Reel and Slide (Jan-Sep 1919)

REEL and SLIDE 29 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiinmiiiiuiii mill liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Projection Edited by M. BERNAYS JOHNSON (Projection Division Westinghouse Lamp Company) Questions on projection will be answered by this department provided addressed and stamped envelope is enclosed. Address Projection, Reel and Slide Magazine, 418 South Market Street, Chicago, 111. ll!lllli!l!ll[|il!llliMlii!ll!!!lllililH NEW PROJECTION RECORD MADE AT METHODIST CENTENARY ANEW chapter in motion picture projection has just been written, the world's record for size of picture and length of throw was shattered and a new world's record involving almost unbelievable figures has been established. Since the day that Maybridge in 1872, at the suggestion of Governor Leland Stanford, placed twenty cameras along the Governor's race track at Oakland, Cal., in order to catch the various movements of a trotting horse in action, this to prove whether or not a fast trotter has at all times one foot on the ground while trotting, up to the present time, various radical changes have been incorporated in the motion picture projector, each of these changes providing discussion aplenty for those intimately connected with the operation of these projectors as well as those engaged in their manufacture. That the latest projection achievement should have been staged upon a race track in much the same environment as the motion picture was born is truly a remarkable coincidence, but a far different gathering witnessed this projection feat than had gathered for the sporting event in 1872. In the early part of April there appeared at the Simplex factory two leaders of the Methodist Church in New York, Dr. Christian R. Reisner and Dr. Chester C. Marshall. Both of these gentlemen stand high in the councils of their church and being keen and progressive, they are both advocates of the use of motion pictures for Scriptural teaching. Dr. Reisner is best known on account of his connection with the famous Grace Church, while Dr. Marshall, whose church activities are well known to local New Yorkers, is the pastor of the St. James Methodist Episcopal Church. For years the Methodist Church had been planning for a centenary which would bring together the leaders and workers of that church from all parts of the world. A huge sum had been appropriated and Columbus, Ohio, was selected as the place to stage this enormous exposition, which would include exhibits of all sorts showing missionary and church activities in all quarters of the globe. Two hundred thousand delegates were elected to attend this centenary, which was scheduled to run from June 20 to July 13. It is estimated that there are approximately forty thousand Methodist churches in the United States alone, and with quick perception to see the vast possibilities through entering the church field with their product, the leaders of the motion picture industry co-operated with the Methodist leaders in an endeavor to bring to the Centenary all that was best in the motion picture manufacturing line. Trade paper editors co-operated with the Centenary Committee and the directors of the largest film producing companies agreed to make special pictures for use at the Exposition exclusively. These men of the motion picture industry gradually awakened to the tremendous possibilities offered at this exposition, and although accustomed to seeing big things done in their own industry, they marveled at the magnitude of the Columbus plans. * * * Both Drs. Reisner and Marshall spent considerable time in the selection of the large and varied program of pictures, many of them being screened and edited at the Little Simplex theatre on Thirty-fourth street. And then came the selection of the projectors. On account of the many Simplex machines already used in Methodist circles this was the machine chosen as the official projector for the Centenary. Nine regular commercial Simplexes were chosen and shipped to Columbus, where they were installed at the Coliseum, Auditorium and race track, respectively, under the personal supervision of Leo E. Dwyer. The machines at the Coliseum were the regular type "S" lamp equipments. The distance here from the machine to screen was 225 feet, with a picture 26 feet in width, using 125 amperes of current. This in itself was quite a feat, but the results were not as startlingly apparent on account of the 80-foot proscenium arch, which caused the 26-foot picture to look proportionately small. An unusually good picture resulted, however, In spite of the fact that the picture was projected upon a plain white screen with noon-day projection, it being impossible to shut out entirely the daylight which penetrated the auditorium, which seated between nine and ten thousand. In the Motion Picture auditorium, seating two thousand, the new Simplex Mazda equipments were used at a distance of 90 feet, the service being supplied from a low voltage outfit. Here a picture 12x16 feet was produced upon a reflective screen. This exhibit was visited by thousands of delegates to the Centenary, their attention being centered upon the performances of this new Simplex equipment. Meanwhile, at the race track, opposite the grandstand, with its normal seating capacity increased to 75,000. a large crew of carpenters had constructed a gigantic frame work which attracted the attention of all who attended the exposition, and many conjectures were offered concerning the ultimate use to which this giant structure was to be put. It is here that new projection history was to be made, although at the beginning no one dreamed that the results finally obtained were possible or even contemplated. Gradually this frame-work took the form of a titanic billboard, which was thought by thousands would be used for bearing some Scriptural legend, but finally a white surface was painted upon it with the familiar round-cornered oblong. The secret was out — it was a motion picture screen, the largest ever attempted, and curiosity was still further aroused concerning the machine which would attempt to project a picture upon it that would fill this tremendous surface. PHONE BRYANT 360S JA UNIQUE SLIDE CO i >^U1 Highest Quality Lantern Slides 7 IT SEVENTH AVE., NEW YORK. The main purpose of the screen had been to use it in connection with stereopticon slide projection. Upon its vast surface these slides would depict to the multitude the work performed in foreign lands by the Methodist missionaries. Special slides 12 inches square had been prepared for this purpose and a specially built Beseler stereopticon machine had been constructed. Leo E. Dwyer, president of the Dwyer Bros. & Company of Cincinnati, and Edwin S. Porter, vice-president of the Precision Machine Company, were the two men who conceived the idea of utilizing this large screen for motion picture purposes. After the close of the various motion picture exhibitions at night these men experimented with lenses and combinations. Starting at a 200-foot distance with a 56-foot picture, they gradually increased these figures until the final results were obtained. After the first few nights' results were observed they were confident that, even though they were working with a machine that was not specially constructed for these extreme conditions, they would succeed in breaking the world's record. The local projectionists were also very much interested in these experiments and the big screen at the race track was the nightly gathering place of these men. Finally, after carefully checking up the closely watched results, Mr. Dwyer announced to those in charge of the Exposition that he was ready to show the world's largest picture. Unfortunately, Mr. Porter had been called back to New York, but he left Columbus with the firm knowledge that the machine which he had so much to do with in regard to designing and building was to hang up an unheard-of world's record. And on July 4 one hundred and ten thousand others were gathered at the Columbus race track watching for the first beam of light to be shown upon the world's largest motion picture screen. * * * Among this audience were the leaders of the motion picture industry, many of whom were skeptical of the results. Some there were who believed it possible to fill the large space with a sort of a picture, but could not believe that a perfectly clear, sharp definition could be obtained. But when the signal was given and the title appeared upon the screen, clear, sharp and perfectly defined, their doubts faded away, and when the picture followed as steady, brilliant and sharp as any theatre picture could be. they realized that the impossible had been accomplished, for they were gazing at a picture 100x75 feet in diameter, projected at the unbelievable distance of 350 feet. And to those who realized what this meant there came the thought that here indeed was a remarkable example of machine work, for the actual picture on the film is Mxl inch in size, and this was magnified 1,440,000 times upon the screen before them without showing the slightest mechanical movement. It should be remembered that the slightest mechanical movement created by the projector itself would correspondingly be magnified these millions of times, resulting in anything but good effect upon the screen. * * * After the first exhibition there was a rush to congratulate Mr. Dwyor for attempting this remarkable feat, and hundreds of questions of a technical nature were asked him. For the benefit of the many projectionists interested in this performance, it would be well to state that a 2^4-inch projector lens was used for obtaining this large size picture. For illumination a 90 and a 50-ampere rheostat in the multiple series were employed, using 1^-inch carbon for the top and 7/17-inch silver tip lower. A 8yi and 7I/2-inch condenser combination was employed. On an ammeter test it showed that 180 amperes were being sent through the type "S" lamp all the time that the machines were running, and it might be of interest to note that at the end of the week's performance the carbon holders were singularly clear from burns or arcing bruises. A Simplex extralite shutter was also used. While this projection feat has been conceded as being the biggest thing ever attempted, there is one element, in the opinion of projection experts, which makes it still more remarkable, and that is that the machines which were employed for this record-breaking achievement were ordinary stock machines taken out of the regular factory production, and were built in the same manner as are thousands of others turned out yearly by the Simplex people. And during the various tests and even during the making of the remarkable record itself nothing of a special nature was used to help combat the abnormal conditions prevailing,, such as moonlight shining directly upon the screen and the numerous other definition-destroying elements that usually accompany outdoor projection. — -William C. Francke. i mmusA r GOLD FIBRE SCREENS MINIM MAZ-DA-LITE SCREENS A special creation for Churches, Schools, Lodges, etc., made in sizes to suit your requirements. Distributors from Coast to Coast Samples and information upon request MINUSA CINE SCREEN CO. WORLD'S LARGEST PRODUCERS OF MOVING PICTURE SCREENS. IC^SSwll Bomont and Morgan »■ St. Louis, Mo. |EjK