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January, 1938 • American Cinematographer
unharmed by 800-foot fall!
Eyemo Camera Dropped by Newsreel Cameraman, Al Mingalone, in Sensational Runaway Flight Recovered Uninjured
• The press, in September, carried the story of the balloons which broke loose from their mooring, carrying with them Paramount News camera- man Al Mingalone. It related how he was brought to ground by the puncturing of the balloons with rifle fire from the ground. But there is an interesting sequel to the story.
With him, Mingalone carried a Bell & Howell Eyemo. After the guy rope broke, releasing him to the mercy of the skies, he was forced to drop this Eyemo from a height of 800 feet.
Pictures, Inc. photo of Al Mingalone, Para- mount newsreel cam- eraman, just before guy rope broke, releasing him for a 13-mile run- away flight. Mingalone was brought to ground safely when the bal- loons were punctured by rifle shots fired from the ground by Rev. James J. Mullen
The camera was later recovered, \ freed of the mud into which it had fallen, and found upon thorough in- spection to be wholly intact without the slightest injury.
Lest we be misunderstood, we be- lieve that in this remarkable instance Mr. Mingalone's thanks to the Eyemo's sturdy construction should be shared with a kind Providence.
The Eyemo owes much of its favor among professional newsreel cam- eramen to its sturdy construction, its ability to stand up in grueling newsreel service. Small and com- pact, the Eyemo permits getting scenes impossible with larger cam- eras, yet can be equipped with many of the refinements of studio cameras. Mail the coupon for detailed infor- mation.
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American Cinematographer • January, 1938
AGFA
ANNOUNCES-
1
Agfa's new Supreme Neg ative is ttvice as fast as Super
ance and gradation of this supersensitive panchromatic
pan! And- at the same time film are better th.m Suffer- — the grain size, color bal- pan!
IMPOSSIBLE I
ft
SAY THE CRITICS
UP to now it has been considered impossible to effect any great increase in speed and at the same time retain fineness of grain, grada- tion, color balance and keeping quality.
NOT ONLY RETAINED... BUT IMPROVED!
BUT — in Agfa's new Supreme Neg- ative these important features have not only been retained . . . they have been substantially IMPROVED . . . especially the gradation and fineness oj grain!
The amazing speed of the new Supreme Negative permits stopping down to obtain more focal depth, thus extending the scope of back- ground transparency photography, andof photographing medium close- ups where it becomes desirable to keep the foreground action and background action respectively in focus.
This new film is replacing Superpan. Samples of Supreme are now avail- able. Get yours at once . . . and see for yourself what an ideal negative it is!
January, 1938 • American Cinematographer
TWO GREAT NEW SSmm. FILMS!
2
Agfa's new Ultra-Speed Pan- chromatic Negative is three times as Justus Superpati/ This degree of speed increase.
heretofore inconceivable, makes Ultra-Speed the fust- est film ever offered.
IT'S TRUE!
SAY
THE CAMERAMEN
ULTRA-SPEED, originally de- signed to answ^er the require- ments of newsreel photography, won instant approval in New York, and is eagerly sought for all types of news-recording.
OFFERS MANY POSSIBILITIES
Its phenomenal speed — 3 times that of any negative previously available — finds many fields of applications in the motion picture industry. It is being widely used in all sorts of
emergencies when the greatest pos- sible speed is desired.
BOTH AVAILABLE NOW!
Both of these great new Agfa Films — Supreme and Ultra-Speed . . . are available now for immediate delivery in quantity. Distributor is C. King Charney, Inc., 6424 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood and 245 W. 5 5th Street, New York.
Supreme and Ultra-Speed are made by Agfa Ansco Corporation in Binghamton, New York.
^ AGFA ULTRA-SPEED ^ PANCHROMATIC NEGATIVE
>'aturing 'I I 'or they kno By the same d ,1. I^isney, Samiif ' Ixjndon Film mount, RKT) Universal, \V
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January, 1938 • American Cinematographer
AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER
A Technical and Educational publication on motion picture phototrraphy.
Published monthly hv the
AMERICAN SOCIETY
OK CINEMATOGRAPIfERS. INC.
1782 Ncrth Oranse Drive Hollywood (Los Angeles), California
Telephone GRanite 2135
VICTOR MILNER, President. FRED W. JACKMAN, Treasurer.
Vol. 19
January, 1938
No. 1
Contents
Front Cover — Edgar Borgen and Charlie McCarthy Sign with Universal Pictures
Once Again Frank Lloyd Rings Ball.... 6 By Gaorge Blaisdell
Charlie McCarthy Scheduled for Assist- ant Cameraman Job 7
Each Step Counts in Reproduction of Screen Music, Says Aalberg 9
Agfa Introduces Two New Super-Fast
Motion Picture Negative Films 10
By William Stull, A.S.C.
Research Council Issues Sound Engi- neering Book 12
Make-Up Specialist Can Do Much to Assist the Cinematographer 13
Engineer Discusses Requirements of True Stereoscopy in Motion Pictures. 14 By G. W. Wheelright
Art Reeves Shows New Ultra-Violet Recorder IG
The Staff
EDITOR
Georne Blaisdoll
WASIIINHTON STAFF CORRESPONDENT Reed N. Haythorne, A. S. C.
TECHNICAL EUITOR Emery Huse, A. S. C.
ADVISORY EDITORIAL BOARD Victor Milner, A. S. C. James Van Trees. A. S. C. Fre<l W. Jackm;in, A. S. 0. Farciot Edouart. A. S. C. Fred Once. A. S. C. Dr. J. S. Watson. A. S. C. Dr. L. A. Jones. A. S. C. Dr. C. E. K. Mees. A. S. C. Dr. W. B. Rayton. A. S. C. Dr. Herbert Meyer. A. S. C. Dr. V. B. Sease. A. S. C.
CIRCULATION MANAGER L. F. Graham
NEW YORK REPRESENTATIVE
S. R. Cowan, 19 East 47th St., New York. Phone Plaza 3-0483.
FOREIGN REPRESENTATIVE
Georpres Benoit, 100 AUee Franklin, Pavillions-sous-Bois, Seine, France. Tele- phone LeRaincy 13-19.
ESTABLISHED 1920. Advertising Rates on ap- plication. Subscription : United States, $2.50 a year ; Canada and the Pan-American Union. $2.50 a year; Foreign. $3.50 a year. Single copies, 25 cents; back numbers, 30 cents; foreign, sing'e copies, 35 cents ; back numbers, 40 cents. COPY- RIGHT 1938 by American Society of Cinema- tographers. Inc.
Entered as second class matter November 18, 1937, at the post office at Los Angeles, California, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVE
McGill's. 179 Elizabeth Street. Melbourne. Australian and New Zealand agents.
Neither the American Onematocrapher nor the Amencan Society of Cinematographers is responsible for statements made by au- thors. This magazine will not be respon- sible for unsolicited manuscripts.
6 American Cinematographer
January, 1938
Director Frank Lloyd, center in .straw hat following the chess players, is directing a. sequence in Paramount's "Wells Fargo." Standing, at his left shoulder, wearing white visor, is Ted Sparkuhl, A.S.C., director of photography. Guy Roe is the operative camera- man. Seated at the left of the group is Ralph Morgan, a pot of mint julep or somethin' at his right hand. Hal McAlpin photographed the still.
/
0^ f
ONCE AGAIN LLOYD RINGS BELL
ONCE again Frank Lloyd rings the bell, this time with his making of Paramount's "Wells Fargo." The achievement of building an excellent picture in the present instance is of all the greater significance because he is more than the subject's director. Also is he the producer.
The distinction is important. In the earlier days, when the director bulked bigger relatively than he does today — bigger by reason of his greater authority in putting a picture on the screen, in his free- dom from lay interference — more often could it be said the general result was the work of one man traveling a straight and unim- peded path.
Producer-directors are compara- tively few today. What Frank Lloyd has accomplished in his lat- est contribution to the record of the screen will go far to sustain those contenders who insist that one good man with native capacity and with training in the field in which he is working can go farther than two men equally equipped
By GEORGE BLAISDELL
but pulling against each other.
Cameramen are interested in the doings of Frank Lloyd — interested in him for one sufficient reason alone regardless of many others because of his well-known belief in the large measure of assistance brought to a director by the man behind the camera that is record- ing his work.
It will be a matter for con- gratulation to the cameramen that Lloyd has made more than a great, a pretentious, production. He has created a subject that may be stripped of its splendor, its pag- eantry, its romantic and thrilling natural settings, retaining only its
The Front Cover
EDGAR BERGEN, A.S.C., and his mouthpiece, Charlie Mc- Carthy, sign their term contract — or why not contracts? — with the New Universal. In a picture pro- duced and directed by John Stahl the humorist will start work early in the year with a cast headed by Irene Dunn.
fundamental human story. Yet still will it be a great motion picture.
The biting appeal to the heart submerges the glorious appeal to the eye. And that is the great test of a great film.
▼
THE appeal of The American Cinematographer to the ama- teurs of the world, the inter- national appeal, seems to be estab- lished by the hailing ports of those adventurers who send examples of their film craftsmanship across the seas and over international borders to compete with their confreres in the United States.
And Americans were allotted prizes and honors for the faithful- ness with which they had brought home from foreign lands \aews of mountain and lake, of city and country, of historic spots, of inti- mate shots of the people and their customs.
Truly the camera of the amateur even perhaps as much as that of the professional is contributing to making this old world smaller.
January, 1938 • American Cinematographer 7
Charlie McCarthy Scheduled
for Assistant Cameraman Job
Edgar Bergen, A.S.C. Associate, Planning in the Course of Time to Resume Making of Travel Films in Connection with Conducting Con- cert Troupe — Says Vaudeville's Dead
HISTORY fails to record the first cinematographer who termed his assistant a dummy and a block- head. That must remain one of the many mysteries buried with the early days of the cinema. Since then many a cinematographer has expressed or thought of those sentiments when his assistants committed the inevitable as- sistant's boners.
But it is only now that a member of the American Society of Cinematogra- phers can be counted able to use the terms with perfect accuracy. That mem- ber is Edgar Bergen, who has just been extended the honor of an associate mem- bership in the A.S.C; the assistant, of course, none other than the ubiquitous Charlie McCarthy.
Let it be clearly understood Bergen's interest in the cinema is by no means confined to his present occupation of chaperoning the beloved Charlie in front of major studio cameras. Quite the re- verse: for Bergen practised photography long before the monocled McCarthy was riven from his ancestral timber.
Neither is Bergen's interest in cam- erawork that of an amateur. He seized upon his first camera with professional zeal (and returns) and has continued to look upon cinematography as a pro- fessional activity ever since.
The statement that he seized upon his first camera is actually a bit less than accurate, for in truth Bergen, as a schoolboy, began his camera career by appropriating a box-type plate camera which had been given to his father. War Work as Lad That old box outfit and its pictures added measurably to the Bergen income while Edgar made his way through high school. Pictures of school and village activities, class groups, even portraits, flowed from that first camera and its later, more flexible successors.
During the World War Eddie Bergen, too young to fight, found a useful photo- graphic assignment nevertheless, for as the only remaining photographer in his home town of Decatur he received many official commissions to photograph in- terned aliens and their properties for governmental records.
About this time the cinema virus worked its way into his veins. This came about by the acquisition of a toy 35mm. projector, which he promptly re-
modeled into a camera. Even he admits that the results left something to be desired, but at the time he was thrilled as only one who screens his first self- made movies can be.
"If you looked hard," he says, "you could see definite traces of an image. On the screen the result was something like the cruder amateur varieties of today's television. You could see a rather ill-defined shape moving about on the screen, and with patience and a little imagination you would in time identify it as a man. Of course it helped a lot if you knew beforehand I had made a picture of a man!
"I did my own laboratory work, on equipment I had made myself. I couldn't afford the price of a. set of Stineman developing racks, so I made my own. I got a strip of sheet brass and formed it into a coil, then soldered it on to brass crosspieces. In shallow tanks, also of my own manufacture, the home-made racks worked veiy well indeed."
First — and Last — Flop
In due time Bergen wandered to Chi- cago, where he entered show business through the front of the house — literally getting himself a job as an usher in a theatre. There again the Bergen cam-
Cedl B. DeMille, directing "The Buccaneer," in conference with Victor Milner, A.S.C., director of photography on that subject.
8 American CiNEMATociUAPHER • January, 1938
era — with in this case a good bit of Scandinavian luck — paid a profit.
Learning of Eddie's interest in pho- tography, the manager atked him to make a picture of the theatre. Bergen gladly complied; but when the time came to exhibit a proof of the picture Usher Bergen probably wished he could shew himself to the least conspicuous seat in the balcony.
The picture itself had turned out ex- cellently, he relates, but the negative had been carefully left to dry in the sun — and it was a hot day. As might be expected, the emulsion had softened and run, until the imaged theatre bulged and sagged in all the wrong places!
None the less, with true Viking forti- tude, Bergen showed his distorted pic- ture. And at that juncture, whoever was the Vikings' god of luck proved to be smartly on the job. "The manager locked at that picture," said Bergen recently, "and to my dismay suddenly broke into roars of laughter. When he
stopped laughing, he amazed me by ordering a lot of prints.
"He was a good showman all right, for he sent those prints out to all his friends with the notation that his house was doing such business with the comedy then playing that it was literally rocking with laughter. In the end, I made more money from that fortunate accident than I would had the picture been good." Camera a Meal Ticket
During the next few years Edgar Ber- gen's prime interest was the difficult matter of carving himself out a career behind the footlights as a ventriloquist. But it can hardly be said that his photo- graphic career suffered. During the sum- mer months those deadly periods when vaudevillians in droves were chronically "at liberty," Bergen remembered that he was also a cameraman.
Armed by this time with a staunch, war-surplus Universal camera, he barn- storined up and down the countiy mak- ing advertising shorts and trailers for
small town merchants. You've probably seen some yourself — those short ad films that small (and not-so-small) theatres used to run between shows, advertising the corner grocery, the side street gar- age and the spigot plumbing .shoppe.
One could hardly accuse these of being pinnacles of cinematic art, but they kept Bergen bu.sy and eating during sea- sons when many of his footlight fellows were ducking landlords and haunting booking agents.
Not so long ago, only a little before Bergen and the irrepressible Charlie skyrocketed to fame, they and the De- Brie which by that time was, with an Eyemo, Bergen's first-string photo- graphic team, betook themselves abroad. On cruise steamers to South America and to Scandinavia, Bergen and Mc- Carthy traveled to keep the passengers amused.
But on long cruises such as these, passengers are offered so much enter- tainment that even a Charlie McCarthy must have some leisure time. Bergen .spent his with his cameras, filming a series of travelogues of the places vis- ited.
Plans for Future
And these films indicate a key to Ber- gen's answer to the so often asked question : "What will he do when the novelty of Charlie McCarthy wears off?"
Bergen's answer, revealed here for the first time, is this. "In spite of in- tensely gratifying results of some of the recent personal appearances Charlie and I have made on the stage I feel that vaudeville is dead." (This in spite of a week at Los Angeles' Paramount theatre during which Edgar and his wooden friend broke all house records and added tremendously to their joint bankroll! )
"Vandeville," continued Bergen, "is through. Today's audiences are no longer in tune with it — or it is not in tune with them. The audiences still want entertainment, but they want it cast in a newer pattern. Therefore vaudeville, as such, is not included in my present plans.
"Of course I intend to keep on with my present screen and radio work. But in between these activities I am plan- ning to try a new venture. This is a series of what might be called concert appearances. I hope eventually to form my own company and tour the country.
"Of course Charlie, not to mention other members of the family like Elmer the yokel, Sadie the little Bcwery tough; Ophelia, and others will be high spots on these programs, and they will be sur- rounded by the best possible acts of other types.
To Make Travel Films
"But in addition to these I plan to include some of these travel films I have produced and photographed myself, and to give them increasingly prominent parts on the program.
"Of course there have been lots of travelogues made and shown, but fun- damentally audiences never grow tired (Continued ov Page 20)
New Hcreen team is formed by the eo-starriny of Nelson Eddy (ind Eleanor Powell in M-G-M's extravuf/unza "Rosalie." Strangely enough, while they are a romantic team, Eddy sings with Ilona Massey, while Miss Powell dances with Ray Bolger. Oliver Marsh directs the photography
January, 1938 • American Cinematographer 9
Each Step Counts in Reproduction
of Screen Musicj Says Aalberg
LOVERS of music are getting a treat in "Hitting a New High," the RKO Radio subject in which that company's sound department does itself and the industry as a whole real credit in the manner in which it records the vocal efforts of Lily Pons.
Perhaps one very definite answer to an inquiry as to how that result was obtained may be found in the reply of John O. Aalberg, the department chief, to our query as to what the sound divi- sion actually thou.^ht of the recording and reproduction of Pons' singing in the sub'ect named:
"Oh, we never like anything." It is the answer of a man speaking for himself and his department who con- cedes a continual striving for something that is better — who exemplifies in sim- plest and most direct language the ut- terance of the great mind which made plain to a waiting world the meaning of a somewhat mystifying word:
"Genius is the capacity for taking infinite pains."
Great Advance Made
Mr. Aalberg stressed the importance of the strength of every link in the chain that reaches from the microphone to the recorder to the laboratory to the reproducing installation in the theater. He admitted that in recording and re- production great advances had been made all along the line in the past two or three years and even in the year that is just at this writing drawing to a close.
One of the major elements in the successful reproduction of the Pons voice is the employment of the newest device, the ultra-violet recorder. By means of this there is marked improve- ment in the definition of the sound waves on the film — identically a parallel result following better definition of photographic images on the photographic film.
Mr. Aalberg declared another most important element contributing to the result as heard bv this commentator at the preview of "Hitting a New High" was the reproduction delivered at the Hollywood Pantages Theater. The pleas- ure that attended the performance at Pantages is one that will be denied many other listeners around the world. That will be because of the absence in so many theaters of the devices of im- provement that have been installed in the local house.
Rerecording Vital
Yet still another vital factor in the chain of high vocal achievement is the contribution of those engaged in re- lecoiding. It is in the replacing of a bit of footage in which there is a slip from the highest quality by a bit of footage in which the quality rates 100
percent, by a matching of the quality that rides in the remainder of the re- cording, that a department approaches nearer p-erfection.
Mr. Aalberg smiled slightly when by indirection the thought was planted in the mind of the sound department chief chat the interviewer was curious as to the amount of cooperation extended by the shiger to the crew when a picture was in the making.
"There's no complaint on our part at all," he responded. "To be sure, Miss Pons is keen for having around her in responsible positions those she knows and on whose efficiency and capacity she may rely and in which she may have confi'ience."
Roy Hunt Photographs
Roy Hunt, A.S.C., directs the photog- raphy on the Pons subject. In the sound department Hugh McDonald guides the voice recording and Earl Mounce the music recording.
"I gather from your remark a few minutes ago you are a firm believer in the importance of the rerecording sec- tion of a studio — that while you do not aim to gild the lily you are determined to render unto Lily the things that are Lily's?" the visitor asked.
The department chief smiled — broadly. "Yes," he said simply. "And," he added, "I am a strong admirer of Miss Pons'
JoJni O. Aalberg, Sound Department Chief RKO Radio and just elected chair- man for 1938 of Pacific Coast Section of Society Motion Picture Engineers.
singing. As a matter of fact I rarely miss her broadcasting." G. B.
Pacific Coast Ssction Elects At the recent meeting of the Pacific Coast section of the engineers besides the election of John O. Aalberg as chairman, C. W. Handley was chosen for the board of managers and Gordon A. Chambers as secretary.
Lily Pons, in front of a mixed chorus, is shown iyi a pretentious New York night club sequence from her RKO Radio filmusical "Hitting a New High." — Photo by
Gaston Longet
10 American Cinematockaphkk • January, l'X\H
Agfa Introduces Two Super-Fast Motion Picture Negative Films
By WILLIAM STULL, A. S. C.
THE outstanding photographic news of the closing months of 1937 is undoubtedly the announcement by the Agfa Ansco Corporation of two new motion picture negative films, enor- mously faster than had hitherto been deemed possible. These two new films are respectively Agfa Supreme, with twice the speed of conventional superpan emulsions, and Agfa Ultra Speed Pan, with the amazing sensitivity of four times the speed of conventional emul- sions.
Expressed in the familiar Weston speed ratings, these films have Weston daylight speeds of 48 for the Supreme and 96 for the Ultra Speed Pan. These ratings, it must be mentioned, are ap- proximations, as the Weston engineers have not as yet published their official ratings for the new emulsions, but the ratings quoted have been used by the writer with success.
The remarkable thing about these two new emulsions is that they are in no sense products of hypersensitization, but strictly normal production coatings in every way.
Equally remarkable is the fact that the tremendous increase in speed has been attained with no sacrifice of grain size, contrast, keeping quality or other normal characteristics in the case of the Supreme emulsion, and with only a slight alteration in grain size and con- trast in the case of the yet faster Ultra Speed Pan. A radically new discovery in emulsion making technique is respon- sible for this.
New Emulsion Technique
It is well known that the making of photographic emulsions is limited by the close inter-relation of such charac- teristics as speed, color sensitivity, grain-
Fiyure 1 — 153, Sujrreme; 154, Superpan; 556, Ultra Speed Pan
size and graininess, contrast and stabil- ity or keeping quality.
Any advance in any of these must in general be limited by the sacrifices in other qualities permissible under the conditions of the emulsion's practical application. Thus many of the earliest panchromatic emulsions achieved their wider color sensitivity at the cost of sacrifices in contrast and other charac- teristics.
Similarly, considerable increases in overall speed have long been possible under normal emulsion making methods or by hypersensitization, but only at the expense of increased grain, distoi-ted contrast and in many instances greatly diminished stability.
Due to the new methods developed by the Ag-fa-Ansco engineers, however, the new emulsions afford their increased speed without, as has been said, the necessity of such sacrifices.
Characteristics of Supreme
The new Agfa Supreme emulsion is intended as a general purpose emulsion for all production uses. To that end it supersedes the firm's previous Superpan emulsion, which has been withdrawn from manufacture.
As will be seen from the spectro- grams reproduced in Figure 1, the color sensitivity of Supreme is virtually iden- tical with that of the slower Superpan, which in turn was closely comparable with the color response characteristics of all commonly used super-panchro- matic types.
The color balance of the new emulsion is therefore fundamentally the same as that which cinematographers now con- sider normal.
In gradation the new emulsion is slightly more brilliant than its conven- tional predecessor, Agfa Superpan, as is shown in the curves reproduced in Figure 2. The contrast characteristics of the new Supreme emulsion are there- fore well in line with the best modern standards.
The following time gamma informa- tion was obtained from sensitometric strips of Agfa Supreme and Superpan films, exposed in a standard time-scale sensitometer and tray developer in the Agfa No. 17 Borax developer:
Developing time
4 7 10 15
Film: mins. mins. mins. mins. Agfa Supreme
(gamma) ..0.39 0.59 0.77 1.05 Agfa Superpan
(gamma) ..0.30 0.56 0.74 0.98
Grain Fine The grain size and grainless charac- teristics of the new film are officially stated to be finer than those of conven- tional superpan types. Several outstand- ing cinematographers, including A. Far- ciot Edouart, A.S.C., Vernon L. Walker, A.S.C., and others who have used the new film on production, have stated that its grain was notably finer than that of conventional super-panchromatic emul- sions.
The developing, fixing and drying characteristics of the new Supreme emulsion are normal. The new film re- quires approximately the same develop- ment as Superpan, its normal developing time lying less than midway between those normally employed for the most commonly employed super-panchromatic types.
In the laboratory of one studio where the new film has been used on produc- tion, and in which Agfa Superpan and another conventional emulsion receive a normal development of 8 minutes and the third conventional type 10 minutes, the new Supreme was found to give best normal results with approximately SVz minute development.
The keeping quality of the new Su- preme is fully normal. Sensitometric tests made near the middle of December in one studio's laboratoiy on three sepa- rate orders of the film received over a period of two months revealed charac- teristic curves so closely identical they
|
FIGURE 3 |
|||
|
Exposure |
Multiplying |
Factors for |
|
|
Wra+ten |
Filters in Normal |
Daylight |
|
|
Ultra |
|||
|
Filter Used |
Speed Superpa |
n Supreme |
|
|
Aero No. 1 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
|
Aero No. 2 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
|
3N5 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
|
5N5 |
6.0 |
5.0 |
6.0 |
|
K-l |
1.8 |
1.6 |
1.9 |
|
K-l'/2 |
2.0 |
1.8 |
2.0 |
|
K-2 |
2.0 |
1.9 |
2.0 |
|
Minus blue |
2.5 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
|
S |
2.5 |
3.0 |
3.0 |
|
23-A |
3.5 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
|
25-A |
5.0 |
5.5 |
6.0 |
|
B |
9.0 |
7.0 |
9.0 |
|
C |
10.0 |
7.0 |
8.0 |
|
C-5 |
6.0 |
6.0 |
5.5 |
|
F |
7.0 |
7.0 |
8.0 |
|
N.D. .25 |
1.8 |
1.8 |
1.8 |
|
N.D. .50 |
3.1 |
3.1 |
3.1 |
|
N.D. 75 |
5.6 |
5.6 |
5.6 |
|
N.D. 1.00 |
10.0 |
10.0 |
10.0 |
|
72 |
20.00 |
20.0 |
30.0 |
January, 1938 • American Cinematographer 11
BALANCED
IN EASTMAN Super X Panchromatic Neg- ative the vital film factors of fine grain, high speed, and superb photographic qual- ity are combined to give the finest results to be seen anywhere today. It is the admi- rable balance of these qualities that has made Super X the world's most widely used negative film. Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, N. Y. (J. E. Brulatour, Inc., Dis- tributors, Fort Lee, Chicago, Hollywood.)
EASTMA]\ SUPER A
PANCHROMATIC :^EfiATIVE
12 American Cinematographer • January, 1938
Ultra Speed y^o Supren-ie
y ^'■^ TRAY DEVELOPED lO MIN. AGFA 17
bose densitL)
Figure '2
could virtually be plotted as a single curve.
Reduced to practical terms, the doubled speed of the new Supreme negative in comparison to conventional superpan emulsions means that the cinemat:gra- pher may record the same shadow de- tail on ary given scene with his lens- opening reduced one or one and one-half stops below the setting ordinarily used, or that he may use 50 per cent less light on the set.
The consensus of opinion among the cir.ematographers who have used and tested the new film appears to be that the most probable course will be a com- bination of the two. With the low light levels beirg used by the majority of cinematographers tcday about a 25 per cent decrease in illumination would seem about the maximum initially possible, without fundamental changas in indi- vidual lighting technique.
Combined with this it is generally pre- dicted that cinematographers will make use of the film's additional speed to gain the advantages in improved focal depth and roundness to be obtained by stop- ping down lenses.
Agfa Ultra Speed Pan
The still faster Ultra Speed Pan is primarily a special-purpose emulsion. It was developed for the use of newsreel cinematographers, but is finding appli- cation by studio cinematographers in special camerawork under extremely ad- verse light conditions.
Referring to the spectrogram shewn in Figure 1, it will be noted that the color sensitivity of Ultra Speed Pan is closely similar to that of standard Su- perpan with the exception of a slightly increa.sed red sensitivity. As will be seen from the curves reproduced in Figure 2, it will also be noticed the contrast of this emulsion is slightly flatter than that of the conventional emulsion.
Development time 8V2 12 18
Film mins. mins. mins.
Agfa Ultra Speed
Pan (gamma) .. .0.60 0.70 0.80 Agfa Superpan
(gamma) 0.60 0.72 0.84
This is confirmed by the gamma data
herewith, obtained from sensitometric strips made on a standard sensitometer and developed in the Agfa No. 17 Borax developer.
The grain size'of Ultra Speed Pan is admittedly somewhat coarser than that of conventional superpan emulsions. For purpose uses except where extreme fine- grain I'esults are required this slightly coarser grain does not appear obtrusive.
The developing, fixing, washing and drying characteristics of Ultra Speed Pan are normal. It requires slightly under 20 per cent longer development than Superpan for normal effects; in in- stances where tests of Superpan have received a normal development of 8 minutes, and the new Supreme, %y2, Ultra Speed Pan appears to require a
norm of between 9 and 10 minutes. The keeping quality of this emulsion is in every way comparable to that of any ordinal y superpan type film. No refrigeration or other specialized pre- cautions, necessary with hypersensitized emulsions, are needed.
The speed of this fastest emulsion is between three and four times that of the fastest conventional superpan types. Its primary application at present seems likely to be used for special scenes filmed under extremely adver.se lighting condi- tions, where ordinary film, or even the faster Supreme negative could not pro- duce results. Test scenes were exhibited at a recent A.S.C. meeting, photo- graphed on this film under unaided practical street lighting, with normal (f:2.3) lens settings and normal shutter and camera speed. These scenes on the screen gave virtually the same effect seen visually under such lighting, while comparative tests, exposed identically on conventional Superpan, showed virtually no exposure. The speed of this emulsion should also be of value in photographing miniatures at extremely high camera speeds, an application where adequate illumination is ordinarily a problem.
The introduction of these two radically new emulsions is unquestionably a note- worthy contribution to the advancement of cinematography. It is as yet too early to predict how these two new photographic resources will hz utilized.
Both are, however, entering into prac- tical use, and it is probably that the cinematographers using them will, as has been the case with past davelop- ments, discover uses and methods for them which will open up new fialds of cinematographic art and technique.
RESEARCH COUNCIL ISSUES SOUND ENGINEERING BOOK
OVER six months of continuous ef- fort by a group of motion picture studio sound engineers has been com- pleted with the final editing of the book "Motion Picture Sound Engineering,"
International Cinema, Ine.
FILM I,ABORATORY
Experienced staff
Newest equipment
Cinematographers are invited to use the services of our technical personnel and up-to-date facilities — under the operative di "action of Jacic Guerin
682.^ Sunta Monica Boulevard Hollywood, California Telephone — Hollywood 3961 Cable Address: Ineinema
w^hich is being published by the Research Council of the Academy of Motion Pic- ture Arts and Sciences and which has just come from the press.
The book, a 525 page work, which is now on sale, contains the lectures pre- sented to the council sound course classes by Fred Albin, engineer, sound department. United Artists; L. E. C^ark, now with the Dunning Process Com- pany and formerly engineering mana- ger, RCA Manufacturing Company; John Hilliard, transmission engineer, sound department, MGM; Harry Kim- ball, engineer, sound department, MGM, and A. P. Hill, now of the Southern California Telephone Company and for- merly acoustic superintendent. Electrical Research Products, Inc. Added material has been prepared by William Koenig, chairman of the Research Council; Wes- ley C. Miller and Kenneth Lambert of MGM sound department, and Major Nathan Levinson, vice chairman of the council and director of sound at WB- First National.
It will be profusely illustrated with photographs, charts and diagrams and will be complete.
January, 1938 • American Cinematographer 13
Make-Up Specialist Can Do Much To Assist the Cinematographer
By PERC WESTMORE Head of Make-up Department, W arner Brothers-First National Studios
PARTICULARLY do I want to em- phasize that a corrective make-up cannot be adopted simply because it seems good from the viewpoint of the make-up artist alone. Like any- thing else in the picture, the make-up must be made to be photographed. It must be planned to coordinate with the lighting plans of the cinematographer.
Otherwise you are likely to have a make-up that is trying to do one thing to a player's face while the lighting is planned to quite a different end. The result won't reflect much credit on either.
At Warner Brothers we have found the best way to plan our make-ups is to base them as much as possible on photographic tests made with the man who is to photograph the production. Visual study of the player's face, to- gether with stills, will show us pretty well what ought to be done; but they can't show us what the cinematographer will do with his lighting, nor how he will do it. Therefore our make-up artists work in close partnership with the pho- tographers, and due to this cooperation make-up troubles have been exceedingly rare.
Aside from the broader matter of cor- rective make-up, there are many little detail tricks a make-up artist can use to make things easier for the camera- man. For instance, there is the familiar problem encountered photographing players with blue eyes.
It has long been a favorite trick of some to focus a baby spotlight fitted with a magenta or even reddish gelatin on the faces of such players, to make the blue eyes photograph darker. A Make-Up Trick
This is not always convenient, but we have found that we can simplify this problem with a little trick of make- up. If a tiny spot of red — so small as to be virtually invisible to the eye — is placed at the inner corner of each eye, we get the same effect as though a magenta-filtered lamp were used, and the eye goes dark.
Making up eyes, by the way, is a phase of make-up that is none too well understood, even by many make-up men. There is, for instance, a very common misconception that the apparent size of an eye can be increased by drawing the line of the eyebrow higher above the eye, separating brow and eye by a
Part II
distance of perhaps one and a half times the diameter of the eye.
This is definitely not true; such an exaggerated separation actually makes the eye seem smaller. If you doubt this, a simple experiment will prove it to you. Take any ordinary coin (a nickel or penny is a handy size) and on a sheet of paper trace its outline twice.
Using the same coin as a measure, space an eyebrow line one and a half diameters above one circle and another a single diameter above the other. The latter will definitely appear larger, even though you know and can prove both were drawn around the same penny. In practice we have found the best results in eyebrow make-up come when the brow is spaced almost exactly one diameter above the eye.
Solving a Problem
The use of rouge on the faces of feminine players has been the subject of a good deal of debate. At our studio we use it frequently. Not by any means for photographic effect, but for the psychological stimulus it gives the ac-
tress. When a woman arrays herself to look her best, she almost always ap- plies at least a trace of rouje to her cheeks. Many feel actively uncomfort- able without it. They are not at ease made up for a picture, minus rouge.
On the other hand, the spot of color made by any ordinary rouge would be most undesirable photographically.
We have solved this problem by using the special Technicolor rouge which was introduced at the time when Technicolor scenes were often filmed by a black- and-white camera as well as by the color camera.
This rouge presents a natural appear- ance to the eye and to the color cam- era, but it is invisible to the black- and-white camera. Accordingly, it gives the actress her mental uplift without showing any photographic effect.
It may be mentioned, too, that at War- ner Brothers' all players — men included — wear make-up. In many cases the men, too, benefit as much from corrective make-up as do the women. And as you can readily appreciate, the result on the screen is much better if the men are (Continued on Page i.0)
Perc Westmore, left, confers before a mirror with Paul Muni, as actor being prepared for his part in Warner Brothers "Zola" calls attention to a questionable
spot in his make-up
14 American Cinematographer • January, 1938
Engineer Discusses Requirements of True Stereoscopy in Motion T^ictures
By G. W. WHEELRIGHT, Lancl-Wheelrij;ht Laboratories, Boston
Paper Presented at Recent Fall Meeting Society Motion Picture Engineers at New York and Now
Reprinted from December Issue of That Society's Journal
THE subject of stereoscopy is age- old, as we all know. Leonardo da Vinci in some of his writings in- dicated that he understood the principle of two-eye pictures and the geometrical differences between what one eye saw and what the other eye saw.
The original work of making mechan- ical devices that would reproduce for us the stereoscopic effect we should have seen if we had been present was started between 1832 and 1837.
There is some discussion whether Mr. Eliot or Professor Wheatstone did the first work. Certainly, Eliot's suggestions were that one should hold the pictures in such a manner that one's eyes were crossed when viewing a pair of pictures, and he showed a mechanical means for preventing each eye from seeing the pic- ture not intended for that eye. It was Wheatstone, however, who did the excel- lent thoroughgoing analysis of stereo- scopy.
Another famous man of that period, Sir David Brewster, also gave consider- able time and attention to the subject. Whereas Wheatstone had held two pic- tures and viewed them through mirrors so adjusted that each eye saw only its own picture, Brewster conceived the idea of using first two lenses and, later, parts of two lenses to make up the familiar device known to us all as the stereoscope. Eye-Distance Apart
This device employed two pictures taken eye-distance apart and shown to our eyes through a box-like device, each eye having its own lens focused upon its own picture. It was far simpler to use and more practicable for general use than the Wheatstone viewer.
It suffered from the serious disadvan- tage in close analytical work that pic- tures could not be substantially greater than 2V:i inches in breadth, which is, roughly, the normal eye separation of the human being. Our own Oliver Wen- dell Holmes later suggested minor im- provements employing Brewster's method of viewing.
Soon after this stereoscopes enjoyed an enormous popularity; and every ama- teur, as well as a host of professional photographers, was taking stereoscopic pictures. Among the many possible rea- sons for the subsequent loss of interest
in stereoscopy, two stand out. Many per- sons, due to ignorance of the subject or the desire to fool the gullible public, took only one picture of the scene they were making, duplicated it, and showed it separately to each eye.
Although this duplication creates in the mind of the observer something dif- ferent from the ordinary viewing of a single picture, it of course does not give true stereoscopy. The second, and perr haps more important reason for the brevity of the stereoscope's popularity, is the fact that during the observation of the picture the observer completely cuts himself off from the rest of the world.
This is essentially an unsociable act. When viewing pictures with a party of friends, it is difficult, if not impossible, for all members of the group to enjoy simultaneously the reactions that the ob- server personally is enjoying.
In the case of serious study or consult- ation by a group of men, such as doctors viewing x-ray stereograms, these stereo- scopes greatly lengthen the period of ex- amination and consultation; and often such observers subsequently do not agree to what they saw individually.
If they had all been able to look simul- taneously, they could have reached a conclusion more rapidly and with less un- certainty.
It would now seem worth while to consider the requirements of true stereo- scopy. The various factors that contri- bute to the perception of depth are:
(a) Overlap. In a single picture the branch of a tree, for instance, cuts across a person's body, thereby showing that the branch must be in front of the person, while not telling exactly how far in front.
(b) In a single picture, a noticeable concentration of detail in the foreground and lack of such detail in the background.
(c) In a single picture, the diminu- tion in size of known objects such as telegraph poles along a roadside running off into the distance.
Lighting Enhances Depth
(d) In a single picture, haze and gen- eral blue tone of distant scenes.
(e) In a single picture, lighting effects. It is well known in the art that depth effects' can be greatly enhanced by clever
lighting. A common trick of the expert photographer is to place long shadows in his picture. Other such devices pro- duce stronger suggestions of depth than does the amateur's usual flat lighting.
(f) Two pictures taken eye-distance apart and observed in some manner such that each eye sees its own, and only its own, picture. It is probably safe to say that no serious attempt at stereoscopy can hope to be successful unless it takes into account the fact that a person's visual perceptions of reality depend in part upon the fact that he receives not one but two sets of impressions of the outside world.
Each of these impressions is in itself clear and distinct, and has its own geo- metric perspective differing from that of the other impression because of the distance apart of this hypothetical ob- server's eyes. In general, the appearance of the pictures as a reality rather than as an illusion is probably most satis- factory when the normal condition of viewing is rigorously observed.
Use Normal Separation
It does not follow from the fact that a separation of 2^2 inches in taking the pictures produces a result far more pleasing than a single picture that there- fore two or three times normal inter- ocular separation in taking the pictures would lead to an effect two or three times as pleasing.
For photographers who do not under- stand in detail the geometry of stereo- scopic photography and viewing, the safe rule is to use normal eye separation in taking.
Serious work in stereoscopic photog- raphy has developed into two general technics, each of which is based upon the general idea that each eye must see its own picture and only its own picture.
One general type of device for stereo- scopic viewing makes use of the differ- ence in direction from which the two eyes see the picture. Ives has given this method of attack much serious thought and has done the outstanding work in this field.
A result has been the parallax pano- ramagrams now seen often in drugstore and department store windows. The de- vice depends for its success upon taking (Continued on Page iS)
January, 1938 • American Cinematographer 15
ONLY THE FILLED SEATS DETERMINE WHAT THE PICTURE WILL GROSS
By encouraging theaters to show the product of the studio at its best, it is hoped to contribute to the general progress of the Motion Picture Industry. The reproduction below shows the most recent advertisement of the series now appearing monthly in leading exibitors' journals. — NATIONAL CARBON COMPANY, INC.
16 American Cinematographer • January, 1938
Art Reeves Shows New Ultra- Violet Recorder
DESIGNED around the "Line-o- lite" ultra-violet glow lamp re- cently described in these columns, a completely new sound recorder has been introduced by Art Reeves, pioneer in the independent manufacture of sound and laboratory equipment.
The new recorder is perhaps the first to offer the advantages of ultra-violet light recording to the independent field, and in addition it is believed to be the first commercially available unit in which "black light" has been used for variable-density recording.
The new recorder is of the portable type. Primarily intended for a fixed in- stallation, either as a studio unit or in a sound truck, the equipment is suffi- ciently compact to be carried on loca- tion as a portable recording outfit.
Its adaptability is heightened by pro- vision for complete interchangeability of driving motors, permitting normal operation from almost any desired power supply, including batteries, DC or AC
generators, or from alternating current mains of almost any frequency.
To gain this flexibility, the driving motor is a separable unit, attaching to a conventional, camera-type motor mount. It is therefoi'e possible to drive the recorder with any standard camera motor suited to the current supply available. Normally, battery - powered direct current interlock motors for re- corder and camera are supplied with the equipment.
Simple Design
As will be seen from the illustration, the design of the new recorder has been refined to a point of high simplicity. The film is threaded past the main sprocket, over appropriate idling rollers to the recording drum, past the take- up sprocket and the main spi'ocket, and into the magazine.
All of the sprockets and idling rollers run on ball bearings; the recording* drum runs free and is connected to an efficient damper, of a type not affected
by temperature change^. The gear trains driving the sprockets are lubricated by a single oiler; the ball bearings require no lubrication, as they are of a special self-lubricating type.
Both manual and automatic speed con- trol are supplied. The latter is built into the recorder, rather than into the motor, and the wiring arrangement is such that it operates with any type motor. If it is desired for any reason to control the speed manually, the auto- matic speed control is rendered inopera- tive by throwing a switch in the base of the machine.
A standard footage counter and tachom- eter are regularly supplied, being built into the recording head on the right- hand end, where both are easily visible to the recordist.
Facilities for Two Mikes
The amplifier is substantially the same type already familiar in Art Reeves recorders. It is contained in a compact carrying case suitable for either fixed or portable use. Facilities are provided for the use of two microphones, which may be of either the latest dynamic types, or of the condenser type, includ- ing the Reeves "baby bomb" design. Metal tubes are used throughout, mak- ing this amplifier completely non-micro- phonic.
The ultra-violet recording unit em- ployed is the new Reeves "Line-o-lite" glow-lamp. This, as has been described
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January, 1938
American Cinematographer 17
THEBERnDT-mnURERcoRP
117 East 24th Street • New York City
Berndt-Maurer,' pioneer in the development and manufacture of commercial 16 mm. High Fi- delity Sound-on-Filxn ftacording cameras and equipment, presents a newly established B-M division
New Art Reeves ultra fidelity recorder
in these pages, is a recent Reeves de- velopment, designed for installation in any standard glow-lamp recorder.
Its peak radiation is in virtually the same band of the ultra-violet spectrum as is the peak sensitivity of the newest recording emulsions. The construction of the unit is such that no physical aperture is used in this installation to produce the slit-shaped recording beam.
The light source of this tube is in it- self a narrow line of light, simplifying the optical projection which forms the recording beam on the film.
The frequency response of the system is practically flat to 10,000 cycles, with a gradual taper thereafter. The ampli- fier has a gain of over 125 db.
Bringing the advantages of ultra- violet recording to the independent field, in Art Reeves' opinion, is only a logical step in the continued advancement of this field. "When I entered the business of manufacturing sound equipment," he points out, "independently manufactured sound equipment was stigmatized as 'bootleg' and was generally regarded as inferior.
"Today the situation is different. To
remain in business today the inde- pendent sound or laboi'atory equipment manufacturer must have business and engineering policies no less stable and progressive than any major firm. What is more, he must oflter truly modern equipment.
"That my firm, one of the first in the field, has survived and grown has, I am sure, been due to the fact that our products were in every case engineered up to the most modern standards, not built dcwn to a price.
"In the present instance, we have been able to produce an ultra-violet sound recorder for this market while ultra-violet recording is yet the out- standing development in major-studio sound. To do this, our facilities have been expanded and centralized until every component of our recorder is built in our own factory.
"Glow - lamps, motors, transf omiers and many other parts are built com- pletely in this plant, with the result that here, as in any other unit the manufac- ture of which is thus centralized, the entire equipment can be engineei'ed as a unit, rather than as an assembly of separately planned items."
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18 American Cinematographer • January, i;);}X
The accompanying picture shows the buildings recently constructed by Electrical Research Products, Inc. (ErjA — a subsidiary of the Western Electric Company, Inc.) which are now occupied by it as laboratory, warehouse and office building in Holly- wood. These buildings, at Romaine and Seward Streets, are utilized for the development, manufacture and furnishing of sound equipment to studios, as well as offering technical fa cilities for the production of sound pictures. The group will improve and enlarge ERPI's facilities for serving studios, which portion of its business is not affected in any manner by the discontinuance of the sale and service of reproducing equipment to theatres. The new address of the company is 6601 Romaine street, Hollywood.
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January, 1938 • American Cinematographer 1!)
A. S, C. ON PARADE
• Victor Milner, A.S.C., has been named by President Frank Capra of the Acad- emy as a member of the general com- mittee to have charge of the award banquet March 3.
• George Robinson, A.S.C., has been signed on a new contract by Universal.
• Arthur Todd, A.S.C., in the middle of the month started shooting on Warner Brothers' "Penrod's Double Trouble."
• Sid Hickox, A.S.C., gave his attention to Warners' "Men Are Such Fools" during the month. It meant postponing a vacation to Mexico.
• Edward O. Blackburn, A.S.C., in ac- cordance with his yearly custom, left Hollywood in two drawing room cars December 27 for the Yosemite as host to a party of friends. The group will re- main over New Year's, returning Jan- uary 3. Winter sports will claim the attention of all the athletically inclined.
• George S. Barnes, A.S.C., became the father of a son December 22. The new comer was an eight-pounder and was born at the Good Samaritan.
• Karl Freund, A.S.C., iust back from a four months' trip to Europe, was set by MGM to photograph "Madelon."
• Johnny Mescal, A.S.C., while photo- graphing "Happy Landing" for Twen- tieth-Fox, took a smack at the course record of Rancho. He was matched against Bruce McCormick, public links United States amateur champion, in the Southern California invitational. The A.S.C. man scored 66-71-137 against
• Light Testers — Polishers used by all major studios. We are the Sole Mfrs. and Distributors.
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• Signey C. Wagner, A.S.C, was one of
the indirect sufferers from the hostili- ties in the Orient. He was a passenger on the big S.S. Hoover, detouring out of her regular course in order to get away from trouble, when she grounded on a reef. Sid was on his way to Burmah to photograph a picture for MGM.
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20 American Cinematographer •
January, 1938
Universal Photo Almanac and Market Guide Is Out
Issued by the Fa'k Publishing Com- pany, the Universal Photo Almanac and Market Guide is a credit to its makers. Its objective is the creation of a photo- graphic annual which shall present all the new developments in photography from the angle of the technician, the craftsman and the sincere amateur who is desirous of learning what to photo- graph and how to photograph it.
The bock contains 236 pages in paper covers. Seme of the more important arti- cles and departments are "Paper Nega- tives," by Dr. Max Thorek; "Make Min- iature Camera Portraits," Hslene San- ders; "Elementary Photomicography," John F. Brandt; "Hints on Miniature Camera Use," Augustus Wolfman; "Color Prints from Kodachrome," Her- bert C. McKay; Pictorial Section, Uni- versal Market Guide, and Bibliography.
Honor Where . . .
In doinu the honors last month to those photographically affiliated with the making of Goldwyn's "Hurricane" we omitted the names of three others who had done their bit in the "teeth of the gale." These were Archie Stout, A.S.C., and Paul Eagler, A.S.C., who did the South Sea Island scenes, and Ray Binger, responsible for the special process work at the home studio.
BERGEN PLANS TO MAKE TRAVEL FILMS
(Continued from Page 98) of seeing strange and distant places on the screen. To be successful, though, travel films must be planned from a showmanship angle.
"In the future, I hope to make many of these travel films, and I hope to be able to do it in a way that audiences will like.
"At any rate, I'll try to get away from the traditional dry-as-dust photographic presentation of facts, and put on the screen something of the glamor and romance of these far places. I hope that the results will be worthy of the A.S.C. membership I have been given."
No man is a hero to his valet, and few cinematographers seem overly great in the eyes of their assistants. So the closing remarks must rightfully come from Assistant Cameraman Charlie Mc- Carthy. Asked for his opinion of Ber-
gen as a cinematographer, Charlie's reply was:
"Is that man Bergen a photographer? Oh, definitely. He keeps one room of our house all cluttered up with cameras and projectors; he has his old Univer- sal, the De Brie, an Eyemo, a Holmes sound projector, six or eight still cam- eras and miles of film that don't have a single frame of me. And the man simply collects cameras; he never sells them. Now I a.^k you, could anyone but a cinematographer be such a dummy as that?"
Although cinema attendance in Ger- many set a new high record in 1936-37, the production end of the industry re- mained in the red. Total attendance came to 359 million, 2 percent higher than in the previous record season.
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January, 1938 • American Cinematogeapher
AMATEUR MOVIE
SECTION
SOCIETY
OF AMATEUR
CINEMATOGRAPHERS
BOARD OF REVIEW
Victor Milner, President, A.S.C., Director of Photography Paramount Studios, Acad- emy Award Winner 1935
Karl Struss, A.S.C., Director of Photog- raphy Paramount Studios, Academy Award Winner 1928
Fred W. Jackman, Treasurer American So- ciety of Cinematographers
Dan Clark, A.S.C., Director of Photog- raphy Twentieth Century-Fox
Tony Gaudio, A.S.C., Director of Photog- raphy Warner Brothers Studio, Academy Award Winner 1937
Contents....
Sherlock of Australia Winner of Cine-
matographer's Contest 26
By George Blaisdell
Bell and Howell Has Novel 8mm. Film Viewer 29
Amateur Cinematographers Seek to Make
Better Motion Pictures 30
By A. L. Gram
Bell and Howell Producing Four Film- on-Sound Projectors 31
There Are Thrills Aplenty for He Who
Dramatizes Iron Horse 32
By William Stull, A.S.C.
Notes of the Movie Clubs 34
Eastman Issues New Model Miniature Camera in Retina II 36
Englishman Analyzes American Film
Makers 37
Must Be Practical Plan for Educationals'
Distribution 38
By Reed N. Haythorne
High School Lad Finances His Films. . . .39 By George Oliver Smith
Here's the Answer 41
26 American Cinematographer • January, 1938
Sherlock of Australia IV inner of Cinematographer s Contest
Tsukamoto of Japan Takes Photographic Honors — Lawrenson of Scotland Home Movie Winner — Fifty-one of Sixty Entries Are 16mm — Winners Evenly Divided on Color
JAMES A. SHERLOCK, S.A.C, Sydney, Australia, with his "To the Ships of Sydney," is the winner of the grand prize of $200 in the American Cinematographer's 1937 International amateur competi- tion for 8mm and 16mm films. Under the terms of the gift of $100 in merchandise by Bell and Howell, to go to the maker of the film which in the opinion of the judges was the best in photographic technique of those films made entirely with Bell and Howell cameras, the man Down Under automatically comes in for a second award.
There were sixty entries, of which fifty-one were in 16mm. and nine in 8mm. There were fourteen prizes, of which two automatically went to the winner using specified equipment.
The second of the two-time winners was Dr. Roy E. Gerstenkorn, member of the Los Angeles Cinema Club, whose winning entry in the educational class of "Japan and Its People" was photo- graphed on Agfa film, the manufactur- ers of which had contributed two prizes restricted to Agfa users.
Eleven of the twelve winners entered films which had been photographed on 16nmi. film and one had used 8mm. Three of the twelve live in Los Angeles.
Six of the winners, five of them using 16mm. and the sixth, John E. Walter, retiring vice president of the Los An- geles 8mm. Club, using 8mm., photo- graphed on color. The remaining six, all of them in 16mm., used black and white.
Nine contributors, each for some un- usual factor or factors in his entry, were awarded honorable mention. Five of these entries were in 16mm. and four in 8mm.
HONORABLE MENTION 16mm.
"The Least Tern," E. N. Harrison, Los Angeles.
"Voyageur's Trail," Duncan MacD. Lit- tle, New York.
"Under Your Own Power," Sidney Moritz, New York.
"If Rugs Could Talk," William W. Murphy, Bloomfield, N. J.
"Civic Artivities," Manuel M. Rocker, Cleveland.
8mm.
"The Engineer's Daughter," Earl Cochran, Colorado Springs, Colo.
"San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge," Raymond O'Connell, Oakland.
"Discovery," William R. Poulson, Los Angeles.
"Kleptomania," Bion B. Vogel, Los Angeles.
Much time and thought were expended by the committee on awards in the ex- aiTiining and eliminating and selecting of the subjects submitted for the annual amateur contest, the first of which was held in 1932. The final committee was composed of members of the American Society of Cinematographers.
Good Does His Bit
One of these members, Frank B. Good, secretary of the society, earned the com- mendation and the gratitude of his fel- lows on the committee as well as of the society by his faithful attendance at all of the meetings of the jury, which meant an average of six afternoons a week for two and a half weeks, as well as a number of evenings.
He brought to the task not only a wide experience in photographing mo- tion pictures in many parts of the world but a judgment sharpened — -and also softened — by several months this fall in Alaska at the head of the camera unit photographing the locale sequences of Paramount's "Spawn of the North," a subject marked for production this spring. He knows the photographic haz- ards and handicaps.
He was peculiarly equipped to under- stand the difficulties encountered by some of the contestants who had under- taken work that would require for suc- cessful completion the background of a wide training in camera work. He was quick to recognize good photography, especially if the contestant scored both in interiors and exteriors. Also he stood alternate watch with Bill Stull, A.S.C., at the 8mm. and 16mm. projectors. Few Dead Open and Shut
Unfortunately for the committee, but
speaking well for the general average of the entries, the "dead open and shut" decisions were few and far between. In hardly an instance did any one suggest the tops in the class under discussion but a fellow-member in turn called at- tention to another entrant who had done work worthy of commendation. All through it seemed to be a case of dig deep for the best.
Most of the pictures were shown two and three times and quite a number of them four times. Although the pre- liminary committee had its own opin- ions on the general order of merit in the winners the entrance of the final committee upset one or two applecarts when the members brought to bear on the problems of the committee an en- tirely fresh viewpoint, unhandicapped by having lived with the prominent com- petitors' product for more than a couple of weeks.
The members of the final committee truly may be described as an interna- tional jury. No matter what part of the world was being pictured on the screen it seemed at least one of them had been in the neighborhood and was fa- miliar with the locale.
John W. Boyle, past president of the A.S.C., has just returned to Hollywood after several years in England and on the Continent. Like nearly all the other members of the final committee he is a shark on color and has used it in some of the spots that were reproduced on the screen by winners. Particularly was this true of Northern Europe. Broad Visioned Travelers
Richard Fryer is a native of England, and like the man who is born under the Union Jack sees the world through broad glasses. Al Gilks a few years ago was selected by the master of the yacht Alva, William K. Vanderbilt, as head of the camera unit to accompany him on his yacht and to record on film the principal events scientific and other- wise encountered in the circling of the globe. During the past year the same cameraman went to England to photo- graph Edward G. Robinson in "Thunder in the City," a subject which was re- leased in this country by Columbia.
Robert G. Martin for years photo- graphed motion pictures for English
January, 1938 • American Cinematographer 27
producers, and in the course of that em- ployment traveled the Continental and Northern African routes. Harry Perry only this last year toured Europe for Paramount, visiting all the principal countries.
So it will be understood when a pic- ture was thrown on the screen it was being judged for the screened result re- gardless of its maker or the source from which it came. The committee was un- concerned with which had won what in preceding contests, how many times a contestant had won before, or how soon what nation might be on the outs with which.
It was the viewpoint of the sportsman judging the product of contestants in efforts to bring forth an artistic piece of work.
Quick Answer
One young woman contender who has been making motion pictures for but a year and was entering her first contest suggested in her entry blank she would like to see an article by the winner of the contest as to the methods employed to secure his results. Her prayer was answered almost in advance of its utter- ance.
In the December issue on Page 515 is an article by James A. Sherlock, S.A.G., under the caption of "Shooting Waterfront as Sherlock Does It." It was sent through for printing before the edi- tor had seen the picture that had been submitted by the writer of the story.
Amateurs will find an interesting and also most helpful tale of how best to get desired results around and about a waterfront.
"Mount Zao," prizewinner for pho- tography, was entered in black and white by Khoji Tsukamoto of Tokyo. The latter is one of the three members of the directorate of the Sakura Kogata Eiga Kyokai of Tokyo, or in English the Cherry Amateur Movie Society. In an- other column will be found the report of the annual competition of this organ- ization, the honorary president of which is Marquis Yamashina.
"Mount Zao" is an outdoor subject, taken on the crests of the snow-packed mountain of that name. The major shots were of small groups on skiis swirling and dashing in single file as a rule in clouds of snow along ridges backlighted by Old Sol. It is effectively done, and on its first showing was marked for con- sideration as the winner of the photo- graphic division.
Lawrenson Repeats
The prizewinner for color, "This Side of Paradise," was in Kodachrome and entered by A. Scott Moorhouse of Toron- to, a member of the Toronto Amateur Movie Club. The locale of the subject was the Italian and Swiss mountains and lakes. The decision on color or rather the reaching of it constituted one of the committee's chief headaches. There were some remarkable examples submitted. Mr. Moorhouse has a right to feel proud of his product.
"Another Happy Day" was the win- ner in the home movie classification, the
prize going to T. Lawrenson of Dundee, Scotland. Mr. Lawrenson is a member of the Institute of Amateur Cinematog- raphers of London. Also is he a veteran of the American Cinematographer's con- tests, having been one of the three major prize winners of 1935. Also is the chief actor in the home movie a veteran, a child who now has reached seemingly the mature age of four years, and who of course was but two when he made his debut on the home movie stage in "Happy Day." He is a black-eyed, cam-
era-unconscious and personable young- ster, who proceeas on his lawful occa- sions in complete indifference to a live lens.
"Japan and Its People," Dr. Roy Ger- stenkorn's educational class winner, was a pictured visit to the homes and tem- ples of Japan. Ignoring the cities in his search for the story of the Japan that is not known to the average visitor the doctor penetrated the towns and smaller communities. His picture was awarded a high rating on its photography as well
THE WINNERS
S200— To the Ships of Syd- ney." Grand Prize
§50 — Photography, "Mount Zao"
$50— Color, "This Side of Paradise"
850 — Home Movie, "Another Happy Day"
$50 — Educational, "Japan and Its People"
§50 — Scenario, "Prize Win- ner"
S50 — Scenic, "Europa Tour- ing"
EQUIPMENT
Victor Anlmatograph Cor- poration projects for the most interesting lighting effect, "Little Sherlock"
Agfa Ansco Corporation, six 100-foot rolls of Agfa 16mm. Hypan reversible film, "Solar Pelexus."
Agfa Ansco Corporation six 100-foot rolls of Agfa 16mm Fine-Grain Plena- chrome reversible film. "Japan and Its People."
Bell & Howell, "To the Ships of Sydney"
Mitchell Camera Corpora- tion, special award for Photographic Composition, "El Camino Real"
Harrison & Harrison, den Life"
'Gar-
West o n Electrical Instru- ment Corporation, "Scenic Wonders of the South- west."
Entered by James A. Sherlock, Sydney, Aus- tralia. 16mm. color. Used Bell & Howell Flmo camera, Kodak film, Weston Meter.
Entered by Khoji Tsukamoto, Toyko, Japan. 16mm. black and white. Used Bell & Howell Series 70 camera, Eastman film.
Entered by A. Scott Moorhouse, Toronto, Can- ada. 16mm. color. Cine Kodak Special Camera, Kodachrome.
Entered by T. Lawrenson, Dundee, Scotland. 16mm. black and white. Ensign Kinecam Cam- era, Agfa Isopan supersensitive.
Entered by Dr. Roy E. Gerstenkorn, Los An- geles. 16mm. black and white, Eastman cam- era, Agfa Pan and Superpan.
Entered by J. Kinney Moore, Los Angeles. 16mm. black and white. Cine Kodak Special camera, Eastman S.S. Pan.
Entered by Ellis M. Yarnell and C. Y. Kimball, Redondo Beach, Calif. 16mm. color. Cine Ko- dak Special and Cine Kodak K cameras, Ko- dachrome.
Entered by Charles J. Carbonaro, New York. 16mm. black and white. Cine Kodak Special camera, Eastman S.S. Panchromatic.
Entered by Mel Weslender and Harry French, San Francisco. 16mm. black and white, Stew- art Warner f.3.5 Hollywood model camera, Agfa plenachrome and superpan.
Entered by Dr. Roy E. Gerstenkorn, Los An- geles. 16mm. black and white, Eastman cam- era, Agfa Pan and Superpan.
Entered by James A. Sherlock, Sydney, Aus- tralia. 16mm., color, Filmo 70 DA. camera, Kodak film, Weston Meter.
Entered by John E. Walter, Los Angeles, Cal. 8mm., color, Eastman 8mm. No. 20 f:3.5 cam- era, Eastman Kodachrome.
Entered by Eugene L. Ritzmann, Berkeley, Cal. 16mm., color, Model A and Model K East- man cameras. Eastman Daylight Koda- chrome and Type A Kodachrome.
Entered by R. C. Denny, Fresno, Cal. 16mm., color, Stewart Warner Deluxe camera, Koda- chrome.
28 American Cinematographer • January, 1938
as on his treatment of the subject. After the showing of this picture be- fore the Los Angeles Motion Picture Forum last summer the local school au- thorities requested and received permis- sion from the doctor to make a dupli- cate of it for school purposes.
Strange subject title indeed was "Prize Winner," the entry of J. Kinney Moore, S.A.C., of Los Angeles, in the scenario class. Choosing of that caption for a film designed for inspection by a jury surely must have been the work of a brave man, one who himself must have been satisfied that when it came to making a picture he "knew his on- ions," who deliberately disregarded what he knew must have been a provocative and an antagonistic challenge to any jury called upon to assay its competitive merits with the product of the wide world.
The "prize winner" of the title of course was just a goat who had pulled down for its owner a ten-dollar bill as a prize at the county fair, a sum which its owner promptly had sunk in the near- est bucolic palace of chance.
The committee disregarded any pos- sessive tendencies of its own in the goat line and decided the entrant really did know his onions when it came to mak- ing pictures. But of course every one even on the fringe of the amateur world knows J. Kinney Moore is one of the tops among the amateurs.
"Europa Touring," winner in the scenic class, was a "honey" in any man's language. It was the film handiwork of Ellis M. Yarnell and C. Y. Kimball of Redondo Beach, Cal.; and was the story of a tour of Northern Europe, where the summer grass, as in north- ern countries, really is green — which
In Warner Brothera' "Jezebel," a tale of the South in 1850, Bette Davis in the garb of that day faces the -prod iiction crew for a still picture. In the center of the picture, vnth his left hand on the ladder and facing the player, is Ernie Haller, director of photography. Sitting just above him, with roled sleeves, is Director William Wyler. Immediately behind the director is Operative Cameraman Al Roberts and at his left Bud Weiler, assistant. Mack Elliott pohtographed the still.
last remark of course tells you the subject was in color. The two men have been making amateur motion pictures for seven years. Yarnell is a member of the Delta Kappa Alpha, Cinema Fra- ternity, U.S.C., and Kimball of the Ama- teur Cinema League.
Charles J. Carbonaro, member of the Metropolitan Motion Picture Club of New York, who has been making ama- teur films for nine years, was the win- ner of Victor Animatograph's Model 11 Master Silent Projector with carrying case. The conditions were the award was to be based on the most unusual and interesting lighting effect on 16mm. film regardless of subject or length.
The title was the all-interior "Little Sherlock," and was the story of a little girl much interested in the movies, mis- chievous a little bit perhaps but exceed- ingly concerned in following the move- ments of her movie-making father and taking advantage of stray opportunities unobserved to take a few shots with the mounted camera on her own. Thus un- wittingly did she prove to be a detective.
Mel Weslander and Harry French of San Francisco, with "Solar Pelexus," were winners of Agfa's contribution of six rolls of film. As the misspelling of the title indicates, the subject was a farce portraying the journey of two men to another planet in a rocket.
Walter Takes Lens
For his excellent composition in the 650-foot 8mm. Kodachrome subject of "El Camino Real" John E. Walter, re- tiring vice president of the Los Angeles 8mm. Club, was awarded the f :1.8 20mm. Astro lens contributed by Mitchell Cam- era Corporation. The subject is a most interesting pictorial tour of the Pacific Coast missions, with intimate shots around each.
Harrison and Harrison's offer of the firm's color meter in leather case, with six 1^/4 -inch meter-matched filters in leather filter fold, was awarded Eugene L. Ritzmann of Berkeley, Cal., for his "Garden Life." The entrant has been making amateur movies for nine years, and his skilled work in putting on the screen in color by means of controlled timing the blooming of flowers demon- strated that his period of apprenticeship has long since expired.
If a word of suggestion and distinctly not of criticism might be offered it would be the film would have greater value for the uninformed if titles should be inserted identifying the various flow- ers. The subject caused some tough eggs of the male persuasion to sit up and take notice. What it will do to the world of womankind it is not hard to imagine.
It may be of interest to state the equipment Ritzmann used other than that set forth in the box accompanying was a blue artificial light filter with both of the films named and auxiliary lenses were employed in super close-ups.
R. C. Denny, S.A.C, was awarded the Weston Cine Exposure Meter Model 819, contributed by its manufacturers, for "Scenic Wonders of the Southwest," an 800-foot subject in color.
January, 1938 • American Cinematographer 29
B, dc H. HAS NOVEL 8mm FILM VIEWER
J. Kenfield Morley, appointed by the directors of the Advitagraph Corpora- tion as vice president and general man- ager for a contracted five-year pe7-iod. The company is a Chicago concern, with offices in Rochester and Louisville. It produces motion picture advertising and manufactures Flo-Lite continuous pro- jectors.
Inquiring Reader Sends
Thanks for Technical Aid
NOT all of the technical inquiries re- ceived by The American Cinema- tographer are answered in these col- umns. Many require special personal re- plies too long, or too intimately related to the individual's specific problems to permit their being printed here.
Other questions may be referred di- rectly to honorary and associate mem- bers of the A.S.C., maybe leaders in some special phase or phases of cin- ema technology.
Recently one of our readers reported difficulties in splicing leader strips to 16mm. negative film. The question was referred to Dr. V. B. Sease, A.S.C., head of the DuPont Film Company's research laboratories. Dr. Sease took time from his duties as head of one of the world's greatest research plants to help our reader with his splicing problem. The other day we received this letter from the reader in question:
"Thanks to your efforts to answer my query regarding difficulty in splic- ing 16mm. negative film, I have received a 2 oz. bottle of film cement from Dr. V. B. Sease, A.S.C., of DuPont Film.
"This cement has solved all my diffi- culties in this matter. Several of my moviemaking friends who also have had the same trouble have been helped by this cement.
"I wish to take this opportunity to thank you very much for all the trouble you have gone to, and through you to Dr. Sease and to wish you personally and the A.S.C. continued success."
CENTRALLY located on a stream- lined metal base is a splicer simi- lar to the Bell and Howell "136," a rapid-fire splicing unit which requires film placement on the pilot pins only once, and which shears the film ends and brings the bonding surfaces together in one operation. The dry scraper and film cement bottle are conveniently recessed in the base on the right side of the splicer.
At each end of the base is a stream- lined rewinder which takes all 8mm. reels, including camera spools, return spools, and 200-foot projection leels. These rewinders are geared 21/2 to 1, which means that a single turn of the crank rotates a reel two and a half times.
The 8mm. owner may start his equip- ment with this rewinder and splicer and later complete the outfit by adding to it himself the 8mm. film viewer.
8mm. Editor
The complete editor consists of the re- winder and splicer just described, plus a special 8mm. film viewer exceedingly clever in its design.
This viewer is so simple and compact that one wonders why no one thought of it before. Actually, it took Bell & Howell more than two years to design the editor, for simple things are the hardest to do well.
The viewer might be described as an inverted, modified cone, hinged at the
small end and terminating at the large end in a ground glass viewing screen IV2 inches wide upon which a brilliant up- right image of a single frame is pro- duced. This viewing screen is well shielded by a "sunshade," permitting a desk lamp or room lights to be used with- out interference.
The view cone swings backward from its base, out of the way entirely when the film is wound from one reel to an- other, and permitting easy placement of the film in its channel when the viewer is to be used.
The lamp is entirely inclosed, except for the small opening through which its rays pass to the optical units in the viewing cone, and there isn't a chance for glare in the eyes of the operator. With a convenient switch on the cord, the lamp may be turned off while the operator is splicing.
All surfaces with which the film comes in contact are recessed to eliminate any possibility of abrasion, and the entire editor is designed to offer the utmost in film protection, efficient, lasting splices, and ease of operation.
The film viewer can be purchased sep- arately, for use with the rewinder and splicer, and it is also available with a viewer elevating bracket and a rewinder elevator block for use on previously pur- chased Model 136 and wood-base splicer and rewind combinations.
The new Bell and Howell film editor
30 American Cinematographer • January, 1938
Amateur Cinematographers Seek to Make Better Motion Pictures
That's the Answer to Question as to What They Are Striving for — Screen's Dominant Place in World Has Awakened Universal Consciousness of Film Quality
WHAT are amateur cinematogra- phei's striving for? The obvious answer is "to make better and more interesting motion pictures."
The dominant place of motion pictures in the entertainment, advertising, and, in fact, ahnost every field of human activity, has awakened a universal con- sciousness of photographic quality even in the most casual.
The butcher and the baker today know a good picture from a bad. This places the amateur on the spot. Even in his darkened living room, while his neigh- bors view his film of a vacation in Yosemite, he is uneasily aware that his pictures are being judged by the stand- ards of the professional theater.
And yet the real amateur is his own severest critic. He devotes himself to the perfection of his hobby from the sheer love of making good pictures. With such motives free from commer- cial dictates and restraints, it is only natural that in originality and artistic quality amateurs frequently produce pictures ranking with the best.
Skids Into Hobby
Let us examine what we amateurs are trying to do and how we are trying to do it. The average movie addict becomes so innocently and by accident. On a banana peel of overwhelming desire to perpetuate and share with others scenes and events which moved him deeply he skids into his hobby.
Or it may have been the new baby whose unique charm each proud parent feels impelled to preserve for posterity. A litter of pups, or a trip around the world have been the starting excuse.
The hobby demon, like proverbial vice, lurks in many unsuspected forms. Some are lured to a camera by an irresistible desire to make beautiful pictures with- out the usual practical motives. These are the real artists akin to the musician, the poet, and the painter.
I said we are launched into this fas- cinating hobby "innocently." By that I mean frequently the amateur is un- aware of the difficulties that beset the path he has chosen. He harbors the sweet delusion that fine pictures exist miraculously in his shiny new camera.
All that seems necessary for success is to point the lens at what he sees and let it run. Disillusionment is usu- ally quick and painful, though often the
By A. L. GRAM
President Los Angeles Cinema Club
beguiling spirit that leads us on has a sweet smile for our first endeavors.
With the awakening of consciousness as to his limitations, the amateur then naturally turns to the extensive litera- ture of motion picture photography. In the excellent monthly magazines pub- lished for his especial benefit he seeks the answers to the mysteries of the art. What Is Amateur's Aim?
Those determined souls who survive the early failures and have the forti- tude to continue end up in the amateur cinema club. There they seek to profit by the experience of kindred hobbyists mutually seeking solace and aid in pen- etrating the mysteries of the motion picture art and science.
What is the amateur's first desire? It is to make a good picture under any reasonable condition he may encounter: on bright days and dull days, in light
A. L. Gram, new president of the Los Angeles Cii%ema Club
and in shadow, by the sea, and in the mountains, indoors and out.
This means primarily the discovering of that particular lens aperture which will produce the best possible results under a given set of conditions. The amateur generally wants a picture that is bright with nicely graded contrasts of light and shadow, with ample detail and with that elusive recording of near and distant objects so essential to the illu- sion of space. That, in general, is our primary desire.
Not always, however, does the amateur seek for the greatest brightness and clarity. Often he is more concerned with producing a particular effect or impressionism which he believes can best be accomplished by the elimination of detail. Ships against the sky, or a sunset through the clouds are favorite illustrations. Producing the illusion of moonlight on the beach is another.
But whether we are striving for bril- liance and clarity of detail or the ren- dering of a pictorial mood, our problem lies in the proper manipulation of the camera and its accessories.
New Fields in Color
With the recent advances in the use of color, the amateur's interests have been extended to new fields. Color, in some respects, has simplified his techni- cal problems, and in others added new complexities. With black and white film, good results frequently depend upon the skillful adaptation and use of the many filters.
Balancing of color intensities is natu- rally much simplified by a film which records the actual colors rather than their light reflecting capacities. The problem of interpreting colors and shades into tones of black and white has always haunted the conscientious amateur.
It is only with experience many dis- cover that the picture which seemed at first to be a clear and faithful reproduc- tion in light and shadow of a colorful scene of meadow and stream had com- pletely distorted the relative light values of nature.
With these considerations in mind, most amateurs will agree that our first problem is the mastery of our equip- ment. A camera is a wild, unbroken device until tamed to do its master's vdll. As Count von Schoenfeldt advised the members of the Los Angeles Cinema Club, we must become so expert in the
January, 1938 • American Cinematographer 31
manipulation of our cameras that ad- justments are made automatically and subconsciously, leaving the eyes and mind free to deal with the subject. So much for photographic mechanics. Appeal to Artistic Sense
This leads us to the next factor of concern to the amateur. He wants not only to produce a clear and true picture of a mountain stream, a rock in the surf, or a smiling baby, but also one that gives pleasure in the artistic sense with which we regard the landscape painting or a fine etching.
By trial and study he searches for the underlying principles upon which these qualities depend. Among the things he discovers are that the central theme of his picture must stand out, yet remain unobtrusive; the objects within the scene must be grouped into configurations and outlines reducible to simple geometric forms; that the masses of color or light and shade must be so disposed as to give the picture an in- nate sense of balance; that the succes- sive planes of the picture must be har- moniously related to one another and to the picture as a whole.
The artistic quality of a picture is highly intangible and depends greatly upon the intuition of the photographer and, of coui'se, on his training. The cinema club affords opportunities for comparison and discussion of each mem- ber's results with his associates and can contribute very much to improving the composition of the amateur.
The third element which the experi- enced amateur and thoroughly inoculated hobbyist seeks to achieve is continuity. This is also an artistic element and in- vades the field of the writer and story teller. It is probably the predominant factor in professional films, but gen- erally of subordinate interest to the amateur.
Would Hold Interest
Nevertheless, the amateur, regardless of his subiect matter, whether it be a trip to England or a baby on a hot day with a garden hose, seeks to apply those psychologic principles which will arouse and hold the interest of his audience.
In doing this he is concerned with which scenes are to be selected and what is to be cut out, with the length of the scenes, and with the order in which they succeed one another. By ingenuity and skill, he endeavors to introduce his audience to the time, place, location, and circumstance of the picture and cany it along to a natural climax and conclusion without ignoring or overstraining the imagination.
The foregoing, I think, is a fair re- view of what the amateur is striving for. How he seeks to attain these various objectives varies greatly with the individual. Here is the crux of the problem of organizing programs for amateur cinema clubs.
Each of us draws from a different fund of knowledge, experience, and tem- perament. Some feel that they learn more and profit most by hearing discus- sions and expositions of the underlying
scientific and artistic principles of pic- turemaking. They feel that talks on lenses, emulsions, cameras, on tripods and light meters and on the principles of artistic and literary composition and psychology give them the best results as reflected in their own pictures.
Others are sure that they profit most by the experimental approach. They like to see films taken under experi- mental conditions where some factors are held constant and others are varied. Keen for Experiment
A common illustration is the frequent- ly expressed desire to see a picture, say, of a snow-capped mountain with a tree- bordered stream winding into the fore- ground taken from a constant position with the exposure varied through suc- cessive stops; or, under the same cir- cumstances, to see the effects of intro- ducing a succession of filters.
Then again many feel that their pic- turetaking is most benefited by seeing a variety of professional and amateur photography and hearing competent
B. & H. Producing Four
Film-on-Sound Projectors
WITH the announcement of great improvements throughout the en- tire line of Filmosounds, Bell & Howell is now producing four standard models of these 16mm. sound-on-film projectors, one Model 120, two Model 138s and one Model 130. All embody new features.
The new 750-watt Filmosound 120-G for the busy traveling sales representa- tive has an electric rewind, and for the teacher who wishes to emphasize and re- view there is a still picture clutch and a reverse gear. The clutch and reverse are invaluable, too, to those who wish to edit their sound film with the helpful aid of the Filmosound.
Two speeds, sound and silent, appeal
analysis and criticism. They want to be told what to do and what not to do.
These approaches to the problem of learning photography are not mutually exclusive. Some cinema club members prefer one or more and are inclined to be bored by the others. Consequently, as I see it, the logical way to satisfy all the diversified requirements of a club membership is to present a variety of programs throughout the club year.
A series of programs designed exclu- sively on one principle will not be satis- factory to all and will meet with objec- tions from those who feel that their photography is not being improved or their experience enlarged. Those who desire to see pictures criticized will fre- quently avoid technical meetings, and so on.
If amateur cinema clubs would recog- nize these principles in arranging their programs, it is believed that more satis- fied and enthusiastic memberships would result, and the consequences would be reflected in the quality of their pictures.
to the market for a universal machine, and the improved amplifier provides 18 watts of undistorted output with even greater fidelity than before. The take- up mechanism is cleverly designed to re- quire no changing of belts to run reels of various sizes. This new model is also available with a special amplifier to operate a 25 to 60 cycle alternating current.
The newest of the improved Filmo- sounds is the 130-D, the powerful 1000- watt Auditorium model. A completely redesigned amplifier is the outstanding new feature of the 130 — an amplifier smoothly styled in the modern mode with the popular sloping control panel, and capable of an unusually high out- put.
The new Bell & Howell Filmsound 138-J, a tzvo-case model which provides a sound-proof inclosure for the projector, handles both sound and silent film, and
offers clutch and reverse.
32 American Cinematographer • January, 1938
There are Thrills Aplenty for He IVho Dramatizes the Iron Horse
By WILLIAM STULL, A.S.C.
EVERYONE has thrilled to the sight of a crack express train thundering past, smoke-plumed and moving with the rhythm of dynamic grace. Those of us who have lived in small towns recall the daily rite when everyone who possibly could trooped to the station to watch "Number Six" go by.
All of us remember childhood ambi- tions— frustrated, perhaps, but still se- cretly cherished — to sit at the throttle, controlling the bridled power of some thundering giant of the rails.
But — did you ever think of the rail- road as a source of picture material ?
I know there are literally tens of thousands addicted to the hobby of rail- road photography in the still photog- rapher's sense; but I am speaking of cine-picture material. This business of railroad movie-making offers the cine- man scope for exercising practically every facet of his cinematic bent.
Pictorial landscape filming? Of course! Color? Certainly! Documentary presentation ? There's no wider realm of little known facts that move! Hu- man-interest scenes? What else are the thousands who ride and run our trains? In truth, railroad filming offers the dis- cerning filmer what might be termed an embarrassment of riches.
In this, I speak from experience.
Egged on by such fellow-members of the A.S.C. as Ned Van Buren and Ray Fernstrom, I yielded some time ago to the photographic enticements of rail- road filming, and as this is written, I am devoting my spare time to complet- ing a railroad film in 8mm. color for my friend Eric Sparks, of England.
In the hope of helping others similarly interested, and mayhap of suggesting a new cinematic fisld to yet other cinemen, here are some of the things I've learned while making my films of the Iron Horse.
Must Have Story
First of all, your film must have a definite story to tell. Of course, if you are a dyed-in-the-wool rail fan, you'll get a measurable thrill from iust see- ing Pennsy K-4s or Espee Mallets mov- ing across your home screen: but your friends will like the picture a lot better if it has something definite to say.
For my own film, I chose the evolu- tion of California's railroads from the early-day equipments up to today's glis- tening streamliners. There are count- less other stories that can be put in- terestingly on film in every locality. Look around and take your pick!
Once you've chosen your story, prob- ably the next question is the eternal one of black-and-white vs. color. I chose color. For most rail pictures, it is best,
Here is the latest in streamlined locomotives, shown in action at the head of the Daylight Limited, running between Los Angeles and San Francisco. As the color scheme of the entire train is in orange and red it is "easy meat" for the Koda- chromist when he (or she) a-hunting goes. Photographed by Ned Van Buren, A.S.C.
though there are some things, such as films shot in murky roundhouies and engine .shops, which demand the added speed of black-and-white.
You mipht not think co'or wou'd enhance scenes of our sooty black loco- motives and drab "riullr'"n "-•'^0-" rnr-; but the fact remains that it does. In fact, some of my color scenes showing dusty transcontinental trains coming in from the desert present a mu?h more attractive picture than monochrome could possibly hope to do.
And of course our modern stream- liners and specially decorated steam trains simply scream for Kodachrome. Railroads Cooperative
The next question is how to get your scenes. In some parts of this country, as is the case in Europe, you may pos- sibly find it necessary to arm yourself with a photographing permit from the company. In my own case I did not find it so, and I believe that in most cases, as long as a filmer behaves him- self and does not attempt foolish or risky things, he will find the rail per- sonnel most cooperative.
The American railroads are begin- ning to appreciate the rail fan and to cultivate his good-will. The almost in- variable reaction as I whipped out my Filmo for a shot was that everyone, from engineers to switch tenders, tried to help me make my shot perfect; most of them asked me advice about getting still or movie outfits for themselves or their families, and many volunteered suggestions of action or locations that would make good scenes.
Whether you are shooting color or monochrome, a fairly flat lighting, with a good strong sun, is the best. If the sun can be relatively low in the sky, so much the better; the drivers and side- rods of locomotives are very important to our picture, and the boilers on mod- ern "hogs" have growTi so big that when the sun is high, they are likely to throw the running gear into unpleasantly heavy shadow.
The best antidote naturally is a low sun that throws direct light underneath the big boilers.
Showery Days Not Taboo
In black-and-white, cloudy days are often excellent for close shots of en- gines, but personally I do not care to make color scenes on such days, for the color film often gives a slight reddish hue to the actually black engines and makes them look brownish and rusty.
On the other hand, some of my best
January, 1938
American Cinematographer 33
color-shots have been made on showery days, with broken clouds. Bu-t clear, crisply blue-white-lit mornings are best for Kodachroming locomotives.
The railroad cinematographer cannot, of course, dictate what his lightings are to be, for timetables are seldom planned for photographers. If a train is at a certain point of its run at a certain time, that's that; and if the lighting is bad for photography, it's iuit too bad.
But you can get around this by choos- ing your locations for lighting as well as action. Sometimes, too, the same train — eastbound instead of westbound — moving on the opposite run, or even a similar but earlier or later train can double very successfu'ly in such shots.
Railroad photography is necessarily a time consuming pursu't. Often one will pry himself out of bed at an un- holy hour, drive a score of miles, set up — and return with hut a single shot. If another angle on the same action is wanted, he must wait until another day and repeat the performance; in some in- stances, as with the transcontinental streamliners, one must wait a full week!
Perhaps the most important — and the most frequently overlooked — feature of rail filming technique is the matter of keeping the direction of a train's move- ment across the screen consistent from one scene to the next.
Suppose you bef in a sequ3nce by showinf; a train pulling out of a sta- tion. In this, let's say it moves across the screen from left to right, leaving the scene on the right hand side of the screen. Well, in the next scene, it should enter the picture from left. Once in the picture, it can, if you wish, turn, leav- ing the scene toward the left: but in succeeding scenes it should then be shown entering from the right and leav- ing to the left until it is again shown turning.
Don't Mix Directions
In the same way, if you begin a se- quence showing a train coming toward the camera, succeeding scenes should show the train ccming toward the cam- era until one shows it approaching, turning and receding (you can get such shots on curves) after which the train should always be shown proceeding, in its new direction.
In general, the less you mix up the direction of movement the more consis- tently interesting — and understandable — will your film prove to non-rail audi- ences.
The matter of camera angles is of tremendous importance. Low camera angles will give an impression of in- creased size; high ones will diminish the apparent massiveness of the train.
Extreme long shots will make even the speediest streamliner appear to be moving more slowly; closer angles will make the train seem moving faster and faster the closer you get to it. In the same way, long scenes will tend to slow the motion, while short flashes speed it up.
Here, by the way, let me caution against filming the train crossing the picture close to the camera and moving
directly across the frame. At normal camera speeds such shots are likely to be unpleasantly blurred and often jumpy; a three-quarter angle — prefer- ably with the train approaching — ^is much more effective.
Probably the ideal angle is that shown in the illustration, a picture of the Southern Pacific's streamlined "Daylight Limited." Here the train is shown rounding a curve and approaching the camera. In addition, it is just at the start of a gradient (Santa Suzanna Pass), and as the engineer opens his throttle to make a run for the hill and the fireman throws extra fuel on the fire the engine streams forth a highly pictorial cloud of smoke.
Speed Variety Helps
The opposite extremes — the virtually smokeless running a good fireman can achieve on a level tangent, and the over steamy exhausts from stack and cylin- ders some engineers indulge in when starting — .are not so desirable for pic- tures.
A variety of camera speeds is help- ful in railroad filming, though they are not by any means essential. Our modern da luxe trains — especially the speedy streamliners — start very slowly and smoothly, hardly seeming to move.
A camera speed of 8 frames a second is very helpful here. On the other hand, if you make shots from the train itself, speeds of 24 or 32 frames a second will be a big help in smoothing out the vibration.
Within the past few years a develop- ment of vast importance to anyone in- terested in railroad movie making has taken place. This is the rise of special excursions sponsored by the various or- ganizations of railroad and railroad pic- ture enthusiasts.
Sponsored by such groups as the Rail- way and Locomotive Historical Society, the Railroad Enthusiasts, the Railroad Boosters, and various other national and local organizations of railroad and model-railroad fans, these trips afford special opportunities for filming railroad scenes on little used branch lines, heav- ily traveled main lines, roundhouses, locomotive and car shops, and the like, which might otherwise be difficult to ob- tain.
Excursion Trips
These trips are constantly taking place in every section of the country. The cost is rarely high; a recent one which netted me some invaluable shots of one of California's few surviving narrow gaur;e railroads and equally useful ones made from the de luxe Daylight Lim- ited cost less than the price of a single roll of 16mm. color film!
However, if you go on one of these trips, don't imagine you'll be the only member of the cine fraternity present. The railroad camera enthusiasts are taking to movies, both 16mm. and 8mm., in increasing numbers; the man who car- ries but a sintrle camera on such an excursion will find himself distinctly in the minority: many come equipped for both stills and movies, while some even
pack three cameras, complete with tri- pods, meters and other accessories.
But at any rate, if you are looking for a subject different from the ordi- nary run of scenics, travel-scenes and shots of families and friends, try drama- tizing the Iron Horse.
She has started in many a profes- sional film from the days of "The Great Train Robbery" down to today's "Wells Fargo" — and still she offers pictures which can interest any audience.
Agfa Prints Two Booklets
on Photographic Subjects
Among recent publications by Agfa Ansco Corporation of Binghamton, N. Y., are two which will be of interest to many amateur photographers. One is a booklet of over forty formulas for photo- graphic use — including developers, fixers, intensifiers, reducers, desensitizers, and toners. Also included as part of this free booklet is a practical discussion of the principles of chemistry that are impor- tant to the photographer.
The ether publication is a 32-page catalog of Agfa materials for amateur U£:e, listing and describing the cameras, accessories, films, papers, and chemicals manufactured by Agfa Ansco. Both the formula bock and Catalog 56A are avail- able without charge at photographic dealers or may be obtained by writing Agfa Ansco Corporation, Binghamton, New York.
Kodak Issues Home Outfit
To facilitate the photographic educa- tion of amateurs who receive their first cameras this Christmas, the Eastman Kodak Company has assembled a home developing and printing kit, the Kodak ABC darkroom outfit, which includes all the basic material and equipment for beginning a home darkroom. The kit serves for negatives up to and includ- ing SVi by 5V2 inches.
Attractively packaged, the new outfit includes a Brownie darkroom lamp. Model A; a four-oynce graduate; three 4 by 6 inch developing trays; one half- pound package of Kodak acid fixing powder; three tubes of Eastman Univer- sal developer; two dozen sheets of Vel- vet velox paper, Contrast No. 3, size 3^/4 by 5^/^; two Kodak junior film clips; a glass stirring rod; Eastman printing frame and glass, and an instruction booklet giving complete information for developing and printing negatives.
The ABC outfit is designed to help the "rookie" amateur avoid difficulties and errors in his purchases at the start of his darkroom experience.
Agfa Plays Santa Glaus
A Christmas bonus, totaling approx- imately $100,000, has been declared by Agfa Ansco Corporation, and was dis- tributed among Agfa employees about December 15. The Christmas bonus, an- nounced by Dr. Ernst Schwarz, Agfa president, was credited to the general gain in business during 1937.
34 American Cinematographer • January, 1938
TbjbiA o^ihsi Wjovk Q^A
Walter, Horton, Mrs. Armstrong
Win Top Honors in 8mm. Group
THE annual banquet and contest of the 8mm Club was held at the Victor Hugo Cafe, Beverly Hills, Decem- ber 11. The attendance exceeded 160 and, in keeping with the history of this club, was the most successful annual gather- ing thus far.
At the conclusion of an excellent din- ner Dr. F. R. Loscher, the retiring presi- dent, introduced the incoming officers: C. G. Cornell, president; J. H. Taylor, vice president; B. B. Vogel, secretary, and William Wade, treasurer. The retir- ing officers, M. R. Armstrong, secretary- treasurer; John E. Walter, vice president, and Dr. Loscher then sang their three- part swan song.
A drawing was then held and door prizes consisting of one roll of panchro- matic film each was won by E. J. Brouil- lette, Jr., Clifford R. Carpenter and Mrs. Phillip Richards. We shall all be looking forward to seeing what they have done with these rolls at the February meeting, as a suitable reward has been arranged for the best one submitted.
Dr. Loscher called on William Stull, ASC, to give the results of the judges' decisions. The judges were all members
Dr. J. H. Taylor, Vice President Los Angeles 8mm Club
of the American Society of Cinematog- raphers, the two others being Charles G. Clarke and Ned Van Buren. Their find- ings were as follows:
John Walter was the well deserving winner of the first prize, consisting of a $25 merchandise order given by Eastman Kodak Stores and a two-year subscrip- tion to the American Cinematographer. His picture was a two-reel travelogue in kodachrome entitled "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
"Away From All Cares," a kodachrome vacation picture which by the rules gov- erning it was not eligible for the Hor- ton Vacation Trophy, won second prize for William Horton. This prize was a
C. G. Cornell, president Los Angeles 8mm Club
$23.50 beaded screen donated by the J. W. Robinson Company and a one-year subscription to Home Movie.
Mrs. Charlotte Armstrong's picture "Thru the Filter" won for her third prize consisting of a Western exposure meter, a $22.50 value given by Petersen's Camera Exchange.
"My Alaska Cruise," a two reel travel- ogue in kodachrome, was awarded fourth prize. This picture by C. G. Cornell
earned for him a $15 merchandise order at Bell & Howell's.
"Escape," a vacation film, won fifth prize for Ed Pyle, a $10 merchandise order at Bell & Howell's.
"The Pest," by Earl Janda, was sixth, a $5 merchandise order at Bill Winter Inc.
"Kleptomania," by Bion Vogel, won the seventh award, a $3.50 merchandise order by A. L. Kirkhuff of Glendale.
The special class award for the Horton Vacation Trophy was then made to John Walter for his "Midsummer Night's Dream."
Dr. Loscher asked for an audible vote as to how many of the prize pictures should be run and it was unanimous that all seven winning pictures should be shown. To a person the 160 present re- mained until well after midnight and no one regretted it.
BION B. VOGEL, Secretary.
Cinema Club oi San Francisco
THE Cinema Club of San Francisco at its meeting December 14 elected E. G. Petherick as president, C. D. Hud- son vice president, Vernon Hallet secre- tary, H. T. Kelly treasurer, and W. Ce- bulla, Maxwell MacVean and H. L. Mil- ler directors.
George L. Waters filmed two Koda- chrome subjects, "AVestward Ho" and "The Grand Tetons of Wyoming."
E. G. PETHERICK, President.
Bion B. Vogel, secretary Los Angeles 8mm Club
January, 1938
American Cinematographer 35
Gerstenkorn and Chapman Lead
Winners of Los Angeles Cinema
THE members of the Los Angeles Cinema Club met in the banquet room of the University Club at 6:30 on December 7. The secretary-treasurer, James H. Mitchell, in his annual report stated there were seventy-eight mem- bers of the club in good standing.
The Board of Directors had author- ized an appropriation of $69.95 with which to purchase a loud speaker and turn table for the club. This purchase had been made through the Stith-Noble Corporation.
The nominating committee named these officers for the ensuing year: A. L. Gram for president, James H. Mitchell for vice-president and R. B. Stith for secretary-treasurer. These were elected by acclamation.
At the request of Dr. Bailey, retiring president, President Gram announced his plans and policies for the ensuing year, which were enthusiastically re- ceived by members present.
The program then was turned over to Fred Champion, chairman of the Contest Committee, who stated the pic- tures that had been entered in the an- nual contest had been judged by a spe- cial contest committee from the Para- mount Amateur Movie Club, and in ac- cordance with the rating given each pic- ture by the committee of judges the following pictures were awarded prizes: Best photography, 400 foot, "Japan and Its People," Dr. Roy E. Gerstenkorn • — S25 merchandise order donated by Eastman Kodak Stores, Inc.
Best color film, 400 foot, "Bryce Can- yon," E. F. G. Chapman — ^25 merchan- dise order donated by Bell & Howell.
Story Class — First, "Egypt and the Land of the Nile," Dr. A. Freebairn —
James H. Mitchell, vice-president Los Angeles Cinema
Three 100-foot rolls Agfa film donated by Agfa and one year's subscription to American Cinematographer.
Second, "My First Hair Cut," Ed Pyle — SIO merchandise order donated by Winters, Inc.
Third, "In His Father's Footsteps," James H. Mitchell— Two 100-foot rolls Super Pellex film donated by Pellex Film Co.
Documentary Class — First, "Tropical Interlude," Earl Memory — $20 36 by 48 screen donated by Victor Animatograph Corporation and one year's subscription to American Cinematographer.
Second, "Six Weeks with a Humming- bird," Ralph G. Herr — Splicer and titler donated by Hollywood Cine Film Dis- tributors.
Third, "Fire Mountains of Yesterday," Ralph D. Taylor— Two 100-foot rolls Ortho film donated by Pellex Film Co.
Honorable Mention — -"Safari Land," by Dr. Gerstenkorn; "Kalaidescopic" and "Guatemala," by Levy.
Wilton Carneal, president of Para-
C. W. Wade, treasurer Los Angeles 8mm Club
mount Amateur Movie Club and mem- ber of the committee of judges, gave a few criticisms as some of the pictures entered in the contest were shown. The following are the committee's comments on the two leading winners:
"Scenic Bryce Canyon," by E. F. G. Chapman — "There is very little one can add to a picture of this quality. It was excellent from every standpoint. A sug- gestion or two — a few titles in the body of the picture, and placing at the end.
for a better climax, some of the breath- taking shots in the middle of the picture. Congratulations to you, Mr. Chapman, on a mighty fine picture."
"Japan and Its People," by Dr. Gersten- korn— "Dr. Gerstenkorn is to be congrat- ulated on the fine job he has done in capturing the spirit of the people. The picture is full of human interest and well edited. The photography is excel- lent and worthy of its award as the best picture from the standpoint of photography. The only criticism against the picture is that it begins and ends too abruptly."
Lawrenson's 'Happy Day'
Takes Honors in Japan
By FRED C. ELLS
TOKYO, Dec. 1.— "Happy Day" T. Lawrenson's home life 16mm. movie, made in Dundee, Scotland, won first place and the Honorary Presi- dent's Cup in the First International Amateur Film Competition held in Tokyo by the Sakura Kogata Eiga Kyokai. Second place went to Mr. Ogino, Tokyo, for his industrial film, "Agar agar." Third place was awarded "Bom- merli," produced by R. Groschopp of Berlin.
Other films placing in the ten best were "Chrysanthemum Culture," by R. Imaeda, Osaka; "Insect Life," K. Kaki- moto, Nara; "V-Ray Tube" J. Martin, London; "Kudani Porcelain" K. Mizu- hara & R. Ishida, Komatsu; "Mount Fuji in Winter" T. Nagahara, Tokyo; "Netting Wild Ducks," I. Shima, Tokyo; "Surf, Sand and Sunshine," J. A. Sher- lock, Sydney, Australia.
Among the second ten best were two German productions, "Eine Kleine Konig- stragodie," by R. Groschopp, and "Fruh- ling and Bodensee," by G. Schneider. All the others in this class were Japanese.
It was the considered opinion of the judges that Japanese photography and general camera work are fully up to the best international standards, but that in cutting and editing the films from abroad on the whole were superior.
Japanese entries were almost entirely of a cultural nature suitable for general showing in the educational field, where- as the foreign films submitted were
|
f |
Richard (Dick) Stith, secretary-treas- urer Los Angeles Cinema Club
36 American CinematographEr • January, 1938
mostly of a personal nature or scenic, made for amusement and private show- ing.
The winning films were projected on Nov. 26, in Tckyo, before an audience of 700 members and friends of the Sakura Kogata Eiga Kyokai. This was the biggest amateur film show ever held in the Far East. At this time the prizes and awards were distributed by Marquis Yamashina, honorary president of the society, and by Count Kuroda.
Additional performances also are to be given December 6 and 16 to those members and others unable to be present at the first performance. A further series of projections is scheduled in Osrka and one or two other large cities during January.
Chicago Cinema Club
NEWS Flashes, official bulletin of the Chicago Cinema Club, oldest incorporated amateur movie organization in the United States, in its issue for January 1 announces some of the prin- cipal doings scheduled for the coming year. Editor S. F. Warner, 1538 Maren- go avenue. Forest Park, outlines the first programs.
January G there will be a business meeting, with tinting and toning and refreshments properly separated. Jan- uary 13 the main subject will b-? "Fil- ters and Their Effect on Your Films," the big talk to be made by Member J. E. Wilcox of Aimer Coe and Company.
January 20 "Western United States Beauty" will call for a triple feature night. The trio will be offered by Art Josephson, Dr. Chesrow and C. B. Rob- ertson.
January 27 there will be a program much out of the ordinary, a visit for members only to a projection booth of a major theater, where an opportunity will be provided to see how films are handled professionally.
Argentine Cine Club Has
Special Showing of Films
ACCORDING to information received from Senor Oscar J. Bonello, secre- tary of the Cine Club Argentino of Buenos Aires, Argentina, this club, un- der the presidency of Senor Enrique de la Carcova, held a special exhibition dedicated to children, on November 22. The exhibition was divided in- to three forty-minute sections, and the program consisted largely of sub- standard library films from the Koda- scope, Kinagfa and other libraries, se- lected specially for their suitability for juvenile audiences.
The highlight of the final division of the program, however, was the club's own contribution to the Argentine Moth- ers' Club's campaign for child welfare, a film entitled, "Distraccion e Impru- dencia," filmed by Club Secretary Bo- nello and Member Roberto Robertie.
It is to be hoped other clubs will follow the lead of Argentina's organiza- tion in aiding worthy civic and national campaigns by the powerful aid of ama- teur movies.
Cinema Club of the Oranges
THE Cinema Club of the Oranges has a nifty bulletin with the title of Tempo. The publication, which now has a score of Volume 4, No. 2, is in four columns, each about 3^ to 4 inches wide and d'/z inches deep. The sheet is 11 by 17 inches overall. In the issue before us there are two cuts.
William Murphy, who received honor- able mention for his "If Rugs Could Talk" in the Cinematographer contest, is a member of the club of the Oranges.
The meeting December 17 was held at the home of President Vanderlipp in East Orange. While officially it was ladies' night the bulletin su.'^gests in reality it's "wives' night."
Three films were shown: "Nova Scotia Fishing Fleet," "Life in Nova Scotia" and "Newfoundland." The R?v. C. A. Piatt of the Munn Avenue Prssbyterian Church, East Orange, also spoke.
There was a short business meeting preceding the meeting and refreshments following it.
Eastman Issues a New Model Miniature Camera m Retma II
ANEW modern 35mm. miniature camera for black-and-white and full color Kodachrome pictures, the Kodak Retina II, is announced from Rochester by Eastman.
Similar in siz3 and styling to the original f.3.5 Kodak Retina I, this new member of the Retina family incorpo- rates a number cf technical advances, particularly in lens speed, flexibility of operation and "error-proofing."
It offers a choice of high-speed anastigmat lenses, either f.2.0 or f.2.8; is equipped with coupled range finder focusing, shutter speeds from 1 full second to 1/503, body shutter release, and dcuble-exposure-prevention device.
The body of die-cast aluminum alloy, made to a special formula calculated for extra toughness and rigidity. This body is covered with tough-surfaced black morocco-grain leather. Film controls.
exposure-count dial, and shutter release are mounted on a trimly-styled monitor turret finished in satined chromium.
The shutter is a Compur-Rapid, maiked for nine speeds from 1 second to 1/500 second. Exposures timed at intermediate speeds also may be made between 1 second and 1/100 second (ex- cept between 1/10 and 1/25) by setting the shutter-rim dial between the mark- ings.
Shutter plunger and film winding knob are coupled so that once the shut- ter is tripped, the film must be wound before the shutter release will operate again. This gives positive protection against double exposures. The film wind- ing knob is halted automatically by a dead-stop device when the proper amount of film for another exposure has been wound into place.
Eastman Kodak's new Retina II
January, 1938 • American Cinematographer 37
Philadelphia Cinema Club Has
Best Attendance in Its History
At the regular December meeting on the 14th there were shown for the en- tertainment of the members four filnn, three of them with musical accompani- ment.
The first was a Castle News film of by-gone days, with a sound background, highlighted with views of the Wright brothers in their first flights; Caruso, Buffalo Bill, Lillian Russell, Andrew Carnegie, William Jennings Bryan and Senator Borah.
The second film was "Circus Days," by A. L. 0. Rasch in black and white. The primal y views were taken inside the main tent of the Barnum and Bailey Circus. The musical accompaniment for this film was a record by the Circus Band, so timed that it fitted in to the change of scenes and change of acts, as depicted in the film. "Circus Days" is believed to be one of the finest of black and white films ever turned out in an Amateur Club.
"Shining Mountains," by Robert W. Crowther, the eminent Saturd:iy Evening- Post illu.strator, followed by "Trees," the woik of R. W. Bugbee, another one of our artistic members, topped off the films viewed by the membership. Both of these scenic films were in color with musical background of an appropriate nature.
R. M. Root, president, put before the membership the details of our next con- test. This will be limited to a showing of 50 feet in 16mm., and its equivalent in 8mm. Showing will be divided into two groups, one for each of the two ama- teur sizes, and each member is to put a film into the contest, due for the May meeting.
Beginning with our December meeting, admission of other than members is by card only. That this was a huge suc- cess was demonstrated by the fact that the attendance of members and guests were close to 160 persons, the finest showing and turn-out the Philadelphia Cinema Club has had in its existence.
The January meeting will be devoted primarily to gadgets that the members are to bring in.
B. N. LEVENE, Chairman Publications Committee.
Seattle 8mm. Club
THE Seattle 8mm. Cub held its first annual election and dinner Decem- ber 7, with fifty persons in attendance during the evening. There were eight door pr.'zes given by Clyde's Camera Exchange, Eastman Kodak Stores, Reg M-Kee, J. Warshall and Sons, and Weis- fisld and Goldberg. The dinner was held in the Gold Room of the Roosevelt Hotel.
A. 0. Jensen was elected president, Charles H. Franklin vice president and W. N. Chance, 126 North Eighty-third street, secretary.
The entertainment consisted of prize- winning pictures from the vaults of the American Cinematographer and demon- stration films exposed by members in and around Seattle.
New Universal Cement
Bell and Howell announces a film cement equally effective on both safety
WHEN an Englishman sets forth to write a book about American mo- tion pictures, he is often likely to go to one of two extremes: he is likely to unleash the barbs of a scornful vo- cabulary in a sustained blast at any- thing from Hollywood or to fawn all too obviously upon everyone connected with American films.
Eric H. Rideout, in his recent book, "The American Film," published by the Mitre Press, London, commits neither of these errors. Instead, this author analyzes in a scholarly but none the less interesting fashion the outstanding American productions of the last few years and the styles and abilities of their makers.
Too many works of this type fail to penetrate beneath the surface, attribut- ing sole credit or blame for everything to the director, with the remaining at- tention lavished exclusively on the play- ers. Not so with Rideout.
On the contrary, while he studiously discusses the work of sixty-two leading directors, he gives full and generous credit to the cinematographers as well. For almost the first time since the cinema became worthy of bookish dis- cussion we find a critic not intimately connected with Hollywood giving credit for the visual aspects of pictures not to the director but to the cameraman.
Virtually every member of the Amer- ican Society of Cinemato'^raphers who is engaged in major studio production
Sydney Invites Juniors
IN a letter to the editor James A. Sherlock, S.A.C., writes: "If any members of our Junior Society are passing this way I would be pleased to give them any filming assistance possible and the Australian Amateur Cine Society would appre- ciate any edited films they might bring or send along to our meetint^s."
Sydney, Australia, Box 826G, Gen- eral Post Office.
and standard film. The safety and stand- ard film cements formerly supplied by Bell and Howell are both superseded by the single new cement. It is claimed the new product foi-ms splices that are stronger than the film itself.
The new cement is declared to be much less subject to deterioration than other types because it will not absorb moisture fiom the air. It could even stand a 10 per cent addition of water without losing its bonding power.
The new product does not dissolve the dye in Kodachrome film, and therefore it can be used with the certainty there will be no discoloration of Kodachrome film adjacent to the splice.
cinematography is mentioned at least once in the book, and much space is given to several of the more outstand- ing members.
In addition, since it is obviously the author's opinion that the cinematogra- pher rather than the director is responsi- ble for such visual details as composition and lighting, the many illustrations, made from production stills, are credited only to the production company and to the cinematographer.
Credit to Rosher
There is a worthwhile chapter deal- ing with the work of the cinematog- rapher in which the acknowledged as- sistance of Charles Rosher, A.S.C., is evident. In it the author gives evidence of a far more careful study of the work and artistic styles of individual cine- matographers than is common among lay critics.
Chapters dealing with the work of art directors and players are also in- cluded, as are others dealing with the artistic aspects of sound and color.
Rideout's reaction to cinematic color is perhaps the least pleasing aspect of his book, for instead of tempering his views with an appreciation of the new- ness and complexity of natural-color cinematography and the real achieve- ment encompassed in the short time modern color cinematography has been possible, he seems to see more clearly its shortcomings from absolute perfection.
That these shortcomings exist is un- deniable; but that the favorable po- tentialities of color outweigh its faults is the more general opinion among the cinematographic community. It must be admitted, however, that Rideout pre- pared his book too early in the year to have seen any of the advances shown in the most recent color production.
In general it may be said without res- ervation "The American Film" is to be heartily recommended to membsrs of the camera craft and to all others in- terested in a truly intelligent anaylsis of modern motion pictures and their makers. W. S.
ENGLISHMAN ANALYZES
AMERICAN FILM MAKERS
38 American Cinematographer • January, l'J38
MUST BE PRACTICAL PLAN FOR EDUCATIONALS^ DISTRIBUTION
THE production of educational mo- tion pictures is still in an em- bryonic stage. The importance of this type of picture is just beginning to be realized not only by members of the profession but also by schools and col- leges, leading industries and the United States government.
The activity and interest in educa- tional pictures is ever increasing, but a practical plan for production and dis- tribution is necessary to serve as an in- centive and inspiration to some of our best technicians.
The services of those who are con- versant with scientific methods cannot be enlisted unless the remuneration is commensurate with their ability and, incidentally, equal to what they com- mand in industrial fields.
The solution to this problem is not very far in the offing, and when the time comes it will create unusual oppor- tunities for those who are best qualified.
The educational field is acknowledged to be a gigantic one. Few, however, seem to be practically and progressively working toward a goal which will place this subsidiary to feature productions in its rightful position.
Small so-called educational picture producers have done much to retard the progress of this highly specialized field of endeavor. Definitely, there is a dif- ference in documentary films, industrial motion pictures and educational produc- tions.
Specialized Fields
An organization producing industrial pictures should not attempt to make educational films and vice versa. Also, documentary films are in an entirely dif- ferent category and it is therefore an- other specialized field of cinematogra- phy, where little if any distribution is necessary.
Industrial films stand alone as promo- tional or propaganda material; they are classed primarily as advertising and have little educational value. Distribu- tion of industrial pictures is compara- tively simple and not so complex a prob- lem as the educational film.
Money has been and is being spent lib- erally for the production of industrial films, and permits the producers to make excellent material comparable to that of theatrical productions. There are today a number of organizations producing quality films for various commercial enterprises.
These pictures are primarily produced and sponsored by industrial organiza- tions, and are doing the job of adver- tising for which they are intended.
Educational pictures should stand for what the classification implies. They mu.st reach the peak in flawless produc- tion; a criterion for others to follow,
Activity Increasing, But It Is Specialized Field — Trained Men Must Be Paid Full Value in Other Fields
By Reed N. Haythorne, A.S.C.
Washington Staff Correspondent
and comparable to several hours of highly interesting lecture, yet presented in a relatively short space of time.
Superfluous Phrases Out The lecture or narration must be precise and to the point, shorn of super- fluous phrases. The illustrative material must follow along the same channel.
In other words, if the lecture is con- structed around a plow, place emphasis on the plow in the picture, and if the sound is that of a bee, depict a bee. Superlatives do not have a place in the production of educational pictures.
Education is indeed a hard thing to sell. How many times have you heard the story, "Oh, I went to sleep while he was talking" or "When I was in college I slept at my lecture classes," and so on?
Many times, no doubt, you have heard it said that the average person has a mind equal to that of a fourteen-year- old. With these in mind you are readily aware that you must make the pictures interesting enough to hold the attention of the audience, and in simple, straight- forward language.
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The story that is being told .should be narrated and illustrated in parallel unison. The illustrative matter must tell the complete story; likewise the lec- ture or narration must tell the same .story in a running monologue.
Big Companies Know
If the scenes and presentation of the subject are made in an entertaining and unique fashion with odd angles to pic- ture the subject to its best advantage it is fairly certain the picture will hold the attention desired.
The large production organizations that have for many years been making feature release films for theaters are recognized authorities in the world of entertainment.
There are few producers of distinc- tion who are engaged in strictly educa- tional films. In 1932 there were 32,031,- 549 students going to school every day in public schools in the United States. The colleges and universities of the United States had over 771,000 students enrolled.
The increase since 1932 has been enormous and an approximate estimate of 35,000,000 persons interested in edu- cation is fairly conservative. Progress in all the sciences, professions and the various arts has been accelerated to a degree that makes obsolete all previous efforts, and is ever forging ahead to greater heights of achievement.
Millions Clamoring for Ideas
There are approximately 35,000,000 students in the United States clamoring for new ideas in the field and there are a number of universities, one of which is the University of Chicago, establish- ing a precedent on a new educational idea which adopts the student's optional plan of selecting any course of study and completing it as rapidly as it is possible for him to do so.
Thus, if the student is sufficiently ad- vanced in scholastic attainments, the length of time required for any given course and his ultimate success would depend entirely upon himself.
This is the time to utilize the experi- ence and finesse of the large producers of theatrical pictures and educational authorities with the definite view of offering these 35,000,000 daily students a stimulating incentive in progressive education in the form of quality motion pictures.
It seems reasonable to believe that this potential market of 35,000,000 should not be overlooked by our most successful producers. Technicians should rally to this splendid cause and promote this field of activity toward a united effort and progression in all specialized fields.
January, 1938 • American Cinematographer 39
High School Lad Finances His Films
Running- Own 16mm Projector Since 12 Years Old — Also has 8mm Camera and Projector — Chief Objective Is Building- for Future
By GEORGE OLIVER SMITH, Weiser, Idaho
LOTS of people say to me, "I'd like to have a movie outfit like yours, but I couldn't afford to buy the films." I thought that, too, at first. I had to find a way to finance my films since I am only a junior in high school and my folks have plenty of other places for their money.
I have been running a 16mm. projector {my own) since I was twelve years old and a 16mm. camera (a borrowed one) since I was thirteen. Since then I have bought an 8mm. camera and projector. I earned all the money I have invested in these machines. They are worth over $100.
We lived on a farm until last fall. I had a little theater in a long shed where my partner and I ran a great many shows for the neighborhood, school and clubs. Sometimes these were pay shows (5 cents) ... if we had to rent the films. If the films were free we gave free shows and usually got enough tips to pay the postage or express to return the films.
We showed educational and scenic films from the Goodyear Tire Company, the Agricultural College, Northern Pa- cific Railroad and many other sources. We did all this before we took any pictures of our own.
Some friends en route from Cali- fornia who had taken several reels of film asked us to run theirs for them. Other people came from different places who had taken films but had no pro- jector. We were surprised how good all these pictures were, and were tempt- ed to try to take some ourselves.
The First Home Picture
So we saved gate receipts to cover the first film. We took our Christmas party, snow scenes, and things about home. Needless to say we treasure this picture, and it was all good stuff.
Several business men had been out to see my shows and some of them suggested that they would pay for the film if I would take some pictures of their establishments. I went to see six business men. I offered them fifteen to twenty feet of film for $1 and I did not get turned down once.
I took first a picture of the front of the place of business, then some activ- ity about it, and some close-ups of the manager or office force. I had the Ford Agency, the Chevrolet Garage, Camp-
U-Rest, The Mill, Implement Company, a dairy, and an auctioneer.
These customers were all pleased and their film runs at every show. Others planned for one or two reels. For one company I took "Men About Town" to run with advertising at free shows dur- ing a three day rodeo. I was also paid for running the show. This film gets a big cheer.
Doing Latin Comedy
I have been called to take pictures of peach orchards in color, of brand- ings on big ranches, of Sunday schools, athletic meets and of political candi- dates. Last fall I got a trip across the state to film state candidates for one of the major parties. I have some in- teresting film of Senator Borah both posed and candid, as he was riding at a rodeo.
Since I have my 8mm. outfit and the films are less expensive many women have me take pictures of their parties or their children.
At school we are doing a real pro-
George Oliver Smith, high school lad of Weiser, Idaho, as he was a year ago.
duction — a Latin comedy, and the Latin teacher is financing the film.
I now have so much film of local interest that I hardly ever send for rental film. "How much will you charge to put on a show?" I am asked almost every week. I usually charge only ex- penses as I would rather have the good will of the people than try to make money until I become professional.
Our community consists of only about five thousand persons. In the high school there are 500 students. You might think there would be little of interest to take in the way of pictures, but I think there is plenty. Near Weiser there are all kinds of wonderful scenery, of mountains, lakes and canyons. There are round-ups and celebrations. Then there is Sun Val- ley. (I hope to get there some day.)
I did get some very good pictures of President Roosevelt on his recent trip through the state. Another high school boy and I cut school, and by having a placard "Press Car" on the side of his car we were able to join the official cara- van.
Close-up of President
It stopped at the prize onion field in the Parma Valley and I got down on my knees so I would not obstruct the Presi- dent's view and shot some good close-ups of him waving his hand out over the field of sacked onions saying, "I never saw anything like it in my life." You can almost hear him say it.
Movies of the high school bunch, espe- cially track meets, games, etc. always pay good dividends.
When Wallace Beery visited in Weiser I helped run some of his pictures that he had taken at the Pendleton Round Up and while hunting. He is quite a home movie fan, but since he has plenty of money and he doesn't have to be careful to save film, he takes lots of pictures that I couldn't afford to take.
He edits out the parts that are not so good. So maybe it is a good thing to be poor. It makes one more selective in taking pictures. One learns faster when he has to think of the price of each foot of film.
I haven't done much yet compared to what I intend to do, but I have had so much pleasure with so little expense out of my movies that I want to recom- mend them as a profitable and enjoyable sport.
40 American Cinematographer • January, 1938
Make-Up Man Can Do Much to Help Cinematographer
(Continued from Page 13) all made up, while the cinematographer's task is inuch easier.
I hope I may be excused for men- tioning what I consider a real achieve- ment in corrective make-up. In "The Life of Emile Zola" Paul Muni's char- acterization shows Zola at a numbsr of ages from young manhood to old age. Putting On Weight
In the early sequences he plays Zola at a time when he weighed approxi- mately Muni's normal weight of 160 pounds; in the latter part of the pic- ture, Zola has aged and put on weight until he weighs approximately 200 pounds.
When these scenes were made Muni's weight was still the same — 160 pounds — and no cheek distenders, padded make- up or clothes pads were used, yet he looked a convincing 200 pounds on the screen. This result was achieved simply by an elaboration of the fundamental process of corrective make-up.
Corrective make-up has been applied with equal success to Technicolor make- up. The procedure is fundamentally the same, though we use a special color make-up we designed ourselves, as we were not satisfied with anything com- mercially available.
For a color make-up, however, we berin by studying the player's face under a blue-green mercury vapor lamp.
Tl.is of course shows up any discolora- tions of the skin, even many little blotches invisible to the eye. These are concealed by applying a neutral gray grease-paint, after which we can bu'ld the color make-up in the usual manner.
It may be mentioned that we have found it neces.sary to make a fix^d rule that feminine players appearing in Technicolor pictures must not wear o'-di- nary lipstick at any time while they are on a color film.
Rouge Limitations
The reason for this is that all lip rouges for street wear contain a defi- nite amount of blue pigment, invisible to the eye, but painfully visible to the color camera. These lip rouges are
also of the indelible variety; they can- not be removed, as can ordinary make- up, by cold cream and washing. The pif ment must wear off.
W»; have found that even after sev- eral days during which no su^h rou^e is applied there is still enouf;h of this blue pigment remaining to show throu'jh the Technicolor make-up and give the lips a bluish cast in the picture.
Therefore, no actress in a Technicolor film at our studio is allowed to wear ordinary lip rouge for her social make- up away from the studio. Instead, we provide a special pure pigment lip rouge for street wear. It is not indelible, but this minor inconvenience is offset by the improved appearance of the player.
Mentioning purity of pigments brings to mind the matter of so-called "make- up poisoning". There is actually no such thing. The ingredients of any of the really standard theatrical make-up prep- arations are absolutely non-injurious.
Occasionally, however, you will find an individual with an unusually sensi- tive skin, whose bodily chemistry may be susceptible to some component — base or pigment — of the make-up. In that case, we carefully study that individ- ual's skin, and we have always been able to compound a suitable make-up. Hits One in Ten
The rat'o seems to be about one in ten so effacted; I have several times made tosts, giving ten girls a make-up preparation for use, and studying their reactions. U"ually nine of the ten would use the product with no ill result.
This, incidentally, does not apply to the so-called "gold flour" make-ups some stars have lately tried. These make- ups are dofinitely not safe. The tiniest little scratch or open skin blemish of- fers the tiny metallic particles an op- portunity to enter the system, where they can and do cause the very serious skin malady knowTi as dermatitis.
In addition, it is highly doubtful if these make-u^s really enhance the ap- pearance of the wearer, and I feel cer- tain they add to the troubles of the cinematographer.
In conclusion, I hope that my remarks may in some way help to give camera- men a better understanding of what make-up artists are striving for. It is only as both cinematographer and make- up artist learn to understand each oth- er's aims and problems that true co- operation can be established; and there are few other phases of production in which such cooperation is as desirable, for after all both cameraman and make- up artist aim at the same goal — develop- ing and enhancing the screen personal- ities of all players.
Fred C. Ells, internationally knowTi amateur cinematographer, in a recent note to the editor of this magazine transmits welcome word that "I trust from time to time I shall have occasion to furnish you news of the not incon- siderable body of Japanese amateurs for whom I am liaison officer to the English and American amateur movie magazines."
Here are Tyrone Power and Alice Faye, two of the leading players in Twentieth Century-Fox's "In Old Chicago," in which Peverell Marley was director of photog- raphy. The still was photographed by Eugene Kornman.
January, 1938 • American Cinematographer 41
HERE^S THE ANSWER
Lighting in ''Garden of Allah"
IN your issue of January, 1937, there is an article on "How to Shoot Kodachrome Light Effects," by Har- old Rosson, A.S.C. In one paragraph it is stated one of the most effective scenes in "The Garden of Allah" was one where Charles Boyer admits to his wife he is a renegade monk. In this scene his face is strongly illuminated, against a sky lighted by a setting sun. Will you please tell me if it was the sun or arti- ficial lighting that caused the illumina- ticn on the face ?
I. L. M., Taft, Calif. We discussed this same matter with Mr. Rosson at the time the article to which you refer was written. The scene in question was done on the studio stage, by artificial light. The background was a painted drop, painted very carefully to match actual Technicolor scenes made on the desert location near Yuma, Ari- zona.
The lighting was effected by the arc lighting equipment specially devel- oped by Mole-Richardson for Technicolor lighting. These lamps give an absolute- ly colorless white light of high intensity, absolutely identical with the spectral distribution of normal daylight, which makes it possible to shoot color interi- ors and exteriors without any change in cameras, film or processing.
In sub-standard filming with Koda- chrome, this is of course impractical, so the Type A Kodachrome film was de- vised. This has a specially modified color sensitivity to offset the light of Photoflood lamps, which, to the color film, is much redder than natural day- light. Effects similar to the one you mention can be made indoors with Photoflood lighting and Type A Koda- chrome film.
Meters and Speeds
I am planning to purchase an ex- posure meter soon, but before doing so I would like to have the following ques- tions answered:
1. What is the definition of "film speed ?"
2. What is the definition of correct exposure ?
3. How can I determine the film speed of any film at home ?
4. If the speed of a film is 20 and the film is hypersensitized to double its speed, will the film speed then be 40?
5. What is the difference between the Weston and Scheiner ratings?
6. How can I change from Weston to Scheiner ratings and vice versa?
7. What are the different types of exposure meters and their advantages?
8. I understand there is a campaign under way to request the film manu- iacturers to place the film speed on
the box in which the film is sold. I would like to say I am in favor of such a plan.
C. P., Long Island City.
Without going into unnecessarily tschnical detail, "film speed" can be simply defined as a quantative measure of that film's overall sensitivity to light. There are many other factors to be considered, however, in addition to over- rll sensitivity.
The film's sensitivity to light of vari- ous colors is equally important in reach- ing a usable final figure, and so, too, is the color of the light used to make an exposure. That, for example, is why the Weston engineers establish one speed rating for daylight, which is a uniform mixture of light rays of all col- ors, and another for incandescent (Maz- da) light, which is deficient in blue and ultra-violet, and strong in yellow, orange and red.
The processing or developing is yet another variable which affects film speed. This can be proved by making a correct, metered exposure on a given film, then cutting the film into three pieces, each of which is developed with a different developer.
Film Sensitivity and Meter
If, for instance, Eastman's D-72 form- ula is considered the normal agent for developing that film, the section devel- oped in it would give a normal expo- fure result; a section developed in a fine-grain solution like most of the paraphenylene-diamine formulae would give an apparently underexposed result; while a section developed in a third solution might well give an overexposed result.
Another factor, perhaps the most vi- tally important in the practical work of the average camerist, is the relation of the film's sensitivity to that of the meter. The familiar Weston speeds, for example, are calculated with direct ref- erence to the color sensitivity and the overall sensitivity of the Weston pho- tronic cell used in that meter.
If it were possible to replace the Weston cell with a different type of photoelectric eye, any given Weston film speed rating might very probably be very considerably inaccurate due sim- ply to the meter's changed color-sensi- tivity.
Correct Exposure
Correct exposure may most easily be defined as that exposure which places the extremes of highlight and shadow within the characteristic exposure limits of the film; in other words, which places the highlights at such an exposure point that they are not "blocked" or over- exposed, and the extreme shadows ex- posed so they will retain ample detail
rather than being merely areas of no exposure.
■The extent to which exposure can be varied up and down while still keeping the exposure extremes within these lim- its is known as latitude. In the aver- age modern film this may allow very considerable leeway; often an exposure range between shadow and highlight ex- tremes of 1:128 is possible, while the brightness range of these extremes in average pictures is seldom as great.
As has been mentioned, correct ex- posure is relative, depending to a great extent upon the developing or processing of the film.
Determining Film Speeds
There are many scientific methods of determining film speeds, but the prac- tical camera user is of course most interested in obtaining a speed-value workably related to the meter he uses. For this, the simple method of trial and error is probably the most practical.
Make an exposure using a value you think should be approximately correct; then make several more exposures under identical conditions, using values higher and lower than this. Give the exposures identical processing. The results will show you what speed is right. In using sub-standard reversal cine film it is a good idea to ask the laboratory not to make any attempt to equalize your ex- posures in their processing.
However, speaking generally, there is very little real need to make such ex- periments yourself, since the Weston company each year — sometimes oftener — issues a folder listing the Weston speeds of all available materials.
The current one lists more than 187 different types of films and plates for cine miniature camera and still photog- raphy, including 37 types of reversal and negative-positive 16mm. and 8mm. cine film and 8 types of natural color processes.
Speeds and Hypersensitizing
Granting that the method of hyper- sensitization you use does not alter the film's color balance, your assumption would hold true. If, as is generally the case, hypersensitization does upset this color sensitivity balance, the hypersen- sitized film speed would not necessarily be the numerical double of the original value.
Hypersensitizing almost invariably in- creases red sensitivity more than that to any other color, so if you hyper- sensitized an emulsion originally sensi- tive only to blue, you would merely make it more nearly panchromatic, and the overall speed increase would be very small.
If, on the other hand, you first pan- chromatized the film, and then hyper-
42 American Cinkmat()(;raphku •
sensitized it, or used a panchromatic emulsion to start with, the meter speed increase would be much greater. For exact details, the makers of the meter you use and of the film you hypersen- sitize will be glad to tell you exactly what meter speed to use in your spe- cific case.
Weston and Scheiner Speeds
The Scheiner speeds, in common witli Din and H&D speeds, are fundamentally based on sensitometric measurements; the Weston speeds are based on the response of the Weston photronic cell. The Scheiner speeds, therefore, are not precisely adjusted to practical use with any specific meter, though a number of meters (especially foreign ones) are calibrated to work more or less effective- ly with Scheiner speed-ratings.
In general, while in the Weston sys- tem the numerical value of the speed- rating is doubled to indicate doubled film sensitivity, in the Scheiner system an increase of 3 in the rating Indicates doubled speed. Thus in the Weston sys- tem, if a given film has a speed of 20, one twice as fast will be rated at 40; in the Scheiner system, if a film is rated at Scheiner 20 (which is not the same as Weston 20), one twice as fast will have a speed of Scheiner 23.
Further, many meters and meter- equipped cameras purchased abroad and brought into this country by individuals (as against models made specially for use in America) will be calibrated for a sub-variation of the Scheiner system calling for yet different settings: this is usually 6 degrees higher than is the case for meters built for the American market.
For example, many Contaflexes pur- chased abroad are calibrated so that for a given film one must use a speed rat- ing of 26, as against an American-cali- brated setting of 20.
Here is the Weston Company's pub- lished table for correlating Weston and Scheiner speeds, which, they point out, is strictly accurate only for emulsions having closely similar characteristics.
|
Scheiner" |
Din° |
H&D |
Weston |
|
14 |
7/10 |
159 |
3 |
|
15 |
8/10 |
200 |
4 |
|
16 |
9/10 |
252 |
5 |
|
17 |
10/10 |
318 |
6 |
|
18 |
11/10 |
400 |
8 |
|
19 |
12/10 |
504 |
10 |
|
20 |
13/10 |
635 |
12 |
|
21 |
14/10 |
800 |
16 |
|
22 |
15/10 |
1000 |
20 |
|
23 |
16/10 |
1270 |
24 |
|
24 |
17/10 |
1600 |
32 |
|
25 |
18/10 |
2020 |
40 |
|
26 |
19/10 |
2540 |
50 |
|
27 |
20/10 |
3200 |
64 |
The manufacturers of the Photoscop meter publish an excellent little booklet which discusses this question in detail. It is obtainable from the distributors and from most photographic dealers for a nominal price.
Meter Types To detail all the meter types would require more space than is here avail- able. In general, disregarding the so- called meters which are simply gen-
.lanuary, 1938
eralized charts, there are three prin- cipal types: those which measure the light by its action in a given time upon a standard light sensitive material, usu- ally a sensitized paper; those which compare the light with a standard light or with a graduated scale; and those which measure either the light reflected from the subject or from a built-in white surface or "artificial highlight" by means of a photoelectric cell.
Examples of the first class include the Watkins meter; of the second. Bell & Howell's photometer; the third, the Weston, and Photoscop meters for the first type, and the Smethurst Avo for the second.
While we cannot of course recom- mend any specific meter here, it is pretty
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generally C(;nceded that the more au- tomatically the meter itself measures the actual light from the subject and the less it relies upon the human ele- ment in visually comparing densities, illumination and the like, the more ac- curate it is likely to be.
Film Speeds on Cartons
We agree with you that it would be of practical advantage to the user if the manufacturers could be persuaded to put the film speed ratings of their prod- ucts on the boxes.
But practical considerations seem to put the realization of this in some dis- tant photographer's Utopia.
In addition, some manufacturers are disinclined to place the stamp of their approval on any arbitrary system, due to the number of variables involved. Finally, there will always be some man- ufacturers who will be overoptimistic about their own products; a dozen or fifteen years ago many manufacturers of plates and films publicized the H&D speeds of their products, and some of these zealots overdid it by favoring their pet products: it proved most dis- concerting to the user to buy a box of plates the manufacturer of which meas- uring the speed under special, extra fa- vorable conditions, might publish a rat- ing of, say, 1700 for a product which in normal, practical use could not be fair- ly rated above, say, 800 or 1000!
Ray June Names Committee
Ray June, as chairman of the photo- graphic section of the Technicians Branch of the Academy of Motion Pic- ture Arts and Sciences, has appointed the following committee to consider any changes in the rules governing the cam- era award which may seem desirable for this year.
Ray June, chairman; John Arnold, Joseph August, Norbert Brodine, Ed- ward Cronjager, Arthur Edeson, George Folsey, Fred Gage, Merritt Gerstad, Byron Haskin, C. Roy Hunter, Thomas Ingman, Charles B. Lang, Jr., George B. Meehan, Jr., Virgil Miller, Victor Milner, Ira Morgan, J. M. Nickolaus, L. William O'Connell, George Robinson, Roy Seawright, George Seid, Karl Struss, John Swain, Allen Thompson, Joseph Valentine, Joseph Walker, Ver- non Walker, Ray Wilkinson and Gordon S. Mitchell, manager of the Academy technical bureau.
Books Received
"Photographic Hints and Gadgets." Edited by Frank R. Fraprie and Frank- lin I. Jordan. American Photographic Publishing Company. Boston: 1937. S3. 50. 316 pp. 250 articles and nearly 500 illustrations.
"Film and School." A handbook in Moving Picture Evaluation. By Helen Rand and Richard Lewis. A publication of the National Council of the Teachers of English. D. Appleton-Century Com- pany Inc. New York: §1.12. 192 pp. 57 illustrations.
These two volumes will be reviewed in the February issue.
January, 1938
American Cinematographer 43
True Stereoscopy and Its Requirements
(Continued from Page 14)
a picture from a series of positions in an arc around the object and showing these so shielded by a vertical grid that the observer's right eye sees a series of veitical strips composing the right-eye picture only and his left eye sees another series composing only the left-eye pic- ture.
Certain viewing positions for this type of work are unsuitable, and taking the pictures is difficult. Registration of the strips in such a pattern must be ex- tremely accurate, and it is difficult to get the required detail for each picture. Not Practicable
All these considerations militate against its ever being of broad commer- cial usefulness. Objects can be photo- graphed in the laboratory and shown there, however, and the results stand as a testimonial to Ives's careful work and to his ingenuity.
The second general technic of stereo- scopic reproduction involves the use of filters so chosen that with a stereoscopic pair of pictuies made visible respectively in two kinds of light, each eye sees only the picture intended for it. This method divides into the use of complementary colors and the use of polarization.
Using red and green glasses, Norling and Leventhal have produced the ex- tremely entertaining series of pictures known to the public as "audioscopics." In France, Lumiere, of color-plate fame, utilized two colors, in his case yellow and blue, to produce stereoscopy in motion pictures. It seems that the possibilities of this type of showing have been pretty thoroughly exploited.
The disadvantages are three: (1) When two colors are used to produce stereo- scopy, there is bound to be retinal rivalry between the eyes, especially in viewing large, clear areas such as of the sky or water; and it is doubtful whether long presentations (that is, longer than ten or fifteen minutes) can be watched by a normal audience without some eye strain. Niceties Absent
2) Many authorities, of whom Tro- land is one, say that such anaglyphs produce special separations suggesting the flats in stage scenery. They do not produce rotundity or solidity; that is, the niceties of stereoscopic sensation seem to be absent.
(3) Such a use of color to produce stereoscopy precludes the use of varied color in the pictures themselves to en- hance the suggestion of reality.
With the method depending upon polarization, work was done by Anderton as far back as 1893. Using piles of glass plates, he showed that three-di- mensional pictures obtained by this method were a laboratory possibility; but his necessary use of glass plates made
them economically and practically an im- possibility.
With the advent of Polaroid,' the thin polarizing sheeting that can econom- ically be produced in large areas, there has been a new interest in the field. Pro- fessor Kennedy of Smith College, at the request of the Carnegie Corporation, has been for the past two years studying its use in the serious study of sculpture and art in general.**
Among others working in the field at present are Professor Roulon at Harvard and Professor Rule at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The present is an auspicious time to consider the motion picture field and the subject of stereoscopic motion pictures. Color movies are today better than ever before and show promise of still greater improvement. Polaroid is now available, and this permits for the first time color movies in three dimensions.
There is considerable laboratory evi- dence to indicate that the ordinary run of color-film, where stereoscopic, is con- siderably more effective than the best single-eye color pictures.
Stereoscopic Color Effective
Kennedy' points out several good rea- sons: (1) In nature the respective high- lights are in slightly different positions for the two eyes. This is part of our natural impression of the world. (2) An effect is produced upon any object by the kind of light illuminating the object.
To give an example, suppose we have
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a statue of pink or black marble in a room in which the color is predominant- ly green. In such a case, one will have not white reflections, but green reflec- tions.
Now this experience is common, and our eyes are able to remove, as it were, the green reflections from the pink marble and see the marble as it really is, whereas one is unable to do so with a single picture of such a pink marble statue on which there is a green reflec- tion.
This is a good experimental reason why, no matter how good color reproduc- tion may become, there always will be dissatisfaction in the representation of colored objects by non-stereoscopic "flat" movies. All objects have to be illumi- nated, and from all surfaces there is more or less reflection of such illumina- tion. Gold and luminous objects general- ly have been the despair of color photog- raphers.
This again is partly due to the fact that these are essentially two-eye phe- nomena, the lighting and color effects in one eye differing from those in the other in actual viewing.
Considerable advance has been made in devices for taking and showing stereo- scopic pictures on a single film, and pres- ent experiments are very promising. Learn Limitations
There are, very naturally, some prob- lems to be cleared up. Photographers need to learn (1) limitations, or what they should not expect to do with stereoscopy and (2) still more important, what its use means in opening up new possibilities — in other words, the tech- nic of using this new tool.
There is some evidence to show that a new sense of space must be acquired and a much more painstaking and thorough use of the fact that space is now an ally, not something to be avoided or faked. The color possibilities deserve very careful study, and undoubtedly a new lighting technic will be needed to supplement what is already known and being used.
In particular, this is a very powerful tool for greater reality in close-ups. What were flat surfaces now become solid, plastic objects. Stereoscopy pro- vides the ideal medium for rendition of shades, the finest wrinkle, the texture of the skin — all the niceties that, summed up, create the impression that one would actually have if he were really experienc- ing a close-quarters reaction to the actress or actor.
In all probability, many long and mid- dle-distance shots that were previously required to give the sense of space will now become unnecessary. Conversely, many long shots that had to be avoided because of the difficulty of showing the actual space involved will now be a pos- sibility to the picture technician.
All in all, it presents a very interest- ing and exciting medium for imaginative workers to utilize.
These are the problems and interests of picture taking. Theaters will need
44 American Cinematographer
January, 1938
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
to know any changes in the method of projection that may be necessary. Fortu- nately, these appear to be slight; and, in general, where single-picture projec- tion was really satisfactoiy, stereoscopic projection will with small modification be similarly satisfactory.
Solved by Lumiere
As in the case of single-picture i)rojec- tion, there is a best viewing position. The area around this position in which viewing is still excellent is at least as large for stereoscopic as for ordinary pictures. The final problem lies in the distribution of glasses and their pos- sible reuse.
Lumiere in France has apparently suc- cessfully solevd this problem through the sale of expensive glasses to those who wish to use them and own them perma- nently, and the loan of cheaper glasses that are taken back after each perform- ance and sterilized.
At the New York Museum of Science and Industry, where four presentations of stereoscopic movies are held daily, it has been found thoroughly practicable to take back the glasses and use them over and over again, with a disinfecting treatment after each such use.
(After all, the utensils we use daily in restaurants and other public places constitute a similar problem in anti- sepsis).
When 35-mm. color motion pictures are taken with the proper technic and pro- jected full-size upon a large scieen, the result to the observer will be living movies. The audience will be sitting at a window and seeing the actual scenes and the living actors as if present in the scene. The screen disappears; one is no longer conscious of looking at a flat sur- face.
Three Fundamentals
Objects stretch back from the frame of the screen to infinity and can even be made, if desired, through a known tech- nic in taking the picture, to come right out of the screen toward the audience.
Through light we receive probably 85 per cent of our external impressions of the world, and there are three funda- mental principles in its use. The first, two-color and intensity, have long been with us. The third, polarization, is be- ing made practical for the first time through Polaroid, the invention of E. H. Land of Boston.
Ordinary light can be said to vibrate in all directions at right-angles to the direction in which it is traveling. Polar- oid is made up of a multitude of sub- microscopic crystals, each having polar- izing properties, all lined up perfectly and immovably imbedded in a transpar- ent sheet.
The effect of these crystals is to ab- sorb vibrations along one of their axes. Such alterations of light are not obvious to the viewer unless we have a second piece of Polaroid with which to observe it. However, if a second sheet of Polar- oid is placed in front of the lighted area, all goes dark when the axes are crossed or light when the axes are parallel.
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(Incidentally, when a cellophane de- sign is placed between the two pieces of Polaroid, this coloiless, transparent material lights up with colors that can be reproduced at will and that are perma- nent; and as the front Polaroid screen is rotated, the colors gradually change to their complementary opposites. For the first time it is possible to have large de- signs or plain colored areas that are changeable at will, permanent, and re- producible.)
Testing It Out
Now, if the front Polaroid screen be removed and the observer puts on his Polaroid glasses his left eye sees the screen clearly; the right eye view is dark. If he tilts his head far over to the side, or removes the glasses and holds them vertically, he will see that now the right eye is transparent and the left eye dark.
When taking the picture no such ma- terial was used. This same device used in front of the projector, or one similar to it, is mounted upon the camera to take two pictures eye-distance apart and place them upon the film side by side. These two pictures are projected again through this device, and upon leaving the device the two eyes are again separated.
At this point each eye has a piece of Polaroid placed in front of it. The right one transmits horizontal vibrations and the left one vertical, exactly as the glasses are arranged. The right eye sees the right-eye picture but not the other. Conversely, the left eye sees the left-eye picture and not that intended for the
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right eye. The essential condition that each eye see its own picture and only its own picture is achieved. There is noth- ing to be adjusted mechanically or otherwise.
One forgets the glasses and looks at the living scene unfolding itself before him; and best of all, the eyes behave as they would if they were present at the scene. They converge when the objects are near and change their convergence for varying distances as they normally would do in life.
References
' Tuttle, H. B., and McFarlane, J. W.: "Introduction to the Photographic Pos- sibilities of Polarized Light," J. Soc. Mot. Pict. Eng., XXV (July, 1935), No. 1, p. 69.
' Kennedy, C. : "The Development and Use of Stereo Photography for Educa- tional Purposes," J. Soc. Mot. Pict. Eng., XXVI (Jan. 1936), No. 1, p. 3.
Dreher Heads Technicians
Carl Dreher has been appointed chair- man of the board of judges for the scientific or technical Academy award. He will be assisted by John Arnold, Farciot Edouart, Lloyd Goldsmith, Grover Laube, J. M. Nickolaus, Gordon Sawyer, John Swain and S. J. Twining.
The first meeting of the board, ap- pointed to select those scientific or tech- nical achievements deemed worthy of recognition by the Academy, will be held immediately after the Christmas holi- days.
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FILM AND SCHOOL
A Handbook in Moving-Picture Evaluation
By Helen Rand and Richard Lewis
A publication of the *National Council of Teachers of English (D. Appleton-Century Company, Inc., New York, London. 1937) Which under the heading of Magazines and Bulletins sets forth :
American Cinematographer (combined with Amateur Movies) , published by American Society of Cinematographers, 1782 North Orange Drive, Hollywood. $2.50 a year. Published under auspices of professional moving-picture cameramen ; contains articles on all phases of moving- picture technique in a style usually understandable to the layman. The Amateur Movies sec- tion will be valuable to all persons interested in making moving-pictures.
''Copyright 1937 by the National Council of Teachers of English.
To assure yourself of the best photographic results during the coming year use
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46 American Cinematographer • February, 1938
AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER
A Technical and Educational publication on motion picture photography.
Published monthly by the AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS. INC. 1782 North Orange Drive Hollywood (Los Angeles), California
Telephone GRanite 2136
VICTOR MILNER, President. FRED W. JACKMAN. Treasurer.
Vol. 19
February, 1938
No. 2
Contents
Three Hundred Men: And Walt Disney. .48 By William Stull, A.S.C.
What About Me? 51
By Bee Gee, A.S.C.
How Joe Valentine Built Alpine Crisp-
ness Into Sea Level Shots 52
By George Blaisdell
Polito Matches Daylight with Arcs in
Technicolor Film at Warners 54
By Sol Polito, A.S.C.
Camera Work Fails True Mission When It Sinks Realism for Beauty 56
Over London at Night Elmer Dyer Flies
on Nose of British Bomber 57
By George Blaisdell
Jamieson Completes Portable Motion Picture Laboratory 63
The Front Cover
To the piling thousands who have seen "Snow White," the last word in the work of Walt Dis- ney, no explanation will be neces- sary to identify Snow White and two of the sturdy friends of hers among the Seven Dwarfs. The phantasy is a milestone in the progress of the screen as well as in that of the young man who has made it possible. That he still is a young man is to the distinct ad- vantage of the screen and the mil- lions who follow the adventures of Mickey Mouse and his fellows. Here's to his good health — and his family's good health . . . Yes, that goes for Walt and for Mickey, too.
The Staff
EDITOR
George Blaisdell
WASHINGTON STAFF CORRESPONDENT Reed N. Haythorne. A. S. C.
TECHNICAL EDITOB Emery Huse. A. S. C.
ADVISORY EDITORIAL BOARD
Victor Milner, A. S. C. James Van Trees, A. S. C. Fred W. Jackman, A. S. C. Farciot Edouart, A. S. C. Fred Gage, A. S. C. Dr. J. S. Watson. A. S. C. Dr. L. A. Jones, A. S. C. Dr. C. E. K. Mees. A. S. C. Dr. W. B. Rayton, A. S. C. Dr. Herbert Meyer, A. S. C. Dr. V. B. Sease, A. S. C.
CIRCULATION MANAGER
L. F. Graham
NEW YORK REPRESENTATIVE
S. R. Cowan, 19 East 47th St., New York. Phone Plaza 3-0483.
FOREIGN REPRESENTATIVE
Georges Benoit, 100 Allee Franklin, Pavillions-sous-Bois, Seine, France. Tele- phone LeRaincy 13-19.
AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVE
McGill's, 179 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. Australian and New Zealand agents.
Neither the American Cinematographer nor the American Society of Cinematographers is responsible for statements made by au- thors. This magazine will not be respon- sible for unsolicited manuscripts.
ESTABLLSHED 1920. Advertising Rates on application. Subscription: United States, $2.50 a year; Canada and the Pan-American Union, S2..50 a year: Foreign, $3.. 50 a year. Single copies. 2.5 cents; tack numbers, 30 cents; foreign, single copies, 35 cents; back numbers, 40 cents. COPYRIGHT 1938 by American Society of Cinematographers, Inc.
Entered as second class matter November 18, 1937, at the post office at Los Angeles, California, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
February, 1938 • American Cinematographer
qpHE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINE- MATOGRAPHERS was founded in 1918 for the purpose of bringing into closer cooperation all those leaders in cinematog- raphy who strive for preeminence in artistic and technical leadership; to further the advancement of the cinema and its allied crafts through unceasing research and ex- perimentation as well as through bringing the artists and the scientists of cinematog- raphy into more intimate fellowship. Its membership is composed of the outstanding cinematographers of the world, with Associ- ate and Honorary memberships bestowed upon those who, though not active cinema- tographers, are engaged none the less in kindred pursuits, and who have by their achievements contributed outstandingly to the progress of cinematography as an art and as a science. To further these lofty aims and fittingly to chronicle the progress of cinematography the society's publication, The American Cinematographer, is dedi- cated.
RESEARCH COMMITTEE
Victor Milner, George A. Mitchell, Dr. Herbert Meyer, Farciot Edouart, Emery Huse
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS
OFFICERS
VICTOR MILNER President
CHAS. B. LANG. JR.. .First Vice Pres. JAMES VAN TREES. Second Vice Pres.
RAY JUNE Third Vice Pres.
FRED W. JACKMAN Treasurer
FRANK B. GOOD Secretary
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
John W. Boyle Ray June
Elmer Dyer Charles B. Lang, Jr.
Arthur Edeson ^'"^^"^ ^'^"^'^
_ _ , Charles Roshei"
George Folsey „ , „ , „
Ted Tetzlaff
Alfred Gilks i „ ,r „ 'r_„„„
James Van Irees
Frank Good Joseph Walker
Fred W. Jackman Vernon L. Walker
Frederick L. Kley, Executive Business Manager
PAST PRESIDENTS
Philip E. Rosen Hal Mohr
Gaetano Gaudio Homer Scott
James Van Trees John F. Seitz
John W. Boyle Daniel B. Clark
Fred W. Jackman John Arnold
PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE
Charles Bell, St. Paul, Minn.
Georges Benoit, Paris, France
Ariel Varges, Tokyo, Japan
Charles W. Herbert, New York City
Lloyd Knechtel, London, England
John Dored, Vienna. Austria
Max B. DuPont, Papeete, Tahiti
Philip M. Chancellor
Reed N. Haythorne, Washington, D. C.
Paul Perry, Buenos Aires
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
George Folsey Ted Tetzlaff
Alfred Gilks
ENTERTAINMENT COMMITTEE
Elmer Dyer Frank B. Good
Charles B. Lang, Jr. Vernon Walker
Arthur Edeson
WELFARE COMMITTEE
Ray June James Van Trees
Fred W. Jackman
GENERAL COUNSEL
Arthur C. Webb
48 American Cinematographer • February, 1938
Three Hundred Men:
and Walt Disney
that's the Analysis of One Reporter
There Was a Newsreeler and He Liked to Draw: So Draw He Did .... He Made Cartoons: Into Them He Breathed the Breath of Life .... He Made No Mousetrap: No: But He Did Make Mickey Mouse .... And the World Beat a Path to His Door
ONCE upon a time, as old Jakob Grimm used to say in telling his tales, there was a newsreel cine- matographer. His name was Walter Ellis Disney, and he lived in Kansas City, where he filmed news stories for Pathe, Selznick and most of the other silent-day newsreels. In addition to grinding a camera, Cinematographer Disney liked to draw. Eventually he harnessed his camera and his pencil to- gether, and began to make animated cartoons.
A dozen years later, in Hollywood, this same Walt Disney is still making animated cartoons. Whenever and wher- ever there are awards or honors offered for outstanding achievement in making animated films, Disney smilingly steps up and annexes them as a matter of course. Throughout the lengthening his- tory of the Academy Awards the golden statuette for the best in cartoon films has never been bestowed on any other producer.
The intervening years have changed animated cartoons — and particularly the Disney cartoons — almost beyond recog- nition, but they have not touched Walt Disney. He is still the same, breezy, informal fellow who used to grind out news films for Pathe, and between times sketched amusing caricatures of the of- fice mouse.
Unique Studio
Today, however, he is the head of the industry's most unique major studio; a plant where over three hundred men and women labor enthusiastically to transform fantasy into tangible techni- color that can be viewed on the world's screens. A plant where the most deli- cate, fairy-tale fantasy is joined to the intricate, slide-rule mathematics of cinematic engineering. A plant where.
By WILLIAM STULL, A.S.C.
above all, each of the three hundred
workers functions like an extension of Walt's hands and mind.
For despite this huge force, the Dis- ney Studio is essentially a one-man or- ganization. Every detail passes in some fashion through his hands, and every decision, no matter how small, receives his personal attention.
Not that there is anything stuffily formal about it! It is a simple and natural tribute to the man whose genius is inevitably the inspiration of every- thing done by his co-workers.
As one of them expressed it, "There isn't a single operation in the plant
Standard Technicolor camera set - up photof/raphing a scene for "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."
Photos by Len Weissman.
at which, in a pinch, Walt couldn't step in and carry on acceptably himself. Per- haps, in some of the more intricately technical ones, he couldn't do as perfect a job as the men who are now doing it; but understand this, he could still do it — and do it better than average well."
Disney's intimate contact with every detail of his studio's work may partly explain why none of his hundreds of employees would dream of ever address- ing him or referring to him by the for- mal title of "Mister." For a Disney worker to call his chief anything but Walt would be as inconceivable as an ordinary studio employee addressing his boss as Darryl or Louie.
No Time Clock Here
In passing, it may be mentioned that there is no such thing as a time clock in the Disney studio. If Walt has his way there will never be one, for he and his associates work, not for pay checks or profits, but because they believe in what they are doing and because they love it.
And let it be recorded here and now that making a Disney cartoon — ^whether it be done of the short "Mickey Mouse" and "Silly Symphony" reels which emerge at two or three week intervals, or a feature like "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" — ds work, often in the more laborious sense of the word.
Most of us, when we think at all of how animated cartoons are made, think of it in relatively simple terms: back- grounds sketched on paper, animated action on celluloids, with the several drawings superimposed and photo- graphed, a frame at a time, with the animating "cells" changed between each frame or two. A tedious operation, per- haps, drawing and photographing the
February, 1938 • American Cinematographer 49
several thousand frames that constitute a one-reel short, but essentially simple.
That is still the basic principle of operations in Disney's "mouse factory," but in advancing the animated film to its present state of technical and artistic refinement, Disney and his staff" have added so unbelievably to these funda- mentals that they are buried in an in- credible profusion of technicalities.
The starting point of any picture is of course the story. In the case of "Snow White" it was of course Jakob Grimm's centuiy-old fairy tale; in the two features currently in production, "Pinnochio" and "Bambi" equally fa- miliar books furnished the inspiration. In the short subjects, the story orig- inates from an idea.
Star With Just Idea
Perhaps it is an idea from Walt's fertile brain or from one of his story staff; perhaps it is simply a sviggestion made by someone in or about the studio.
Whatever it is, Walt and his story drawing "writers" confer over it, tearing it apart, building it up, adding, deleting, changing and revising until the story outline, supported by sketches of key scenes and characters, stands complete, perfectly adapted alike to the cartoon medium and to Disney's unique interpre- tation of it.
The story is then turned over to a corps of unit animators. Each of these directs the drawing of certain definite sequences. Each may draw the key drawings — the beginnings and ends of movements, and such basic features — while other animators complete the in- numerable "in-between" drawings neces- sary. Still other artists draw back- grounds exclusively.
While this is being done, the music, songs, dialogue and sound effects are written and recorded. This is neces- sary due to the essentially rhythmic nature of all Disney films, and, especial- ly in the features, to the necessity for accurately synchronizing the pictured lip-movements with the recorded words.
When the sound is recorded the sound experts "read" the track, and can break down the words, rhythmic beats and so on into terms of film footage and frames. Thus they can tell the animators to draw Snow White or one of the dwarfs speaking a given word at a definite frame in the scene.
Animation Smooth
This gives the animator the key to the situation, for at such a frame the camera will be photographing a definite- ly numbered drawing. Thus, when the picture is photographed, it is already synchronized with the prerecorded sound, no matter how long before that sound was recorded. Some of the songs and dialogue for "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" actually were recorded nearly three years before the accompanying drawings were photographed.
Everyone who has seen "Snow White" has commented upon the incredibly smooth, lifelike quality of the anima- tion. Part of this, as Walt and his cohorts freely admit, was achieved by
the simple but painful method of trial and error. If a scene as originally made did not seem smoothly satisfactory, Walt with his artists and technicians studied it, analyzed it until they found what was wrong.
Then they made the whole thing over — drawings and all — often only to re- peat the process as improvements showed room for further advances. This painstaking care was one of the fac- tors which ran the costs on this pro- duction up from an estimated 8250,000 to a rumored million dollars, but, as the Disneyites repeatedly state, cost does not enter into consideration at Disney's until perfect quality is assured.
Another vital factor in the perfection of "Snow White's" animation is the guidance furnished by what Walt calls "live action." Living actors, suitably cos- tumed, are photographed going through the desired action. The films of this "live action" then guide the animator in preparing his drawings. Each ani- mator works with a Moviola at his side. In this he can study the live ac- tion film both in motion, and frame by frame.
16mm. Camera Enters
It has been rumored that the animated drawings are copied directly from this film; but such is not the case. The live action serves purely as a guide. Actually, it is pointed out, if the draw- ings were copied directly from the "live action" frames, the result, while mathe- matically accurate, would seem unnat-