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HOW TO PRESENT YOUR CINEMASCOPE PREMIERE
The following suggestions are offered for your guidance in presenting THE ROBE and other
CINEMASCOPE productions in an atmosphere of outstanding showmanship.
Use the special introductory CINEMASCOPE PROLOGUE, which you received with your
print of THE ROBE, or other CINEMASCOPE productions, to give terrific audience impact
to the first unveiling of this exciting new process. Splice it to your Newsreel as the last
subject. It is important that you make sure to cut off the “end” title of the Newsreel before
attaching the CINEMASCOPE PROLOGUE. This PROLOGUE consists of a resume of the
development and progress of motion pictures. The last scene is followed by “THE VOICE
OF THE THEATRE” which presents “CINEMASCOPE”. There is no picture during the
presentation. The operator should prepare the cue mark far enough ahead at the end of the
picture part to allow him to signal the stage to close the traveling curtain and put a “click
splice” before the end of “THE VOICE 0F THE THEATRE” which will tell him when the
second projector motor should be started. The Newsreel and PROLOGUE should not be
more than half the width of the CINEMASCOPE picture and if possible less. This is
important.
The opening of the show should proceed in the following manner:
The operator will signal the stage to open the traveling curtain. At the same time he puts on
the Newsreel, the traveling curtain will open at the outer edge of the Newsreel picture black
border, When the cue mark at the end of the PROLOGUE is seen, the operator will signal
the stage to close the traveling curtain. He will also cut off the light from the arc lamp. “THE
VOICE OF THE THEATRE” will speak from behind the closed curtain and at this point, the
theatre will be completely dark. During this time the black border of the Newsreel picture is
removed when the operator hears “THE VOICE OF THE THEATRE” say “For Your Greater
Pleasure - CINEMASCOPE.” he will make the change over on the word “CINEMASCOPE”
and at the same time start opening the traveling curtain. The curtain is to be opened very
slowly and in such a manner that when the title of the feature appears on the screen it is
just uncovered. The traveling curtain should continue at the same speed until it is
completely opened.
One word about the lights in the theatre. The new large screens have a wonderful quality in
absorbing and reflecting lights in an extraordinary way, but these embossed screens will
catch all stray lights of the theatre, which detract from their efficiency and affect the
substantial appearance of the picture. Therefore, it is important to turn off all audience lights
not required by city regulations and ordinances.
It is equally vital to regulate sound properly and it is urged that you give careful attention to
adjustments as required by the picture, to give the most pleasing results over the greatest
part of your audience,
The careful use of screens, lighting, lenses, projectors and stereophonic sound will make
CINEMASCOPE most attractive to your audience.
This method of presentation has proved highly successful in all the premiere presentations
of THE ROBE up to date. As an example of this showmanly unveiling of the new process,
Mr. Fred C. Souttar, district manager of Fox Midwest Theatres in Kansas City, reported that
their theatres switched to side-wall speakers for “THE VOICE OF THE THEATER” and as