THE TALKIES

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1930, Page 2

THE TALKIES

'] AI PR 0V ED R EPR OI) U CTIO X

That the day is last approaching when the reproduction of speech anu music on the talking screen will be so perfect that the talkie will entirely supersede the stage is the opinion of Air J. H. Barker, junr., managing director of the Western Electric Company, (X.z.) Ltd., who is at present visiting Christchurch. From an impersonal point 'of view lie is convinced that it is a matter of months, and not years, before this state of tilings will come to pass. Discussing the future of the talkie, Air Barker did not think that the stereoscopic method of pictui'c-taiking would come into general use immediately. “We as manufacturers of general talkie equipment, are concentrating on the purity of reproduction,” said Air Barker. “We have to admit that many talkies that have appeared in Xew Zealand have not been of a very high quality. That, however, is mainly due to the actual production ol the picture. Until the large film-producing companies pay more attention to the general efficiency ol their studios, our best equipment will be of little avail. Huskiness, harshness and distortion often result from inadequate sound arrangements, in the studio. Oil. the other hand, I admit that in some ease the reproduction devices in, the theatres themselves, are at fault.

. MUSIC OX THE SCREEN. ,f‘l have, heard it said,” continued Air Barker, “that the talkies will be come far more popular when . Hie, re production of music is improved. f|lrs raises an interesting question. It i s not generally known that, i t js Inr Ifi i;(l----ei to reproduce music than speech. Aly company ifmi'nd this .out years ago. when the wireless, or radio, as wr- ell it, in America, first been no P< pul'ii We eoTit’-olled miles of teleo ice hues and in due course these were ::iiisod for relaying radio jirogrammes Irom one side of the Continent to the other. Speech relayed well, but when music became a wireless commodity we found that it was exceedingly difficult to transmit.

“We emild not overcome the bugbear of distortion. AYe liad to modify our apparatus, and we came to learn some thing of the problems that awaited the maker of talking films. W lion the da\ arrived 'for - introducing this innovation we were at least prepared for the inconveniences that were bound to crop up. We are n<>w working to make the reproduction of music perfect, and T D'm'V- audiences will find that in ‘The Gokldiggers of Broadway’ and other fUnis that will shortly be in Xew Zea-land,-a considerable advance is made. T 'can almost defni'tely sav that the il--I'ifiinii of the orchestra in the, pit is fuliy preserved.” TELE-VISION AND THE FUTURE,

“The future will held many surprises in store.” said Mr Barker. “It is safe to predict tint in ten years time practical television will be an accomplished thing. My company were first in the experimental field, and we sent a picture, of Mr Hoover, then -Secretary for Commerce, from YY'ashington to New York, a few years ago. Television. of course, is the sending of pictures and in. due course. moving pictures over a wire., or by wireless telegraphy. The first part of the proposition has been accomplished, and pictures are now sent by wire all over America and Europe. YY T e are experimenting with moving pictures, and the difficulties? are many. Reproduction is maintained, roughly speaking, by a moving ‘eye’ of light, which travels over the object to be transmitted. This ‘eye’ moves at a lightning speed so that it overtakes every movement. Screening at the other end follows the principle of the cinematograph. a umber of imagines, in sequence, forming the picture. It is hoped to add sound to television. Then an audience will be able to sit in a theatre, and hear and see a cricketmatch, which is being simultaneously played a few hundred miles away. But we must not be impatient. These things are for tlie future.” A-VAST ORGANISATION.

Mr Barker’s company, the General Electric, virtually controls the talking equipment of tlie world. It has installed already 56 sets in the Dominion, and of its 60 employees only three are American. Mr Barker was emphatic about his firm’s policy: “We are American, but we do not wish to impose on other countries. It is our desire that our staff here be composed of "New Zealanders.”