Presented by Bell & Howell this 1940 short film, HOW MOTION PICTURES MOVE AND TALK educates viewers on how pictures are given “movement” and how sound is recorded and printed on a film strip. The scope of motion pictures is incredible for what it can bring to the viewer, such as Polynesian dancers (00:31), planes flying over Egypt’s pyramids (00:38), or the tops of active volcanos (00:41). Motion pictures also allow families to record and watch their own motion pictures, preserving memories. The film demonstrates how still images are manipulated to create what appears to be movement (01:45). Old movie projectors for individual viewing (02:05) use a roll of paper pictures that revolve to create the illusion of movement, such as a short film of Thomas Edison (02:10). Motion pictures operate the same way an artist can animate a cartoon (02:24). The film shows the projector and the essential parts that enable it to function (02:50), including the light source, optical system, and the sturdy film-moving mechanism. By removing the shutter blade, the viewer is able to see how the projector operates, as the shutter revolves and moves the film strip through, creating the motion picture. Film strips have holes punched in them (05:01) so they can run through projectors or be superimposed to create new scenes using two different films (05:18). Sound is created on the film strip by adding a variable density track (05:35). The film shows how the sound is then projected (05:53), and shows how a soundtrack is actually recorded in a recording room (06:47). At the Grand National Studios (07:50), on-screen sound is recorded at the same time that the picture is. After recording, the film negative is developed (08:25), printed, and then cut and edited (08:39). Picture and soundtrack negatives are printed and matched together on a single film (08:55), called a composite print, which is sent out to theatres for large-scale showings. Smaller projectors (09:40) use film made from the standard print, but on a reduction printer, which creates a smaller reel with less bulk and weight, giving people more and more access to motion pictures.

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com