Projection engineering (Jan-Dec 1931)

DECEMBER, 1931 Page .0(644 .02927" .43523" -r .41536" .610" ORIGINAL .59356" .00669" .00751" -.43523" .41536" .00245" .00146^ ^05305^ .109" ORIGINAL ►^05305- -.10754" .10655" -.00740" .00684" ■•-.00033" .00022" F -,-CONTROLfe £ ; L l.,,fe: //*((/ ///y//y//x ■" t MINIMUM PICTURE MAXIMUM PICTURE / .04498" \ .04498" MAXIMUM N-^ MINIMUM SOUND TRACK SOUND TRACK Fig. 4. Minimum and maximum sound and picture areas of positive using s procket center line for register. lating with the tolerances arrived at (b). d. The plus and minus tolerances calculated from the (c) tolerances plus a positive film shrinkage of y2 per cent. e. The plus and minus tolerances calculated from the (c) tolerances, but with the addition of a positive film shrinkage of \y2 per cent. The results obtained from the foregoing have been derived with the assumption that the negative has only shrunk y2 per cent. However, since the shrinkage effect constantly progresses through the printing process as well as while the films are stored away, the calculations have been extended to include a greater negative shrinkage. The following series of computations was carried accumulating the plus and minus camera tolerances, with the tolerances necessitated by the various conditions expressed above, with the exception that a maximum ly per cent shrinkage of the negative was considered instead of the minimum Y/2 per cent. 3. For Negative Films, a'. Camera tolerances same as for (a). b'. Tolerances resulting from accumulation of (a') and iy per cent negative shrinkage. 4. For Positive Films, c' Tolerances required in printing with unshrunk positive for both conditions of film registration expressed at (c), but accumulating tolerances calculated at (b'). d'. Tolerances calculated through the accumulation of tolerances at (c') and J/> per cent shrunk positive film. e'. Tolerances calculated through the accumulation of tolerances (c') and y2 per cent shrunk positive film. The latest_ being the extreme case, accumulating a maximum permissible shrinkage and all constructural and register tolerances taken from the camera, the registering tooth, the processing of both positive and negative and those of the printing of the positive film, which are due to the differences in shape and dimensions of the positive and the negative perforations. The above method of determining shrinkage and mechanical tolerances has resulted in the determination of a maximum camera aperture as illustrated in Fig. 1. Taking the above dimensions and computing according to the accumulated tolerances determined at (d), (e), (d') and (e'), the maximum and minimum dimensions of sound track and picture area of positive film are derived as shown in Fig. 4. Possible Objections to the Proposed Change 1. A large part of foreign release is now on full frame disc, and foreign exhibitors are used to showing American product in this way. This is probably the most important objection to the proposed change, even though foreign release is a comparatively small item. However, the same considerations of studio economy will also apply to foreign producers and it is probable that they will follow Hollywood's lead. Foreign theatres now showing full frame can make the same adjustments American theatres have made. If they make no adjustments at all the picture will not be hurt except to show a heavy black border on the top, bottom and left side. 2. There will be a period when prints with different apertures are circulating side by side. While this is true of any standardization, the committee considered that the advantages will far outweigh any temporary inconvenience. Theatres will be given the necessary instructions in advance and should not make the changes until they begin to receive most of their bookings on the new standard. 3. Many theatres are unable to afford expensive changes in equipment. In answer to this it may be pointed out that this change puts no burden on the theatre. The new frame can be projected if necessary without any changes in apertures or screens whatever and the only harm will be that a black border may show around the picture. The theatre can get rid of this by installing new aperture plates at a maximum cost of $3 and putting a rim of black paint around the screen or moving the screen masks in at very slight expense. 4. If an individual theatre does not want to install shorter focal length lenses and has been showing silent pictures or sound-on-disc pictures through the old silent aperture, the change will reduce its screen size by about eighteen per cent. If a theatre has been showing sound-on-film through a movietone aperture the change will reduce its screen area about seven per cent, unless shorter focal length lenses are installed. In answer to these statements it should be pointed out : first, that the area being matted off has not contained any vital action during the past year and so has contributed little to entertainment value ; second, that standardization of the three-by-four proportions responds to a strong demand from the theatre field ; third, that to the increasing number of theatres using a reduced proportional aperture the change will mean a four per cent larger screen image without additional magnification. A EIGHTY-FOUR UNITS SHIPPED TO INDIA BUSINESS in the motion picture theatres of India appears to be booming, if the constantly increasing number of installations of sound reproducing apparatus may be taken as a criterion. Within the past week Van Ness Philip, manager of the foreign department of RCA-Photophone, Inc., has received orders for ten complete units of equipment from Madan Theatres, Ltd., and Alex Hague, authorized distributors for Photophone in Bombay, and to these most recent orders may be added seventy-four units which have been installed in theatres in various sections of India during the past eight months. Madan Theatres, Ltd., has been producing sound pictures for the past six months, having purchased an RCA Photophone recording channel for that purpose at the time of Fram J. Madan's visit to New York last winter. Plans are now in the making for even more extensive production activities.