Cinematograph films: their national value and preservation

NRLF

GIFT OF

MICHAEL REE^E

Librarian Series. No. 3.

CINEMATOGRAPH FILMS:

Their National Value
and Preservation.

BY

ALEX. J . PHILIP

REPRINTED FROM "THE LIBRARIAN"

STANLEY PAUL & CO., 31, ESSEX STREET, STRAND, W.C.

'Price Sixpence Net.

Cinematograph Films : their National Value
and Preservation.

By Alex. J. Philip.

The rapid development of the cinematograph during
the last few years, and its phenomenal rise in public favour,
with the consequent endeavour to improve the process,
have not left time for the realization of the whole significance
of this method of permanently projecting scenes and events.
There is a vague thought present in the minds of most of the
guardians of the nation's history and literature that some-
where, something of real value may be found in this 'con-
nection ; but, so far, there has been only one attempt
recorded to do anything by way of making a systematic
collection of films, and preparing them with a view to their
permanent preservation.

There are two points to be considered in the matter :
one, the value of the films — not the monetary, but the
historical value ; two, the possibility of their preservation.

We shall deal with both, at the same time making clear,
as far as it is possible to do so in a professional and non-
technical journal, the history, method of manufacture and
the practice of use.

We will endeavour to demonstrate, in the first place,
the historical value of the cinematograph film. We shall
not attempt to do this to the satisfaction of those who profess
to see no value in history — there are such. As a demonstrable
fact, all knowledge is the result primarily of history, and
it is on that supposition we start. There is comparatively
little interest or historical value in the events of yesterday,
but the increase that takes place day by day> as. the event
recedes into the past, is only comparable with the accumu-
lation of compound interest, until, if we were able to produce
cinematograph films of, say, Roman daily life and Roman

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Court ceremonial, we would have added inestimably to our
knowledge of the people ; while if we had had films of their
potters' work, their builders, their diggers, their making
of roads, their making of cement, and their legal procedure,
we should have had at our disposal a store of knowledge
which would have satisfied the most exacting of materialists,
who are satisfied only by the modern philosopher's stone
which produces 22 /- on every pound invested in work,
in education, or in pleasure. More than that, however,
we would never have gone back in our knowledge of art
and craft and manufacture. Even the " rude barbarians "
whom the Romans conquered, and who in turn conquered
the Romans, would have been taught by the pictoral present-
ment of the Cinema. It must not be supposed that this
is an impossible picture or even a farce. Because, if the
prognostications of religious fanatics are disregarded, it
may be reasonably supposed that the world will still be
inhabited two thousand years hence, when our period will
stand in the same relationship — in regard to time at least —
to the people of that period as the period of the Roman
invasion stands to ours now. In reality, however, we shall
be much farther away, judging from present conditions,
as events move so much more quickly now than they appear
to have done then. However, the broad fact remains that
the whole object of all the libraries and all the museums
in the world is the conservation and presentment of all
knowledge for the use of each present and all succeeding
generations. There are two distinct " lines," if I may
so describe them : one, the desirability of showing to many
spectators the reconstruction of the past ; and two, the
preservation for the future of events that are taking place
now.

If we come more to our own time, it is quite easy to
turn to a number of lost arts and industries which might
have been saved to us if there had been some such method
of record as that now furnished by the cinematograph.
Day by day the craft of the country is diminishing, in the
the old time meaning of the word. Here and there — but
everywhere in time — an improved process or a more
highly-finished machine does away with a further portion
of one or other of the passing crafts. Not that the inter-
vention of machinery and specialization are to be regretted
in an age such as this. But it is to be regretted that there

is in most cases no record — no real, reliable, workable record
— of the craft, although such is now possible with the
cinematograph.

Let us come nearer to our own period, however. There
would be aesthetic satisfaction and material profit in a com-
plete knowledge of the life, the art and the craft of the
Elizabethan periods of the eighteenth, and even of the last
centuries. It is a truism to say that we progress only on
our knowledge of the past.

If we turn to the great and the Royal events of history,
we realize how stirring to patriotism and loyalty it would
be if we could see to-day a film of Alfred's Navy, the first
in England, or one of the battle of Trafalgar. There is
nothing incongruous in this : amongst the films which
Mr. Urban has signified, through us, his intention of presenting
to the nation, are those of the Coronation of the King and
others equally interesting and important.

All this is on the past, and can be regarded only as an
object lesson. The real way of looking at the subject is to
inquire how, and to what extent, pictures — motion pictures
as they are termed — could be made valuable to us and to
those who will follow us. And here we have numerous
directions in which much can be done in the way of recording
other things than historic events, however valuable they
may be. These have been already hinted at, but it may
be advisable to describe some of them with closer detail.
All manufactures are suitable for permanent record so far
as it would be useful to convey knowledge to other people,
although I am well aware that not many manufacturers
are willing to allow any information regarding their pro-
cesses to be disseminated outside. This is one reason why so
many of the so-called textbooks contain so little of value
to the practical student. Travel pictures are also a source
of profit to the spectator. Real naval or military pictures
are also of very considerable value to the expert — I mean,
of course, motion pictures as they are taken and not as they
are presented to popular audiences. Science and art also
present many directions in which the cinematograph film
may be permanently stored with the greatest result.

The invention of the cinematograph was the natural
outcome of the gradual growth of knowledge of a special
kind among men who were peculiarly able to appreciate
their knowledge. It was not like the invention of Elia's

Scotsman, produced complete ready made, but was slowly
and laboriously evolved from small beginnings — a structure
gradually erected brick by brick. During recent years,
however, the speed of its evolution has been so rapid that
one might be forgiven for supposing that it was an invention,
the result of a sudden single inspiration. The idea can be
traced back quite easily to the toy, "the wheel of life,"
while probably all our readers are familiar with the children's
penny books in which only half the pages are printed. The
leaves are taken between finger and thumb, the book —
quite a small thing by the way — is bent back and the leaves
released one by one with great rapidity. These were the
beginnings of the modern cinematograph film. The film
of the present motion picture is the result of numerous
inventions and the subject of various patents. It is re-
corded that before the introduction of the celluloid film,
animated pictures from glass plates were shown in Piccadilly,
but, in general, it is quite true to say that without the celluloid
film cinematography, as we know it, would have been quite
impossible. After many failures by many inventors with
gelatine, transparent paper and celluloid itself, Eastman
and Walker, of Rochester, U.S.A., brought out and put on
the market a celluloid roller film coated with a thick solution
of gun cotton in wood alcohol. Gelatine was not reliable,
transparent paper was not clear, but the celluloid treated
in this way was, after many disappointments, found to
be the right medium. The first strip was put upon the
market in 1889. From that time, in 23 years, the industry
has growrn until every village, every town and every city
appears to have a " cinema." Much of this is due to Edison.
Although the film difficulty appeared to have been solved
at length, the machine was very crude and not always
reliable.

This period in the development of the cinematograph
is particularly interesting. The early kinetoscope had been
patented in America, but not in England. W. Paul of
Hatton Garden made the machines and placed them upon
the market here. The film makers of America naturally
refused to sell the films in this country. This, however,
only served to stimulate competition, and Mr. Paul set
about producing animated pictures projected on to a screen.
Up to then the kinetoscope had permitted only one person
at a time to view the pictures. Success is described as

having taken place in 1895 at 3 o'clock in the night, near
Hatton Garden. The police, alarmed by the noise with
which success was heralded, forced an entry and were shown
a 40 foot film — the first perfected animated picture to be
thrown on a screen. Early in 1896 pictures were shown
in public.

This was only the beginning, however, and the films
and the machines of the present day bear little resemblance
to those of fifteen years ago. Mr. Edison and other
inventors have been at work on both films and machines.
A standard gauge, or size, has been adopted for the whole
world, a uniform speed both for taking and projecting
pictures is recognised — in the case of black and white
pictures this is 16 to the second ; and in that of kine-
macolour, the rate is 32 to the second. Vast sums of money
have been sunk in the industry, and it is quite safe to say
that in no other industry of any kind, not even the flying
machine — which was tackled a couple of centuries back —
has progress been so rapid and extensive.

Like the modern novel, the beginning and the end of
this article are the important parts, the middle is merely
interest. In the commencement we emphasized the value
of films, in the last part we shall deal with the cost and
the means of preserving them. We have already lightly
touched upon the history ; it therefore only remains for us
to describe " how it is done."

Ordinary black and white cinematography — or kine-
matography, as it should be — is much more easily understood
than the making and projection of coloured films. In both,
however, it is the application of the well-known scientific
phenomenon that a rapid succession of impressions on the eye
convey the appearance of continuous motion. The animated
pictures, therefore, are taken at the rate of 16 to each second,
as already stated, this being admittedly the best. Stated
still more simply, 16 distinct photographs are taken on a
continuous roll of celluloid film of the moving objects to be
reproduced, each second. They are shown on the screen
at the same speed, thus conveying the appearance of the
same speed as shown by the object photographed. If the
photographs have been taken at a greater speed than this,
the motion will be slower than that of the original when
the picture is projected on to the screen, and vice versa.
The film — the average length of the film is a thousand feet —

is rolled round a large metal reel. Both sides of the film
are pierced with small holes which fit on to a sprocket wheel.
The turning of a handle by the operator brings the film
in front of the illuminated lens of the projecting lantern,
after which it is wound up on an empty reel below. That
is the principle. There are numerous devices — artful little
dodges — for various objects. A revolving shutter, accurately
geared, shuts off the light from the screen like a flash, as
each picture passes. A small slot in a closed box prevents
a film burning at least for more than the small portion ex--
posed. There is a certain amount of uncertainty in some
places as to flammable film. Whether the law intended to
denote films that could not be burned under any circum-
stances, or only films that would not readily catch fire, is
still said to be in doubt. Certainly there are few things
that will not burn at a sufficiently high temperature.

An entirely new department in theatrical life has arisen
in the formation of cinematograph companies, of which
the caste is frequently given, and the characters recognised
wherever they are shown. This, however, is not of much
interest at the present time, as we are concerned only with
the pictures of actual events and not with the reproduction
of enacted scenes. Nor can we digress to describe any of
the many methods of " faking " pictures, methods which
lend so much to the amusing side of motion pictures.

With regard to coloured cinematograph films, I cannot
do better than reproduce portions of a chapter on the subject
from Mr. Johnson's Photography in Colours :

"The principle of the Kinematograph depends on
what is called ' persistence of vision ' and the continued
perception of the changing object. When light is reflected
from a moving object it forms an image at the back of the
eye, and produces a nerve current which passes along every
one of the fibres which receive the image and collectively
carry the impression along the optic nerve to the brain.
This sensation is not instantaneous, but is divided up into
four periods : ist, a latent period which is almost instan-
taneous, and during which nothing appears to happen ;
2nd, a very short period — probably less than TTO of a second
— during which the sensation reaches the maximum ; 3rd, a
much longer period, ife to A of a second (the time varying
directly with the intensity of the illumination), during which
the sensation slowly diminishes ; and 4th, a short period of

decline, during which the effect dies away. In the case of
a moving object on which attention is directed, the fourth
period remains unnoticed, because a new image takes the
place of the old one before that period arrives. The whole
of kinematography depends on this third period, by which
the first impession, A (Fig. 29), lingers until replaced by
the second one, B, and the second one is again replaced
by a third one, C, and so on.

"This explains why, when a lighted stick is whirled
round, it forms an unbroken circle of fire, and why a stream
of water allowed to drop from a pipe appears to form a
continual stream, and not a series of droplets, as is really the
case ; and just as the first impression of a moving object
melts into the next one, so a series of colours pass before
the eye, as in the familiar colour -top which carries a card
divided into sections painted blue, green, and red. If the
top be spun rapidly, each colour fuses into the next, and a
combined sensation of white appears to the eye. It is this
last principle that Mr. Urban and Mr. Smith have so cleverly
made use of in their ' Kinemacolor ' apparatus.

" In working out his method of kinematograph pictures
in colours, Mr. Smith based his first experiments on an
instrument somewhat similar to the Ives' Kromskop, and
also on the same inventor's triple projecting lantern. The
principle of the analysis of the colours in the object photo-
graphed, and the subsequent building up of the colour-
records to produce a coloured result, is similar in both cases.
In his earliest experiments, he made use of strip film negatives
taken alternately through red, green, and blue filters. When
he had made a positive film from this negative film, and
proceeded to project his pictures on to the screen by red,
green, and blue light respectively, the results were almost
colourless, on account of the excessive actinic action of the
blue light which had produced the blue negative record ;
and the correspondingly overpowering effect of the blue
light which reached the screen through the blue filter.
This obliterated both the other two images. In other words,
the exposure necessary to get satisfactory red and green
records was utterly out of scale with that required for the
blue record.

" Another serious objection to the use of red, green
and blue was that the normal speed of the kinematograph
film, which is one foot per second (each foot carrying sixteen

8

exposures), required to be increased to three feet per second
(forty-eight exposures in the same time). Such an increase
of speed would, of course, involve prohibitive expense and
complicated and expensive mechanical devices for the
manipulation of the films at this high speed.

" Further experiments with the Ives' Kromskop and
the comparison of the appearance of the coloured image
when viewed in daylight (illuminated with white sky) as
compared with artificial illumination, led Mr. Smith to the
following discovery. If the blue light in the former case
were cut off, the appearance of the coloured image was utterly
spoilt. In the latter case, however, the blue light could be
dispensed with altogether without seriously altering the
effect of the coloured image. He attributes these phenomena
to the fact that most artificial lights are very deficient in
blue — a fact well known to every photographer. Our eyes
are to some extent accustomed to this excess of red and
green rays (i.e. yellow rays) and deficiency of blue ones.

" As a result of the above, Mr. Smith has perfected the
' Kinemacolor ' apparatus to use red and green filters only,
the want of blue being met by using a green filter which passes
a considerable amount of blue light."

Before leaving the subject of coloured films, we may
say we have been informed that an entirely new system
will be introduced about September in this year.

Films for showing are frequently cut down ; for instance,
the Durbar took about 8,000 feet of film, but this is rarely
shown complete.

We have now a short space in which to describe the
practical side of the realization of this proposal.

First as to the film. In size each picture is roughly
J x I inch. The average length of a black and white film
is one thousand feet, giving a total of 16,000 pictures. This,
when rolled, fills a tin box — allowing for the fact that it is
round — about equal to a royal octavo volume, although
of course, it is much heavier. It will thus be seen that
the question of space is not of greater importance than it
would be in a library. In fact it is of less importance, because
the number of published films does not in any way approach
the number of books published during the same period,
and in addition, very many of these films are frankly
amusing, and would find no place in a national historical
repository.

The method of classifying films, covering as these do
already historical, scientific, artistic and technical subjects,
omitting, of course, films of reconstructed subjects, would
be exactly the same as those at present applied to books
under any of the various schemes of classification.

The life of a film, like that of a book, is determined
by the treatment it receives. The period varies from one
year, during which the film has been in daily use, to an
estimate of fifty years, the latter resting upon the assumption
that every care has been taken, and that the film has been
only rarely used. On the other hand, if the film is not used,
it is of no practical value. It is obvious, however, that new
films can be readily reprinted from the old. Any period in
between these depends upon the use and care given to the
film, in just the same degree as the difference between a
popular novel and an early manuscript. Twenty-five might
be taken as a fair average, if ordinary methods are used.
These methods are (i) keeping films in air-tight tins ; (2)
rewinding at intervals ; (3) keeping cool and free from
damp ; (4) washing once a year with clear water or a
solution of water and glycerine to 5%, well drying after.

Now as to the cost of films. The blank film — what
might be described as the raw material — is priced at if-d. or
2d. a foot. Complete with pictures the cost is 4d. a foot.
Coloured films range from 6d. to 8d. a foot — and, in all
probability, most films will be coloured at no very distant
date, either as real coloured photography, or machine-
coloured films. From this it appears that to buy a complete
black and white film of average length would cost, say, £10.
If this will last with reasonable wear for 25 years, we have
a cost of 8/- a year for stock only. If we take the average
annual additions as 500 — although this must be obviously
mere guess work — we have an annual charge of £5>oo° f°r
stock. In addition, there is the cost of administration and
attendance, replacements, repairs, lanterns, operators, etc.
Altogether the cost, say £20,000 a year, is a mere bagatelle
for a national institution, although it is quite out of the
question for a local institution. The local institution, how-
ever, has its sphere of usefulness in taking and preserving
records of local events. These, as a rule, are not very
numerous, probably not more than ten or twelve each year.

The rules of a national reference institution such as has
been outlined cannot be given here, but it is obvious that

10

the use of the institution must be restricted to bona fide
students of their particular subjects.

It has been possible only to outline very briefly the
scheme proposed. But a nucleus is already to hand in the
formation of a kinematograph collection by Mr. Urban' s
munificent offer to present the historic films he has made
and collected during the time kinemacolour has been in use.
Probably, although I have no authority for saying so,
Mr. Urban and others would be prepared to present from
time to time other films when they were no longer in demand
for popular exhibitions.

This suggested National Cinematograph Library must
not be confused with the everyday use of films for scientific
and educational purposes in schools, colleges, and medical
and other lecture theatres, where films are hired for use
and returned when done with. This practice is in use
already, and would not be affected in any way by my proposal.

The developments of the cinematograph are so rapid
that it is almost impossible to keep pace with the advances
made from day to day. The latest development — at present
at least — is the solution of the problem of what may be
termed the co-operation of the cinematograph and the
gramophone. The difficulties in accomplishing this may
not appear very great at first sight ; as a matter of fact,
however, they baffled experiments for some time. The task
was, of course, to present the voice and the picture to appeal
to the eye and the ear — at the precise psychological moment —
of an audience of almost any size. This has now been accom-
plished, and it will be possible to show animated pictures
accompanied by the dialogue of the actors in their natural
voices. This marvellous combination still further increases
the immense value of the cinematograph, and is an additional
plea, if such were needed, for our demand — it is nothing
less — for official and systematic preservation of films and
records. A propos of this paper, it is interesting to learn
that the Voice Museum, which was officially inaugurated
in the basement of the Paris Opera by M. Pedro Gailhard
in 1907, has received another year's addition to its voice
records of the best singers who have been heard at the Paris
Opera and elsewhere, and also some other records that will
be of value for the history of music. The ceremony, which
has now become an annual one, was presided over by M. Leon
Berard, Under Secretary of State for Fine Arts.

II

The museum consists of phonographic discs, carefully
wrapped in asbestos and covered with glass, which for greater
protection are placed separately in hermetically sealed
metallic boxes, from which the air is exhausted. The boxes
are placed in rows on shelves in the vaults, and when each
shelf is full, the front of the vault is walled up. The discs
are not supposed to be opened for one hundred years. The
singer's name and a detailed instruction as to how to use the
disc are placed inside each box.

The first discs placed in the vaults included the voices
of such singers as Tamagno, Scotti, Mme. Calve, Adelina
Patti, Schumann, Heink, and a piece executed by Kubelik.
The discs added to this year's collection contain the voices
of the tenor Franz, Caruso, Amato, Mme. Sembrich,
Geraldine Farrar, Bessie Abbott, Tetrazzini, and a piano piece
by Paderewski. The ceremony, although it was described
as a " burial of the voices/' had nothing funereal about it.

Brief as this short paper is, it may succeed in promoting
the formation of the suggested National Cinematograph
Library.

Before leaving the subject finally, however, I must
express my thanks to Mr. Smith of the Edison Company,
and Mr. Urban of Kinemacolor, for their kindness and
courtesy in supplying me with all the technical information
I required, and for reading the proofs of the article as it
appeared in the pages of The Librarian.

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