TALKING FILMS.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19481, 30 November 1928, Page 14

TALKING FILMS.

WARNING TO EXHIBITORS. EXPERIMENTAL STAGE. (rKOlt OCR OWN COHBESI'ONDENT.) !..... . - ; LONDON, October. 16. r",:A committee of the Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association has issued a report in which a, warning is given against hasty action in regard to synchronised sound films. The .committee says: "There is already experience available to show that, after patrons have been treated to certain >items with synchronised sound, the prgsentation of these items without sound ' loses. a great deal of its effect. A new technique, however, is being explored by the producers, and developments analogous to those that took place in the. first' two or three years of wireless may be expected to be repeated." As regards "talking films," the report says that the greater part of the assertions made concerning tlieni are, at the moment, entirely visionary. It can definitely be stated that this development is in .the experimental stage. An entirely new technique and screen presentation have, to ; be-Mastered.

"The reproduction of speech by mechanical means in large halls has also to be enorragusly improved. It can safely be said that at least another two years will elapse before one can attempt to answer with any degree of definiteness the question whether talking or dialogue films will be a possibility of the future. Another aspect of the question which has much preoccupied the committee is the cost of the necessarj' installation? in order to present "sound" and "talking" films,- and also the greatly increased running expenses. Even if "talking"' or "dialogue" films were available, the cost of such installations, it is declared, would be prohibitive for four out of every five exhibited in this countrv.

Particulars are given in the report of an agreement put before an exhibitor for the installation of one of the best-known American devices: —

The committee advises exhibitors that expensive installations at the moment are unnecessary. Definite information about prices is not available now, but it is clear that there will be apparatus available for installation at prices which range from £IOO to £SOO.

Payable on signing contract ' 415 s. 10 d. 0 Payable within throe days of completion of installation 6-3 5 0 W cekly rental in first rear of £70 5s ... u653 0 0 Conversion apparatus, if necessary 105 0 0 Total cost for first year 4796 15 0