PICTURE PROJECTION

14-27
screens are used a slightly
greater minimum viewing
distance (2-\ to 2-| times picture
width) is better. The Society
of Motion Picture Engineers
recommends that, in motion
picture theaters, the front row
of seats should not be closer to
the screen than 0.87 times the
picture width.
Limitation of Viewing Angle
To avoid objectionable dis-
tortion of the projected picture,
viewing angles should be
limited to 30 degrees from the
normal to the screen. This
condition is fulfilled approxi-
mately when no row of sym-
metrically arranged seats is
longer than its distance from
the screen. (See Fig. 14-12.)
FIG. 14-12. Recommended seating area for
comfortable viewing and acceptable brightness
uniformity for various types of screens.
Projection Screen Dimensions
The ratio of height to width for theater screens corresponding to the pro-
portions of 35-millimeter film should be 3 to 4.
For 8-millimeter and 16-millimeter, motion-picture film the same ratio
of picture height to picture width applies; but, for classroom use, a square
screen usually is preferable since it may be used also for the projection of
slides, in which the greater dimension may be either horizontal or vertical.
Projection Booths
For detailed information on the design and facilities recommended for the
projection room, it is suggested that the reports of the Projection Practice
Subcommittee of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers be studied. See,
for example, the September, 1942, Journal
of
the Society
of
Motion Picture
Engineers.
Required Light Output of Projectors
In order to determine the required light output of a projector, it is neces-
sary to know the picture size that satisfies the viewing conditions and the
average reflectance at the applicable viewing angles of the screen to be used.
With this information, the lumens required to meet the brightness recom-
mendations can be calculated by the formula :
Lumens
=
desired brightness (footlamberts)
X
area of screen (square feet)
Average reflectance (a decimal)