Evening star., 1930-05-05
TALK|ES TO STAY,
ENGINEERS HEAR
Great Strides of Sound Films
Are Reviewed in Address
by Or. Irby.

Enticing unheard-of box office re-
ceipts, the ''talkies" are here to stay
The great strides made by the movie
industry since the introduction OF
sound pictures were discussed by DR.
Franklin 8. Irby Of New York. associate
editor of Electronics, In an address to-
day in the Wardman Park Hotel at the
Spring meeting of the American Society
of Motion Picture Engineers.
To-day with sound pictures" DR.. Irby
declared, even those millions through
out the world who cannot read will have
the books of knowledge opened to their
ears. Today the motion picture indus
try stands at the threshold Of new
adventures. The psychological aspects
of the upheaval that has Just trans
formed this great industry have not yet
been fully realized. We can expect
greater realism, greater stability, greater
accomplishments and greater prosperity
for the future"
The speaker explained the difficulties
met in promoting American made
"talkies" In the four corners Of the
world.
with theaters throughout the world
wired for sound, there are important
problems OF language to be considered
to produce the proper pictures for our
foreign markets" the editor said.
American pictures are now shown in 10
countries, with subtitles translated into
81 foreign languages. Heretofore the
silent picture was universal in its appeal
The print, destined for foreign countries,
needed only the translation of subtitles
In the native language. This, of course,
is impossible with sound films and
therefore. new solutions have been
"All Of these systems have certain
drawbacks and may be considered only
as temporary expedients, however
Where the particular foreign market
warrants, the use of foreign players
in the double-shooting process seems O
way out for economical production to
O limited extent"
motion pictures shown throughout the
world at present are produced in the
United States. OF the remaining is
per cent Germany has per cent, Eng
land and France about 2 per cent each
while the remaining per cent Is ac-
counted for by all other producing
countries"
"It is estimated" he added, shat at
least $500 additional theaters in the
United States will be equipped for
sound during 1880 This will mean that
rs per cent of all picture houses in this
country will have sound apparatus by
the end of this year. The total install
lations in Europe will probably reach
5000 by the end of 1890, bringing the
, total installations throughout the world
to $4,000, or about 40 per cent of the
theaters built.
"It may be Of interest to note the
rise in attendance at motion picture
theaters during the past eight years.
The phenomenal rise in the attendance
curve is most marked from the time OF
the introduction of audible films. It Is
conservatively estimated that the total
average weekly attendance will reach
125,000,000 by the end of 1891.
THE average admission price in the
key cities is given as SIS cents, while
the average for all theaters Is approx
mately 35 cents. Using an average ad-
mission price of only 80 cents and
100,000,000 as the average weekly
attendance, it is estimated that the
total annual paid admissions to Amer
lean theaters have reached the sum Of
S1,560, 600, 900. OF this amount $780,
O00, 900 can be attributed to the intro
duction Of sound pictures"