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Special Report
A funny thing happened on the way to the forum last month. As it so happens, the forum in question was The BIG Picture's own Sony VPL-VW10HT LCD Projector Forum.
One of our readers commented on the problems he was having with his perforated Stewart screen in conjunction with the new LCD projector.
Apparently, a severe moire pattern was causing this poor fellow fits. One of Stewart Filmscreen's employees brought this post to the attention of vice president Don Stewart, who took immediate action by introducing himself to our forum members by posting a message and assuring them that this was a problem which Stewart Filmscreen Corp. was going to take a proactive approach in solving. Not only that, but Stewart took the time to respond to a few other posts to clear up common misconceptions about screen dynamics in general, which impressed the heck out of our readers and certainly pleased me, too. Having someone so highly regarded in the field of screen manufacture participate directly in our forum only serves to underscore the venue's credibility and importance in home theater circles.
By the way, as of this writing, Stewart has borrowed a projector from Sony which they are testing in their laboratory with their microperforated screen to see what can be done to mitigate the moire problem. For your reference, a third party lens enhancement device from Cygnus Imaging seems to solve the problem nicely by increasing the perceived pixel density without losing too much detail or light transmission. I want to stress that this problem is confined specifically to this particular projector when used with Stewart's microperforated screens, which according to the company encompasses a relatively small percentage of their overall sales at present. I should also say that the research is still ongoing as of this writing and there are perhaps other easier, less expensive and/or better solutions available which I am certain that Don Stewart will be reporting to our forum members in the near future when their testing is complete. The good news though, is that there is something that can be done to mitigate the problem -- Stewart is seeing to that.
When Don Stewart began posting to our forum, I was very impressed that someone in his position would take the time to personally address this issue with our forum members. Whenever a high-ranking officer from a major motion picture studio or a large home theater supplier like this shows up in a public forum, they run the inherent risk of opening the flood gates to questions from wise guys like me that they would rather not answer for strategic or other marketing related reasons.
In other words, by appearing on our forum, Don Stewart was risking a potential PR nightmare. Fortunately for Mr. Stewart, the readers of our forums are by and large, well-educated, courteous and polite. So, being the good investigative consumer advocate that I am, I took upon myself to ask Don Stewart a very pointed question on behalf of my fellow home theater enthusiasts. I was curious to know precisely what it is about Stewart Filmscreen Corp. that allows them to command higher prices for their screen products while also maintaining perhaps the most enviable reputation in not only the home theater screen market, but in the motion picture and aerospace industries as well.
Obviously, Stewart's customers don't mind paying more because they feel they are receiving real value for their investment. But I wanted to find out in specific terms, where that value was coming from. Was it coming from name recognition alone? Was Stewart Filmscreen riding on the reputation they had previously built in the entertainment and aerospace industries and merely "cashing in" on the burgeoning home theater market? Was their attitude "We are Stewart, so we can charge more"? Or was it something special that the company is doing in the manufacturing, sales or marketing process that makes their home theater screen products so attractive and desirable to well-heeled consumers? I know that when I was assembling my own home theater a few years ago, Stewart struck me as the Mercedes-Benz of screen makers. I couldn't afford a Mercedes-Benz and decided that if I was going to make the stretch for home theater nirvana, that I was going to have to make some tough decisions. I opted to buy the best screen I could afford at the time and spend more than I could afford on the projection display device. I figured "a tab-tensioned screen is a tab-tensioned screen".
If I knew then what I know today, I would have saved a few more pennies and popped for a Stewart screen. But then -- and until recently, I was skeptical as to the real value of a Stewart screen vs. their competitors' products. On the surface, it's pretty near impossible for an average consumer to spot the differences when making these kinds of decisions. That's why I posed the original question to Don Stewart -- and that's why I visited Stewart Filmscreens Corp. recently. I wanted to learn the answer.
The timing of my question may have been a bit ill-conceived however, since unbeknownst to me at the time, Don Stewart was preparing his company wares for demonstration and display at Infocomm. Some of our forum readers mistook Mr. Stewart's lack of response as an indication of his discomfort with the questions I posed. One poster even went so far as to accuse me of taking a "cheap shot" at Stewart, implying in essence, that all I was saying was "Hey, what makes YOU so great?".
We should all know, however, that any executive worth their salt would not only be able to come up with the answers to those kinds of tough questions, but might even leap at the opportunity to answer them. If they have the correct answers -- and they should -- then their stock in credibility should rise commensurately. Who knows? They might even turn a few skeptics around and sell a few more screens.
I took Don Stewart's invitation to tour his facility as an answer to my "challenge", if you will. I've subsequently learned that Don Stewart is not only "worth his salt" -- but that he could probably provide some serious competition to Morton's.
Undeterred by the mild criticism I received on the forum for having the gall to ask such things -- and determined to learn what makes Stewart Filmscreen Corp. so special (and somewhat chagrined that my altruistic motives were being questioned), I made it a point to meet Don Stewart in person at Infocomm and put the same sort of questions to him there. 45-minutes later, I learned precisely what sets Stewart apart from their competitors. Along with me at Infocomm was Dennis Shepherd of Medical Video Systems, our exclusive A/V sponsor here at The BIG Picture. At the show, Don Stewart invited me to take a tour of the Stewart Filmscreen manufacturing plant in Torrance, California. Not one to pass up an opportunity like this -- and knowing full well how much our readers would appreciate learning more about his company, I eagerly accepted the invitation. Afterward, Dennis and I discussed the encounter and agreed how impressed we both were with how Don Stewart presented himself and his company. In particular, we both noted that Stewart never denigrated his competitors in order to try and elevate his own products.
On July 12, 2000 I drove to Stewart's manufacturing plant, which I almost missed because their sign was rather small on the main Boulevard. Little did I realize however, that Stewart's facilities comprise about five sprawling acres, deftly hidden behind that little sign in a mixed-use residential/commercial zoned neighborhood. Stewart's main office, a spacious, modern building, was found about a block off the main thoroughfare.
Parked outside the office entrance was a large truck that peddles industrial steel-toed work boots and shoes. A large canopy was set up directly behind the truck with astro turf and two long rows of folding chairs. Several people were trying on shoes, assisted by the mobile unit staff. Frankly, I thought that this was a rather odd sight -- so that was one of the first things I asked Don Stewart about when our meeting began. He explained that once a year, Stewart purchases a set of new work shoes for each of their employees, who were given quite a choice of styles from what I could see. His philosophy was simple and elegant. "You treat your people well, and it comes back to you tenfold." Was it merely coincidence that the annual shoe giveaway happened to be going on precisely at the day and time of my scheduled visit? Oh, probably -- but in PR, timing is everything. If there's one thing I learned after my visit with Stewart, it is that no detail is left unattended -- planning and preparation is something this company covets like the holy grail.
Prior to the tour, I had to sign-in at the lobby, which included a declaration of my citizenship. You have to remember, that in addition to the home theater market, Stewart Filmscreen Corp. deals with sensitive military and aerospace projects, hence security is something they must take rather seriously. So seriously apparently, that even the officers of the company are required to wear photo I.D. badges. I also noticed the sign that stated under no uncertain terms that cameras were not allowed within the facility. Fortunately, thanks to our VIP status (insert self-deprecating chortle here), Mr. Stewart was gracious enough to allow me to take several photos during our visit, which I know we're all grateful for. What fun is a special "behind-the-scenes" peek without pictures!
There were certain restricted areas and equipment that I was not allowed to photograph though, but I am free to describe. The equipment included the quarter million dollar proprietary micro-perf machine that Stewart designed and had manufactured to create the tiny micro-perforated holes in their accoustically transparent home theater screens, which allows speaker placement behind the images -- just like in a commercial theater, except on a smaller scale. The room where this machine is housed is climate-controlled to a much cooler ambient temperature than the rest of the facility, so that the machine can make cleaner holes in the vinyl material. Ever tried to punch all hole through warm vinyl?
This of course, is just one example of the careful attention to detail born out of years of experience through trial and error at Stewart Filmscreen Corp.. At one point, I asked Don Stewart how on earth they were able to take raw vinyl pellets -- roughly the size of sand grains -- the same raw vinyl material used in automotive seats -- and figure out the right chemical additives in the right amounts to create the various "mixes" for the creation of high-quality video screens. His reply? "Trial and error". Both front and rear projection screens are manufactured by Stewart -- the latter of which are created from varying degrees of soft translucent plastics, which are then laminated to hard acrylics to create the final product.
Founded by Stewart's grandfather in 1952, Stewart Filmscreen Corp. employees over 110 people in their Torrance, California plant and several hundred more in various manufacturing facilities located strategically in the United States and other parts of the world. Because of their various manufacturing plants, Stewart is able to deliver custom screens with about a two-week turnaround time. That may seem like a long time, but it's half the time I waited for my screen to be made a few years ago by one of Stewart's leading competitors.
The office lobby features various awards and photographs of Stewart Filmscreen Corp.'s products in action. The company is clearly proud of its long and distinguished history in screen design and manufacture. Reminders of their heritage and current achievements are prominently displayed.
But if you expect Don Stewart to simply be a guy who's coasting on his forefathers' laurels, guess again. One of the things that impressed me the most about Don Stewart, is his genuine passion for the products that his company creates, and his relentless drive for not only perfection in those products, but the attainment of total satisfaction from his customers.
Given the number of prestigious awards that have been bestowed upon Stewart Filmscreen over the years, including two special achievement awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (you know, the same people who dole out those nifty little Oscars) in 1957 and again 1964 and the number of screens that were on the loading docks being readied for shipment, it would appear that the company is handily achieving their objectives.
In more recent years, Stewart has been the recipient of just about every other award of merit that you could think of, including THX certification (the only home theater screen manufacturer to earn this distinction). It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that Don Stewart, his uncle, and his brother Tom must be doing something very right. Speaking of rocket scientists, I have no doubts that most of them have utilized Stewart Filmscreens in their line of work.
Remember the movie "Wargames"? Remember all those giants screens in the control center showing the trajectories of all the bombs that the computer was going to unleash? Stewart. Been to Disneyland or Disney World recently? All the projection screens you see there? Stewart. Catch the Oscar telecast this year? Remember all those giants video cubes 
displaying the gigantic images of the Oscar statue flanking Billy Crystal on that massive stage? Stewart. The reference screen that all projector manufacturers insisted on for their projectors in the "Projector shoot out" at Infocomm? You guessed it. Stewart. These guys are literally everywhere. And to their competitors, they're the ones to beat.
After a brief chat in his office, Don Stewart showed me two areas of activity off the main lobby entrance. One area of cubicles handles marketing, the other sales. There's also a large bank of telephone operators who do nothing but handle calls on Stewart's 800 number and deal with customer service issues. Any of these employees are empowered to make decisions regarding warranty issues so that Stewart customers aren't subjected to layers of red tape if a problem arises.
Some nifty software was demonstrated to me in this area as well. Stewart dealers can call up, name the model of projector that their customer is purchasing, specify the aspect ratio of the screen they're wanting and specify their seating distance from the screen. With a few keystrokes, the custom dimensions and installation instructions for a Stewart screen are provided. The closest standard sized Stewart screens best matching the criteria of the customer are also displayed. The program is actually much more complex than the simple terms in which I'm describing it. It's taken years to develop, and of course must be updated continuously as new projection equipment hits the market. The bottom line is that it takes the guesswork out of selecting the correct screen based upon the projector being used and the seating distance. There are always variables to consider, including ambient light issues, so the software recommends different reflective surfaces that the dealer and the customer can then decide which is best for their particular application.
Down the hall from the main activity area, Stewart has a small but well equipped home theater environment, complete with sound absorbing wall treatment, a few rows of theater seats on risers, a ceiling-mounted Runco CRT projector and of course -- a four-way self-masking Stewart screen. What that means is that you have a 16:9 screen to begin with, then add motorized, light-absorbing panels that when deployed via remote control, convert that 16: 9 screen into a 4:3 screen -- or a super scope (2.35: 1) widescreen with matte black surrounds, covering the unused screen portions. Pretty nifty, huh? The motorized panels are covered in a close-cropped, black velvet-type material that Stewart has slapped the trademarked name "Velux" to. If you own a front projector -- particularly an LCD projector -- this type of material makes an impressive difference in the perceived contrast ratio of the images on your screen. It also really cleans up any sloppy spillover that can occur if the projected image isn't aligned perfectly with your screen. I know that speaking from personal experience, I find the light that leaks through the LCD panels when watching 4: 3 material on my 16: 9 screen a real distraction on the left and right side of the projected image. With these motorized panels, the surplus white portions of the screen are completely concealed and any remaining light from the projector via LCD bleedthrough is completely absorbed by the Velux panels.
The story of the design engineering behind these panels was rather entertaining. While visiting a friend's house, Don Stewart was asked to open a window -- a new, double-hung sash type window. Expecting the window to the heavy and difficult like all the old wood double-hung windows from years past, Stewart nearly destroyed the thing by exerting too much force, not taking into account the counter-weights and springs utilized in the new window construction. The incident helped Stewart to solve of the tricky problem of how to operate the hidden masking panels hidden within their new screens. For instance, with the lower masking panel that rises up to eliminate the bottom horizontal screen area that is unused when viewing 2.35: 1 material, the panel is always under spring tension and the motor is used to pull the panel back down into the housing, rather than lifting the material up so that when the masking is in place, the fit is taught and perfectly straight.
One of next stops on the tour included perhaps the most fascinating area to witness -- and also the most sensitive from a competitive standpoint, so no photographs were allowed. This area is akin to the chocolate factory that Willy Wonka must guard from Slugworth. Except it isn't filled with candy and chocolate. In fact, it appears almost completely empty -- and white as the driven snow. I half expected to see the ghost of John Lennon sitting in there on a white piano singing "Imagine".
The area in question was a large room with a very low ceiling that many ways resembled an ice hockey arena. The room appeared to be 50 or 60 feet wide and about a hundred to a hundred and fifty feet long. The ceiling in this entire room is comprised of molds for the screens and are laid out in a grid pattern. A robotic device rolls from side to side eventually making its way to the end of the room and back again, spraying a concoction comprised of melted vinyl pellets mixed with other binding chemicals skywards, adhering to the molds -- very methodically, very slowly -- in what ultimately amounts to several thin layers laid a atop one another. The final two or three coats that are applied to the ceiling mold contain the final screen surface composition material. While I was there, three screens were being manufactured. Each very large, and earmarked for commercial theater applications. Don explained that the material is shot up towards the ceiling on the molds so no foreign matter can't accidentally make its way onto the screens surface (nice how gravity works that way) and so that the overspray will also drift downward.
From there, the noxious (and explosive) fumes created in the process of spraying the screens are sucked out of the room by fans where they are directed to a furnace that combusts them before releasing the exhaust into the atmosphere. There is some 
heavy-duty monitoring equipment in place which keeps a close watch on the level of pollutants, ensuring that these levels do not exceed allowable limits. Don Stewart pointed out that the levels of pollutants created in this heavy manufacturing facility are frequently maintained well below allowable standards. As an environmental aside, I took note of a dove's nest in close proximity to the furnace. According to Don, the birds have been returning to roost there for several years. It's amazing to me that the birds even found this sanctuary, but I have no doubts that it is a nice, toasty place for the eggs to hatch, free from the fear of predators.
As you have just learned (and unlike most screen manufacturers), Stewart Filmscreen Corp. doesn't subcontract out for the vinyl material. They make their own. After the final surface coats of the material have been sprayed onto the molds, the vinyl is then carefully peeled back and spooled onto long metal cylinders.
There are no machines within the plant that slap together Stewart's screen frames, either. Each screen is assembled by hand by a craftsman who not only takes pride in his work, but must be accountable for it. Every Stewart Filmscreen is in effect, "signed" by the craftsman who fashioned it and get this -- each and every screen that Stewart sells has a small sample of the remnant material taken from it and archived. That's right. If you buy a Stewart Filmscreen, your name and a sample from your exact screen is stored in a file somewhere just on the off chance you come back ten days or even ten years from now and say: "Hey! This doesn't look like a 1.3 gain screen to me!" Stewart can then retrieve your screen sample and have their technicians analyze it to be certain that what you were expecting is what was delivered. Develop some other kind of trouble with your screen a few years down the road? Expect to receive prompt and courteous assistance from Stewart to resolve the problem. Like the retailer Nordstrom, they've built a reputation based on customer service excellence that their customers often swear by. But don't take my word for it. Ask someone on one of our forums who bought one.
Once the screen frame has been cut to carefully measured specifications and assembled, it is given a coat of primer. Then before the screen fabric is permanently fitted to the frame, it is inspected careful
ly for imperfections with a bright light shone from the side to catch any surface irregularities and if acceptable, cut to size. Once the screen material has been properly "dry-fitted" to the frame, the fabric is removed again and the frame is given its' final finish of either paint or self-adhesive Velux before Stewart's artisans re-fit the vinyl for final shipment. Cardboard cartons are used for smaller screens and wooden crates, often as heavy or heavier than the screens they contain, are used for the shipment of larger screens. I observed one large wooden crate for simulator screen that was as large as my 9' X 11' bedroom closet.
The myriad of screen sizes and enclosures was mind-boggling. I commented to Don that it took three grown men to install my 119" diagonal motorized screen -- again, made by a different manufacturer -- and that I couldn't imagine the installation team that would be required to install some of the behemoth screens I saw at the factory. Stewart responded by effortlessly picking up the end of a huge screen 
enclosure that must have been a good twenty-five feet long. Using aircraft aluminum and lightweight composite materials, one of the design goals at Stewart Filmscreen Corp. is to create light weight enclosures for screens that must hang from the ceiling.
One of the large screens I observed has motorized cables on each end for a commercial application with no-doubt a very high ceiling. The screen enclosure first lowers on the cables to a pre-designated stop, then the screen material unfurls from the enclosure itself.
Another screen that demonstrated unique properties, was the exceptionally large, motorized roll-down screen that was being manufactured for comedian Robin Williams. This particular screen is rather elaborate, with motorized panels described previously, to adjust the 
aspect ratio of the screen. What makes this screen particularly unique, is that the side panels typically associated with 4: 3 masking, are designed to expand or contract width-wise. I wondered aloud why such a feature would be desirable and the Stewart Filmscreen craftsman working on the unit speculated that it might be used for other display purposes such as film or slides. The multiple motors that operate the screen masking mechanisms are sleek and cylindrical, measuring no more than two or three inches in width and were about a foot long.
According to another Stewart staffer, the room dimensions for Williams' screen was something like 12 feet by 18 feet and that this screen is to be mounted on the long wall (no kidding, it is HUGE), with seating directly across from the screen with perhaps two rows of seats. I can only imagine that the experience will be somewhat akin to sitting in the front front row of an IMAX screen. I'd sure love to know what Williams is using as a display 
device, but to be sitting that close to a screen that huge, it must have incredible resolution. I mean, this proposed configuration throws the general rule of thumb about seating distance vs. screen size right out the proverbial window. Then again, Robin Williams is somewhat larger than life in his own rite, isn't he? I just hope he doesn't suffer whiplash while watching his movies.
Throughout the course of my three-hour guided tour and my lunch with Don Stewart that followed, it became very clear to me that Stewart Filmscreen Corp. is a company not only steeped in a long tradition of quality screen manufacture -- but a company that aggressively strives to garner even further recognition by continually improving existing product lines and creating new ones that meet the increasingly critical demands of the screen purchaser. For instance, Stewart recently unveiled a brand new projection screen material they call "Blackhawk" that renders an absolutely stunning image for rear projection applications. Another interesting observation I made is that their construction methods vary even within the same type of screen, depending on its' size. For example, batton construction (the long, horizontal, weighted bar that holds the screen material taut along the bottom) has a completely different design for a twelve-foot screen vs. a six-foot screen, to keep the bar from "smiling", that is, bowing down in the center. By the way, every screen is tested before leaving 
the factory to make certain that the fabric hangs flat, particularly on Stewart's tab-tension screens -- an innovation pioneered by (who else) Stewart.
For many years, Stewart Filmscreen Corp. has been regarded as somewhat of a "boutique" screen manufacture -- and they still are, really. Their products are high-end, manufactured to strict tolerances necessary to meet the critical demands of the entertainment, presentation and aerospace industries. During my visit, I was able to observe some unique projection screens that look as though they might be included in a military flight simulator -- perhaps a helicopter simulator, since the thick acrylic shells were roughly the same size and curvature one would expect to see in a chopper. According to Don Stewart, the emerging home theater market has actually forced Stewart Filmscreen Corp. to adopt even tighter manufacturing specs, since home theater enthusiasts expect absolute perfection for their investment. The demands of the family room are apparently more demanding then those of the boardroom. Of course, better screens only further allow Stewart to command higher prices and their legend grows to even larger proportions. For Stewart and their demanding customers, it's a win/win proposition.
So what happens five or ten years from now when the cost of quality projectors falls to $649 and consumers are walking out of the store with a screen rolled up under their arms that they picked up for an extra fifty bucks? I don't think Stewart has too much to be concerned with there, just yet. But based on what I've seen, they'll probably develop a better screen for $79 that rolls up under your arm and it'll still outsell the $50 version.
Though self-deprecatingly critical of their own web site and uncertain as to how the Internet might impact their sales directly, Stewart Filmscreen Corp. is very aware and acutely interested in, web sites like ours that can help them pinpoint areas of consumer concern -- such as the issue with the new Sony projector and the Stewart microperforated home theater screens. On a personal note, as a marketing consultant, I must tell you how utterly impressive I find it when the company as large and highly regarded as Stewart Filmscreen takes such a proactive approach to customer satisfaction. Often, the larger the company, the slower it reacts -- bogged down by layers of unresponsive corporate management. Not so with Stewart. Although they are a powerhouse in their industry, they are still family owned and operated -- maintaining the same principles that one would expect to find in a small, family-owned business. I would suspect that Stewart Filmscreen Corp.'s founder would be quite proud of the work that his son and grandsons are continuing in his name today.
The old adage "you get what you pay for" truly applies to customers of Stewart Filmscreen Corp.. Sure, their screens may cost by few dollars more -- but you'll not only get what you pay for with the latest innovations and materials -- you'll also have a company that will stand behind their product even years into the future -- to insure your total satisfaction. The attitude behind that kind of commitment to customer service is something that even money cannot buy. Having seen this company in action and having met many of the people behind it, I can say without hesitation that Stewart Filmscreen Corp.'s reputation is hard-earned and most assuredly well-deserved.
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