The Monmouth inquirer., 1898-12-01
INSIDE THE MACHINE
WATCHING THE WORKINGS OF THE
RMeRlcAN BloeRAPH.


Manager MccaIium of Cook Opera House,
Chicago, Allows an inspection of the
Latest Novelty in Photographic Art
How Moving Pictures Move.
Biagraphs or moving pictures are
taken while the object being photo
graphed is in motion, and afterwards
shown by having the film pass rapid
ly before strong electric light which
throws the picture on the canvas pro-
ducing the same effect as if the spec
.atOrs viewed the object originally in
motion. Nearly everyone knows how
the biograph pictures are taken. The
splendid view of Conway, Wales, is on
film $50 feet long. It was taken on
fat car pushed rapidly in front of an
engine. The view of Marshall p. Wild
er, is on film 100 feet in length. The
separate and distinct pictures Of the
humorist are each two inches in length,
and separated by blank space of one
thirty-second of an inch. Each view is
exposed on presentation only one three
hundredth part of second. Were there
no blank spaces between the separate
views the pictures would run together
and present blurred appearance The
blank spaces afford a rest for the hu-
man eye; not long enough to make each
view separate one, but just long
enough to give the eye a distinct inn
lpression, and at the same time carry,
the effect of motion in the object view
ed. 4
All these things were learned by a
reporter of The Post Express, the first
man outside Of an employe Of the Ann
erican Biograph company ever permit
ted to inspect the interior workings of
this great advance in Photographic art.
So delicate and intricate are the manip-
ulaions of the machine that much re-
! mains to be learned even after the
most careful inspection, and it is only
after tuition of two months that the
company will accept any man as capa-
Die of running the machine. This in
spection afforded The Post Express re-
porter was obtained through Manager
McCallum, of the Cook Opera house,
who for that purpose. obtained the con-
sent of the managers of the American
Biograph company.
Entering the booth, six by eight
feet, at the rear and under the balcony
Of the opera house, with Albert L.
Steel, the present local operator, the
reporter was confronted by a side wall
space, four by eight feet, covered with
pulleys and tensions; some for carry
ing the continuous rubber betting and
others passing along the film. There
are sixteen Of these pulleys on one side
IF this side wall, and seven on the 9TH
sr side. All work in unison, and pre-
sent the film before the light of 1000
candle power, which projects the object
for view on the canvas. The slightest
mistake breaks the film, causes delay
and costs money. Operator Steel has
been in charge of the machine ip this
city for the past five weeks without an
accident; the rule is two or three ac-
cidents a week.
Sitting on stool the operator holds,
continuously, in his mouth a whistle.
With this he signals to the men at the
curtain, and the man at the stereOpticon,
whose duty it is to throw the title to
the picture on the canvas just before
the picture is presented. One hand Of
the operator is occupied starting the
box, the other adjusts the lever in
front. With one foot he manipulates
the shutter that cuts off the light He
still has one foot free ito kick" with.
All this time his eyes are directed
through hole in the front of the booth
on to the canvas or curtain, for there
must be no mistake in the manner the
picture falls on the canvas. Add to this
the great heat within the booth, ard
the very limited space in which to
move, and one may guess that the lot
of a biograph operator, while he is at
work, is not particularly happy one.
An electric motor of one-half horse
power operates the pulleys and other
machinery The up and down motion
noticeable when the picture is thrown
on the canvas is due to imperfections in
the machinery, although the American
biograph is the most perfect machine Of
its kind yet invented. The pictures
are three times the size Of those Of any
other machine There are twenty-five
of these machines in use in this c0un-
try, and for each one the company re-
ceives not less than 5000 week.
Many are also in operation in Europe.
All are controlled by the American Bio
graph company and each one is oper-
ated by citizen of the United States,
trained in this country.-Post Express