1 1 till • 1 1 * tt "^ V i?r« i IffL £sis NEWSAND TECHNICOLOR VIEWS 5» fU» 1 \ f ) ) ^ 3 7 President’sMessage By DR. HERBERT T. KALMUS The motion picture industry continues its evolution to wide-angle and three- dimensional presentations. Development of new procedures is not new to TECHNICOLOR, I might say it is one of the most distinctive features of our history. When we began, nearly four decades ago, the problem was to bring a sufficiently good quality of color to the screen. Today our work is to accommo- date our procedures to serve an increas- ing number of screen techniques, all of which are still in more or less formative stages. Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus, President and General Manager of Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation, shown with We have always taken pride in our Bing Crosby on the Paramount lot at a VistaVision demonstration. Crosby stars in “White Christmas," the research and development department. first feature picture made by the VistaVision process. Large sums have been — and are being -—-expended on it, and we have always TECHNICOLOR to meet the new increased found that the results far more than justi- Plans for French area screen requirements was in fied the expenditure. aimed three directions: (1) increased area of Plant Completed In this connection I may say in passing negative at the time of photography; (2) that the prints for “Cinerama" were resulting in the drafting improvement in the matrix stock and its Negotiations manufactured by TECHNICOLOR, the first of final documents for signature for the processing; and (3) improvement in the picture, “The Robe," CinemaScope was establishment of a French TECHNICOLOR character of raw positive print stock and in Color by TECHNICOLOR, and the first plant in Paris have been completed, ac- its processing. VistaVision feature, “White Christmas," cording to Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus, Presi- is also in Color by TECHNICOLOR. In The VistaVision demonstration which dent and General Manager of TECHNI- 1953 there were 24 three-dimensional showed improved characteristics of COLOR MOTION PICTURE CORPORA- TECHNICOLOR productions. smoothness, freedom from grain, visi- TION. it bility and color rendition only So may be seen how deeply TECH- embodied The negotiations have been between NICOLOR service and procedure are in- one of the three phases of improve- TECHNICOLOR MOTION PICTURE COR- volved in the current evolution. It has ment upon which TECHNICOLOR is work- PORATION and important French motion been necessary to modify procedures, ing. It embodied the increased negative picture and financial interests, Dr. Kal- to devise new procedures, to in- and area, but not the improved matrix stock mus said. The name of the new company stall new equipment to supply the new nor the improved positive print raw is to be SOCIETE TECHNICOLOR with a demands of the industry. stock. The improved matrix and print capital of 1,000,000,000 (one billion) For over twenty years TECHNICOLOR raw stock should further improve the francs. This step is a continuation of the has been the mainstay of the industry clarity, smoothness, visibility and free- policy of TECHNICOLOR to expand its in its evolution from black and white to dom from grain of TECHNICOLOR prints laboratories over the world. color. During those years TECHNICOLOR manufactured from both large area and TECHNICOLOR'S British plant, TECHNI- developed many methods of manufact- normal size area negatives. COLOR LIMITED, at London, has been in uring color motion picture release prints These researches and this develop- existence since 1936. which have gone through many stages ment work which TECHNICOLOR is now of improvement all tailored for best undertaking has been in process for effect in the theatres with screens up to something like a year. TECHNICOLOR something like 35 feet in width. hopes and expects to complete this work TECHNICOLOR TECHNICOLOR early recognized that some time during this year as a means of NEWS & VIEWS it must serve the industry with the best continuing to be of greatest possible and least expensive prints in color which service to the motion picture industry. Vol. XVI September, 1 954 No. 1 would satisfy these large screen re- new Published from time to time by quirements. Consequently it immediately Technicolor Motion Picture Corp. embarked upon research and develop- THE COVER HERBERT T. KALMUS, President ment projects to that end. 6311 Romaine Street Upper—Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation, Hollywood 38, California At the outset, about two years ago, Hollywood Margaret Ettinger, Editor in the very early conferences among Lower—Technicolor Limited, London TECHNICOLOR technicians the attack of — TWO — HALL OF FAME Hi; TECHNICOLOR'S No. 1 0 of a series of color portraits of distinguished stars who appear in Color by TECHNICOLOR productions. EXHIBITORS, ATTENTION! This full-page color portrait of beautiful RHONDA FLEMING is the tenth in a series of such portraits suitable for framing for your theatre lobby, of motion picture stars who have added luster to films in Color by TECHNICOLOR, and so have won a place in the TECHNI- COLOR HALL OF FAME. Miss Fleming is currently appearing in "Yankee Pasha," a Universal-International production in color by TECHNICOLOR. 8-PERFORATION AREA RED IMAGE BLUE IMAGE GREEN IMAGE (VISTAVISION) The Technicolor Three-Color Camera uses three strips of negative film and incorporates a prism Technicolor has modified some of its three color cameras so in the optical system to divide the light. Two of the films with emulsion surfaces in contact are that a single strip of color negative film may be used. In these placed in the camera at a right angle tc the lens axis. The front film receives the BLUE image modified cameras the film runs past the camera aperture hori- and the rear film receives the RED image. The third film is placed directly in back of the prism zontally and an area corresponding to eight perforations (or and receives the GREEN image. The negatives after processing appear as above. two normal frame areas) is exposed. The negative image area is then optically printed in reduced size. FIGURE 1 EASTMAN COLOR NEGATIVE ANSCO COLOR NEGATIVE ANAMORPHOSED IMAGE (CINEMASCOPE) Eastman Color Negative has only one strip of film Ansco Color Negative has only one strip of film surfaced with three layers of emulsion, each being surfaced with three layers of emulsion, each being For CinemaScope, the image is recorded on the film sensitive to a different primary color. This film can sensitive to a different primary color. This film can in the same manner as on other negative film proc- be used in a conventional 35mm camera. (Normal be used in a conventional 35mm camera. (Normal esses except the image is compressed horizontally by aspect ratio shown.) aspect ratio shown.) means of a special lens. color motion picture negative which, con- magnetic sound tracks. Such release procedures which are uniquely depend- trary to custom, moves horizontally prints can, of course, be projected on ent upon steps in current TECHNICOLOR through a camera. The scenes are re- any screen including large screens, and techniques. The new method is already corded on an area equal to two full in any aspect ratio from 1.33 to 1 or to in operation in moderate volume at the frames of normal motion picture nega- any larger ratio desired. Since these new Hollywood plant. SUCCESSIVE FRAME NEGATIVE tive. improved TECHNICOLOR dye transfer re- After successful camera tests com- Working from such a double frame lease prints are of normal size and posi- bined with tests of the TECHNICOLOR The Successive Frame process, used in most animated cartoon photography, uses one strip of black and negative the TECHNICOLOR laboratory tion in every respect no special projection laboratory procedure, Paramount Studios white negative. In front of the camera lens is is manufacturing 35mm TECHNICOLOR lens in the theatre is necessary. decided to photograph their high-budget mounted a wheel containing three filters — BLUE, GREEN and RED. This wheel rotates as each scene dye transfer release prints of normal size TECHNICOLOR has been working on production “White Christmas" using this is photographed three times on successive frames and position, which may be combined the new system for more than a year, process, thus being the first to use it on through each of the three color filters. The negative with either photographic or multiple resulting in the introduction of laboratory a feature picture. therefore is three times as long as the finished print. CINERAMA AGFACOLOR GEVACOLOR FERRANIACOLOR In Cinerama type photography, 35mm color negative film is used, but a larger than normal area In Europe, there are three additional color negatives, AGFACOLOR, GEVACOLOR and FERRANIA- is exposed. On each of the three negatives, which are exposed simultaneously in three separate COLOR. These negatives are similar to those used in the United States in that three layers of emul- cameras, an area 6 perforations in height and extending completely across the film between the sion are superposed on a single film base. Technicolor manufactures dye transfer prints from these perforations is utilized. negatives also. — F O U R — — FIVE — With the current evolution of motion pictures to various types of wide screen iiiMiiaiiiiii • • • and three-dimensional techniques, great additional importance accrues to the techniques of color motion picture pho- tography. Within the past two years photo- graphic techniques have been altered in two ways: New negative materials have 1 • l l ••••••a a a a been introduced and new aspect ratios for recording negative images have been 8-PERFORATION AREA RED IMAGE BLUE IMAGE (VISTAVISION) developed. The Technicolor Three-Color Camera uses three strips of negativi Technicolor has modified some of its three color cameras so in the optical system to divide the light.