Technical challenges and innovation have been important elements in the development of the movie industry. Modern digital and analog computer tools are only the latest set of innovations in movies. This presentation covers the history of such innovation in the movies from the earliest sound and widescreen efforts, through the explosive progress in picture and sound of the 1950s, up to the present digital revolution. The culmination of this trend is what is presently described as "digital projection" which may soon replace movie film altogether in local theaters. The inside and outside of last summer's digital screenings of Star Wars: Episode One will be fully explained. Of special surprise will be descriptions with pictures of two "firsts" in film history: the original "video game" (in the 1940s) and the first computer graphics animation in a feature film (in the 1950s).

Scott Marshall is consulting at Sarnoff Corporation in Princeton as sound engineer and film industry liaison on their digital cinema project. He recently completed a four year sabbatical to research widescreen movie history. He has been a filmmaker, software engineer, and video game designer.

A pre-meeting dinner with the speaker is held at 6 p.m. at the Rusty Scupper on Alexander Road in Princeton. If you would like to attend, please call the information number to record your reservation on the answering machine.

Princeton ACM / IEEE Computer Society meeting are open to the public. Students and their parents are welcome. There is no admission charge, and refreshments are served.