Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

E-14 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, November 12, 1949 The Progressive Encyclopedia of Theatre Operation (Continued from Preceding Page) boards should be larger than needed at the moment.— PC, MO. Interior Construction. Preferred material for interior walls: hollow tile. For surfacing lobby, foyer and lounge walls: plaster. For surfacing auditorium walls: acoustical plaster. For toilet room walls: tile. (AC, PO). For floors that rest directly on the ground the best material is concrete properly waterproofed, and laid over gravel for drainage, or over gravel plus drainage tile. Lobby entrance doors should be of the all-glass type. — AC, MO. Projection Room Construction. Electrical conduit should be buried in the projection room walls, not mounted on their surface. But building sound amplifiers or other apparatus into a partition wall (so as to be able to get at the back of it from the adjoining rewind room, etc.) is now no longer desirable. — PC, MO. Finishing Interior Finishing and Maintenance. Copper tubing is the best plumbing. For carrying electrical wires rigid conduit is better than metal channel. (AC, MO). The theatre should not do its own painting but allot such work to a reliable contractor who will furnish all materials, tools and labor. For most theatre surfaces conventional oil paints are best. For special purposes, as in boiler rooms, or over acoustical plaster, casein paint is preferable. Water colors also can be used on acoustical surfaces. (TC, MO) . Paint should never be applied to an unsuitable surface without first preparing that surface by washing, wire-brushing, scraping, etc. — TC, UO. Frequency with which different theatre surfaces will need painting naturally varies according to location, cleanliness of air, type of patronage, and other factors. The following opinions on this matter, by the Theatre Advisory Council, are not cited by majorities or pluralities but by averages and extremes: Auditorium floor: average 2V4 years, extremes '/2 year, 5 years; Auditorium walls and ceiling: average 9 years, ex-tremes 3 years, 15 years; Facade: average 2i/2 years, extremes yearly, never; Foyer: average 4i/i years, extremes 1 year, 10 years; Inner doors: average Iv-: years, extremes 1 year, 5 years; Lobby: average 3% years extremes 1 year, 10 years. Lounges and Rest Rooms: average 2 years, extremes 1/2 year, 5 years; Marquee: average 2 years, extremes 1 year, 10 years; Offices: average 31/2 years, extremes 1 year, 10 years; Outer doors: average l^/l years, extremes 1 year, 5 years; Projection room: average 3 years, extremes 1 year, 10 years. Decorating Interior Decoration. Auditorium decoration should be simple, not highly ornate. (AC and TC, MO). However, the screen opening should be very ornately ornamented (TC, MO) — no, the screen area treatment also should be simple (AC, MO) . Only a few settees, chairs, etc., should be provided in foyers and lounges, and these should be chosen more for appearance than for comfort. Furnishings of the manager's office should be practical and business-like, not planned for impressiveness. Equip women's powder rooms simply and economically; elaborate decorations and fittings in that location turn out to be a constant expense. — AC and TC, MO. Acoustics Acous'tical Treatment. Acoustical control by means of permanently-attached surface materials that absorb sound is preferable to use of draperies, and preferable to special acoustical shaping of auditorium walls and ceiling. (AC and TC, MO). Acoustical treatment, if needed, is a "must" in which cost cannot be allowed to count against the necessity of having it. Amateur advice should be avoided in planning acoustical treatment — only qualified experts should be consulted in this matter. Dusting, vacuuming and painting (with water color preferably — never with oil paint) ai'e the approved methods of keeping acoustical surfaces presentable. (TC, MO). Acoustic treatment of the projection room is essential.—PC, MO. Lighting Indoor Lighting. First consideration in lighting the interior of the theatre is safety — and all other factors must be subordinated to that.— PC and TC, MO. Lighting should taper down progressively in intensity from maximum brightness under the marquee in minimum at the front of the auditorium. (AC and TC, MO). There is no clear agreement as to what intensities to use; the following represents the range of opinions of the members, stated in footcandles: Under marquee, 100-20 fc; outer lobby, 30-10 fc; inner lobby or foyer, 10-0.2 fc; auditorium rear, 5-0.1 fc; auditorium front, 2-0.1 fc; lounges. 10-5 fc; stairs 3-1 fc. (AC and TC). Indirect lighting should be used in the auditorium (AC, PC and TC, MO) preferably from ceiling troughs; and there should be no exposed lighting fixtures in the auditorium. (AC and TC, MO). Blue or green are the best colors for running lights.— PC, MO. For general indoor lighting colors should be chosen that are harmonious with the colors of the decorations. "Black light" murals are advantageous. (AC, MO). Fluorescent murals, if used, should not be placed where they can distract attention away from the screen. (TC, MO). The proposed semi-illuminated screen border is not desirable (TC, MO) but it may have possibilities worthy of further experiment.—AC and PC, MO. Installing oversize or extra conduit, switchboards and fuseboard when a theatre is built costs very much less than making changes at a later date (AC, UO) — subsequent addition of larger facilities will cost 117 1/2 per cent more (average of all AC estimates). The following provisions for possible future changes should therefore be made in building a new theatre: oversize switchboards and fuse boards (AC, MO)— 20-25 per cent oversize. (AC, PO). Oversize conduit should be run to stage area, to outdoor lighting areas, and to locations where refreshment facilities may subsequently be installed (or enlarged) . It is not worth-while, however, to pull in spare wires at the time of construction. — AC, MO. In building or remodeling a theatre today, provisions should be made for possible future need to light live entertainment. Such provisions should include: extra space in wings for stage switchboard; space above screen for overhead lights and alongside screen for border or bunch lights. Heavier main switchboard, fuse board conduit and wiring in anticipation of future requirements for stage lighting; but not actual conduit, wiring or fixtures to or at the stage for that purpose. Enough ports in projection room front wall for spotting stage shows, and conduit and wiring capable of carrying at least 75 amperes to each spot location. Lighting Live Entertainment Change in policy to incorporate live entertainment will not require any changes in auditorium or outdoor lighting. (TC, MO). The average theatre today will, however need more spot equipment, plus modernization if not replacement of existing equipment, for adequate spotting of live entertainment. — PC, MO. Lighting Economy. Individual members of the Theatre Advisory Committee offer the following suggestions for lighting economy: Reduce outdoor and lobby lighting as much as 80 per cent after box office closes for the evening. Vary outdoor lighting carefully according to season. Use neon where practicable. Select lamps of makes and types that give best economy in terms of overall lighting costs, as demonstrated by tests. Prolong lamp life by protecting them against vibration. Prolong lamp life by using incandescents of slightly higher rated voltage than that of the theatre's power line. Replace blackened lamps; they are inefficient. Keep lamps, fixtures and reflectors clean. Control inventory to prevent employe pilfering. Recheck with power company for best possible rates and meter connections. Carpets, Etc. Floor Coverings. Should not be the same in all parts of the theatre. For the lobby: tile or terrazzo. (AC and TC, MO). Rubber mats or runners should be used to get water and dirt off shoes before patrons reach carpeted areas. (TC, UO). Auditorium aisles should be carpeted. (AC, MO; TC. UO). In carpet the best and most expensive quality is the most economical. Velvet is the most suitable weave. Carpet should have underpadding. (AC, MO). The floor should be recessed to receive carpet wherever it does not run from wall to wall. (AC and TC. MO). Wooden strips, preferably but not necessarily embedded in the concrete, are best for fastening carpet to concrete floors; wooden strips embedded in the concrete where the riser meets the step below are