it might not make quite so clean-cut a job and the clean-cutness is the thing which recommends the scheme to me. It does seem like this was published in this department many years ago, but perhaps I am in error. Anyhow, even though it may have been it does not in the least lessen the credit due friend Markdey. Good Pay— Good Work Recently friend daughter and I, through the courtesy of the management, visited the Lyric Theatre, Forty-Second Street, New York City, and enjoyed that really fine production, "The White Sister," put on by projectionists E. A. Fitzgerald and Morris Bernard. "The White Sister is," as I said, a very excellent production. It is one of those plays of which it is impossible to guess the ending after one has seen the beginning. It keeps one guessing until the finish, which is not at all what you think it will be. Except for too much speed, the work of friends Fitzgerald and Bernard was excellent. They were not to blame for excess speed, however, because there are twelve thousand feet of film in the play. I would, however, suggest to them that a few of the scenes in Answering Requests for Photos To My Friends: I have on file a little over 600 requests for my photograph. I have just had some taken — 8x10 in size. They are excellent, but cost me (unmounted, suitable for framing) seventyfive cents each. Now, men, contrary to your apparent belief, I am NOT rich and I just can't afford to send out 600 photos at that price. It can't be did. Those of you who care to send the cost of the picture (seventy-five cents) will receive one, autographed. I'll stand the cost of mailing, which in itself will be quite an item if only the 600-odd who have asked for photos respond. Sincerely, F. H. RICHARDSON. which over-speed is very evident might be reduced, and the time thus lost gained on other scenes in which some additional excess would not be seriously objectionable. Of course I know this would call for very close application, but after all there are two of you, so that would be no very serious hardships, and the result would be a considerable improvement. My compliments to the management, which has shown excellent judgment by locating the projection room in the center of the first balcony, instead of in the second balcony where the projection angle would have been very bad indeed. As it is, the picture distortion is negligible and the results excellent indeed. Capitol, Richmond I present in these columns a photograph of the projection and projectionist battery of the New Capitol Theatre, Richmond, Virginia. You will notice the three projectors, the dissolving stereopticon and the high power spot, all Powers equipment, by the way. I shall present another photo presently showing the very classy film storage magazine and rewinder. The New Capitol has some projection room, if you ask me, and for once the architect, C. K. Howell, Inc., is entitled to real credit in connection with the projection installation. They did not just build a beautiful theatre and then stick in some sort of a narrow, contracted, Godforsaken sweatbox, in any old place they found not worth Adam for anything else under the sun, as the way of architects in general when they start to plan a motion picture theatre. I take the position that the architect should, remembering that the picture on the screen is THE thing the theatre will have to sell. The very reason for its existence, first plan as nearly as possible a perfect projection layout, and then build the theatre AROUND THAT PLAN. Of course I can mentally see the nose of every architect who may read this— if architects ever really do bother reading ANYTHING that has to do with projection — go up to an angle of something like forty five degrees, but all the same it is the plan which SHOULD be followed, and some day will be followed, I have faith enough to believe. Lee Ochs — Mulcahy The other evening this particular editor nearly fell out of the Christmas tree. Strolling around after supper I found a pretty theatre front, with "The Gold Diggers" blazing forth with electric-lightedly inviting eyes. This sign intrigued me, because just a few days ago I had paid a thirty-cent admission to see "The Gold Diggers," and had left the show shop in disgust before the diggers had dug half their gold, because of the fact that what I saw on the screen was mostly jumps, actors going through their stunts at whirlwind spe</d and shadows, the tout ensembly (guess that's spelled right— I'm no Frenchman) made still worse by three hideous glare spots in a rather dark auditorium. The projection was so utterly pun'< that the house was half empty and "The Gold Diggers" distinctly NOT worth looking at. What I did see, however, gave me an idea that, properly put on the screen "The Gold PROJECTION LINE-UP OF NEW CAPITAL, RICHMOND, VA.