Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-20

~ The girl at his elbow was 81
lent a moment Then came her
auw response And l." she breathed softly,
"love you'll" dainty kiss on her own frail
Mngertips, barely audible above the low, sweet
strains of muted violins. sealed the tender con-
fession.
1t was q charming love scene; SO gentle, so
restrained Watching 1t In the studio one
wondered where the outraged moralists got
their stuff about the widness of the younger
generation But out the national hook
up which was reaching, we hoped millions of
loud speakers with their attentive listeners, the
effect was different 1t sounded warm Our
mail during the next few weeks told us so.
That was what wanted As producer.
scenarist, continuity writer and director of that
playlet, hoped to keep the bulbs aglow ON
every radio set within our coast-to-coast range
until the 30-mnute act was over, and used
all the effects known in modern radio produce
ton to do it. OF course, the tenor might &C
tually have kissed our birdlike little soprano
but 1t would not have registered as effectively
through the unromantic mike" rs did that
passionate OSCILLATION of his own hand. And
the soprano might really have returned the
caress thus arousing the envy of every girl
who has heard our tenor's melting notes. but
Il would have missed precisely the right sound
In thousands OF loud-speakers half continent
or more away. Art, even in broadcasting, de-
mands its sacrifices.
TT demands, however, far more than that.
The performer who would win popularity
and success on the air must master a tech
nicue quite different In many important aspects
from the art of the theater or the auditorium,
and still In its early stages of development.
The producer director must solve problems
never before encountered in the long history
of public entertainment He Is reaching for
an audience which, so far as he and his artists
are concerned, is blind and dependent on hear
ing alone and which may number millions
instead of the customary hundreds. He Is in
yading with his music and his playlets, the
actual homes of these people, where he must
compete not only against familiar local inter-
eSts and recreations but against the equally
vigorous efforts of his fellow impresarios OF the
air. Psychology no less than radio stagecraft
enters into the attempt TO win and hold SO
huge, so varied so independent an audience.
Probably the clearest explanation of what
As meant by radio technique can be offered by
comparing it with stage technique. On the
stage the actor not only speaks his lines but
projects them out over the audience. On the
air projection is accomplished electrically,
through simplifying devices This assistance,
however does not make the actors part easier.
On the contrary, 1t increases the difficulties. It
Tobs him of the opportunity OF achieving mis-
effects by varying the volume of his voice.
On the stage the actor is supported by
background of carefully designed scenery,
effective lighting and other visual atmosphere.
On the air he must by the quality and ex-
preston of his voice, aided perhaps by mu-
gical background, himself create that at
mosphere. On the stage the actor can strength
en- his part by physical movements: on the air
these are unseen. On the stage the actor (and
particularly the actress) can charm an audi
ence by such personal attributes as beauty or
grace; on the air the whole reaction Is de-
pendent on voice alone. On the stage mo-
mentary loss OF poise or slip of the memory
can be covered by one of many familiar tricks,
such as taking few steps, assuming an inter-
esting posture and the like. On the air there
Is no opportunity to compose oneself The
program moves on schedule computed m
seconds, and the actor must strike his tempo
OF the beginning Of the playlet and maintain
&c unchanged until the Anal announcement.
And finally, on the stage the actor feels the
buoyant support Of an audience responding
visibly and audibly to his art. On the air
there is only the unresponsive mike-cold, gilt
Hering souess-and the sickening fear that
perhaps In thousands Of homes impatient I'm
gers are throwing of the switch to eonsign him
and his work to the limitless ether.
Undoubtedly the most difficult Of technical
problems confronting the novice radio actor Ii
that OF getting his effects without voice pro-
lection. He cannot depend for expression on
erescendo and diminuendO in either talking or
singing. A voice raised In anger, as on the
stage will simply blast" In the microphone.
The quality and sometimes the speed OF the
voice must express ; that emotion Instead.
Even then SpeeG must be guarded against. It