Theatre Catalog (1946-47)

= Perfect Projection Should Be the Standard Correction of Common Projection Faults Considered as a Function of Management Loew’s sells merchandise. But Loew’s sells only one article of merchandise—a moving picture on a silver screen, The picture must be perfectly presented. It makes no difference if that picture is “The Green Years” or a horse opera, if your orchestra section has velvet plush seats or not, if your theatre has the latest air-conditioning system, if your usherettes look like Ava Gardner, if the publicity, advertising and exploitation men have been properly beating the drums, or even if you have chocolate bars in your candy machines—if your film is not perfectly presented people will not patronize your theatre. The motion picture itself is Loew’s merchandise—and unless this merchandise is perfectly presented, Loew’s loses. It is, therefore, of vital importance that in this Lo! series of theatre operations articles, the subject of motion picture projection in direct relation to theatre management be thoroughly discussed. “THE SHOW MUST GO ON—AND STAY ON” is the motto of the projection department of Loew’s, Inc., and these men have been largely responsible for the fact that this slogon has been followed. Left to right they are M. D. (““Obie’’) O'Brien, assisiant supervisor; Lester M. Isaac, supervisor; and F. William Boettcher, engineer. nN 302 Lester M. Isaac and M. D. O’Brien Projection Department, Loew's, Inc. COMMON FAULTS It is the responsibility of the manager and his assistants to be in a position to recognize defects in the projection of movies in their theatre, and to be able to point out clearly the effect (though not necessarily the cause, which is the projectionist’s function to determine), of such a defect to the projectionist and, if necessary, to the Projection Department. Fuzziness For example, consider Figure 1, a The accompanying consideration of good projection is reprinted by permission from the June 1, 1946, issue of Lo!, house organ of Loew’s, Ine. scene from MGM’s Van Johnson-Esther Williams picture, “Easy to Wed”. On the right hand side the scene appears clear, well-defined and evenly illuminated. But on the left the same picture shows a distinct fuzzy appearance in the center, together with uneven illumination. This—the lack of clarity in the center of the picture and the uneven illumination over the entire picture—should be described carefully by the manager or his assistant to the projectionist, who from this clear description of the effect can determine the cause of the defect. In this particular case, the fuzzy appearance of Esther Williams and the others in the background may have been caused by one of several defects in the projection booth. The lens in the projector may not have been in microscopic focus, a condition easily rectified by the projectionist. This would have been the likely cause of trouble had the fuzziness continued over a period of time. If this fuzziness continues intermittently, appearing to go constantly out of It is the responsibility of the manager and his assistants to be in a position to recognize defects in the projection of motion pictures in their theatres and to be able to point out clearly the effect (though not necessarily the cause, which is the projectionist’s function to determine) of such defect to the operator on duty. THEATRE CATALOG 1946-47