Today we honor the memory and legacy of George Eastman. March 14, 1932

 

March 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the Kodak Instamatic family of cameras. These cameras, featuring the instant-loading 126 (Kodapack) film cartridge, were by far the most successful of the time. Instamatics, like the Brownies they replaced, were the entrée cameras for a new generation of photographers.

Some of the accolades associated with this iconic 1960s-era camera are:

• The Instamatic provided the amateur photographer an inexpensive, well-made, and easy-to-use camera

• The Instamatic was the most successful Eastman Kodak Company camera since the introduction of the Brownie camera of 1900

• More than 50 million Instamatic cameras were sold worldwide between 1963 and 1970, with 7.5 million sold within the first two years of production

• It was introduced at a time when camera innovation was dominated by German and Japanese companies, proving American engineering could still produce competitive products

• The Instamatic 100 was designed by Frank A. Zagara, who won a Certificate of Design Merit from the Industrial Designers Institute

• The cartridge-loading system was a bombshell success, copied by numerous camera and film manufacturers around the world

• The 126 cartridge was designed by Kodak engineer Hubert Nerwin, with patent number 3,138,081 granted June 23, 1964

• The name Instamatic name became synonymous with snapshot photography, similar to the Kodak name during George Eastman’s time

 

We’ve currently got one on display in the entrance gallery –  if you’re in town stop in and check it out.

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: instamatic 100, instamatic 404, Kodamatic series, Pocket Instamatic, point-and-shoot camera

Beyond the theater’s plush new seats, fresh coat of paint, new carpets, and enhanced lighting, the Dryden has undergone some serious technological overhauling and upgrading both up in the projection booth and behind the screen (did we mention the screen is new too?). These new features enable us to maintain our high standards of motion picture exhibition and also greatly expand our projection capabilities. Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s been added and augmented:

1) Barco DP2K-32B Digital Cinema Projector
Motion picture distribution is moving away from traditional 35mm film, and movies are now being presented on DCPs (Digital Cinema Packages). These high- quality, heavily encrypted hard drives are quickly replacing 35mm prints as the primary format for film distribution and are slowly becoming the new finishing format for many film preservation projects. Our new digital projector will allow us to exhibit DCPs of both new first-run features and digital restorations of classic films with a bright, brilliant image and crisp, full surround sound. Of course, the Dryden will continue to primarily screen photochemical film (we always will, whenever possible) but this new technology greatly increases the depth and variety of films we can now show in the theater.

2) Automatic Masking System
The masking encompasses the black curtains on the top, bottom, and sides of screen. In an archival theater such as the Dryden, which exhibits a wide range of films with different aspect ratios, it is imperative that the masking be adjustable to fit the projected image. In the past, the masking had to be manually fine tuned by the projectionist using a system of pulleys behind the screen (and even then we could only adjust the sides!). Now, all four masking curtains are connected to independent motors that are operated from touch panels in the projection booth. This system not only makes the projectionist’s job much easier, but it also facilitates more precise control of the screen’s size and shape, which in turn allows us to exhibit any film the way it was intended to be seen.

3) Enhanced AMX Control System
With all these new gadgets, we needed a way to effectively control them all in a simple, elegant fashion. Our booth had an existing AMX system that controlled some aspects of our film projectors and auditorium lighting, but that’s next to nothing when compared to our new capabilities. The AMX touch panels in the booth are now linked to nearly every aspect of theater. A projectionist can control the lights, sound system, masking, video decks, in-booth monitors, and the digital and film projectors all from one screen. Although unseen to most Dryden patrons, this interface is the nervous system of the theater that makes everything you see possible.

 

And there you have it! All of these features were expertly installed by a crew of cinema engineers from Boston Light and Sound in conjunction with LeChase Construction and IATSE technicians. Everyone involved with the renovations showed unparalleled dedication and prowess in their efforts and I feel honored and privileged to have been part of this workforce. I sincerely hope you enjoy the new Dryden and that you have gained at least a small appreciation for what’s going on in the dark little room at the back of the theater.

 

More on the Dryden Theatre Renovation:
Part I, The Curtain Stays
Part II, Seatless
Part III, Cement, Lighting, and Accessibility
Part IV, Painting, Listening System and Digital Projection
Part V, Stage and Carpet
Part VI, Seats and Projection Booth
Part VII, The Curtain Returns

 
 

Tags: 35mm film, amx control system, archival theater, DCP, digital cinema packages, masking system, nitrate film, photochemcial film

The Dryden Theatre officially reopened on March 3, 2013.

The newly renovated Dryden Theatre opens this weekend with a completely new look – darker walls, new seats, carpeting on all floor areas, along with new ceiling and aisle lighting that is reminiscent of the great cinema houses of the past. These updates significantly enhance the viewing experience by improving sound absorption and minimizing reflection on the screen.

In addition, the Dryden remains one of only four theaters in the world equipped for the projection of original nitrate film (manufactured before 1951) as well as every major film format in the medium’s history. The renovation’s installation of a Barco digital projector now allows Eastman House to present the wealth of contemporary digital cinema and the installation of automated masking allows the screen to optimally accommodate all cinematic formats.

Both enhancements further support the Museum’s commitment to honor the aesthetic choices of filmmakers of all eras. Additionally, a new loop system for the hard-of-hearing further assures the accommodation and comfort of all patrons. The newly-renovated Dryden will provide today’s—and generations of tomorrow’s— movie-goers with an exceptional cinematic experience by combining the ambience of the classic movie house of the 1950s with the comfort and technology of 2013 and beyond.

See you at the movies!

 

 

More on the Dryden Theatre Renovation:
Part I, The Curtain Stays
Part II, Seatless
Part III, Cement, Lighting, and Accessibility
Part IV, Painting, Listening System and Digital Projection
Part V, Stage and Carpet
Part VI, Seats and Projection Booth
 
 

Tags: 35 mm, alexander payne, cinema, digital preservation, dryden theatre, film preservation, films not dead, selznick school of film preservation, silent films