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THE ART OF MONITORING
C. A. TUTHILL*
THE qualifications of a monitor man are far greater in scope than is generally conceded. The}^ include practical experience and a generous knowledge of subjects never touched upon when this individual is discussed openly or otherwise around the movie lots. His work has a definite relation to engineering, yet he is not wholly engineer; it has a perpetual relation to photography, yet surely he is not a photographer; most certainly it has an inseparable relation to acting, and just as certainly he is not an actor, though directors frequently call him a bad actor. He is not a mechanic. He is not a freak. He is merelj^ a human being with a past — that is to say, his past experience makes him what he is today and fits him for his job. In fact, the value of a monitor is determined by his training prior to the advent of the Talkies plus his ability to apply himself. The man under discussion cannot be born over night nor can he be developed in a week or a month.
This discussion deals only with a monitor man of the highest calibre, and these are not yevy plentiful, as any recognized recording or broadcasting studio will testifj^ He must have the brain of an engineer, but the heart of an artist. He needs enough engineering to give him a thorough understanding of all the electrical equipment involved, its response, its weaknesses and its action upon the finished product. He should be familiar with the science of film development and printing; have a general knowledge of what takes place in the laboratory. He must have a good working knowledge of acoustics though he must not take this matter too seriously. He must be flexible enough to lend his art to all occasions, as every new set-up involves new acoustics, and other problems, differing from the preceding shot. For example, when three camera booths are moved in for a close-up, the acoustics are radically changed. He cannot theorize. He must apply methods which he knows produce definite results. He cannot experiment, at the expense of a production, to prevent distortion ; he must know what to do to prevent the distortion. He cannot apply the slide rule, nor can
* Paramount Famous Lasky Corp., Long Island City, IS[.Y,
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