World Film and Television Progress (1937-1938)

Technical Notes (contd.) When shooting skies with Kodachrome and a haze filter, remember the filter will naturally affect future editing seriously. As its name indicates, the haze filter is designed to overcome hazy atmospheric conditions and improve the colour value under hazy conditions. This is correct with Kodachrome in all cases except a blue sky, for a haze filter definitely lightens up the blue of a sky, and even deep blue skies appear blue grey when photographed through a haze filter. Regarding a splice, a minimum of film cement should be used, for any overflow on the film washes out part of the colour around the splice and makes it very noticeable when projected. When scraping emulsion from the film preparatory to making a splice, remember only remove the emulsion down to the bluish base. Finally, when handling colour film during editing, ALWAYS use white cotton gloves. For any colour film is far more quickly and easily finger marked or scratched, than black and white, and must be handled under scrupulously clean conditions. Record of Painting G. E. Prentice, of Berlin, Connecticut, has recently completed a 300 ft. film, in 16 mm. Kodachrome, of an artist painting a picture. The artist was that eminent Swedish painter of marine subjects, Leon Lundmark, who creates the stirring beauty of North Atlantic Seas. The film is believed to be the first complete record in colour of an artist painting a picture from the bare canvas to the finished creation. Prentice has given many screenings of the film before art classes and groups around Connecticut. Forthcoming Books Among forthcoming books from Newnes, who publish so many books on the cinema, are two of special interest. "Movie Merry-goRound" (7/6 net) is by John Paddy Carstairs. No man could have been better qualified to write this book than Carstairs, whose whole life has been a vivid merry-go-round in the movie world. The book is said to strike a new note, being half-way between the highbrow professional and the popular fan stuff, thus appealing to a double public. Can this be done? is a question that W.F.N, readers will be better able to answer after reading the book. "Guest " chapters by such notabilities as Joan Crawford, Jessie Matthews and Walt Disney are an interesting new feature. "The Cinema as a Graphic Art" is a serious and important work which no one interested in the future of the cinema should miss. It is, in fact, a book for which many of us have been waiting for a long time, and Vladimir Nilssen was the ideal man to write it. It deals exhaustively with pictorial composition in the making of films, and expounds the theory that each and every shot should be a consciously composed picture in itself. We think it is likely to create a good deal of discussion in the film world, and it is certain to offer many new ideas to jaded technicians. (10s. (yd. net.) Advt. How to Select a Sound Projector By Dave Robson The purchase of standard or substandard sound film projectors calls for serious consideration. No longer should the word of a clever salesman or the smart appearance of a projector be the guiding factor in the selection. Actual use over a period of time supplies the best test of the stability and consistency of the machine — the only real safeguard against subsequent regrets. Speaking collectively of all machines, there is none fool-proof. So much depends on the individual handling of each and every machine that one is liable to hear varying reports on quality and efficiency. But there are definite things to look for. What, for example, do you know of the S.M.P.E. and D.I.N, sound standards on a 16 mm. projector? To buy a projector on the last-named standard would be an embarrassment because recently an official board of arbitration decided in favour of S.M.P.E. with the result that some manufacturers of 16 mm. machines are now having to alter their projectors to accommodate the required system. The power consumption of the apparatus is an important consideration, not only because of subsequent expense but also because of possible wiring difficulties on the premises where the projector is to be used. Alternating current is necessary, as in its absence a rotary converter will have to be used. This means an addition cf £17 to £25 on the cost. The final test of any sound reproducer lies in its ability to play back on film a constant note, without a waver in the sound over a period of minutes. If it cannot do so, reject it finally, because it will never improve, even after "running in." On the other hand it will actually get worse. As far as the mechanics of the machine are concerned, you must first look into the movement for drawing the film into the aperture. It should definitely be one of the following : a. An intermittent movement employing a Maltese cross and cam, the sprocket engaging in at least two perforations of the film at each pull. b. Equally satisfactory is a shuttle movement likewise engaging in two perforations at each turn. (This is of utmost importance.) Further points: — 1. All sprockets should be fitted with pad or guide rollers that lift off and are retained clear of them so that threading is simplified and danger of damage to the film considerably reduced. 2. See that the aperture plates, gates and springs are accessible and easily removed. 3. See that provision is made for automaticengagement of the film perforations over the intermittent sprocket. 4. See that the threading is simple and that it does not demand twists in the film. 5. See that the sound-gate slit, through which the light shines on to the sound track, is not hard to get at in order to keep clean and that the photo cell and exciter lamps are positively of ihe pre-focussed or fixed type. The focussing of an exciter lamp is a delicate matter. It is a job for experts. The exciter lamp of the machine selected should be pre-set by the manufacturers, i.e. non-adjustable. As for the light soli ice, the lamp should also be of the pre-focussed type and should be in the region of 500 to 1,000 watts, certainly not less if an efficient light is required for a throw from thirty to seventy feet. The lamp should preferably be air-cooled from a fan, and a humidifier should be employed that blows a damp column of cold air on the film. The machine should ideally be capable of loading 1,600 feet reels; the take-up drive should be directly coupled. (Belts and chains are not so reliable and are likely to give trouble.) Finally, choose a lens to give you the size of picture you desire for your screen and state the projector throw to the dealer. * * * * Picture Projection there are 1,440 separate pictures to every ninety feet of 35 mm. standard cinematograph film, of which 24 are projected every second. However, you are possibly unaware that you actually see each separate picture twice on the screen in rapid succession, making a total of 2,880 visions per minute. This is necessary to make the action smooth and fiickerlesson the screen, in every 1 /24th of a second you see the same picture twice. The reason for this is because a two-bladed fan, or shutter, as it is professionally termed, is called upon to cut off the light from the film as it is being drawn into the projection aperture, and the second blade again cuts off the light when the film is standing stationary for the 1 24th of a second during projection to balance the light period. By virtue of this fact alone, some 50% of the possible light to the screen is lost, and other factors such as film density, optic losses, and air pollution allow but only an infinitesimal amount of the original generated light to ever reach the screen. In addition to these light losses, perforated rubber screens used in Cinemas to allow the sound to penetrate, cause considerable absorbtion of light, therefore, one will appreciate the enormous candlepower necessary to projeei .i moving image to the screen. Cleanliness is the \ery essence of success, and every cinema operator knows that, for not only has he to keep his optics clean, but also the 1/10,000" area through which the sound passes on its way to the loud speakers, for a particle of dust or dirt would turn that sound into a distorted jumble. * * * * New Talking Machine A new talking machine has just been perfected. A thin serrated strip of fibre is pulled through a little tin about the size of a tin of boot polish. The tin is really a microphone with a vibrating point in the middle. Ihe serrated fibre rubs on this vibrating point and a voice — Cissie, if you pull the fibre quickly: American, if you pull it moderately; hesitatingly senile if slowly — says "Crikey! That's Shell, that was " 37