Managing a Film Theatre

The Missionary of Good Music and the Motion Picture Theatre

If you consider that only ten years ago there were not more than a half dozen symphony orchestras in this great country of over hundred million inhabitants and that it is just exactly ten years since the first Cinema palace De Luxe opened its doors to the public it will not be hard to see the connection between the two. It would take many pages to enumerate all the compositions performed in the big movie theatres of this country in the last ten years so let it suffice that every form of music from Irving Berlin to Richard Strauss has been played.

This movement for better music reached its culminating point in the year 1921 when I had the honor of producing for the first time in the history of any movie theatre, Richard Strauss' "Till Eulenspiegel" and then one year later the same composer's "A Hero's Life." Some of these performances were witnessed by such judges as Paderewski, Grainger, Jos. Hoffman, Alexander Lambert and Krehbiel and although they were played with some cuts, what was attempted as an experiment proved in their judgment a huge success and a distinct step in giving to the multitude that which was written for the select few. It is this remarkable progress which music has made in the movie theatres which has made it possible for artists of worldwide reputations, like Percy Grainger, John Philip Sousa and Tom Burke to appear without impairing their high standards in artistic circles.

Another beneficial effect the large orchestra in movies has had upon smaller communities is that fake music teachers who have been ruining untold promising talent have had to leave such communities and hunt for newer and less educated sections.

Another fact achieved by this same advancement of good music was the chance given the American singers and particularly young American composers, such as Griffes, Mortimer Wilson and others to have their works performed and the important part of this arrangement is that while symphony orchestras will perform a new work once or twice a year, the same work on the program of the movie theatre will be heard by 24 to 28 different audiences in one week. What this means in figures is hard to state, though I would like to quote as a record the attendance at the largest movie theatre in New York City having exceeded 80,000 in one week.

How to Organize and Rehearse An Orchestra

After you have decided upon the number of men for your orchestra, the selection of the individual players requires a great deal of consideration. It is essential that the men employed in your orchestra should not only be able to read well, as new music comes along all the time, but that they should also have a standard, symphonic and operatic repertoire. The necessity of knowing the style of popular music is becoming more and more essential every day. The choice of your most important instruments, like the Concert Master, Cellist, First Horn, etc. who are the pillars of your orchestra, will more or less determine the fate of your orchestra. True, you can take a number of mediocre men, rehearse them incessantly for a long period and sooner or later get some fine ensemble playing, but if you have artists on your first chairs you will get that individual distinction which is so effective in the numerous compositions containing solo passages, as for instance "Scheherezade."

It enhances your feature picture considerably to have the theme played by one violin or to have a cello solo with harp accompaniment, which again can only be done if the instrumentalists are artists and not mere orchestra musicians. Featuring your first chair instruments occasionally as soloists on the stage will add greatly to the reputation of your orchestra. In most motion picture theatres there is only one rehearsal a week allowed, either by the union or by the management, which generally ranges from 2 and one-half to three hours. In this comparatively short time you will have to rehearse your overture, the accompaniment to all your entertainment and verify the rotation of your picture music.

If you have not a first class orchestra at disposal the only way to achieve any kind of a result will be to rehearse the high spots only and smooth out the rest of the show as you go along during the performances. This will require understanding and sympathy between the leader and his men. Although one of the greatest conductors the world has known is reported to have said "There is no such thing as a good or bad orchestra- there is only a good or bad leader," let us modify this to the extent that although there are such things as good and bad leaders there is no such thing as a bad orchestra if rehearsed properly.

The placing of musicians in the pit should be governed by the size of the pit and by the old principle of having your strings on the out-side and the noisy instruments further back. I generally prefer the woodwind to the left and the brass to the right in front of the percussion. The proper place for the harp for acoustic reasons would be on the conductor's left, but in that position it hides the face and greater part of the player's body so for the sake of showmanship it is advisable to place it on the right side.

For a concert orchestra to be most effective it is essential that your audience see every member and not only their heads but also the upper part of their bodies. The average theatregoer will want to watch the mere mechanics of the playing quite as much as to listen to the results of the musicians endeavors. Just how high you can place your orchestra will depend upon the height of the stage opening, but it should under no condition be so high as to interfere with the vision of your audience while the picture is on. The same holds true for the placing of the leader who in very many instances spoils the sale of several seats directly behind him as he is placed right in the direct line of their vision. Where it is financially possible I would advise the installation of a hydraulic pit which would elevate the musicians above the audience during the overture and would lower them sufficiently during the picture or stage numbers to permit unobstructed vision. I shall endeavor here to suggest combinations for various numbers of men for an orchestra:

from 11 to 25 it will be the leader's discretion as to the requirements of the theatre if it needs stringy or brassy type of music.

With 26 men the ideal combination would be

and a Leader.

The combination I used in the Rivoli Theatre in New York was as follows:

The combination I used at the Capital Theatre in New York was:

This last combination only differs from full symphony size in so far as symphony orchestras use more strings all around and three in each section of the woodwind. The one point I would like to impress on the leader who has only a few men at his disposal is that whereas the brass and woodwind instruments are more or less one sided by having a very distinct tone quality of their own, the strings can be used in a more diversified way and will always constitute the nucleus of any orchestra.

The Music Library

In installing a library in a theatre particular care should be taken that the selections representing various moods should be represented numerically in accordance with their importance. Andantes, Marches and Agitatos will need most consideration as they are most in demand. Happy and Neutral Andantes could be put in one book and if the library is very small even the Pathetics could be placed in the same collection with the Andantes. For quick reference work in the library I found a double index system the most efficient. On one set of cards I would arrange composers alphabetically and put on their respective cards all of their compositions indicating also their classification and library number. On the other set of cards I would put the various moods in alphabetical order and put on each card all compositions classified under that mood.

The use of wooden shelves or steel cabinets is largely a question of expenditure. Wooden shelves can be built by your carpenter to fill all vacant wall space in your library, but it will have the disadvantage of necessitating climbing and besides that these shelves cannot very well be dust proofed. Steel cabinets are somewhat more expensive but are absolutely dust proof and will indicate on the outside card very readily how many hundred numbers you have in each cabinet. When much music is composed on the premises, I would suggest a book containing nothing but manuscripts, regardless of their classification as in future uses you will easily recall that a certain number you are looking for was written by you or by your staff and as such is easily traceable through the manuscript folio.

The erasing of marks on your music after the orchestra is through with it is an important factor; if the proper methods are not used the music will be ruined after having been used only three or four times. In marking the music a soft pencil should be used with as little pressure as possible as an eraser will remove any slight marking as long as there are no grooves. An erasing machine with a small dynamo, very much on the principle of an electric vibrator, will prove a great time saver. It means a small investment and can be made by your house electrician.

Although the classification of music is a Musical Director's job, it is the work of the Librarian to keep it under correct headings and properly indexed. If you classify each Movement of a suite or selection separately, it will be necessary to buy additional piano parts, but it will prove a satisfactory investment since you will put one piece of music to 3 or 4 different uses. Overtures containing Hurries, Agitatos, or Misterioso Movements should each, after being classified as Overtures, also be classified under above mentioned respective headings, and marked just where those classifications begin in the composition. The saving up of old time popular hits is of great importance as they can always be used. If your orchestra only consists of Violin, Piano or Cello, I, nevertheless, would advise the buying of a small orchestration because not only does it cost just as much as three or four parts, but should you increase your orchestra you will have the extra parts in readiness and will not have to go to the trouble of buying one 2nd violin or one flute or trombone part.

I would advise every Leader to lay aside a certain amount of money every month for buying new music, particularly of the descriptive type, since it is just as necessary to offer your patrons new music as it is to offer them new pictures. The type of new music to be purchased will have to be determined mainly by the type of picture you play. If you play mostly Western pictures you will have to buy Hurries, Agitatos, and Mysteriosos. If your house plays more society dramas, the replenishing of your Intermezzos and Andante Folios will be more necessary. The offering of new picture music from time to time will not only please your audiences but will instill a new interest in the members of your orchestra.

Projection

We must not lose sight of the fact that theatres are primarily devoted to motion pictures and as such the projection plays a very important part. The two best known projecting machines used almost exclusively are the Powers and the Simplex. They are both built to use arc lamps and can be used with a high intensity arc which will work at from 50 to 150 amperes. The advantage of the high intensity arc is, that the angle at which the carbon burns is more practical because it requires less adjusting by the operator, besides which it throws brighter light. The light is blue white which is more pleasing to the eye.

The best angle to throw on your picture would naturally be straight or 180 degrees. A straight throw is a very rare possibility in motion picture theatres which are built with high balconies and in these cases the operator will have to adjust his lenses or what is more satisfactory procedure, throw the light on the screen and after it is placed, paint in the screen to make a perfect square. After your projecting machine is entrusted to a capable projectionist it is imperative that the films be maintained in first-class condition. After each show every reel should be gone over thoroughly for torn patches. Pieces of wax on a film which show as black spots on the screen are always a danger signal and if not taken care of immediately will result in a fire. A pan of water should be kept in the bottom of cabinets used for the storing of films to keep the air moist.

Ninety feet per minute is the general speed at which pictures should be run to be acceptable to the eye, which means about eleven minutes to the average reel. Marching scenes will have to be slowed down considerably and some scenes of races will have to be speeded up to be more effective. The use of double exposure, although not new will always prove effective if applied at the proper time. For instance, at the close of your weekly, particularly on Patriotic Holidays, with a scene of marching soldiers on one machine it would do well to shoot a Picture of Washington or Lincoln or the Stars and Stripes through the other machine at the same time. Scenic effects like rain, clouds, etc. will be more effective if thrown from the booth as the throw is much longer than from off-stage and so the effect will spread the whole width of the stage.

The stereopticon, consisting of two carbon arc lamps, is adaptable particularly for the use of slides and of smoothly changing color effects.

Lighting Effects

The various lighting effects to be used in the theatre depend largely upon the equipment obtainable. The switchboard should preferably control not only the stage but also the house lighting. The best known makes of switchboards in use by the large theatres are the Bulldog, Pringl and the Walker system. Most modern theatre switchboards have three circuits which are usually controlled by dimmers. The size of the dimmers will depend on the wattage which is to be used on it. The two best known dimmer manufacturers are Ward Leonard and Cutler Hammer. The largest dimmer that is obtainable will carry 4000 watts and the smallest one is built to carry 650. For your orchestra either a number of spot lights or x-ray reflectors from over head will prove very effective coloring to be controlled by a boomerang.

As many of my readers may not be familiar with the word "boomerang" I would explain here that a boomerang is a large frame crate built in such, a way that the inside of the crate is equipped with sliders working in a horizontal plane. The sliders are equipped with ordinary color frames and the lamps are hung directly above and in the center of the top slider. The advantage gained with equipment of this kind is that you can get six combinations of color with only one set of lamps, in other words if you wanted blue, red, green, pink, amber, magenta, you would require, figuring an ordinary orchestra space, about five spot lamps for each color, or a total of thirty spots; with a boomerang this can be accomplished with about one third the number of spots, according to the distance and space to be illuminated. For picking out individual characters on the stage, incandescent lamps of from 250 to 1000 watts, controlled by individual dimmers, will be found most effective.

Arc lamps will give more light, but each lamp necessitates an individual operator, whereas the incandescent lamp can be connected to the switchboard and then any number of them can be operated by one man. For flooding your stage the Olivettes will prove very effective.

For various effects like rain, snow, floods, water falls, clouds, moon, there are individual machines obtainable which will produce each effect. The following firms can supply you with anyone of the above mentioned stage lighting apparatus: Universal Stage Lighting Company, Calcium Company, Display Stage Lighting Company, Kleigel, or, as a matter of fact, any concern handling electrical equipment for the stage. Recently a switchboard has been introduced under the name of the Remote Control Board, which makes quick changes in lighting effects an easy matter. I will quote the following from the inventor, Mr. Masek's own statement:-

"The Multi-preset switchboard makes it possible for the stage electrician to set in advance the lighting effects for all the scenes of any production which the situation requires, with the switches set he can produce instantly the proper lighting effects for any scene merely by turning a master switch. The switchboard permits the setting up of twenty different scenes, which is ample for the most intricate of modern stage effects. Twenty is not the limit of the Multi-preset system, but only of the board as it stands in its present stage of evolution."

The advantages of this board are first of all that in quick lighting changes the electrician will not have to pull innumerable switches to get the desired effects, but can set the effects before the beginning of the show and then at the given cue for light pull the master switch and get as many effects simultaneously as possible. This does away with the present day necessity of having more than one electrician. I am told that this board can be operated from any part of the building, if necessary, from the conductor's desk.

The use of this electrical equipment for stage attractions, is, of course, purely a matter of individuality and nothing I can say here would be of any real use. If there are chandeliers in the house or other lighting fixtures connected with the switchboard, I would advise the changing of lights during the Overture in connection with the various moods of the music. The dimming of the orchestra lights during funeral or special dark scenes will prove very effective. Border lights of three or more circuits will be found a great asset in lighting up various scenes on stage if they are put on the same dimmer with the side or overhanging spot lights. Lighting effects of very quiet nature like a single lamp on a vase of flowers slowly but steadily changing color during the scene or the show is solely a matter of the ingenuity and ability of the conceiver.

In using a scrim curtain care should be taken that no light reaches the audience's side from either the booth or footlights, otherwise the illusion contemplated will be lost.

Publicity and Exploitation

Publicity and Exploitation is a matter which is largely dependent upon the city in which the theatre is located. The most effective and one might say the only absolutely necessary way of advertising is through the newspapers. After you have adjusted your budget allowing a certain amount for advertising and exploitation I would figure about 60% of it for newspaper advertising, 30% for 24 sheets and about 10% for Lobby display. Your newspaper ads on weekdays, as a rule, only act as a reminder of the fact that your theatre is on the map and is open for business, but it is in the Sunday edition that you should advertise the attractions which are to be presented the coming week.

I found it a good principle to establish a distinctive lettering or design for the headings of the ads, then vary the rest of the space according to your attractions. Sometimes it is the name of the actors, sometimes the name of the picture, sometimes your music and other times some special attraction which you may want to feature above everything else. You may play a short reissue several years old of a famous star and although the Picture may not be up to the present standard of picture production the name of that star may draw considerably more business than your feature picture, which though brand new may not have any stars with drawing power.

Your 24 sheets being mostly read by occupants of passing automobiles, trains and street cars should contain as few words in as bold a type as possible. It is a good principle to change the coloring from week to week but retain the distinctive heading. The location of your 24 sheets is of utmost importance and should be very carefully considered and chosen. I believe that if a full showing would mean as many as 150 stands and if for the same money one could obtain 12 luminous specials in choice locations, these twelve specials would be a more advantageous arrangement.

The Lobby display is a matter depending largely upon the talent and imagination of the man who handles it. The display space available in the lobby or in the front will be an important feature in deciding upon the quality of display you wish to use. If your space is limited, I would place less material on it in order to have the lettering of sufficiently large size. Perhaps the most effective way of displaying your coming attraction is by well drawn sketches in color giving a fantastic impression of the main theme of your feature. The frames showing either enlargements of your screen favorites or your other entertainers will prove valuable publicity, but after all is said and done, experience has taught successful showmen that most of the advertising worth while having is the advertising which cannot be bought- i.e., if your show is really good, every satisfied patron will speak of it to others and it is this mouth to mouth advertising which will bring you your biggest asset, a repeat patronage.

Original article by Erno Rapee, 1925.

Adapted from Erno Rapee, The Encyclopedia of Music for Pictures, (New York: Belwin, Inc.), 1925.

© 1996, David Pierce, on editing and revisions (if any)

Return to the Silent Film Bookshelf Home Page