The first public showing of Walt Disney's "Fantasia," in the Broadway Theatre, New York City, will unveil an entirely new type of motion picture sound recording and reproduction, which projects a complete third-dimensional effect of sound and music. It is expected that within a few years the leading theatres, in order to show this new type of screen entertainment, will be equipped with this new type of Sound equipment.
Christened "Fantasound" because, like the picture itself, it represents a revolutionary technique in sound reproduction, the new system of recording and reproducing sound-on-film employs entirely new principles both in the studio production and in theatre presentation. Three years of work by Disney and RCA engineers went into its developments.
"Fantasound" causes sound actually to move with all action on the screen. This realism in sound is accomplished by the use of a number of loudspeakers placed at different points behind the motion picture screen. If a bee buzzes into the scene, for instance, to circle around the screen and off again, loudspeakers are automatically cut on and off to follow its progress. This drone can also be heard traveling all around the theatre.
"Fantasound" plays an enormous part in "Fantasia." The music of the 103-piece Philadelphia Orchestra under the baton of Leopold Stokowski is the chief and sometimes the only actor. But to achieve the unusual orchestral effects required a staggering amount of work.
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