Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1939)

December 9, 1939 SHOWMEN'S T R A D E R E V I E W Page 37 MAKING THE MOST OF SCREEN APPEAL Studios' Emphasis on Pictorial Effects Puts New Problems Up to Showmen TECHNOLOGICAL advances have enabled Hollywood to put so much of its audience appeal into mere beauty of its pictures and quality of sound, that showmen sometimes, are faced with a hard choice in determining how best to take advantage of the new developments while keeping within the limits of their budget. Unless the theatre already owns the last word in every item of projection room equipment, there may be as many as five ways in which to improve the beauty of screen image, and four or more ways of increasing sound appeal. Advice on Improvement's The projectionist — the man to whom the showman must look for the best in screen results, by that very reason of responsibility has a right to be consulted with respect to the tools necessary to deliver the best. If he is required to deliver performance in line with the quality Hollywood has put into the pictorial and sound of improved technical workmanship, he may with good reason recommend certain improvements. Some of these improvements have to be paid for by an increase in running expenses, small or large, depending on the details of the change, while others actually show a cash profit through reduction in operating costs. Naturally the showman will always choose changes of the latter type, where he can, but his best choice is sometimes the other way 'round, depending on the nature and condition of existing equipment, resources of the budget, and other factors. Pictorial value of today's pictures can be enhanced by improving (a) brightness or sparkle; (b) steadiness of image; (c) sharpness of focus; (d) steadiness of focus; (e) elimination of disturbances. Each of these improvements revolves around mechanical details. For example, screen brightness or sparkle can be increased by a new screen, a better lamp, a better lamp power source, or simply by using more current. Steadiness of image can be improved by any of a number of repairs to the projector, overhaul of the intermittent movement, replacement of worn film guides and so on; also in many locations by installation of a sturdier projection base. Sharpness of focus is not only a matter of the lens, but also of the positioning of the film relative to the lens, so that replacing worn film gate guides may effect two improvements at one cost. The steadiness of the focus involves the guides, the lens mounting and sometimes the screen mounting. The immunity of the projector base to vibration may be still another factor, and one which also bears on the quality of sound and on the rate at which appartus will wear and need repairs. Stepping Up Sound Values Sound values can be improved by (a) increasing frequency range; (b) increasing volume range; (c) reducing distortion; (d) reducing foreign disturbances. Frequency range improvement may be a matter of new amplifier or new loud speakers, but it can also be as simple as a new (or overhauled) optical assembly, or even an exciter lamp change. A steadier projection base also increases high-frequency sound response. Increased volume range is likely to require a new amplifier and perhaps new speakers. Increasing the volume capacity of the system automatically acts to reduce some forms of distortion by eliminating the tendency to "force" apparatus, very common nowadays in under-equipped theatres because of the increased volume recorded on modern prints. A steadier projection base, overhauled optical system, improved exciter lamp, or even a new film takeup, may also reduce distortion, or eliminate many forms of it entirely. Some foreign disturbances are related to similar disturbances in the image, being caused by oil and dirt on the soundtrack', so that improvements which eliminate that type of picture fault benefit sound also. Others, however, arise out of electrical defects: poor connections, worn or frayed or overheated insulation, scored contact points, dried-out or otherwise deteriorated condensers, contact springs that have lost their tension, tubes that have outlived their usefulness. Spending for Economy As has been said, some apparatus revisions that can be made in connection with these matters, so far from being expensive, actually reduce operating costs, v\'ith the result that retiring the initial investment costs less money per week or per month than continuing to run the undesirable apparatus. A fair example in some theatres would be a new projection lamp, which gives a more sparkling screen image while it saves more in current than the amortization of its cost. New screens sometimes have the same advantage. The newer sound systems, in general, use half or less than half the operating power required by old systems capable of less volume, but this only partially offsets their cost, for the least efficient, sound system still in use today is not likely to re quire as much current as a projection' lamp. Still, as between revamping an old equipment and installing a new one, efficiency in current consumption must be considered. Again, any step that materially reduces wear and tear on equipment represents a saving rather than an expense. Overhaul of the intermittent movement, installation of a heavier projection pedestal, replacement of worn projector bearings, fall in this class. In addition to giving a steadier picture and better sound, these improvements help prolong the useful life of associated apparatus by reducing the vibration. Enemies of Equipment Elimination of dirt also pays for itself. Many showmen still think of dirty equipment as the fault of the projectionist. It isn't, always. The oil that spots the picture and mars the sound track may also seep down into the photoelectric cell connections and require more or less extensive repairs; but if the projector bearings are worn, or the mechanism otherwise defective, there is nothing much the theatre staff can do about it, except recommend overhaul or replacement. The fine powder that is given off when men walk on many types of cement floor, getting into the projector, will scratch the film. But film is tough stuff. It wears down steel sprockets and other parts. Anything that will scratch film will also score those parts, and shorten their life. Once again, there is little the projectionist can do. It is up to the manager to put down linoleum or at least runners over the areas of projection room floor most frequently used. An arc lamp not vented out of doors does more than injure the lungs of the projection staff. It gives off an impalpable carbon powder that acts as dirt in the projector mechanism, and as a high resistance conductor in sound equipment, making the sound seriously noisy and setting up other troubles which are expensive as well as difficult to run down and cure. But budgets are not unlimited, and in a (Continued on page 44) Dust from concrete floors and arc lamps not vented out of doors is one of the enemies of good projection. Above, a modal projection room is that of the New Congress Theatre, Los Angeles. Note linoleum covering for the entire floor area and lamp house vents.