One might imagine that the transition from arc and mercury vapor to incandescent lighting was motivated by the high artistic standards of the major studios. In this case, one would be wrong. Boxoffice receipts had seen a pronounced decline during 1926-27, and the decision was made out of economic need. When you think about it, this should be no surprise! Making movies has always been a business. But in this case, there were unanticipated benefits to be enjoyed. Beside lowering costs, switching to incandescent – tungsten lighting – had the effect of improving not just the way cinematographers worked, but the way movies looked.
Tungsten sources (also known as ‘Mazda’ sources due to the General Electric trademark) used less power, needed less upkeep and were easier to move around than their predecessors. The globes within the new units were also easier to change. At the end of 1927, nine studios conducted a survey whose results indicated that incandescents had halved lighting costs and saved as much as two hours of shooting time per day.
But it wasn’t all autographs and limousines for the new technology. In the late ’20’s, Mazda lighting was primitive and lacking in standards. Each studio built their own inventory, often re-purposing old arcs and other housings. It was at this point that the long-venerated lighting company Mole Richardson came to the fore. Their contributions to the development of new, standardized fixtures amidst the rush to embrace talkies cannot be overstated. The fact that they went on to become the industry leader for close to eighty years should give you an idea of their significance.
Even though the inevitability of the new wave was quickly accepted across the board, few cinematographers understood how best to use tungsten lighting. In response, the Technicians Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ordered a series of tests, in collaboration with the American Society of Cinematographers. The Society of Motion Picture Engineers – an organization that was rooted on the East Coast – saw this as an opportunity to become directly involved with Hollywood, and soon were drawn into the effort.
While researching this post, I couldn’t help but notice some parallels to today’s transition from the tungsten standard to LED’s. It was not a smooth road. Early on, there was a lot of resistance, especially emanating from those who began their careers in the film era and were used to the traditional tools. I suppose there had to be some element of that mentality on the scene in 1928, but just as today, personal opinions and proclivities played no role in the realization of the next phase.
As Vittorio Storaro, ASC, AIC once said, “You cannot stop progress. You can push it or you can slow it down, but you cannot stop it.”
Lots more to come in the next post…
Thank you for this post, Richard. ABSOLUTLY FASCINATING and portends what is to come with AI!