The sound track book of the theatre (undated)

DRIVE-IN THEATRES 407 themselves. Some of the top soil removed from the theatre area may be set aside for landscaping purposes. It is essential that wells, cess-pools, electrical, water and sewer, and other utility lines, along with the electrical lines to the junction boxes of the in-car speaker system. be in place before the lot is paved. It does not matter whether construction begins with the screen tower, projection building or concession stand. The projection building usually is finished first, as many of the electrical connections and utility lines terminate within it. The remaining steps are the completion of such projects as ticket booth construction, fencing and landscaping, the painting of buildings and fences, and paving. Installation of projection room equipment and in-car speakers should be completed well in advance of the intended opening date, in order that complete tests and adjustments may be made. In advance of the opening, such items as concession room and ticket booth equipment and theatre supplies should be purchased, and signs and attraction boards installed. Help to Builders In building a Drive-In theatre, you really need competent advice from a civil engineer, a registered architect, and a theatre equipment specialist. Many architectural firms employ both civil engineers and architects who can give competent advice on the construction of a Drive-In theatre, except in those matters which pertain to theatre equipment. The very newness of the Drivein theatre industry and the important relationship of sound and projection equipment to theatre layout and construction, has rendered it imperative for even the best architectural firms to call in the assistance of a theatre equipment specialist with practical experience in all phases of Drive-in theatre construction, equipment and operation. Motiograph's engineers and equipment specialists have gathered together a great deal of specialized information on grading, ramp construction, the location of screen tower, projection building and concession stand, and the proper layout and equipment of a Drive-In theatre. This information is available to qualified persons. Grading and Ramp Construction Unless natural drainage is adequate during the entire theatre operating season, it is absolutely necessary that a drainage system be put in the theatre area before the lot is graded. The lot should be graded so that each car occupant can get a full view of the screen. This is accomplished by the construction of a series of semi-circular ramps centered about the screen. Picture distortion and reduction of reflected light become worse toward the ramp end, and car positions 45 degrees away from a line perpendicular to the screen center are at the practical limit for reasonable satisfactory viewing conditions. Best modern practice confines the car positions within the sector extending not over 40 degrees on either side of the perpendicular. There is no absolute necessity for a symmetrical distribution of the car positions with respect to the screen, though where the lot topography permits, such a layout is obviously best from the standpoint of appearance. Ramps should be approximately 3 8-40 feet apart, with the first ramp not less than 100 feet, but preferably 12 5 feet from the screen. The 3 8 foot minimum distance between ramps is necessary so that each car can enter or leave its ramp without interfering with the cars parked on the adjacent ramps. The back of each ramp should slope upwards toward the screen for about 18 feet to its highest point so that the tilt of the parked car will give the patrons in both front and rear seats a full view of the screen. The ramp must also slope forward from its highest point to its front so that the car may be driven away over the front of the ramp. The degree of slope from the back of each ramp to its highest point should increase as one ap