Download Report - Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

COMMENTS ON
LABOR COSTS
Although not specifically called for by either
questionnaire explanations of the substantial labor
cost reduction from the use of Incandescents was
volunteered in some instances:
"Lightness of equipment and hence ease of portability
which insures quicker setups as well as lining
up of sets; quick adjustment to photographic alignment
and subsequent accessibility."-Karl Struss,
Chiei Cinematographer for D. W. Griffith.
"We we re able to set up and line up faster
owing to the fact that the equipment is lighter,
and there are no delays necessitated by having to
11ip."-\1,/. f. Stern, Business Manager, Universal
Studio.
,,No carbons to be looked u1,...,,_James Dent,
Production Manager, United Artists.
"We know that two men without block and fall
can handle Incandescents and place them on a platform
faster than three men with block and fall
handling 120 ampere spots."-Mr. Faralla, First
National.
It was made clear in a number of replies that the
extent to which the potential saving was realized
depended upon a number of factors:
l. Availability of cquipment.
2. Adequacy of equipment; the extent to which
Incandescents were used exclusively.
3. Skill of cameraman and electrical stafi. In
this connection W. L. Stern again enlightens
us: "The confidence of the cameraman is a
big factor. While he is not sure the tendency
is to keep fussing with the lamps, but a{ter he
has seen a satisfactory showing on the screen
his confidence shows in less critical placing of
lamps.
Comments on the comparative labor cost of electric
operation by Incandescents and Arc lights contained
in replies to Questionnaires 1 and 2, are summarized
in the table below:
Er,rcrnrcar, L.tnon Cost or Iwcenopscrur As
Studio Operat'g Strik'g Tot. Labor Cost
De Mille
First
National
Goldwyn.
Wm. Fox.
Paramount.
United
Artists. . .
Universal
Warner
Bros. . .
Coruranno To Anc Ilr,uurlrerton
(Q.1)
60%
(Q.2)
57%
(Q.1)
r0o%
(Q.2)
r43%.vo
(Q.1)
(Q.1)
(Q.2)
(Q.1)
50%
57%%
50-60%
40%
(Q.1) 70%
(Q.2) 33.50%
(Q. 1) Less
(Q 1) 60%
(Q 1) 50%
(Q.r) 50%
I r2l
EQUIPMENT AND
MAINTENANCE
Some idea o{ the rental costs of Incandescent as
compared with Arc equipment can be gleaned from
the {ollowing cost statement submitted by R. B.
Mclntyre, Production Manager for Samuel Goldwyn:
Below in Column A we list the labor and rental cost on a
set in our current production that was lighted with Incandescent
lamps, and in Column B we give you our estimate
of what hard light equipment and labor would have cost
on the same set at the prevailing rates:
A-Incandescents
18-18" Sun Spots. $36.00
6-OH Strip
12.00
l2-Side z-Droe Lamr lamps. ,. .
12.00
3-1000 Wt. Sinsle Stero
3.00
2-1000 Wt. Stero Soots
2.00
1-2000 Wt. Stero Spot.
2.00
A-booo w;. il;"so5t' 2i;....:.......... 20.00
-12-PIus Boxes. .
12.00
2-Set 40 Feeders
6.00
2-3 Wire Ext.. ..
1.00
4-Spiders.
1.00
$107.00
Labor-7 men $7.00 per day. 49.00
TOTAL. $156.00
B-Hard
4-8 Tube OH Banks.
$20.00
16-80 Amp. Rotaries.
56. 00
2-Sun Arcs24't .
50 .00
12-Broads.
12 .00
2-Baby Spots 35 Amp.. .
2.00
1-70 Amp. Spot. ..
1.50
1-4 Arc Dome. .
5.00
1O-PIuE Boxes.. 10.00
2-Sets 40 Feeders. 6.00
8-2 Wire Ext.. .. 4.00
l0-Spiders. 2.5O
Labor-l4 men $7.00 per day. . .
$169.00
98.00
TOTAL. $267.00
The above shows a saving of $111.00 per day for men
and equipment on an average set.
The experience of Mr. A. George Volck of the
De Mille Studio tends to verify the accuracy of
these figures: "On equipment rental our observation
to date has been that the rental cost of Incandescent
equipment is approximately 65 per cent of the estimated
cost of the Arc equipment that would have
been required to replace the Incandescent equipment."
In his later analysis of the limitations and defects
of Incandescents, Mr. Volck complains of the "high
cost and comparatively short life of the apparently
unsatisfactory 10,000 and 30,000 watt lights."
ELECTRICAL '
CURRENT COST
There was general agreement in the replies that
current costs were materially reduced by the substitution
of Incandescents, The current costs on