The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-02-28
THE HISTORY OF
THE BIOGRAPH.
How does it opera te?''

How does IL operate?'
What makes the pictures mover"
These are the questions that are daily
asked the management of Keith's New
theatre.
They refer to the biograph. whose ex-
hibitions qDcur twice each day.
Manager Lovenberg has his hands full
answering the questions.
In fact. every attache OF keith's mas
his hands full answering questions ABOUT
the biograph.
Everyone wants TO know how 1t works.
IL is as mysterious TO the spectator as
This is the history of a biograph picture
from the time II Is focused on the mega
tive until Ii is projected on the screen
before audiences OF thousands.
The story OF the moving picture ma
chine after IL left the hands OF expert
menting inventors covers a period of only
The American biograph was presented
to the public I'm the fall of 1896;
The great rapidity with which pictures
for the biograph are taken results i'm a
perfectly smooth and uniform effect upon
the screen. and makes IL possible to faith
ments IL is true that the apparatus
employed in securing the biograph pic
lures. and In projecting them upon the
screen. is very much larger and heavier
than that necessary for securing the 1T
tie pictures formerly employed, but this
disadvantage Is more than offset by the
far more satisfactory results obtained.
IL would perhaps be interesting TO de-
scribe briefly the various steps OF the
process employed In securing ana pro,
railway train running at the rate OF
sixty miles an hour.
The first thing ls the selection ais, eron, or
which 10 take the picture. and In select
ing this care must be given that the train
will pass the selected point at a time
of day when the sunlight will fall upon
the train at a proper angle. so as to give
an effective photograph The site nav
ing been selected, the camera. with Its
storage batteries and various accessories.
Is located firmly as close to the track as
is convenient.
the track the proper distance. so that
the operator will be able TO start the
machine at the right moment. In order
the picture before the band Of film in
the camera is exhausted. These points
being considered and an attendant located
at the extreme distance point. the arriVai
OF the train Is awaited
When the engine reaches the signal man
at the distance point he signals the 9per, i,,
| the camera Is band Of hlm. usually loo
| feet long and two and one-half inches
| wide. -, A.,
| is carried along in front OF the lens. stops
| ping as the revolving shutter uncoveTs
] the lens and then when the lens Is agsiil
| closed moving along two inches and stop, ,.I
| ping for another picture This startine
| and stopping process goes on az tne ra.e
OF thirty per second. and thus thirty PIC p,he
A
| band of negative hlm =. .he
! In this way a perfect record OF the
1 movements of train Is made Tor tht
| half minute which Is required for the
| train TO pass through the allotted space;
| The negative thus obtained is carefuly
! enclosed in light-tight box and SEM
| 10 the factory where II Is wound upon q
| large drum. and the drum later is slowly
revolved in chemicals until the negauV'
! is developed. -
| When dry the negative goes TO the auto
| matte printing machine. through whici
| A runs i'm company with another slmiial
| celluloid strip. upon which positive prlht'
| are made from the negative.
| This positive strip is then deNelops'
and thus Is made ready for use IN 'h'
| biograph. .
| The biograph consists. I'm general. or
| magic lantern or stereoptiCon. having az
| arrangement OF rollers by means OF whlci
| the positive band OF pictures may be car
| ried along In front OF the lens. each pic
! ture being stopped I'm front OF the ZEN
| FOR n short period of time. ana tnei
| uuickly carried ahead so as TO preseh
| the following pictnre.
| IN the pictures are taken AZ the rau
! of thirty per second they must be repro
| duced al the same rate by the biosrapl
i'm order that the natural movements ma
he preserved without modification -
That Is the process through whlch ui
| picture pa sses tO complexion