.Oo.

^ C^

c5 -U

\J

r

& ^,

v0c.

* <.*

$ ^

y r<>

*u- v

■

*+ -. ; .&

^ I-

\0 ©.

- % / :

r- V

n0 o.

0^

'J-

■i -p • -&

0^ "C'

^ -^

•p/. vv

S.V

■I \

'lj. <$

&

c 0

<Pj_ y

4*"^

V

% **

.#'%

Xn .<\s

^ ^

x^

' j- y

o*A -T.

''"

*/. V?

Scanned from the collections of The Library of Congress

AUDIO-VISUAL CONSERVATION at The LIBRARY if CONGRESS

Packard Campus

for Audio Visual Conservation

www.loc.gov/avconservation

vj- v>

\" ""JV ■■• ^W^SP1 -* — T"

^%.

^

> ■■',_

".. <,

■$ %

^ ,-

^

.aV <?

^'

I

IfiH 25\%\

B 284217

ACTION OUTDOORS • MAKING THE MAXIM

NER • MC ON Ll(

>^ri.^-

H

NEW ACL PIN YOU'LL BE PROUD TO WEAR AND NEW DECALS-NOW AVAILABLE!

THE NEW ACL PIN

Lettered in gleaming metal* on a center of rich blue and an outer circle of warm red, the ACL pin is one you'll be proud to wear. It's V2" 'n diameter and comes in two types: screw-back lapel type or pin- back safety clasp. $1.00 each.

THE NEW ACL DECALS

Similar in design and coloring to the pin, the ACL decals are as practical as they are beautiful. Identify your camera and projector cases, gadget bag, film cans with this proud insignia. 21/4" by 3". $.25 each, or 5 for $1.00.

AMATEUR CINEMA LEAGUE, INC.

420 Lexington Avenue, New York 17, N. Y.

January 1951 TO ALL ACL MEMBERS:

Your many letters asking for a membership pin and decals have poured into the League offices ever since the idea was born in the fertile mind of an ACL member.

BOTH PINS AND DECALS ARE NOW AVAILABLE!

No effort was spared in designing and producing the finest membership pin obtainable. It's a handsome in- signia (%" in diameter) that you'll be proud to wear. A center of rich blue enamel sets off the letters "ACL," sharply cast in burnished metal.* An outer circle of warm red enamel carries the legend "MEMBER — AMATEUR CINEMA LEAGUE" in the same sparkling metal.* But you'll have to see this pin to appreciate its beauty . . . We're enthusiastic about its elegance!

Wearing the ACL pin at all times will give fellow members and others the opportunity to recognize you immediately as a member of the world wide association of amateur movie makers — the ACL. You, in turn, will spot other members at home, on location, on vacations, at club meetings, anywhere!

The pin is available in two types: the screw-back lapel type for your suit and overcoat, and the pin-back safety clasp type suitable for wear on your shirt, sweater, dress, blouse, jacket, windbreaker, etc. You may order one or both types- — $1.00 each for either pin.

The decal, carrying out the same rich color scheme of the pin, has many practical uses. Its 21/4" by 3" size gives you ample room to letter in your name and address for identification of your equipment. You can apply it to .your camera and projector cases, gadget bag, film "iaris, on your car or home windows, or any other smooth surface you wish. Two ACL decals will be mailed to you with our compliments. Additional decals may be ordered at $.25 each or 5 for $1.00.

With the ACL pin and decals you can now "exhibit" your interest in movie making, making yourself known at a moment's notice to other League members, and hav- ing others recognize you as a filmer with standing. I know you'll want to place your order for pins and addi- tional decals — right now!

Cordially,

\

JAMES W. MOORE Managing Director

* P.S. ACL members of one through four years standing are entitled to wear the silver-plated pin. ACL members of five years standing (or more) are privileged to wear the gold-plated pin. . . . We'll send the right one!

MOVIE MAKERS

-^tf

,1

AuAIN! Revere brings you the best in home movies • • . with

Luxury Eights

aiSutilqit'P/uceA

Here are new Revere 8mm models that give you so much more for your movie equipment dollar. Embodying the same fine precision

workmanship that has always distinguished Revere products, they are years ahead in design and features, tops in performance — truly luxury equipment at budget prices. See them at your dealer today. Compare them with others and you'll readily appreciate why Revere, more than ever, is the choice of

critical movie makers everywhere! Revere Camera Company, Chicago

O

CINE EQUIPMENT

Sensational ! New ! f&BiJerG

cine-graphic EN LARGE R -V I EWER

Make beautiful

enlargements from

your 8mm or 16mm

movie film!

Now, for the first time, you can make your own large, exciting prints from your color or black-and-white movie film — and for just pennies each! It's simple and great fun! Just select the frame to be enlarged, project it on amazing .Gevaert patented Diaversal paper, and produce rich, deep-toned prints in about five minutes! Utilizes any standard 8mm or 16mm camera lens. Ideal for viewing and editing, too!

Model E 208— for 8mm film, «4750

Model E 216— for 16mm film, $4950

Each complete with Diaversal paper and every- thing you need for making enlargements.

8mm "B-61" MAGAZINE Amazingly compact and easy to handle. New type magazine loadingis quickest and simplest ever devised. Other standout features include micromatic view-finder with click stops, and five speeds. Handsomely designed with gleaming chrome and leather trim. With F2.5 coated lens, includ- ing tax only $H250

"B-61" WITH SWING-AWAY CASE Handsome plastic carrying case with handy strap. Camera and case, complete, $U^)50

8mm "B-63" MAGAZINE TURRET

Last word in 8mm cam- eras! Everything you want for advanced movie making! Quick, easy magazine loading, 3-lens turret versatility, micromatic view-finder with click stops, five speeds, and a host of other features. Brown crackle finish enhanced with chrome and leather. With F2.8 coated lens, including tax, ..only$14250

8mm "85" DELUXE PROJECTOR

All new, with greater- than-ever conven- ience, beauty, and value! Slip-over case of burnished russet- brown plastic whisks off and on in seconds. Two-reel storage compartment in pro- jector base. 500-watt lamp, 300-ft. reel, 1- inch F1.6 coated lens, and case . . . $ U4^

JANUARY 1951

We have often been asked . . .

. . . why the Auricon-Pro is the only 16 mm. sound-on-film Camera made, regardless of price, which operates so silently it can be used within 10 inches of a microphone.

We have been asked how it is possible to sell a 16 mm. "talking picture" Camera which takes a rock-steady, in-focus picture and records a "high-fidelity" sound track on the same film at the same time, complete with amplifier for $1310.00 on a 30 day money-back guarantee and a 1 year service guarantee.

The answer is found in 18 years of specialized production experience with 16 mm sound-on-film equipment, plus world wide sales. Owners and Dealers call Auricon "the best camera value on the market today." Also available to take pictures without sound, if desired, for use with the Auricon double-system Recorder.

SEND FOR YOUR FREE COPY

OF THIS AURICON CATALOG

BERNDT-BACH,Inc.

7383 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles 36, Calif.

MANUFACTURERS OF SOUND-ON-FILM RECORDING EQUIPMENT SINCE 1931

THE MAGAZINE FOR 8mm & 16mm FILMERS Published Every Month by AMATEUR CINEMA LEAGUE

January 1951

Closeups What filmers ore doing 5

The reader writes 6

New ACL members 8

Getting "The Gannets" Warren A. Levett, ACL 9

Behind-the-lens filters Herman E. Dow, ACL 1 1

Look at your lighting! Photographs by Leo J. Heffernan, FACL 12

William L. Lucas 14

John E. C/osson 15

Frances Oakes Baldwin 16

Aids for your filming 20

William A. Thomas, ACL 21

Mar/one Riddell 22

Reports on products 24

26

New 8mm. and 16mm. films 27

People, plans and programs 28

Editorial 34

Winter projects

A titling tell-all

Skiing calls your camera

The clinic

Starring Miss Kitty

Welcome to Tucson

News of the industry

The facts about lens bubbles

Late releases

Clubs

Experience isn't everything

Cover photograph by Ken Davis

DON CHARBONNEAU Consultant Editor

JAMES W. MOORE Editor

JAMES YOUNG Advertising Manager

ANNE YOUNG Production Editor

Vol. 26, No. 1. Published monthly in New York, N. Y., by Amateur Cinema League, Inc. Subscription rates: $3.00 a year, postpaid, in the United States and Possessions and in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain and Colonies, Uruguay and Venezuela; $3.50 a year, postpaid, in Canada, Labrador and Newfoundland; other countries $4.00 a year, postpaid; to members of Amateur Cinema League, Inc , $2.00 a year, postpaid; single copies 25fi (in U. S. A.). On sale at photo- graphic dealers everywhere. Entered as second class matter, August 3, ,?927, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under act of March 3, 1879. Ccpyright, 1951 by Amateur Cinema League, Inc. Editorial and Publication Office: 420 Lexington Avenue, New York 17, N. Y., U.S.A. Telephone LExington 2-0270. West Coast Representative: Edmund J. Kerr, 6605 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles 28, Calif. Telephone HEmpstead 3171. Advertising rates on application. Forms close on 10th of preceding month.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: a change of address must reach us at least by the twelfth of the month preceding the publication of the number of MOVIE MAKERS with which it is to take effect.

MOVIE MAKERS

CloseupS— What filmers are doing

AUGUST BARTHOLET, ACL, of Forth Worth, sur- veys the region for a good movie shot while on vacation at Paradise Ranch, in Colorado.

YV E were most pleasantly surprised by the holiday greetings sent us from Italy's leading amateur cinema organi- zation, I.C.A.L. Milano. Achille de Francesco, ACL, in the name of the club, sent us via airmail a panettone by way of wishing us a Merry Christ- mas. For the benefit of the uninitiated (which up until now included this writer), a panettone is an Italian holi- day cake-bread, made in an enormous loaf measuring, roughly, fifteen inches in height and ten inches in diameter. It was delicious and added a gay and different note to our Christmas cele- brations.

Across the Threshold: Back from Mexico. Ten Best winner Esther Cooke. ACL (of Albany, N. Y., when she stays home ) . called on us to say she had more exciting material to fill out her Nextdoor Neighbor, the prize film . . . B. C. Scherzinger, ACL, on one of his frequent business jaunts to New York City, stopped by to tell us of the civil- ian defense films planned for produc- tion by the Cincinnati Movie Club, of which he is vicepresident . . . Grace Lindner. ACL, one of last year's Hon-

orable Mention winners, came in from Kenmore. N. Y.. with an entertaining reel of random 8mm. footage tied to- gether cleverly with popular song themes, old and new.

George Handwerck, ACL. from Miami, was interested in tips on film- ing our sprawling metropolis . . . Peter S. Bezek, a member of the Chicago Cinema Club, ACL, spent a few min- utes with us detailing the club's plans for the coming year . . . C. H. 0. Wea- vind, an officer of the Amateur Cine Club. ACL, of Johannesburg, in South Africa, on a flying business trip to this country, took time out between planes to meet us and extend personal greet- ings from the Jo'burg group.

Also George Bell and Austin Riggs, ACL, brought in their films of mountain climbing in Peru, the mountain they selected for their climb being Yerupaja, second highest in that country at 21.- 760 feet. We were properly impressed and made a mental note to give up our idea of trying this sport one day.

Southern exposing at Hollywood. Fla., are George Merz, ACL, and Mrs. Merz, of Clifton. N. J., while down the coast a few miles at Miami are George Mes- aros, FACL, and Mrs. Mesaros. of Long Beach. N. Y. Also wintering in Florida are B. T. Behrens, ACL, and his missus, from Asheville, N. C. . . . Ralph E. Gray, FACL, has parked his trailer for the winter at Phoenix. Ariz., with Fred C. Ells. FACL. another trailerite. choosing Santa Monica, Calif., for the cold months.

Latest release by the Motion Picture Bureau of the New York Central Sys- tem is the film. It's A Deal, running twenty minutes of monochrome sound on film. Frederick G. Beach, FACL, formerly technical editor of Movie Makers, is supervisor of the Bureau. It's A Deal dramatizes the damage

which can result from improper han- dling of high class freight; a special car equipped as a traveling theatre will present the picture to freight-handling personnel of the N.Y.C. system.

Movie Makers announces with sincere regret the death on December 9. 1950, of Joseph M. Bing. of New York City. A Charter Member of the Amateur Cinema League, Mr. Bing was an out- standing figure in the field of still pho- tography, where his honors included Honorary Fellowship in both the Royal Photographic Society and the Photo- graphic Society of America.

MRS. JOHN BRUCE, ACL, of New York City, models the traditional pose of African hunters.

Mrs. John Bruce, ACL. of New York City, is off again to East Africa, tak- ing with her the edited film shot there last year. She is interested this time in obtaining material needed to fill in the gaps created by a jammed camera last time. We shall look forward to see- ing more of this colorful and fascinat- ing scene.

I T is now our pleasure and privilege to extend, on behalf of the entire ACL staff, our warm appreciation for the many holiday greetings and remem- brances received during the Christmas season. We wish all of you a reward- ing and peaceful 1951.

AN ANNUAL EVENT for A. Theo Roth, ACL, of San Francisco, is his movie party for the neighborhood kiddies during the Christmas holidays.

JEAN F. SCHWEIZER, a member of the Vailsburg Cine Club, near Irving- ton, N. J., demonstrates Father's-Dream-Come-True on Christmas morn.

JANUARY 1951

U. S. Pat. No. 2260368

GOERZ AMERICAN

APOGOR

F:2.3

the movie lens with microscopic definition successful cameramen have been waiting for—

A new six element high quality lens for the 16 and 35 mm film camera. Corrected for all aberration at full opening, giving highest definition in black-&- white and color. Made by skilled technicians with many years of optical training.

Fitted to precision focusing mount which moves the lens smoothly without rotating elements or shifting image.

This lens comes in C mount for 1 6 nun cameras. Fitting to other cameras upon special order.

Sizes available now : 35 and 75 mm coated.

■id 50 mm tin coated

Write for prices, giving your dealer's name.

2=££ GOERZ AMERICAN

OPTICAL COMPANY OFFICE AND FACTORY

317 EAST 34 ST., NEW YORK 16, N. Y.

MM-1

cmswoLv

FILM SPLICERS

for every size and type of film, sound and silent, perforated and non-perforated, write for details

GRISWOLD MACHINE WORKS

Dep't A, Port Jefferson, N. Y.

STOP APOLOGIZING FOR YOUR MOVIE TITLES

Write today for a FKEE A-to-Z Sample Title Teat Kit. Make titles that are different . . . better and tailored to your taste. Try our method . . . FREE. COMPLETE COLOR OR B.&.W. OUTFIT $6.50

A-to-Z MOVIE ACCESSORIES

175 Filth Avenue Dept. M New York 10. N. Y.

Safeguard your

Film. Ship in

FIBERBILT

CASES.

400' to 2000' 16mm.

FIBERBILT CASE CO.

40 WEST 17th ST. NEW YORK CITY

This department has been added to Movie Makers because you, the reader, want it. We welcome it to our columns. This is your place to sound off. Send us your comments, complaints or compli- ments. Address: The Reader Writes, Movie Makers, 420 Lexington Ave., New York 17, N. Y.

OVERWHELMED

Dear Mr. Moore: Your letter of No- vember 29 was waiting for me on my return to Hartford from the West Coast yesterday. I can assure you that I am overwhelmed by the honor you have be- stowed on my film. The Gannets.

Your earlier mysterious letters had really kept me awake nights, since they indicated which way the wind might be blowing. But I had not dared to hope that this particular film would win the coveted Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Award.

I wish to extend to you and the other members of your staff my most sincere thanks and appreciation for the consid- eration you have given my work.

Warren A. Levett, ACL West Hartford. Conn.

DELIGHTED

Dear ACL: It goes without saying that Mrs. Turner and I were delighted that The Barrier won a place among the Ten Best Amateur Films of 1950. The award leader arrived today. It looks fine and seems a most appropriate form of recog- nition. Glen H. Turner, ACL Springville, Utah

GREATEST PLEASURE

Gentlemen: Your communication of this week advising me that my film. Circus Time, has been honored by be- ing selected as a Ten Best winner has afforded me the greatest pleasure and joy. To all of you on the ACL staff my many thanks for awarding me this great honor. George Merz, ACL

Clifton. N. J.

VERY HAPPY

Dear Friends: I have just received your letter informing me of the Ten Best awards for 1950, and I am very happy that my film. Green River Expedition, was counted "in." Please send me some extra December magazines as soon as they are off the press.

Al Morton. FACL Salt Lake City, Utah

AMAZED

Dear Mr. Moore: I am amazed and delighted to know that Albany's Tulip Festival was chosen as one of the Ten Best Amateur Films of 1950. I am still

breathless to think that a film of mine has won such distinction.

Aware that success is to be borne humbly, I shall, nevertheless, try to live up to the high standards set by the League. I hope that I shall be able to share with others the knowledge I have gained from past winners of your coveted awards. Helen C. Welsh, ACL Albany, N. Y.

THRILLED

Dear ACL: I was thrilled beyond words when I received the notification that my Hands Around the Clock was selected as one of the Ten Best Amateur Films of 1950. The new certificate is very im- pressive and the color leader is excel- lent. Congratulations on the fine thought behind both of them.

Bill Messner. ACL Teaneck, N. J.

VERY PLEASED

Gentlemen: Delores and I were cer- tainly surprised and very pleased to receive a Ten Best certificate for our film. Isle of the Dead, in your 1950 Ten Best contest.

We are also very happy with the Ten Best color leader. In fact, we spliced it into our film the day we received it and have been especially proud to show the film ever since.

Timothy M. Lawler. Jr.. ACL Kenosha. Wise.

ATTAINMENT

Dear Sirs: It was a thrill to receive your letter about my attainment in hav- ing been selected as one of the Ten Best with my picture. Seminole Indians. Many thanks to the Amateur Cinema League for their helpfulness and en- couragement to the sincere movie maker. Elmer W. Albinson, ACL Minneapolis, Minn.

GREATLY PLEASED

Gentlemen: Mrs. Heise and I were greatly pleased and even more surprised to receive Honorable Mention for our film. Caravan to Guatemala. We proudly displayed our new leader when we showed our picture recently before the Amateur Movie Society of Milwaukee. ACL. We also are very grateful for the beautiful certificate.

Dr. Herman A. Heise, ACL Milwaukee, Wise.

APPRECIATION

Dear Sirs: We wish to express our pleasure and appreciation for the honor which the Amateur Cinema League has

MOVIE MAKERS

bestowed upon us by placing Paddle Up Front! in the Honorable Mention class in connection with the Ten Best Ama- teur Films of 1950. The entire student body is pleased with our success in being cited for this achievement. Ellis A. Ring Audio Visual Education Springfield College Springfield, Mass.

WONDERFUL

Dear Movie Makers: It was wonderful seeing a picture of my home in the ACL magazine, and your write-up of Bless This House is a prize I shall always keep. Grace Lindner, ACL

Kenmore, N. Y.

GRATIFYING

Dear ACL: It was indeed gratifying to learn that my film was selected by Movie Makers for Honorable Mention in the Ten Best contest of 1950. At this time, I would like to give credit to cast members Al Londema and Bill Langton, ACL, who worked so unselfishly with me during the filming of / Walked a Crooked Trail. 0. L. Tapp, ACL

Salt Lake City, Utah

LEADERS FOR PAST FILMS?

Dear Mr. Moore: I was, of course, de- lighted to receive your letter about my circus picture winning a Ten Best place in 1950. Also, the new award leader is mighty fine.

In this connection, would it be pos- sible for you to make similar leaders for me. bearing the dates 1944. 1947 and 1948, for my Ten Best and Honorable Mention winners of those years? Natu- rally, I would expect to pay you for them. Oscar H. Horovitz. ACL

Newton. Mass.

Yes, we can do so. Through the fore- sight of the League's Technical Director, we are in a position to supply exactly similar Maxim Award, Ten Best or Hon- orable Mention award leaders, 8mm. or 16mm., for any past year that winners desire.

These leaders, however, must be made on special order, and the success of the undertaking will depend on the volume of orders we receive from past winners. Costs will be $1.00 for the 8mm. size, $1.50 for the 16mm., and in Kodachrome, of course. If, as a previous award winner, you are interested, let us hear from you.

NO FILMING FROM TRAINS

Dear ACL: Recently, while coming across New York State on a New York Central train. I was questioned by an FBI agent for shooting movies out of the train window along the route of the Barge Canal.

Cautioning me not to take any more such pictures, the agent stated that photography from train windows was prohibited but that there has been no public announcement of the ruling.

I thought that this incident, obviously resulting from our country going on a

war footing, was worth reporting to the Amateur Cinema League.

William Wessel, ACL Bronxville, N. Y.

Thank you very much, Mr. Wessel. The ACL has inquired into this incident with responsible officials of the New York Central Railroad, and we have received from them the following information:

The New York Central has received no notice from any Washington source of such a federal prohibition. However, they say, all railroads today are discouraging picture taking either from their trains or on railroad property — which they have every right to do if they think best. Specifically, all of NYC's train personnel and their line's roving railroad police have been charged with enforcing this purely company decision. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, says Central, is not involved.

The ACL, in the light of this report, urges its members to employ mature judg- ment and circumspection in their future filming.

In this column Movie Makers offers its readers a place to trade items of filming equipment or amateur film footage on varied subjects directly with other filmers. Commercially made films will not be accepted in swapping offers. Answer an offer made here directly to the filmer making it. Address your offers to: The Swap Shop, c/o Movie Makers.

EXCHANGE CLUB BULLETINS

Dear Movie Makers: We members of the Wanganui Amateur Cine Society would like to exchange our club bul- letin for any others published by ama- teur movie clubs in the United States or overseas.

T. Ruscoe Librarian Wanganui Amateur Cine Society 15 Mawae Street Wanganui, New Zealand

MELBOURNE FOR USA

Dear Sirs: I am anxious to obtain good original 8mm. Kodachrome footage of Honolulu, San Francisco and New York City, in exchange either for raw film or equal Kodachrome footage of Mel- bourne and environs, taken from a tripod. Please write me airmail.

Noel R. Abrecht 294-298 Little Collins Street Melbourne, Australia

BRAZIL IN 16MM.

Dear Fellow Filmers: I am interested in swapping 35mm. color slides and 16mm. color movies of Brazilian sub- jects for scenes in your country. Let me hear from you — air mail, please.

Francisco Silva, Jr., ACL Caixa 251-B Sao Paulo. Brazil, South America

COMMONWEALTH

Announces THREE New Additions

to the

Edward Small Group Now making |Q in all

°*.J$.

f<*<»4rcZ)UtMas'

Count

OF

MOiVTf CBISTO

jggpTDOlsuTJ

sgaassesw^:,*.*.-

LOWS "*"

HAmRD/BEHHETTt

6E0RCE 'Nv Jpll

SANDERS XjfT MONTE

cfflsm

MYSON'uySON /

Madeleine Co Moraine Day

rroll Bri-

an Aherne l°uis Hoyward

^ Xf THEJROK MASK

a «SK5£» after dark

KIT CARSON Aodrcl

William Gorgon, wi Moore. Peggy *Y<>n

Wilcoxon _...re

FWENDLY ENEM'ES

»?£?£$«'

I For Rentals Communicate ! with your leading j|P I6MM. FILM LIBRARY \

EXCLUSIVE I 6 MM DISTRIBUTORS

COMMONWEALTH PICTURES

CORP.

723 Seventh Avenue. New York 19, NY.

8

JANUARY 1951

Visual Education Department, Pawtucket,

R. I. Austen Fox Riggs, II, Cambridge, Mass. W. G. Robinson, Logan, W . Va.

F. A. Turner, Portland, Ore. Harry D. Brown, Los Angeles, Calif. Dr. William B. Gnagi, Monroe, Wise. Larry E. Miller, San Jose, Calif.

H. M. Phillips, San Angelo, Texas

Jerome Brown, Bergenfield, N. J. Laio Martins Filho, Sao Paulo, Brazil Raymond W. House, Norwalk, Calif.

C. A. Kimball, Cumberland, Md. Marien A. Peterson, Davenport, Iowa Harold S. Randall, Rutherford, N. J. Abbott Robinson, Sheffield, Mass. Aubrey A. Ross, Orlando, Fla.

Luiz G. Schleiniger, RGSul, Brazil

G. M. Scott, Los Angeles, Calif. Mervin Fleisher, New York City

Marcel Gandibleu, Elisabethville, Belgian

Congo Rev. Cyprian Sondej, Auburn, N. Y. J. H. Dickey, Seattle, Wash. Charles A. Freeman, jr.. River Forest, III. H. E. Mangram Tulsa, Okla. Minoo Parekh, Bombay, India James Spencer Elliott, Montreal, Canada Emil Charles Fitzpatrick, New York City

D. H. Stewart, Hong Kong

IN FILMING ON SNOW you can avoid having the tripod tips sink down by mounting them on ski-pole rings or small pieces of plywood.

George L. Beyers, Port Smith, Ark. Jack Greenberg, Philadelphia, Pa. Gerdie Holzman, Cleveland, Ohio Engelbert E. Sercu, Rochester, N. Y. Dr. Leon Tempkin, Brooklyn, N. Y. W. Vendeville, San Francisco, Calif. Mr. & Mrs. Ralph A. Behr. Denver, Colo. Joseph Mayerschoff, Philadelphia, Pa. Geo. W. Thompson, Chicago, III. Dr. E. J. Chapman, Asheville, N. C. A. L. Clark, jr.. Port Neches, Texas Robert Coulombe, San Francisco, Calif. Plainfield Cinema League, Plainfield, N. J.

0. R. Powell, Asheville, N. C.

Dr. Robert Schell, Swannanoa, N. C.

Dr. Henri I. Berlowe, White Plains, N. Y.

Mrs. M. 0. Carmichael. Klamath Falls, Ore.

Norbert Ruhland, Ottawa. III.

Lawrence Iwamoto, Honolulu, T. H.

Madison Movie Club, Madison, Wise.

Ethyl M. Peasgood, Bethel, Alaska

German L. Vazquez, Madrid, Spain

Paul Zrichuk, Toronto, Canada

Ralph Albee, Watsonville, Calif.

Mrs. Edith K. Combes, Sheffield, Mass.

Amateur Cinema Club of Buffalo, Buffalo, N. Y.

Lawrence H. Moore, Salt Lake City, Utah

CWO Kenneth E. Roberson, do PM. New York City

Cinema — 16 — Club, Omaha, Neb.

N. P. Hariharan, Jagathy, India

John Heitman, Park Ridge, N. J.

Anne M. Evans, Pleasantville, N. Y.

Ellis Krohn, Oneonta, N. Y.

Mrs. Andrew Winton Roth, New York City

Gene Arneson, Kenosha, Wise.

Modestino Deloy Gibbon, Asuncion, Para- guay

Prud°ncio Llach Hijo, Santiago de Maria, El Salvador

Capt. R. W. Orrell, Cardinal, Va.

Ronald Flint, Johannesburg, South Africa

Dr. W. J. Huddleston, Denver, Colo. Kenneth F. Klein, Los Angeles, Calif. Angus P. Mclntyre, New York City D. B. Morrison, White Plains, N. Y. John J. Rice, Wilkes Barre, Pa. George Sherman, Gloversville, N. Y. W. H. Boxman. Narberth, Pa. Charles W. Gabler, Los Angeles, Calif. Fred A. Gabler, Van Nuys, Calif.

A warm welcome is extended to all of the new ACL members listed below. They have been elected to and joined the League since our last publication. The League will be glad to forward letters between members which are sent to us with a covering note requesting such service.

J. S. Morgan, San Angelo, Texas Blaney B. Blay, Elgin, III. Francis X. Dalton, Cincinnati, Ohio Pelham Camera Club, New York City Fred W. Pembleton, Fort Wayne, Ind. James Pol'ak, Brooklyn, N. Y. Edward Seltzer, New York City Louis D. Knowks, Washington, D. C. A. H. Lochner, University Park, Md.

Springfield College, Springfield, Mass.

R. E. Vetter, Calvary, Wise.

Cpl. Harrison W. Gaston, San Francisco,

Calif. L. E. Houston. Toronto, Canada Dr. J. Vernon Scott, Los Angeles, Calif. E. A. Chamberlain, Detroit. Mich. Robert Victor Hindmarsh, Whitby, England Mrs. J. R. Lofgren, B/oomfield, Iowa Percy Hulbert, Manchester, Conn. Frank Repash, Allentoum, Pa. Cape Town Photographic Society, Cape

Town, South Africa Willy Hald, New York City

Tjon-A-Tjoe Frederik Hendrik, Willemstad. N.W.I.

Earl L. Kochenderfer. Boston, Mass.

J. Ashby Miller. Louisville, Ky.

Dr. H. M. Tymvios, Nicosia, Cyprus

Armand F. Cole, Washington. D. C.

W. Godsell, Washington, D. C.

W. J. Doherty, Briarcliff Manor, N. Y,

John Galloway, Calgary, Canada

Nils Sandstrom. Brooklyn, N. Y.

Harry A. Shapiro, Montreal, Canada

George Planje, jr., c/o FPO. San Fran- cisco, Calif.

E. G. Brown, Toronto, Canada

W. W. Cherry, Toronto, Canada

William E. Gregory, Birmingham, Ala.

Alphonse M. L. Paolantonio. Johnston, R. I.

Harvey Weinstock, New York City

FAMOUS MOTION PICTURES of the early days in film history are being added to the study collection at George Eastman House, the world photographic center in Rochester, N. Y.

Dr. M. Neal Benjamin, Barbourville, Ky. Mrs. A. J. Castillo, Portland, Ore. A. Weir Eckenswiller, Weston, Canada Franklin County Camera Club, Greenfield,

Mass. Jack E. Gieck. Detroit, Mich. Edward V. McKenna, Maiden, Mass. Earl 0. Price, Lakeport, Calif. Halbert F. Speer, Neiv York City E. M. Tyler, Washington, D. C.

Ivan Clyde Collins, LaPorte, Ind.

John E. Clardy, Tucumcari, N. M.

Col. Edwin E. Hebb, Detroit, Mich.

Radio-TV Office, Iowa State Teachers Col- lege, Cedar FaUs, Iowa

Dr. Donald E. Moore, Decorah. Iowa

SFC Ralph B. Gordner, c/o PM. San Fran- cisco, Calif.

Robert W. Kruger, Jersey City, N. J.

Oscar Perlberger, New York. City

William Rizzo, Chicago, III.

Oscar L. Van Horn, Newark, N. J.

James L. Howard. Denver, Colo.

Victor Kaufman. Hamilton, Canada

Parkchester Cinema Club, New York City

Noel R. Abrecht, Camberwell, Australia

Leonard Chertok, New York City

Mrs. Mildred Cooper, Hollywood, Calif.

Anton Kroft, Chicago, HI.

Edwin John Robinson, Belleville, N. J.

Ira D. Staggs, Baker, Ore.

John I. Stroud, Moorestown, N. J.

John E. Brecht, Cincinnati, Ohio J. B. Dalton, Abilene, Texas Hal H. Harrison, Tarentum, Pa. John C. Pertgen, Chicago, III. Roger H. Rosen, Denver, Colo. Dr. S. L Siegler, Brooklyn, N. Y. H. M. Alarid, Gabbs, Nev. Irwin M. Auerbach, Brooklyn, N. Y. Hon. J. D. Begin, Dorchester, Canada V. J. Penso, Cape Town, South Africa Kenneth S. Redford, Harrison, N. Y. Dr. A. Richler, Montreal, Canada Louis Roberts, Long Island City, N. Y. Ormal I. Sprungman. San Diego, Calif.

IN COLD WEATHER when your camera is taken indoors, vapor condensa- tion forms on the lens. This dampness should be removed with lens tissue or allowed to dry off before using the camera.

Howard Branston, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Arthur G. Schoenlaub, Hasbrouck Heights,

N.J. Richard Gutmann, New York City John Yurchak, Philadelphia, Pa. Margaret Ketchum. Detroit, Mich. Robert E. Rice, Duncan, Okla. William Zucconi, Red Bank, N. J. Landsforbundet Danmarks Filmamatorer,

Kobenhavn, Denmark W. M. Reese, Smethport, Pa. Otto J. Slatinsky, Chicago, III. Charles R. Smith, Dayton, Ohio

Richard R. Bard, sr., Perry, Iowa

Robert J. Durr, South Bend, Ind.

Ernesto Fink, Mexico, D. F.

W. E. Fraley, Abilene, Texas

Lloyd H. Henry, Keokuk, Iowa

Abe Reisberg, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Phillipp G. Malmberg, Daytona Beach, Fla

Lewis C. Wollaston, Alliance, Neb.

Denman Cadden, Ecorse, Mich.

Tom Camarco, Hartford, Conn.

Raymond S. Carter, Melbourne, Australia

Leo Cogan, Montreal, Canada

Richard K. Dean, Glens Falls, N. Y.

Jack J. Fanburg, Oakland. Calii.

John F. Fay, Forest Hills, N. Y.

Guy S. Howell, Allen Park, Mich.

Robert Howell, River Rouge, Mich.

Perrin Husted, Brooklyn, N. Y. Nicholas S. Kalapos, Detroit. Mich. Stanley R. Kelley, Portland, Ore. Harry Meade, New York City Omaha Movie Club, Omaha, Neb. Edward O'Neil, Havre, Mont. Jackson B. Pokress, New York City August P. Rossi, Taylor Center, Mich. George A. Stacey, Allen Park, Mich. Mitz Stramake, Ecorse, Mich.

John M. Vollmerhausen, Allen Park, Mich.

Marcus J. Ware, Lewiston, Idaho

George R. Bennett, Buffalo, N. Y.

Dr. Alvin A. Goldhush, Bay Shore, N. Y.

Jack Klein, Trenton, N. J.

Yale Robert Burge, New York City

Dr. Raymond H. Dix, Detroit, Mich.

Pedro A. Sifre Franco, Rio Piedras,

Puerto Rico Harry J. Frederick, Pittsburgh, Pa. George B. Guthrie, jr., Bartlesville, Okla. F. T. Lindquist, Chicago, III. Charles H. Lowry, D.D.S., Logansport, Ind. Leslie J. Mahoney, Phoenix, Ariz. Dr. A. C. Clarke Mills, Weston, Canada Murray L. Pallas. New York City Henry Wandler, New York City

GETTING

"THE GANNETS

Illustrations by Warren A. I.evett, ACL

//

Patience, planning and a sense of humor were key components of 1950's Maxim Award winner

WARREN A. LEVETT, ACL

LOOKING back on it now, I suppose that my picture, The Gannets, had its true beginnings somewhere about 1946. I had been invited to a meeting of the Hartford (Conn.) Cinema Club, that annual December meeting at which the Maxim Memorial Award winner for the year was shown. That started it, I'm sure.

But don't get me wrong. I'm definitely not trying to sug- gest that I promised myself that very evening that "someday I too would achieve that august honor." Far from it. All I can honestly claim is that the evening's screening opened my cinematic eyes. I began to look beyond record shots of the family and aimlessly unorganized vacation reels. I began to realize that the dough of technical competence must be leavened with the yeast of creative imagination, if ever it was to rise above the daily loaf of bread. Put more directly, I was getting itchy with ideas. About then, a used Cine-Kodak Special crossed my path with a beckoning price tag. I grabbed it up and felt I was ready for the Big Effort.

FIRST VISIT IN 1947

But where to go? Well, the Gaspe Peninsula of Canada had always intrigued our family, so vacation time in 1947 found us touring that fascinating section. I shot sequences of the usual stuff, I suppose : farming, fishing, the little gray villages and the like. But as with all tourists, we gravitated inevitably to the pull of Perce and Bonaventure Island. There the fabulous, flapping gannet colony on the island proved of absorbing interest, and much more film was ex- posed than the lighting conditions warranted. But, in spite of rain and fog, enough usable footage was secured to put together an organized picture of sorts called Le Gaspe. Locally, it enjoyed a modest success. When, in 1948, I sub- mitted it in the ACL Ten Best contest, the picture got no- where.

BACK AGAIN IN 1949 But the gannets just wouldn't let me go. I had to return again. So. in 1949, we were again headed north, but this time with a single definite purpose in mind. Gaspe was out; this picture was to be all gannets. But, obviously, any film on just one subject had to be relatively short, unconditionally interesting and, if possible, quite a little bit humorous. Neither of the latter two conditions worried me. I knew from experience that these great, overgrown "gulls" were always interesting and at times ludicrously funny. The unanswered question was whether I would be able to bring back these qualities on film.

TECHNICAL PREPARATIONS

Leaving as little to chance as possible, I provided myself

with a wide angle, 1, 2%, 4 and 6 inch lenses, all coated and

all in the Cine-Kodak mount. Knowing from past experience

that it is impossible to follow a fast-flying bird with a tripod-

BONAVENTURE ISLAND, above, with Perce Rock in the background, was setting of The Gannets, Maxim Award winner for 1950. Producer's family play with tame growing birds, while at bottom (right of cen- ter foreground) can be seen the feeding routine described by author.

10

SIZE AND SCALE of are suggested by still host family, holding

mounted camera, I hacked out from plywood a crude gunstock mount; it was to prove immensely valuable. The lettering of the main title, credit title and end title was prepared in advance and taken along to be filmed on live action backgrounds. For the body of the film, I felt that subtitles were out; they would slow the pic- ture's pace too greatly. A wire-re- corded narrative and music seemed to be the answer; but at this time the final form of the narrative was still undecided.

EXPOSURE FOR KODACHROME

Looking over my 1947 film, I finally decided (despite advice to the contrary) to take no pictures unless there was a bright sun. Normally, in Gaspesia, this often is equivalent to a decision to take no pictures — period. But adult gannets are pure white and, in flight, should be filmed against the deep blue sky. Secondly, for flight scenes in slow motion, the maximum possible depth of focus would be needed when using telephoto lenses. And finally, a uniform light condition would greatly simplify the problem of exposure.

I finally settled on //ll as the basic aperture for front or side lighted scenes at 16 fps camera speed. Actually, I extended this to cover gannets flying almost directly over- head, where they were back lighted. For, don't forget, the sun will shine right through the white, extended wing feathers. After processing, this exposure standard was found to be correct save under one condition. With the clear sun directly behind the camera, the gannets were slightly overexposed. This suggests an aperture halfway between //ll and //16 for the fully front-lighted plumage; but if it were used both the background and the sky would be too dark. Therefore, the ideal exposure standard seems to be //ll under side lighting only.

WE LIVED ON THE ISLAND

With these preparations and decisions made, we were ready for the field. Being old Gaspesian travelers by this time, we frowned upon the mainland tourist accommoda- tions and, instead, lodged ourselves with a fine old English family — the Arthur Majors — living directly on Bonaventure Island. Here we received board and room, boat rides and help in carrying our camera gear — all for a very modest sum. And when I mention help in toting the cameras, just consider that all of the five or six fam- ilies who live on Bonaventure are on the west side of the island. The gannets occupy the cliffs three miles away — and all uphill — to the east.

In passing, it may be noted that I found an Army knapsack the easiest way to carry the movie camera, three or four lenses, an extra film chamber, film and the count- less other gadgets with which we movie makers burden ourselves. This trip up the hill was made at least once a day for a filming session. Even when I had shot all the film I felt was necessary, I still crossed the island just to watch the birds. They honestly were that interesting!

FILMING FEEDING ROUTINE Good weather favored us that trip, so that I was able to get, in a day or two, the basic pictures showing the locale.

these powerful birds shot of John Major, of a full-grown gannet.

Some specific characteristics of the birds which I wanted to show, how- ever, presented a more difficult prob- lem. For example, feeding the young birds is a most interesting procedure, in that the parents partly digest the food, and then regurgitate as the youngster thrusts his probing beak far down the throat of the older bird. Try as I would, I could not spot this walking cafeteria in action. When birds of this type are nesting they are very tolerant of humans, so I did not believe that my presence was disturb- ing them. But for almost a week I failed to see a single feeding opera- tion. And then suddenly, one day, I saw it happen. Although my camera was not ready at that moment, I learned how to anticipate the feeding action, so that I could prepare for it swiftly in the future. With this fore- knowlege, I soon had the feeding routine on film. Still other sequences were pure luck. Consider a shot of the gannets diving for fish. Frequently they have to fly 100 miles or more a day looking for such food. But I stood on the cliff one sunny day with the camera wound, leveled and the 6 inch lens in place. Almost without warning a school of fish appeared a few hundred feet from shore. Instantly the air and water were filled with whirling, diving gannets; then, within thirty seconds, the fish were gone. But I had the scene recorded!

THE BIRDS BOW OUT Obtaining the final scene for the film required the most patience, but afforded the greatest pleasure of achieve- ment. Courtship ritual requires that loving gannets bow to each other. When one bird has been away, if only for a little time, he and his mate go into an animated bowing routine on being reunited. To get two lovers bowing was easy; but to find an absent minded gent, bowing to no one in particular was the design. Further, he had to be at the cliff's edge, so that the dark water served as a back- ground. After innumerable false alarms, one such charac- ter was found, and he performed to perfection. The film now concludes — rather uproariously, it seems — with him bowing pompously as The End fades in over his head, and the narrative voice intoning: "Thenk yuhl Thenk yuh very much!"

NOW FOR THE NARRATIVE

Editing was relatively easy, with about 450 of 750 feet shot going into The Gannets and some 100 feet being dis- carded as below par. But the narration now began to plague me. Merely commenting impersonally about the gannets did not appear to be the answer, for previous experience with that method had shown its danger of becoming dull. Completion was delayed while a solution was sought. And then I saw the light — I would put the narration into the mouth of a gannet! After that there was no trouble. For, by impersonating a gannet, I could poke fun at the photographer himself and, of equal importance, retain in the film certain scenes difficult to include in any other way. There were, finally, numerous opportunities for humorous byplays — as in the ending cited above.

The musical background was [Continued on page 33]

11

BEHIND-THE-LENS FILTERS

A reader sums up his simple system of cutting and using thin gelatin niters

HERMAN E. DOW, ACL

Aperture Jl*

•Shutter

FIG. 1: Design of turret positioning of filter by

I HAVE followed with great interest the suggestions on behind-the-lens filtering presented by Homer E. Carrico, ACL. and Ernst Wildi, ACL, in The Clinic for October and Decem- ber, respectively.

Every movie maker with more than one lens faces this same problem — the multiplicity of filters necessary to provide a complete set for lenses of different diameters. After lugging around for years a small satchelful of assorted filters and filter holders, I too decided that behind-the-lens place- ment was the answer. Here's the way I worked it out, using only the thin gelatin filters.

My cameras were (and still are) the Filmo 70-DA and the Filmo 153-B, both 16mm. This combination of cameras gave me a turret type and a single lens type with which to experiment. I found that with both of them there was enough room between the rear of the lens barrel and the camera aperture to permit the inser- tion of a thin, lacquered gelatin filter. Whether this will be true with 8mm. cameras and other makes of Sixteens I am not in a position to say. But it is easy to determine. And it is certainly worth investigating.

With the turret-type camera there is every likelihood that enough room for the filter will exist, because of the necessity of designing the camera front to accept the turret mount. Indication of this will be seen in Fig. 1, diagraming the construction of a typical turret lens mount. With a single lens camera there is less surety of adequate room, but it can be checked easily.

Begin by unscrewing the lens from its threaded mount. Now measure the length of the lens barrel from its outer- most thread to the extreme inner end of the barrel. A similar measurement should then be made from the front of the lens seat to the film aperture. Obviously, if the threaded length of the lens barrel equals the second measurement, there is not room for the filter as is. Any insertion under these circumstances would throw the lens out of focus. However, it is often possible in such cases to grind away the threaded portion of the lens barrel enough to create filter room. I have done this already to one of my lenses so that it might be used on the turret camera without rubbing against the camera face.

Assuming, then, that there is room in your camera

Lens 5ep\i

Filter

^./Turret

front camera and friction are above.

Lens Sert

Filter

Aperture

.Shutter

FIG. 2: Simplicity of single lens camera de- sign permits holding filter with lens barrel.

APERTURE

Notch

to insert a gelatin filter, the next step is to create a filter unit of the correct diameter. With the turret front camera, this diameter should be just slightly larger than the circular opening in which it will fit. For, the snugness of this fit will be the only force holding the filter in place. It is recommended, therefore, that the diameter of the filter be .002 to .004 of an inch larger than the diameter of the opening. With the single lens camera, this oversizing is not necessary, since the rear end of the lens will hold the filter in place. See Fig. 2.

Having determined the correct diameter of the filter for my cameras (one size worked for both), I then ground out a hollow punch with which to stamp out the filter discs. Creation of a punch of this sort is desirable, since it assures that all filter discs cut by it will be of the correct and uniform size. The inside diameter of the punch was arrived at simply by trial and error.

In use, the punch should be employed as follows : place a 2 inch square of gelatin filter, still in the protecting paper in which it comes, on a flat piece of hard wood. Position the punch on the filter square (I can cut four filter discs from the 2 inch piece), place another piece of wood on top of the punch, and then strike the wood sharply and squarely with a hammer. Properly done, one blow of the hammer will cut the filter cleanly.

The filter disc will now be lodged in the bottom end of the hollow punch. It may be removed from the punch by gentle pressure of the blunt end of the special tweezers, brought to bear only along the edge areas of the filter which will not be in front of the camera aperture. In fact, all handling of these gelatin filters should be done with the tweezers only. [Continued on page 33]

IED

n

L.

CENTRAL PORTION only of filter covers camera aper- ture, so it can be tweezered on edges and in notch.

HOLLOW PUNCH of exact diameter desired is helpful accessory in cutting uniform discs.

SPECIAL TWEEZERS are formed by bending tips of regular tweezers.

12

LOOK AT YOUR LIGHTING!

Is your interior lighting pleasant, honest, effective?

Here are more guides to good pictures indoors

Photographs for MOVIE MAKERS by LEO J. HEFFERNAN, FACL

I AST month, in A Lighting Formula, we defined picto- ^^ rially the basic function of each of the four units in a well rounded lighting pattern. These units were, you should recall, the key light for illumination, the fill light to balance the shadows, the back light for glamour, and the background light for separation. In this presen- tation, the individual contribution of each of these units was separately illustrated, climaxed by a single picture in which these effects were combined in a harmonious, integrated whole.

EFFECTS CAN BE VARIED

However, it should not be assumed that the effects illustrated — either singly or in combination — are the only ones possible with this four-light formula. The end product may be as varied as is the willingness of the ama- teur cameraman to experiment. As he does so, there are three standards to which he should refer in the placement of each light.

These are (1) the position of the light in relation to the subject, whether front, side or rear of it; (2) the angle at which the light reaches the subject, whether from above, below or level with it, and (3) the nearness of the light to the subject. This latter decision will largely de- termine the intensity of effect of each unit, since a light 5 feet from a subject, say, gives four (not two) times as much illumination as the same lamp at 10 feet. Close lights, however, will be harsh and "hot," so that the cameraman continually must strike a balance between il- lumination level and lighting effect.

Learning to control and balance these three standards — position, angle and intensity — is largely a matter of train- ing and trying. The observant cameraman will learn, bit by bit, to detect flaws in a lighting scheme. A too-intense highlight often may be eliminated simply by moving ones key unit slightly farther back. Or a too-dense shadow may be brought into balance by advancing the fill light. For

some time, at least, it will serve the lighting novice well to plot out each setup on paper and then to check its effects later against the screen results.

GENERAL OR SPECIAL LIGHTING

In planning his effects, the cameraman should be guided overall by whether the scene in question calls for general-purpose or special-purpose lighting. Scenes in the former category are those in which no dictation of the script or the setting controls or delimits the lighting pat- tern. With such scenes, the producer may then design his lighting scheme to achieve simply the most attractive results with the subject concerned.

Special-purpose lighting, on the other hand, must be geared primarily to the effect called for. For example, your script may suggest a scene of gaiety and brightness, as at a children's birthday party; the lighting in such a case should naturally be sparkling, well balanced and high in key. Scenes of sadness, mystery or fear, however, are generally low in key, with only a few strong highlights contrasting starkly with deep, sombre shadows. Special- purpose lighting may also be called for by the presence in the scene of room lights, a fireplace or a window. Since these objects are normally regarded as light sources, your actual illumination of the setting must make them seem, at least directionally, to be such sources in fact.

A GENERAL-PURPOSE SCENE A good average example of the general purpose scene

is to be found in our pair of pictures. Figs. 1 and 1-A.

Although room lights do appear in the setting, they need

not dictate the overall lighting pattern since they are

behind the subject.

We show first, in Fig. 1, the flat and uninteresting effect

created by unimaginative front light. One RFL-2 lamp

has been clamped to a chair on each side of the camera.

Although the basic illumination on the subject is ade-

JM|M	1	i lUff !
. J JJ	<i f !ai _I i j
^Bj^lr aP*		r KJlA A WmMmM m
	w3r " * '

FIG. 1: Flat, uninteresting and too contrasty— due to dimly lit background— is this front lighting with two RFL-2 floods.

FIG. 1-A: Three planes— fore, middle and background— are now independently lit, creating normal sense of separation.

13

FIG. 2: Ludicrous are the shadows cast in this cozy scene, if the floor lamp is to be seeming source of illumination.

quate for exposure, there are a number of fairly obvious faults in the overall effect. First, because of contrast, even the light on the subject seems unpleasantly "hot." Sec- ond, the two front lighting units simply are not strong enough to illumine the background as well as the subject, thus creating the high contrast and the gloomy setting. And third, the weak illumination of the normal bulbs in the desk and standing lamps is not strong enough to come through against the photoflood lighting.

The cameraman wishing to light this scene more at- tractively (and yet with seeming normality) would first replace the house bulbs in the two lamps with No. 1 photo- floods. Since there will be three such units in the standing lamp, it now can come through successfully and at the same time serve as a background light. As for the desk lamp, its normal appearance should be bright in level. Thus, to accent this effect, the key light which illumines the girl's face is placed high and moved away from her until a soft, slightly underlit appearance is imparted to the face. Note, in contrast, how much more appealing this effect is than the "hot" lighting of Fig. 1.

The cameraman would now notice that both the desk and standing lamps might be expected to rim light the girl's hair. To simulate and assure this effect he therefore trains a spotlight on her head from behind, adding depth as he adds glamour. Finally, since the dark wood of the secretary absorbs a majority of the light thus far falling on it, a single RFL-2 is clamped to its top and pointed down. This prevents the upper central portions of the picture from appearing underlit.

A SPECIAL-PURPOSE SCENE A simple but satisfving ex- ample of the special purpose scene will be found in the pair of pictures. Figs. 2 and 2-A. Here, with the floor lamp at the side of the reading figure, the observant cameraman will rec- ognize that all of his illumina- tion must seem to come from that floor lamp. Actually, of course, very little of the light

FIG. 2-A: With objects away from wall and lighting restyled, scene now has honest simplicity of an early Dutch painting.

it can provide will be photographically useful, despite the insertion of a No. 1 flood bulb.

Fig. 2 shows graphically some of the ludicrous effects which can be created if special purpose lighting is not adhered to in scenes that call for it. To begin with, no lighting unit thus far known ever cast a shadow of itself — much less two of them. Further, if the floor lamp is to seem the true light source, we know too that it could not cast a shadow of the reading figure on the wall in front of that figure.

One cause of these difficulties is that all of the objects in the scene — lamp, table and figure — are too close to the backgrounds. Thus, the first thing the cameraman will do is to move these objects away from the walls. The dif- ference in their placement is clearly notable between Figs. 2 and 2-A.

Next, of course, must come an entire revamping of the lighting pattern. Actually, the pleasant, apparently simple effect created in Fig 2-A was achieved by the knowing placement and angling of four different spotlight units. One of these, placed high and to the right of the camera, serves as a key light on the girl's face and figure. A sec- ond was trained on her hair from left rear to create sepa- ration from the dark curtain [Continued on page 25]

FIG 3: Too strong a highlight on model's face makes her nose seem big and gleaming.

FIG. 3-A: Softer lighting and better pose reveal true charm of this attractive model.

14

Fred Frater

TURN TO A HOBBY, urges the author, to keep your camera humming during the winter months. Model railroading needs wide angle for depth.

OKAY, so there's nothing left of Christmas except some pine needles behind the radiator. New Year's Eve has come and gone, and the party hats are in the attic, the empty bottles in the trash barrel. Nothing is about to happen — in fact, there isn't a birthday in the family for two months. What now? Are you going to stow away your movie equipment where both moth and rust might corrupt?

Don't do it. Keep in practice. And to keep in practice it isn't necessary to load your camera and grind away hun- dreds of feet of a sparrow eating bread crusts in your bird feeding station. Nor to film aimless reels of nothing in particular. What if it is zero outdoors? What if a four- foot snowdrift does block your garage door? Do your filming inside.

These winter months provide a good opportunity for glancing through those dusty reel cans and taking another look at the countless unedited, untitled, unplanned movies you've taken in the past. Perhaps they are movies you took when an utter beginner. Perhaps they are movies you wouldn't think of projecting for friends — at least, not in the shape they're in. (Your movies, not your friends.)

All right, let's have some fun with them. Let's make them into interesting filmfare.

For example, perhaps you have plenty of footage of unrelated action taken back ten or fifteen years ago. Some of the shots look plenty amateurish. There's no semblance of a scenario or even a running gag. Maybe some of your subjects were "beheaded" by the camera; maybe you didn't use a tripod; maybe there's a dizzy tilt to the pic- tures, or they're jerky from too-short scenes. Okay, leave it all in. The funnier, the better. Only let's wrap it all up together by shooting some titles for the various scenes and a main title like: Remember When? You can add a sense of age to these titles by printing or lettering the captions

Winter

projects

WILLIAM L. LUCAS

in an old-fashioned style. After these titles are spliced in the film, then we'll want to take a few interior shots to use with this old film, as follows:

Shoot some footage of your wife, or other member of your family, looking through your old movie files. She selects a reel, blows the dust off it. You enter the scene. She shows you the reel, and in pantomime suggests that you project it. At first you refuse, but in the manner of all wives she finally persuades you to show it. You set up the screen. The projector. You and your wife settle down in comfortable chairs, then lights out. The projector lamp is switched on. At this point you splice in the old reel. Then end with a shot of the darkened room, lights on, and you and your wife in a happy reminiscent mood.

Or you could use that same old reel, with its new titles, in another way. If you belong to an amateur movie club, film a script similar to the following: The club is having a picture contest. You attend, hand in your entry, very proud. Again lights out, and your picture is projected at the club meeting. There are frequent closeups of you, in semi-darkness, horrified as you realize you've brought the wrong reel to be entered in the contest. When lights go on again, you jump up to explain your error, but you are awarded a prize for the Best Comedy. Blithely you accept the prize. Fade out.

Another interesting pastime is to make a documentary film. Perhaps during the years you've taken a lot of foot- age of your youngster's first bath, his first step, his first birthday party, his first vacation, his first day at school, etc. If you are normal, you probably shot a lot more than the necessary footage of each event. If so, take a few feet out of each film. Splice them together in chronological order. Make some new titles to explain the various scenes. Then make a main title such as: Growin Up! When completed, you'll find such a film is very interesting to you as par- ents, also to your friends. For it will reveal vividly the growing-up process, the change from babyhood to a youngster, from a youngster to a youth, if your offspring is that old.

Still another way to keep your camera busy on winter nights is to film a hobby or an interesting occupation. Do you know of someone who collects miniatures? Who bands birds? Who has a scale-model electric train? If so, clean off your auxiliary lenses, think up a script, and start shooting. Perhaps you have a friend in the shoe repair business. If so, then you could film the various processes of cutting and stitching new leather soles. Nail- ing on heels. Take plenty of closeups of the new-type machinery now being used in this occupation, compared to the old hand methods.

If your movie club is looking for a winter project, con- tact any factory in your region which might be interested in having their manufacturing [Continued on page 33]

There's plenty to picture between now and the first robin. Keep

your camera skills in training with one or more of these movies

15

A TITLING TELL-ALL

Combined in one simple guide, this unique chart determines title area, camera-to-card distance and the correct strength of diopter lens. Save it for reference

JOHN E. CLOSSON

ANY movie maker who has tried his hand at title . making knows well that, in this technique, there are a number of important facts to be known. Field size, for example. In other words, if your intended title card is to be 4 inches wide, how high must it be? With this determined, how far from this card should the camera be to cover it? And, finally, what strength of diopter lens will be needed to give sharp focus at this distance ?

Each one of these facts can be determined by referring to individual data charts. But after a while you get tired of checking two, three or four tables for each titling op- eration. At least, I did. The result, pictured on this page,

was the design of a wholly new chart which would com- bine, in a single format, all, of the necessary information. I have called it a Nomographic Title Chart, based on the definition of "nomograph" as follows: A graph that en- ables one by the aid of a straightedge to read off the value of a dependent variable when the value of the inde- pendent variable is known.

In the case of title making, the independent (or known) variables are the width of the title card and the focal length of the lens to be used — since each of these facts can be established at will by the cameraman. The de- pendent (or unknown) variables are the height of the title card, the camera-to-card [Continued on page 33]

3Y-5 mm"

14-

li \l

II 10 9 8

i y

25 mm

Pivot B

-*.

ie.5r

9">^ J

60 -i

50

40 -

	30 -	kl
	\	J
	\	1-
	X	t-
<n	\£5 -
z	\	t
111 _l		0, s
		-'I.
u.	20 >
0	,'-	\ "*

15 -

5 -

9"

8"

fe-

5-

NJomogr^phic Title Chart

This chart owes THE. diopters of

AUHILIABY LENSES AND THEIR DISTANCE FROM THE TITLE WHIN THE TITLE WIDTH AND CAMERA Fot*L LENGTH ARC KNOWN.

Focusing mount lenses ARe set at

INriMITY WHEN AUHILIARf LENSES ARC OSEO.

8l

6-

5 -

4-"

X

Pivot A

"H —

i j

John E. Cuosson

50

ALL-PURPOSE TITLING CHART, designed by author, can be used with 8mm. or 16mm. cameras and with lenses from 9mm. to 37.5mm. in focal length. Photostat it for use-.

A SUMMER COTTAGE may often double as a winter ski camp, but guests must gather their own firewood. Such action makes a good introduction.

SHADOW AND SILHOUETTE in the foreground of a sun-drenched snowscape add depth and contrast to the scene. Note texture from cross lighting. |

SKIING CALLS YOUR CAMERA

Get outdoors for action urges this filmer from the North

FRANCES OAKES BALDWIN

DEEP powder snow, crisp winter air and bright sun- shine spell ski time in Canada — or elsewhere. They also spell good filming and good fun. Actually, there's every type of skiing and ski resort in Canada, from the three-mile downhill slopes of the Alpine-like Rocky Mountains to the Scandinavian-type mountains of the Laurentians. There is every type of accommodation offered, too, from cozy lodges to first class luxury resorts.

VARIED ACCOMMODATIONS But for the average skier and the average pocketbook, I think the rolling country of the Gatineau hills is the best area. There are good ski centers at Chelsea, Kings- mere, Wakefield, Morin, Low and Camp Fortune — #11 within about fifty miles of Ottawa, Canada's capital city.

AN EXCEtLENT OPENING to your sequences of cross country or slalom skiing would be this medium shot of unloading the bus.

All of these centers can be reached easily by train, bus or, over good highways, with your own car.

Most of these centers are small resorts charging about five or five fifty per day, although you can get accommo- dation at farmhouses (the White and Red Farm at Morin Heights, for example) for as little as two dollars a day- including meals. Or you can stay at swank luxury resorts which start at ten dollars a day, American plan. In al- most every case, you can rent skis, skates and toboggans at the lodges. So if your camera equipment crowds out your ski stuff, don't worry about it too much.

And don't be worried about customs officials either when you come to film Canadian skiing. You will not need a passport to enter the country, and there's no duty on the films or cameras you will bring in to use. Do have some proof of your American citizenship to show U. S. custom officials on your way home, however.

START WITH CROSS COUNTRY But let's get out on the hills. The title of your first sequence might be: Here is ski country — with cross coun- try trails, tricky slalom courses and breathless downhill runs. Start your film with shots of a group of skiers ad- justing their equipment in preparation for a morning run on the hills. Make sure it's a morning run, too — you'll get your best light. Ask your skiers to stand so that you get those pine-studded slopes of the Gatineau Hills for a background. And get closeups of one or two of the more colorful athletes. Human interest always adds to the best of scenery.

Under way, keep your camera busy. Get the uphill climb from various angles. A long shot, with your skiers in the foreground and the panoramic slope of the valley below, is effective. Later, station yourself for action shots on the fast tracks through the pine-clad hills, and wait for it to come to you. Wind up the film with shots of the

17

dian Gov't. Travel Bureau

A DIAGONAL VIEWPOINT for a file of cross country skiers offers a more effective composition than would a head-on shot. The racing turn at right must be follow-filmed with telephoto.

group heading home along the ski trails. But get this shot rather early, perhaps even before you're ready to head for home, because you'll run out of good light fairly early in the afternoon.

SKI FINALS IN FEBRUARY

The Slalom Race might be the lead title for your second sequence. Nearly every weekend there's a ski contest of some kind at all of the camps. But if you should choose February 17 and 18 as your skiing movie dates, you'll hit on the granddaddy of them all. This is the Dominion Ski Finals, held on Slalom Hill at Camp Fortune, one of Quebec's oldest and most developed ski areas.

A ski race is a pretty hard thing to get a movie of. alone — but it can be done. Actually, the best results are obtained with a maximum of five cameras and a mini- mum of three. If a group of movie fiends from your local club make the trip together, you might try it with five. But if there are only two of you with cameras — or only one — you may still get a good movie by some after-race faking.

COVERING THE RACES

If you are alone, get some pre-race crowd stuff from halfway up the hill, and then station vourself at the finish line. There you can get long shots of the race in progress; medium shots and closeups of the winner crossing the finish line: crowd reactions: the runners-up coming in; the winner getting his cup, and so on.

After the race, kidnap the first, second and third place winners and go back with them for repeats of the take-off. Then, if you can persuade your skiers to keep on playing, have them run through the race at intervals. Station your- self at the first turn for Number One. Get a shot of him coming towards you, passing vou and roaring away. Then, station yourself farther along the course, and yell for Number Two skier to come in. Number Three can be photographed at still another part of the course. When edited together with your long shots of the race in prog- ress, and your authentic finish, it should make a pretty good film.

Incidentally. I find that a few staged closeups are in- valuable in editing a faked movie or even a genuine one. Shots of skis whizzing through the powdery snow, or a pole being plunged in are mightv handy things to cut to, for a moment, to bridge an awkward time lapse or scene break.

GROUP COVERAGE BEST

If you have a maximum of five cameras, you can really do yourself a job. I'd recommend spotting one camera- man at the take-off point, with an experienced local ski authority at his elbow. He will have a pretty good idea which skiers are likely to come in as winners, and thus which ones are worth a starting sequence. It isn't a fool- proof method, of course. A dark horse winner may come in. But in that case, you'll just have to get along without a shot of the winner starting the race, or have him run through an additional take-off for the camera, after the race is over.

Have two cameras stationed at the turn where you're most likely to get spills and chills. The first camera will take the long and medium shots, and the other camera, using a telephoto lens, will grab the closeups. When edited, this should give you a good action-packed middle.

Your final pair of cameras are stationed, of course, at the finish line. One will get the long and medium shots as the skiers come into the homestretch. The other, with a telephoto lens, will get closeups of the winners crossing the finish line.

That's the skeleton of your ski story, at Gatineau or elsewhere. You can add to the plan yourself. So visit the ski slopes this winter. There's good sport and good filming.

F* 1 *

&**,'

W *

<Vfti

» »

COVERED IN COLOR, even winter's frequently overcast lighting seems effective on the fast action of the slalom competition.

. . . of fine

THERE'S a camera for everyone in this well-rounded line-up of Kodak movie equip- ment. Everything from an "Economy Eight," that's an ideal camera for movie newcomers — remarkably convenient to use . . . and outstandingly economical in price and operation — to the superb Cine-Kodak Special II Camera, justly the top-choice camera of the movie experts. They're shown here not only to help you select a camera for your own use, should your movie ambitions be outrunning the capacity of your present equipment . . . but to assist you in advising friends of yours who are considering making a start in this fasci- nating hobby.

You'll also find details about Kodak's projector line-up — two fine "Eights" . . . and two fine "Sixteens" ... in a range of prices and capacity to suit nearly everyone's pocket- book, nearly everyone's movie ambitions.

Look them over here . . . and even better, plan to examine them in detail next time you're at your Kodak dealer's.

Cine-Kodak Reliant Camera A fine "Eight" for low-cost movie making. In- doors or out, it makes excellent movies in full color or black-and-white. For the new movie fan, the fjl.l model (1) is ideal. The prefocused lens is set at the factory to capture all subjects beyond a few feet, sharp and clear. With its faster, focusing lens, the//1.9 model (2) allows picture taking under more ad- verse light conditions, and as close as 12 inches. Both "Reliants" feature sprocketless loading, permit slow-motion movies, and take an accessory tele- photo. Prices, including Federal Tax,//2.7 model, $79; //1.9 model, $97.50.

Cine-Kodak [Magazine 8 Camera Now there's an economy model of the popular "Magazine 8" Camera — modestly priced, but retaining much of the range . . . and all of the convenience of the more versatile standard model. Both feature handy magazine loading, built-in exposure guides, slow motion . . . both accept telephotos and other precise movie accessories. The new model (3) with prefocused //2.7 lens, $127-50 . . . the senior model (4) with focusing //l. 9 lens, $147.50. Prices include Federal Tax.

Cine-Kodak Royal Magazine Camera Outstanding among 16mm. cameras, the new "Royal" (5) teams personal movies' two top features — the optical ex- cellence of an Ektar Lens . . . the matchless convenience of magazine loading. Thanks to its superb lens, "Royal" movies are so sharply detailed, so crisply defined, they're suitable not only for home shows but for auditorium screenings up to 10 or 12 feet wide. Other important features — single-frame release, built-in exposure guide, slow motion, enclosed finder adjustable for any of eleven ac- cessory lenses. Price, including Federal Tax, $192.50.

Cine-Kodak Special II Camera It's far and away the world's most versatile 16mm. motion-picture camera — goal of the experts in every field served by 16mm. movies. All controls for fades, dissolves, mask shots, animated movies, photomontages, and other effects are built right into the camera itself. It has two finder systems, an adjustable-opening shutter, an interference-free turret, choice of interchangeable 100- or 200-foot film chambers, and either of two superb Kodak Cine Ektar Lenses: //1.9 or //1.4. The "Special II" (6) is priced from $898.50, including Federal Tax.

Kodascope Eight-33 Projector Kodak's most popular projector (8) for 8mm. movies. Operation is extremely simple, and its //2 Lumenized lens and 500-watt lamp provide amazingly sharp pictures 3 feet wide at average projec- tion distance. Now a bigger buy than ever at only $65.

uipment by KODAK

Kodascope Eight- 7 1 A Projector A perfect companion for a fine 8mm. camera, the "Eight-71A" (9) teams a fast //1.6 Lumenized lens and a brilliant 750- watt lamp for remarkably bright, sharp pictures. For extra-large or extra- brilliant movies, a 1000-watt accessory lamp can be used. Uninterrupted half- hour shows from 400-foot reels. With automatic rewind, priced at $97-50.

Kodascope Sixteen- 10 Projector Noted for its big, bright pictures, this pro- jector(10)has a 2-inch //l. 6 Lumenized lens and 750-watt lamp. In addition, it takes any of four accessory lamps (300 to 1000 watts) and any of four accessory lenses — focal lengths from 1 to 4 inches. It offers splendid 16mm. movie projec- tion for almost any audience. Priced at $135. (Kodascope Sixteen-IOR Projector — same basic machine but equipped with remote reversing switch — $185.)

Prices subject to change without notice. Consult your dealer.

Kodascope Pageant Sound Projector Newest Kodak creation, finest 16mm. sound projector in the moderate price range. Compact, easy to carry, complete in one case — the "Pageant" (7) combines pictures of outstanding brilliance with splendid sound amplification. Has a 2-inch //l. 6 Kodak Projection Ekta- non Lumenized Lens, including field flattener. Uses a 750-watt lamp (with 1000-watt lamp optional on AC). Perfect tone reproduction on AC or DC from all types of 16mm. film because of Kodak's exclusive built-in Fidelity Control and the 8-inch permanent magnet speaker. No lubrication needed, ever! Comes with 1600-foot reel . . . takes all 16mm. reels through 2000-foot size. Price, $375-

EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY

ROCHESTER 4, N. Y.

TRADE-MA

'eett/ze

. . . of fine movifquipment by KODAK

THERE'S a camera for everyone in this well-rounded line-up of Kodak movie equip- ment. Everything from an "Economy Eight," that's an ideal camera for movie newcomers — remarkably convenient to use . . . and outstandingly economical in price and operation — to the superb Cine-Kodak Special II Camera, justly the top-choice camera of the movie experts. They're shown here not only to help you select a camera for your own use, should your movie ambitions be outrunning the capacity of your present equipment . . . but to assist you in advising friends of yours who are considering making a start in this fasci- nating hobby.

You'll also find details about Kodak's projector line-up — two fine "Eights" . . . and two fine "Sixteens" ... in a range of prices and capacity to suit nearly everyone's pocket- book, nearly everyone's movie ambitions.

Look them over here . . . and even better, plan to examine them in detail next time you're at your Kodak dealer's.

Prices subject to change without notice. Consult your dealer.

EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY

ROCHESTER 4, N. Y.

Cine-Kodak Reliant Camera A line "Eight" tor tow-cost nun ie making In- doors or out, it makes excellent movies in lull color or bl.ick-.ind -white. For the new movie fan, the //2.7 model (1) is ideal. The prefocused lens is set at the factory to capture all subjects beyond a lew feet, sharp and clear. With its faster, focusing lens, the //1. 9 model (2) allows picture taking under more ad- verse light conditions, and as close as 12 inches. Both "Relianrs" feature sprocketless loading, permit slow-motion movies, and take an accessor) tele- photo. Prices, including Federal Tax,//2.7 model, $79; //1.9 model, $97.50.

Cine-Kodak [Magazine 8 Camera Now there's an economy model of the popular "Magazine 8" Camera — modestly priced, hut retaining much of the range . . . and all of the convenience of the more versatile standard model Both feature handy magazine loading, built-in exposure guides, slow motion . . . both accept telephotos and other precise movie accessories. The new model (3) with prefocused //2.7 lens, $127. 50 . . . the senior model (4) with focusing //l. 9 lens, $147-50. Prices include Federal Tax.

Cine-Kodak Royai Magazine Camera Outstanding among 16mm. cameras, the new "Royal" (5) teams personal movies' two top features—the optical ex- cellence of an Ektar Lens . . . the matchless convenience of magazine loading. Thanks to its superb lens, "Royal" movies are so sharply detailed, so crisply defined, they're suitable not only for home shows but for auditorium screenings up to 10 or 12 feet wide. Other important features— single-frame release, huih-in exposure guide, slow motion, enclosed tinder adjustable for any of eleven ac- cessory lenses. Price, including Federal Tax, $192.50.

It's far and away the world's most versatile -goal of the experts in every field served by

Cine-Kodak Special II Corner

16mm. motion-picture camera- 16mm. movies. All controls for fades, dissolves, mask shots, animated movies, photomontages, and other effects are built right into the camera itself. It has two finder systems, an adjustable-opening shutter, an interference-free turret, choice of interchangeable 100- or 200-foot film chambers, and either of two superb Kodak Cine Ektar Lenses; //1.9 or //1.4. The "Special II" (6) is priced from $898.50, including Federal Tax.

Kodascope Elght-33 Projector Kodak's most popular projector (8) for 8mm. movies. Operation is extremely simple, and its //2 Lumenized lens and 500-watt lamp provide amazingly sharp pictures 3 feet wide at average projec- tion distance. Now a bigger buy than ever at only $65.

Kodascope Elght-71A Projector A perfect companion for a tine 8mm. camera, the "Eight-71A" (9) teams a fast ff 1.6 Lumenized lens and a brilliant 750- watt lamp for remarkably bright, sharp pictures. For extra-large or extra- brilliant movies, a 1000-watt accessory lamp can be used. Uninterrupted half- hour shows from 400-foot reels. With automatic rewind, priced at $97-50.

Kodaicope Slxteen-lO Projector Noted for its big, bright pictures, tins pro- jector(10)has a 2-inch //l. 6 Lumenized lens and 750-watt lamp. In additiou.it takes any of four accessory lamps (300 to 1000 watts) and any of four accessory lenses— focal lengths from 1 to 4 inches. It offers splendid 16mm. movie projec- tion for almost any audience. Priced ar $135 (Kodascope Sixteen-IOR Projei EOl —same basic machine but equipped with remote reversing switch— $185.)

Kodaicope Pageant Sound Projector Newest Kodak creation, finest 16mm. sound projector in the moderate price range. Compact, easy to carry, complete in one case — the "Pageant" (7) combines pictures of outstanding brilliance with splendid sound amplification. Has a 2-inch //l 6 Kodak Projection Ekta- non Lumenized Lens, including field flattener. Uses a 750-v.. irt lamp (with 1000-watt lamp optional on AC). Perfect tone reproduction on AC or I >< from all types of 16mm. film because of Kodak's cxilusive built-in Fidelit) ( ontrol and the 8-inch permanent magnet speaker. No lubrication needed, everl « lomea with 1600-foot reel . . . takes all 16mm. reels through 2000-foot size. Price. $375.

20

The Clinic

FRAME COUNTER FOR SPECIAL

I have always read every article in Movie Makers by Al Morton, FACL, and have enjoyed them very much. However, I differ with him over his last article on the fader he designed for his Special (see A Fad- ing Control for the Cine Special, Feb., 1950 — Ed.). He still has to contend with the problem of frame counting.

While there is, to be sure, a frame counter built into the Special, its dial is small in size, recessed into the camera wall and generally diffi- cult to observe. For exact overlap- ping in dissolves and for any kind of split-screen work, I think Mr. Mor- ton will agree that a more readily visible counter is desirable.

The illustration on this page will make the general design of my frame counter clear. It consists of a 21/4 inch disc, mounted around the motor drive shaft, which has been calibra- ted with 40 equally spaced markings; these, of course, represent the 40 frames in a foot of 16mm. film, which is the amount passed during one revolution of the shaft. Secured to the end of the drive shaft with a 3/48 machine screw is a pointer, % inch in diameter and 1 inch in length, which revolves around the disc, scanning it frame by frame. The only other addition necessary is

a new back-winding key. The one at which I am pointing has a 1 inch long shank so that it will clear the frame counter installation.

I have been using this device for nearly four years and with it can hit lap dissolves and the like right on the frame. While it must be removed momentarily when the camera spring is rewound, the 38 foot film run of the Special makes this unimportant. I recommend the system to Al Morton and all other critical users of the Cine-Kodak Special.

A. Theo Roth, ACL San Francisco, Calif.

Mr. Roth's ingenious frame counting system echoes (but apparently antedates) a similar one worked out by Arthur A. Merrill for the Filmo 70-D and reported on in The Clinic, June, 1950. With this latter camera, the film winding handle itself was used as the pointer, since it revolves on the shaft when in the "out" position. An easy adaptation of this idea should be open to any movie maker on whose camera the motor shaft is exposed. The thing is to determine how many frames it passes in one revolution.

SLIDES WITH MOVIES

I sure enjoyed tlut interesting and attractive article. Slide Showmanship, by Victor Ancona, ACL, in the No- vember issue of Movie Makers. Per- haps others among our readers will be interested in how I combine

Pictures, plans and ideas to solve your filming problems

slides and movies in my current shows.

The setup is all on one long table: the movie projector on the right, the slide projector on the left, and dou- ble turntables in between. Simple enough; but here are the two twists which make it work smoothly. (1) So that the 35mm. slide projector will match the screen size of the 16mm. movie projector from the same operating position, it is neces- sary to change the focal length of the lens on the slide unit. I found that a 7 inch objective was just right on my Gold-E projector. (2) To create an uninterrupted pattern of pictures — still or movie — on the screen, I fed the power lines of both projectors through a Viewlex Lite-O-Stat plug. This unit, familiar in principle, pass- es current to the movie projector when it is turned on, switches the power to the slide projector when the movies are turned off. Music and narrative through the turntables are used as needed with both.

Hugh Moad, ACL Kansas City, Mo.

POCKET CAMERA TRIANGLE

As far as I have seen, my design of a camera triangle is the simplest, cheapest and lightest in the field of amateur filming. It may appeal to those wishing to use this important accessory, but who have been unwill- ing to carry around a big heavy unit.

Take three strips of strong canvas tape, 1% inches or more wide and of a length which will be handy to your tripod usage. Sew one end of each tape around a central metal ring, and space three or four metal- grommeted holes in their outward [Continued on page 33]

FRAME COUNTER FOR CINE SPECIAL, large of dial and easily read, is demonstrated by A. Theo Roth, ACL. Dial has 40 spaces for number of frames in 16mm. film foot.

CONTRIBUTORS TO

The Clinic are paid from $2.00 to $5.00 for ideas and illustrations published.

Your contributions are cordially in- vited. Address them to: The Clinic, Movie Makers. 420 Lexington Avenue, New York 17, N. Y.

Please do not submit identical items to other magazines.

21

16mm. scenes by William A. Thomas, ACL

"WHETHER it's fishing in pond or bowl, it's catching the fish that is my goal." So runs the narrative during the goldfish sequence,

which ends with an empty bowl. Scene at right was accompanied by: "That gentle hand which strokes my head, I bit it once until it bled."

STARRING MISS KITTY

Patience, a pet and plenty of film are the prime ingredients in

picturing your cat. But it's worth it, says this Ten Best winner

WILLIAM A. THOMAS, ACL

M

Y daughter Kathryn came running up the front steps, tears in her eyes and a bundle of fur in her arms. "Mother,"' she cried, "you've got to help me! Some boys were teasing this poor stray kitten." Olive, of course, was going to be firm; she knew about cats from 'way back.

"You can't keep that cat," she said. Then, relenting a little after a quick glance at the scared and helpless kitten, she added: "Well, perhaps you'd better feed it and keep it till tomorrow. But then we find a home for it."

Then, of course, never came. As the tomorrows passed, wise little Kathryn silenced all protests with: "Yes, Mother : I know that we can't keep Miss Kitty. But please let her stay just one more night." All too soon the kitten had purred her way into our hearts, and we found our- selves the willing victims of the naughtiest cat that ever lived.

So-o, we decided to capitalize on her naughtiness and make Miss Kitty a movie star. She showed, to be sure, only one similarity to more orthodox actresses — she per- formed best when well fed. Then there was that tendency toward temperament, a trait which soon led us to believe that our furry feline was at least the familiar — if not the reincarnation — of some ancient witch. It was from this feeling that our theme, The Witch Cat, was born.

We knew, of course, that cats (unlike dogs) have little

desire to please their masters. While we admired this proud spirit of independence, we soon found that it was not a trait designed to facilitate film production. There was, for example, the scene in which Miss Kitty was sup- posed to come out of a paper bag head first. It was an unnatural action, and the cat immediately recognized it as such. Having gone in the bag head first, she consistently backed out again tail first. Q.E.D., she seemed to say. Nothing to it. And, in the end. there was nothing to that scene either — except a lot of wasted film.

And so we learned early a lesson we should have known all along. Ask of your furry friend only those actions which she likes to perform — or can be induced to per- form through acceptable trickery. The majority of our most effective sequences were obtained in this way. For example, one of the favorite pastimes of our bewitched kitten was chewing oh lead pencils. However, to be sure that she would chew them when the camera was running, we rubbed them liberally with horse meat. Miss Kitty was tricked also into licking her mistress's face affection- ately. But since Olive objected to being rubbed with horse meat, we created surefire cat appeal by greasing her face with butter.

There were many antic maneuvers, however, toward which our kitten needed no prompting. A bouquet of cut flowers was an immediate chal- [Continued on page 26]

EXTREME CLOSEUP, shot with a 2V2 inch telephoto, took four hours of filming, used TOO feet of film and now runs 45 seconds. The unwanted

milk was spiked with ammonia to assure that the cat would spurn it, while butter on the face of Mrs. Thomas was the tempter in finale.

22

SAN XAVIER MISSION, 300 years old but still in good repair, is one of Tucson's architectural show spots. A p.m. exposure.

346 days of sunshine call your camera to this region of color, cacti and dude ranches

Photographs from Western Ways by Charles W. Herbert, Naurice Koonce, Ray Manley and Kenneth McVey

THE SAGUARO CACTI, giants of the southern desert scene, offer excellent framing for your sequence of dude ranch riding.

WELCOME

TO TUCSON

MARJORIE RIDDELL

TUCSON, Arizona, is becoming more and more popular with movie makers searching for a new world to conquer. Within the city and in the surrounding area there are settings and activities unequaled in variety, beauty and interest. Even the weather is ideal, especially for color. The Sunshine Climate Club boasts sunshine on an average of more than 346 days a year and nearly eleven hours every day. The bell-clear atmosphere fre- quently induces the catalog photographers of big mail order companies in the East to pack their models under one arm, their cameras under the other and hop a plane to land on the Arizona desert for the duration of the winter months. This section is also used frequently by Hollywood production units for a wide variety of locations.

ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS When you go to a new area to do some shooting, it's a good idea to contact an old timer (professional or amateur) and get some tips from him. I was lucky to find Charles W. Herbert, ASC, a professional cameraman of twenty years experience with Fox Movietone, March of Time and Universal Newsreel. Herbert is now head of Western Ways in Tucson, an all around photographic plant covering this area. Here are some of the many tips he gave me, which I pass on for your guidance when you come a'filming around Tucson.

ESTABLISH THE SETTING

Perhaps you'd like to fade in with a general view look- ing down on the city. A good spot is not hard to find. "A" Mountain pokes its head up to the southwest, just two miles from downtown Tucson. It's identifying "A" is re-whitewashed every year by long-suffering freshmen at the Lniversity of Arizona. A good road spirals upward to the top of the mountain and from there you can get a satisfactory view of the whole city.

FILMING THE DESERT

Outside, Tucson sprawls like an adolescent youngster, with some of its most interesting aspects lying at the farthest extremities. There are miles and miles of desert in warm, sandy hues, rugged mountains, rolling foothills — all canopied with dazzling clouds and azure skies. Cacti of every kind polka-dot the landscape — huge ones, dainty ones, beautiful and grotesque ones. And if you're in Tucson in the spring, when all the cacti and wild flowers carpet the desert in a riot of color, you'll have an oppor- tunity to shoot some really breath-taking scenes.

I picked up some valuable rules for capturing all this beauty on Kodachrome from Ray Manley. He told me that the best pictures are always made in the morning and afternoons, when long shadows give depth to the otherwise flat desert. He also warned to be a stickler for that light-meter reading. The altitude and brilliance of light will fool many a stranger to this region.

One "must" on your list of attractions is the Saguaro National Monument. It is a whole forest of Saguaros or

23

GOOD FOR A GAG is this staged scene of a member of your party perched on a "prickly" cactus. Read story for the secret.

Giant Cacti, the granddaddy-sized cacti that often grow to a height of forty feet or more. You can get a good gag shot by burning or cutting off a few spines on one of the drooping cactus arms and then perching on it a pretty girl or a member of the family. It will take a little time and patience, but the result will be well worth it.

ATTRACTIVE AGRICULTURE Another interesting sequence can be shot around the town's agriculture. All crops are nourished by an elaborate system of irrigation ditches filled with water pumped from deep in the ground. Over thirty different vegetables are grown besides alfalfa, barley, oats, peanuts, fruits, dates and citrus. You can make some good human interest shots here of workers picking dates or oranges. Don't forget a few shots of some livestock, goats or turkeys, with a closeup of the droopy-eared Brahmans, the cattle from India that are especially adapted to arid areas.

THE MISSION AND THE INDIANS Then you'll want to cover San Xavier Mission from all angles. It is one of the famous Father Kino chain of mis- sions. Although it was built over 300 years ago, it is still used today by the Papago Indians for whom it was built. It is a huge white domed structure of architectural beauty. The sun will be on the front of the building in the afternoon. There are rows of arches, fancy grille work and a cactus garden to frame your shots.

If you're lucky you may get a picture or two of the Papago Indians who attend the church, but thev are shy. Don t be alarmed if you aim your camera at a group only to see a blank space through your viewfinder as every last one of them duck behind the wall. Here again Herbert's advice was invaluable to me. "If you see an Indian shot you'd like to have," he told me, "go about it diplomati- cally. Be discreet, considerate and explain what vou want to do. Keep your camera out of [Continued on page 33]

WHAT A LIFE! This sort of thing is known as "dude ranching" around Tucson's 20 million dollar industry. But it sure makes pretty pictures.

RIDE 'EM, COWBOY! A position in the stands near the incoming chute is recommended for cameramen at Tucson's annual Fiesta de los Vaqueros.

CAMPFIRE SCENES, lighted with flares, are best filmed when there is still some light in the sky. Note masking of flame behind the cactus.

24

CINE-KODAK ROYAL, Eastman's latest in 16mm. magazine cam- eras, offers f/1.9 Ektar, three speeds and single frame at $192.50.

News of the Industry

Up to the minute reports on new products and services in the movie field

Cine-Kodak Royal Kodak's latest

entry in the 16mm. magazine camera field is the Cine-Kodak Royal — a camera that com- bines convenient magazine loading with a 25mm. f/1.9 Ektar lens, at a total cost of $192.50. The new model can be focused on subjects from 12 inches to infinity and features a single frame release and an enclosed viewfmder ad- justing optically for any of eleven accessory lenses. Operating at three speeds — 16, 24 or 64 frames per sec- ond— the Royal has a simplified expo- sure guide attached to its side.

Tenplus adapter The entire bat- tery of Leica lenses designed for the Leica range- finder can now be mounted on the -Cine-Kodak Special I, with the aid of

fi

TENPLUS ADAPTER now permits use of all Leica lenses with Cine-Kodak Special I. $46.50.

AMPRO FUTURIST 8, a 1951 release, features central controls, reverse projection, stills.

a new item known as the Tenplus adapter, which locks onto the Cine- Kodak's lens turret and takes Leica lenses directly. Either the reflex finder of the Special or the Tenplus adapter's eye-level finder may be used for focus- ing. The Tenplus adapter is priced at $46.50 and is available from the Ten- plus Company, 43-L Garden Drive, Roselle, N. J.

German cameras A complete

listing, stuffed with illustrations and specifications, of all still cameras being manufactured in Western Germany today is available from Willoughbys, 110 West 32nd Street, New York 1, N. Y. The book runs to 157 pages and retails for 85 cents.

Sky-Lift stand A lightweight

screen stand that converts wall and ceiling screens to either tripod or platform models has been developed by the Radiant Manu- facturing Corporation, Chicago, 111. Called the Sky-Lift, it will handle screens up to 12 by 12 feet in size. The screen fabric can be raised to a height of 14 feet by the rope and pulley method. Sky-Lift weighs only 20 pounds and may be folded compactly for ship- ping and storage.

New GE prexy Ralph J. Cordiner has been named president of the General Electric Com- pany to succeed Charles E. Wilson, re- cently named chairman of the new De- fense Mobilization Board. Mr. Cordiner has been with General Electric for 24 years.

Hardy film Intended for picture taking at depths of more than three miles beneath the sur- face of the earth, and at temperatures

ENLARGER-VIEWER, new Revere item, offers simplified frame enlarging with home developing kit. Comes in 8 or 16.

up to 113 degrees above the boiling point of water, Kodak Linagraph Drift Survey film has been introduced by the Eastman Kodak Company in both 16mm. and 35mm. widths.

Used in a standard clinometer or drift survey camera, the film is em- ployed in well drilling operations to record instrument readings as drift meters and other devices are lowered into the well to determine the progress of drilling operations.

Enlarger-Viewer Either 8mm- °r

16mm. frames may now be enlarged, developed and printed at home without loss of detail or cutting rolls of films. The trick is turned by the new Revere Enlarger- Viewer and developing kit, which elim- inates the necessity for a negative in ar- riving at the black and white print. The Enlarger-Viewer is so named be- cause it may be used either as an en- larger for frames or as a viewer for editing. The 8mm. version of the com- plete kit costs $47.50, while the 16mm. model is priced at $49.50.

Avant-garde films Three experi- mental films by Curtis Harrington, a young and searching American producer, have been released by Brandon Films. Inc., 1700 Broadway, New York 19, N. Y. The films are Fragment of Seeking, On the Edlge and Picnic. They treat of narcis- sism, fruitless escape and minor middle class tragedies.

Indian footage Though primarily intended for edu- cational purposes, Monuments of the Moghul Empire in India, six reels of 16mm. Kodachrome, should interest ar- chitects, historians and those with a general interest in India's past. Among the historic sights are shots of the

MOVIE MAKERS

25

TEX McCRARY and Jinx Falkenburg talk about Pattern for Survival, civilian defense film, with Adm. W. H. P. Blandy, center, and Milton Salzburg of Cornell Film Co.

Taj-Mahal, the Red Fort and Emperor Akbar's Mausoleum. Full information is available from the distributor, Sil- ver Screen Syndicate. 5 Albert Road, Allahabad, India.

Almanac acquires Exclusive

16mm. distri- bution rights to six new films produced by Films of the Nations have been ac- quired by Almanac Films, Inc., 516 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The films are Thorvaldsen, Meet the Swedes, Handicrafts of Belgium, Majestic Nor- way, The Dutch Way and South Africa's Modern Cities.

Zone Grey films Twenty popu- lar feature- length Zane Grey 16mm. sound pictures have been released by Hollywood Film Enterprises. 6060 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood 28. Calif. The films feature such stars as John Wayne, Gary Coop- er. Alan Ladd, Randolph Scott, Rich- ard Arlen, Ann Sheridan and Marsha Hunt.

Color history A $25.ooo gift from

Leopold Godowsky and Leopold Mannes, co-inventors of Kodachrome film, has made possible plans for an extensive color photog- raphy display at George Eastman House, in Rochester, N. Y. The display will be designed to show visitors the meaning of color and to explain the main attempts that have been made to reproduce colors photographically. Push-button models and diagrams, as well as actual color photographs and apparatus, will be used in the exhibit.

Bendix acquires The property

and facilities of the Victor Animatograph Corporation at Davenport. Iowa, have been pur- chased by Bendix Aviation Corporation. Bendix plans to use the modern fac- tory building for increased production of aircraft instruments and accessories for the expanding military program. Motion picture projectors and replace- ment parts will, it is said, continue to be available from Victor.

Look at your lighting!

[Continued from page 13]

and is the only light not seemingly originating from the floor lamp. A third spot picks out the small table and its ornaments, while a fourth illumines the right angle of the walls. Gone are the earlier, offending shadows, while the one shadow now clearly seen — that of the table — seems created naturally by light from the floor lamp.

SPOTLIGHT VS. FLOOD LIGHT

\ou may have noted by now that many of the lighting units mentioned in this month's discussion (as well as the majority of those pictured last month) have been of the spot type. To a degree, the choice of spot over flood light (or vice versa) may be a matter of personal preference by the photog- rapher using them. However, the fol- lowing generalizations can be made con- cerning the two units for your guidance.

The spotlight, as its name implies, delivers a concentrated beam of light characterized by brilliance and inten- sity. Objects illuminated by such light are likely, therefore, to reproduce pho- tographically with noticeable sparkle. Carried to an extreme, however, this sparkle may turn into undesirable harshness, as is shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 3-A.

The true spotlight, because of its con- struction, will of necessity be higher in price and heavier in weight than corre- sponding flood units. For a well rounded lighting setup, however, every movie maker should look forward to includ- ing one or more spot units — even if they are no more than the quite effective RSP-2 (built-in spot) lamps.

The flood light also is well named. Used at its best in a metal reflector, the flood light spreads across the scene il- lumination which is soft and diffused. As such, this lighting is excellent where called for by the subject — as in scenes of babies and small children. The flood light also is useful (and widely used by professionals) in filling in or light- ening shadow areas created by a pre- dominantly spotlighted treatment. Effi- ciently available without metal reflectors are the built-in flood lamps, RFL-2 and the newer 375 watt medium beam unit. This latter offers a partially controlled spread of 60 degrees, but cannot be compared in spot quality to the 20 de- gree beam of the RSP-2.

All in all, perhaps the best answer in building up your lighting equipment is to aim at having plenty of both — floods and spots.

* * *

THE WORLDS MOST COMPLETE

historical photographic collection is lo- cated at George Eastman House, the Rochester. N. Y.. memorial to the man who brought photography to all.

NOW ¥00 CAN GET A

FINE B0LEX L-8

MOVIE CAMERA...

for only $99 50*

with Kern-Paillard 12.5mm Yvar F:2.8 fixed-focus coated lens and wrist strap.

*same camera, lens in focusing mount, complete with suede carrying case and wrist strap . . . only $20.00 extra.

SEE YOUR BOLEX DEALER!!

PAItLARD PRODUCTS, INC. 265 Madison Ave., New York 16, N. Y.

THE RALPH R. ENO CORP.

626 W. 165 ST. • NEW YORK Send your film for free criticism or estimate

V#S#S#N#N#S#S#S#ST^#^#^

#^#S#S#S#N#-^#^* fl

UOiana

ft****'

16 MM

and

8 MM

Motion Picture Service

WRITE

FOR

PRICES

DEPT. M

GEO.W. COLBURN LABORATORY, Inc.

164 N. WACKER DRIVE, CHICAGO 6. ILL.

26

JANUARY 1951

Starring Miss Kitty

[Continued from page 21]

lenge to yank out and dismember each and every bloom. Potted plants fared no better. At the least she would ruin their looks (and probably their health) by nibbling the leaves; often in her enthusiasm she would uproot an entire plant. Long, low-hanging draperies she regarded, apparently, as some form of exercise bar. She would leap happily up their length, clawing and ripping as she swung madly from side to side. (In the film we managed to stage these scenes with simulated curtains made of an exactly matching wall paper.) Lamp cords were quite clearly designed to be batted about. The fact that her claws sometimes caught in them, bring- ing the entire lamp crashing to the floor, disturbed Miss Kitty not a whit. And, of course, our canary lived in mortal fear of ever seeing a new day, while the poor, patient dog simply had no further peace.

In the light of these engaging but satanic antics, is it any wonder that our continuity cast Miss Kitty as The Witch Cat? For quite a time, to be sure, that was about as far as the theme went — an idea toward which to slant our scenes and sequences. But after shooting a thousand or so feet of film, we began really to ponder

how we were going to put our picture together. It was, I think, Olive's idea to open with a prelude in which a wicked old broom-rider is seen trans- ferring her spirit to the body of a cat. In any case, it was Olive who gallantly disguised herself as the horrid old hag. And it was she, also, who prepared and recited the rhymed couplets of the nar- rative — on which treatment we had decided in place of subtitles.

With this plan agreed on, we then faced the problem of ending the pic- ture. Perhaps in deference to Holly- wood tradition, we toyed with the pos- sibilities of the "happy ending," the fadeout on the triumph of good over evil. Of course, writing this into any script for Miss Kitty seemed ridicu- lous. But in time Dame Nature wrote the finis for us. A blessed event cropped up in Miss Kitty's life, and, all un- witchlike. she murmurs to her mistress at the film's end: "At last your love has won my heart!" This is the bunk, of course. But fortunately the cat had no control over the narrative writing.

Technically, as well, we learned a few lessons concerning cat filming. In general, for example, we found that flood lighting (and plenty of it) is the easiest to use, since your actor is un- likely to stray out of it. Our basic units were one No. 4 photoflood in reflector for the key light; one No. 2 flood lamp in reflector for the fill unit,

"he facts about lens bubbles

PERHAPS one of the most common queries submitted to the League's consulting department goes approxi- mately as follows:

"In examining the lens on my new camera (or a new lens purchased for that camera), I noticed that there are some tiny bubbles embedded in the glass. Are these bubbles going to affect the quality of my pictures?"

Here are the facts in the case. They are reproduced with the kind permis- sion of Kodak News, a trade publica- tion for Eastman camera dealers.

In the manufacture of optical glass it is practically impossible to obtain large quantities of glass entirely free from bubbles. If bubble-free glass were used exclusively, the cost of making photographic lenses would double or even triple in many cases. This addi- tional expense is entirely unjustified considering how harmless lens bubbles really are.

It's a Question of Light Rays

Briefly, a bubble acts as a tiny lens which diverts a certain portion of light from the image-forming beam. These diverted light rays may fall somewhere on the film or they may never reach it. If these rays are sufficiently numerous

in relation to all of the light rays pass- ing through the lens, a small, dark area may appear on the final print or color transparency.

Every reputable lens is inspected for bubbles. Each lens must meet certain specifications which limit the size and number of bubbles within a comfort- able margin of safety. In other words, the bubbles you see in a good lens could actually be larger or more numer- ous and still not divert enough light to affect the image in any way. As a matter of fact, a bubble 1/16 of an inch in diameter diverts such a small amount of light that it amounts to slow- ing down a lens which is 1 inch in diameter by only 1/170 of a stop. Not enough to worry about.

Make a Test

If you have any reason to suspect that air bubbles in your lens are affect- ing the quality of your pictures, it is easy to make a convincing and conclu- sive test. Simply photograph a patch of clear blue sky, using the lens opening recommended for the film used. If a small dark area appears on the result- ing picture, you may have cause for complaint. It is extremely unlikely that this will happen.

and occasionally a 500 watt spotlight for effect lighting.

Further, judging by our experience, a cat will pay little or no attention to glaring lights. With the incredible contracting powers of their irises, their eyes become almost instantly adapted to any level of illumination. In fact, here's a valuable tip for those of you desir- ing the ultimate in eye appeal in still pictures of your pet. Shoot them in a semi-darkened room, with flash bulbs instead of flood. In this way their pupils remain dilated and fully round, adding unbelievable beauty to the eyes.

However, cats are too contrary to permit all your filming to be easy. There was, I still recall with anguish, the night we attempted the full-frame closeups of Miss Kitty's head. A 2V2 inch //2.7 telephoto lens was used, which we attempted to focus visually at about the cat's eyes. But to create the maximum depth of field (because of the telephoto), we moved both flood lights in quite close. Their heat (not their glare) made her pant and squirm and jump away continually. Finally, by setting a shallow box (another cat's delight) up on a stool, we were able to grab a few good shots. But it took four grueling hours and 100 feet of film to obtain the scene you see on these pages. It lasts about forty five seconds on the screen.

Altogether, it took us about eleven months (including time out for the blessed event) to shoot and edit our film. Some 2100 feet of 16mm. Koda- chrome were cut eventually to a bare 600. But you've got to expect that overshooting in pet films, if you're de- termined during the editing to use only the best. Our camera was a Cine-Spe- cial, on which the only other lens be- sides the telephoto was the standard one inch objective. Probably a wide angle would have helped. And, in pass- ing, we tried on occasion Daylight Kodachrome exposed under blue-glass photofloods. It was not a satisfactory match with Type A, especially in the flesh tones. Olive's, that is, not the cat's.

Looking back now, even the occa- sional arguments on "how it should be done" seem like fun. If you have a passion for movie making and a love for cats, why not combine them in your next picture? We did in The Witch Cat, and we have never regretted a moment of it. Especially now, for Miss Kitty only recently joined her witchly godmother in the true world of the spirits.

MOVIE MAKERS

LATE RELEASES

Features and short subjects for 8mm. and 16mm. screens

27

pattern for

SURVIVAL

A DOCUMENTARY FILM THAT DRAMATIZES DEFENSE AGAINST ATOMIC ATTACK

■ Lost Canyon, seven reels. 16mm. sound, black and white, is distributed by Commonwealth Pictures Corpora- tion. 723 Seventh Avenue. New York 19, N. Y. William (Hopalong Cassidy) Boyd hurls himself through another seven reels of fast moving western ac- tion. Co-starred with him are his ac- customed sidekicks. Andy Clyde and Jay Kirby. Lola Lane adds the sooth- ing touch of womanhood to the border doings.

g Touchdown Thrills of 1950, one reel, black and white, is available in 8mm.. 16mm. and 16mm. sound versions from Official Films. Grand & Linden Ave- nues, Ridgefield. N. J. This year's foot- ball highlights include shots from the following games: Purdue-Xotre Dame. Army-Harvard. Kentucky-Georgia Tech. Ohio - Northwestern. Texas - Southern Methodist. Princeton-Cornell and Okla- homa-Texas. Mel Allen does the narra- tion. The film is designed to thrill the casual fan. but its intimate play detail should interest the more hardened fol- lowers of the game.

• Pattern for Survival, two reels. 16mm. sound, black and white and color, may be obtained from Cornell Film Company. 1501 Broadway, New York 18, N. 1 . Based on government records and files. Pattern for Survival describes in detail the effective ways in which planned civilian defense, aimed at individuals and groups, can counter- act fear and panic in the community. The film features narration by William L. Laurence, science writer for The New York Times and two-time winner of Pulitzer Prizes.

■ Art Treasures from the Vienna Col- lections. 40 minutes. 16mm. sound on film, color, may be had from National Film Distributors. 112 West 48th Street, New York 19. N. Y. Rubens. Rem- brandt. \ ermeer and \ elasquez are among the painters whose masterpieces are shown in this comprehensive foot- age of the Hapsburg art treasures. The commentary is written by Thomas Crav- en and narrated by Basil Rathbone. There is a companion film on the Ber- lin collections.

■ The J'anishing El, one reel. 16mm. sound, black and white, may be had directly from Sterling Films. Inc.. 316 West 57th Street. New York 19. N. Y. This footage takes you on a brief sight- seeing trip through New \ ork City, aboard the last of the city's once great network of elevated railways. Among the memorable places shown are the Brooklvn Bridge and Chinatown.

Featuring

WILLIAM L. LAURENCE, Scientific

Writer for Th« New York Times - the

only newspaperman who covered the

entire Atomic project.

Filmed with the cooperation of the

Army, the Navy and the American

Red Cross.

IN CASE OF ATOMIC ATTACK...

You must know what to do !

Timely. 20-minute film shows what to do if you get no warning • where to find shel- ter • what materials you need in school, factory, office or home ■ how to know when you are safe, and much more important information that can save your life.

A FILM FOR YOUNG AND OLD - NO SHOCKING SCENES

Simple — clear — every" scene approved by defense authorities. For civic, industrial and fraternal groups; for churches; for families; a technique of defense that is desperately important right now.

Available in 16mm sound

color and black-and'**hiie

Aik for tttis vital film

at your film library

Of write to Cornell Film Co.

CORNELL FILM COMPANY

1501 Broadway, New York 18, N. Y.

DISTINCTIVE EXPERT

TITLES and EDITING

For the Amateur and Professional 16 mm. — 8 mm. Black & White and Kodachrome

Price list on request

ST A H L

EDITING AND TITLING SERVICE 33 West 42 St. New York 18, N. Y.

g Polkas, one reel. 16mm. sound, black and white, may be obtained from the Audio-Master Company. 341 Madi- son Avenue. New York 17. N. Y. Here are several Johann Strauss polkas, as performed by the "\ ienna Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Robert Stolz. with the cooperation of the \ ien- na Staatsopera. The film features the prima ballerina. Julia Drapel. Other films in the same series are The Beau- tiful Blue Danube Waltz, The Gypsy Baron and The Fledermaus Overture.

AGAIN!

THE RESPLENDENT COLOR RELEASE OF THE YEAR

1951 PASADENA TOURNA- MENT OF ROSES PARADE

Complete 400 Foot Editions Only

Silent $60 Sound $75

ARTHUR H. HART

CINEMATIC DEVELOPMENTS AND

CINECHROME LABORATORY

2125 Thirty-Second Ave., San Francisco, Calif. Since 1938

WESTON 50. TUNGSTEN 32 8mm — 25 ft. Double 3 (Lots of 6'.. $1.50 ea.

16mm — 100 ft. (Lots of 6) 4.00 ea.

Wmm- Magazine — 50 ft. (Lets of 61 2.45 ea.

24 Hour Laboratory Processing Included

B S. W FILM PROCESSING— ANY BRAND

Smm 25 ft. Double S — 60c;

16mm 100 ft. — 80c: 16mm 50 f;. — 60c

B & W FILM DUPLICATING

13mm to Smm 6c per 16mm ft

ionim to 16mm 4c per 16mm ft.

ARCO MOVIE FILMS. INC. Dept. 301. 8616 Fourth Ave.. Brooklyn 9. N.Y.

28

Maxim winner screened The first public screen- ing of the year's Maxim Memorial Award winner — The Gannets, by Warren A. Levett, ACL, of West Hartford, Conn. — was, traditionally, the highlight of the December meeting of the Hartford Cin- ema Club. The group was founded by Hiram Percy Maxim, FACL, in 1926, and has currently as a member Percy Maxim Lee, FACL, donor of the Award in memory of her father.

Other 1950 Ten Best winners seen on the program were Circus Time, by George Merz, ACL, of Clifton, N. J. ; The Barrier, by Glen H. Turner, ACL, of Springville, Utah, and Hands Around the Clock, by William Messner, ACL. of Teaneck, N. J. All of the films were accompanied by sound on magnetic wire.

Edmund Zacher, ACL, president of the Hartford Cin- ema Club, presided at the gathering, with Mrs. Lee pre- senting the Maxim Award in person to Mr. Levett. James W. Moore, ACL, and Don Charbonneau, ACL, repre- sented the Amateur Cinema League at this gala meeting.

Chicago December meetings of the South Side Cin- ema Club, of Chicago, featured Spotlight on Alaska, by Father Hubbard, the "glacier priest," and the annual club Christmas party. This month's sessions will be Members' Night and another feature film night. Grace Hall and her vacation film of the United States and Alaska, and a western travelog by Viola Jelke, will make up the members' program. The feature film for the latter evening was not announced.

Long Beach Election of officers for 1951 resulted in Forrest Kellogg, ACL, becoming new president of the Long Beach (Calif.) Cinema Club. First vicepresident is Kyle Holmes, with Earl Everley as sec- ond vicepresident. Phyllis Weethee is secretary and Larry Newberger treasurer. A. Warren Nash, ACL, and Al Lar- rabee, ACL, were named directors.

The midfall meeting was devoted to members' films,

PERCY MAXIM LEE, FACL, donor of Maxim Award, gives replica of trophy to Warren A. Levett, ACL, 1950 winner. Edmund Zacher, ACL, left, Hartford president, and James Moore, ACL, of League, look on.

The people, plans and programs of

amateur movie groups everywhere

as follows: The Quest for Black Gold, by Mr. Nash; An Excuse for Murder, by Jack Lloyd; The Shrine on Parade, by Mr. Kellogg; Behind the Scenes, by Mary Alice Eubank, and Indian Ceremonial at Gallup, by Fred Barber, the last named with sound on tape.

Philadelphia The December gathering of the Phila- delphia Cinema Club was arranged by members of the city's northeast district, with Norman C. Birks in charge. The program included Cruising on the Lorelei, by Alexander McCalmont; Ice Capades of 1951, by Mr. Birks; Zion and Bryce Canyons, by Belford Neff, and Bicycling on Cape Cod, by Jesse H. Haines.

Long Island meetings The Long Island (N. Y.)

Cine Club. ACL, devoted a midfall meeting to cutting and editing the club leader. A subsequent session was given over to Clinic Night, dur- ing which members' films were screened and discussed. Recently the group had the pleasure of seeing three films made by Bert Seckendorf, ACL, of Brooklyn, who was on hand to present them personally. The pictures shown were Symphony of The Village, Indian Summer and A Christmas Story, the latter produced in cooperation with Vic Watson.

Oklahoma guest Ralph E. Gray. FACL, League vicepresident, was guest of honor at a reception given by the Movie Makers Club, ACL, of Oklahoma City on a recent visit to his home state. Mr. Gray presented one of his Mexican films. Winners of the club contest were also screened.

MMPC winners New York City's Metropolitan Motion Picture Club, ACL, award- ed first prize in its recent annual contest to John Caruso for Crime in- Passion. Othon Goetz, ACL, received sec- ond prize for From This Day Forward, while third place went to Terry. Manos, ACL, for Vacation Highlights. The judges were Frank E. Gunnell, FACL, Harry Groedel, ACL, Herman Andresen, Sidney Moritz, ACL, Ernest H. Kremer, ACL, John Hefele, ACL, and Ray Moss, ACL.

Peoria elects Caesar Dentino, ACL, has been chosen president of the Peoria Cinema Club, Inc., for 1951 in recent balloting. Elected to serve with him were Dr. Fred Meixner, vicepresident; D. Raleigh Carlton. ACL, continuing as secretary; Paul R. Marshall, ACL. treasurer; Art Nordwall, ACL, publicity, and Sam Trope, ACL. film librarian.

Milwaukee winners Joseph Salerno took first place

in the 8mm. class in the an- nual contest of the Amateur Movie Society of Milwaukee, ACL. The winning film was Father Plays Cameraman. Howard Gennrich placed second with What's Stewing?,

MOVIE MAKERS

29

and Earl Peychal took third place for Colorado Adventure. Runners-up were 1950 Chicago Fair, by F. Gitzl; Mega- phone Menace, by Elmer F. Klug, ACL; Dear Joe, by Saverio Salamone, and Scenic Wanderings, by Martha Rosche, ACL. In the 16mm. class first place was awarded to Ray C. Fahren- berg for his photoplay. Flabbergasted. Second prize went to F. L. Kreznar. ACL, for Vacation — 7950.

A midfall meeting of the club fea- tured the screening of Red Feather Parade, club unit production filmed for the Community Chest. Hobarth 01- sen headed the production unit as di- rector. He was assisted by John Bakke. Joe Salerno, Bob Lees, Charles Ferry, Lu Gaedtke, F. Kreznar, ACL, Agnes Muehlbach, Erma Niedermeyer, ACL, and Mollie Sulewsky, ACL.

A# 8's Barry Dance became pres- ident of the Los Angeles 8mm. Club in the recent election. Syl- via Higgins was named vicepresident. with Catherine Guerrieri as secretary and R. V. Browning, treasurer.

Election night entertainment was un- der the charge of Barbara Brookes, home economist for Arden Farms, who gave a short talk and presented The Story of Milk, produced for the dairy.

Tri-City session

Members of the Tri-City Cinema Club (of Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Island and Moline, 111.) enjoyed a pre- sentation of films produced by Dr. Al- bert N. Mueller, of Rock Island. The pictures were Water, Chicago Fair, California and Florida. Georgia T. First, ACL, also presented a group of Kodaslides.

St. Louis shows A late *aU meet- ing of the Ama- teur Motion Picture Club of St. Louis featured a talk on lighting by Mr. Feisley, of General Electric, and screen- ing of the company's film, Family Al- bum. Subsequent demonstration ses- sions were devoted to a discussion of color film, stressing the differences be- tween Ansco Color and Kodachrome. led by Norton E. Claypool, of Ansco ; a showing of three-dimensional color films and a discussion of techniques by Mr. Bader, a local photo dealer.

Bristol elects In their recent elec- tion, members of the Bristol (Conn.) Cinema Club, ACL. chose John E. Wilson as president for 1951. Earle H. Sparks, ACL, will serve as membership chairman and Lee E. Paulmann. ACL, as secretary-treasurer.

Kansas City 8-16

The 8-16 Home Movie Makers, of Kansas City, Mo., have re- elected by unanimous vote John C. Sherard as club president; Robert C.

Davis, vicepresident: Herman B. Dav- is, treasurer; Virginia Schneikart, ex- ecutive secretary. This marks the fourth consecutive term for founder-president Sherard.

The club held its third annual 16mm. salon during the fall. The program fol- lows: Tioo Sons, by Lawrence Conrad; Day Camping, by John Booz; North Country Adventure, by Harold Cramer, ACL; Trail to the Rainbow, by Robert C. Davis ; Big Thrill, by W. C. Murray, and October in Colorado, by Hugh Moad, ACL. A presentation of trophies followed the screening.

Ottawa session A demonstra- tion of the val- ue of sound with films was presented at a recent meeting of the Ottawa Cine Club of Canada. Lest Old Arts be Lost, an 8mm. film by Elizabeth Edwards, was first projected silently. A tape recording was then prepared, and the two synchronized for a second screen- ing. The Revere and Ampro tape rec- orders were exhibited and demonstra- ted in connection with the show.

Minneapolis Tne Minneapolis Cine Club, ACL, held a pre-holiday screening. Pictures shown included Arizona, by C. V. Egek- vist; South to Key West, by Ray Kull- berg; Victory Garden, by G. W. Thompson, and an untitled film on autumn in New England by Jim Brown, who offered a prize for the best title suggestion. The club's Christmas party was held at the Women's Club again this year. Bob Kleinman was in charge of arrangements.

The Minneapolis Octo-Cine Guild had the opportunity to study the travel films of Europe brought back by mem- ber Russ Wilcox at a pre-holiday gath- ering. The club's Christmas party was held at Stouffer's Restaurant. Laurie Peterson and Austin Frisk headed the Christmas arrangements committee.

New in N. J. A new amateur movie group has been organized in New Jersey under the name of The Plainfield Cinema League, ACL. Club president is Dr. Barney A. Polskin. Joseph De Caro is secretary-treasurer, and William Wils serves as program director.

Filming enthusiasts in and around Plainfield wishing to join the group should contact the secretary, Mr. De Caro. 234 Martine Avenue, Fanwood, N. J., or Dr. Polskin. 115 West 7th Street. Plainfield. Meetings will be held on the first Tuesday of each month at 8:00 p. m. at Dr. Polskin's address.

Precision Engineered Movie Camera by Europe's Finest Camera Craftsmen.'

Valley 8mm.

Ladies Night of the Valley 8mm. Club, of North Hollywood, Calif., featured a film competition for the club's distaff side. Top award went to Mrs. Ed Gar-

EUMIG 88

The Only 8mm Movie Camera with

Automatic Built-in Exposure Regulator!

The Camera That Thinks for You!

EUMIG 88. With

Color Corrected, An-

astigmat fl.9 Coated

S139.S0

-, ELECTRIC

"*" BRAIN

ELECTRIC

EYE

Popular in Europe for Years! Now Available in the U.S.A.!

The outstanding Eumig 88 actually prevents incorrect exposure whether you use color or black-and-white film! The unique built-in coupled photo-electric cell which controls the diaphragm opening automatically regulates the correct exposure required. In addition, you will find other technically advanced features to bring professional picture quality to your 8mm movies — precision clockwork motor with more than average run, single frame release for cartoons and trick work, continuous run lock to take pictures of yourself, automatic film gate for simple threading and precise frame registration, and wide range of speeds for slow motion photography.

See the Eumig 88 at Your Franchisee! Dealer

or Write Dept. 27! for Free Booklet "E"

Exclusive Distributor In The U. S. A.

CAMERA SPECIALTY COMPANY, INC. — 50 West 29th Street New York 1, N. Y

Two 3< stamps for giant catalogue. State size.

i

8-16mm Silent, Sound, Sales, Rental, Exchanges.

REEO & REED DISTRIBUTORS, INC 7508 3rd AVE., BROOKLYN 9, H. Y

HOW TO GET PROFESSIONAL MOVIE AND SLIDE TITLES AJ LOW COST!

Step up slide and movie shows with professional Titles . . . Get quality that only 20 years' experience can give . . - Same Titles formerly distributed by Bell & Howell. Amazingly low prices . . . Big selec- tion of backgrounds.

SEND FOR FREE sarxples and illustrated brochure. TITLE-CRAFT. Dept. M. 1022 Argyle St., Chicago 40, III.

VMiiunUrK

FILM PROTECTIVE PROCESS

The SUPER

vap Orate

PROTECTS AGAINST Scratches, Fingermarks, Oil, Water and Climatic Changes.

I

ONE TREATMENT LASTS THE LIFE OF THE FILM

Brittle Film Rejuvenated IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO VACUUMATE

Available through your local dealer or at

VACUUMATE CORP., 446 W. <13rd St., New York, and in these principal cities: Detroit, Mich., Wash- ington, D. C, Chicago, III., San Francisco, Calif., Hollywood. Calif.. Portland. Ore., Kansas City, Mo., Raleigh, N. C, Manila, P. I.. Canada.

30

Classified advert is i

"§

■ Cash required with order. The closing date for the receipt of copy is the tenth of the month pre- ceding issue. Remittance to cover goods offered for sale in this department should be made to the advertiser and not to Movie Makers. New classi- fied advertisers are requested to furnish references.

■ Movie Makers does not always examine the equipment or films offered for sale in CLASSI- FIED ADVERTISING and cannot state whether these are new or used. Prospective purchasers should ascertain this fact from advertisers before buying.

10 Cents a Word

Minimum Charge $2

■ Words in capitals, except first word and name, 5 cents extra.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE

B BASS SAYS : Help Bass clean house ! Some guar- anteed Buys. Charles Bass, President. B. & H. Sports- ter 8, f/2.5 lens, like new, $67.50; B. & H. Tri- Lens 8 Turret, %" f/1.9 focusing, 1%" Tele f/3.5, f/2.5 W.A. attach., Comb, case, S167.50; B. & H. TOD, 1" //1.5, 2" //3.5, 4" f/H.5, Comb, case, $257.50: Keystone A-7 16mm., f/3.5 lens, $37.50; 16mm. Cine-Kodak Model K, f/1.9 lens, $97.50; 16mm. Cine-Kodak Special, 1" f/1.9, 17mm. W.A. //2.7, 2" Tele //2.7, 4" Tele //2.7, set of ext. tubes, Comb, case, $675.00; 16mm. Zeiss Movikon, Sonnar //1.4 cpld. R.F., $317.50. Get Bass quotes first for cash or trade deals. BASS CAMERA COM- PANY, Dept. CC, 179 W. Madison St., Chicago 2, III.

■ SYNCHRONOUS motors installed, projectors, cam- eras, $150.00. Projector governors 16-24 speeds, $82.50. 16mm. only. M. W. Palmer, 468 Riverside Drive, New York.

■ NEW YEAR'S SPECIALS: Bell & Howell sound projector, two cases, excellent, $145.00. Diplomat projector, $150.00. Bolex H-16, 1" f/1.5 lens, $195.00. Filmo A, 1" //3.5 lens, $75.00. Semi-professional tripod, $59.50. We buy, sell, trade, all 16-35mm. motion picture equipment. THE CAMERA MART, Inc., 70 West 45th Street, New York.

■ WORLDS LARGEST SELECTION OF FINE MOVIE LENSES- -Guaranteed, available on 15 day trial. In focusing mounts for 8mm. cameras: y%' f/1.9 Wollensak Raptar (coated), $45.70; 1%" //3.5 Cine telephoto, $34.50. In focusing mounts coated for 16mm. cameras: 17mm. //2.7 Carl Meyer wide angle, $44.50; 2" //2 Schneider Xenon, $99.50; 3" //2.8 Carl Zeiss Tessar, $109.50. These are only a few of the bargains in our tremendous stocks. Write today for complete lens listing. BURKE & JAMES, Inc., 321 So. Wabash Ave., Chicago, 111. Att : M. M. James.

FILMS FOR RENTAL OR SALE

9 CASTLE films for sale: 8mm. -16mm. silent and sound: comple'e stock, orders shipped day received by STANLEY-WINTHROP'S, Inc., 90 Washington St., Quincy 69, Mass.

■ NATURAL COLOR SLIDES, Scenics, National Parks, Cities. Animals, Flowers, etc. Sets of eight, SI. 95; sample & list, 25<?. SLIDES, Box 206, La Habra, Calif.

■ USED and new Castle films : 8-16. silent and sound. Send for lists. ALVES PHOTO SERVICE, Inc., 14 Storrs Ave., Braintree 84, Mass.

■ FREE Movies: Thousands of subjects. Interesting. Entertaining. Fascinating. Latest Directory — only 500. NATIONAL CINE SOCIETY, 126 Lexington Ave., Dept. 102 C. New York 16, N. Y.

■ CLEARANCE SALE of 16mm. Films. Want a real buy in 16mm. sound films? Take advantage of the I.C.S. 1950 Clearance Sale of 16mm. sound FEATURES: comedies, cartoons, novelties, musicals, new, used. Specify. Send for our giant list "A" today, stating machine you own (make and model). INSTITUTIONAL CINEMA SERVICE, Inc., 1560-M Broadway, New York 19, N. Y.

■ 1951 ROSE PARADE MOVIES. Kodachrome. Colorful floats! Beautiful girls! 16mm. 200 ft., $29.95. 8mm. 100 ft.. $14.95. C.O.D.'s acceptpd. California add tax. AVELON DAGGETT, 441 North Orange Drive, Los Angeles 36, Calif.

9 THE biggest stock of 16mm. films in the world — over '100,000 prints on hand! New 1-reel $17.50 16mm. sound films low as $3.95; new 1-reel $8.75 16mm. silents, $1.98 up. All first quality prints in original cartons. Used Panoram 100' 16mm. musicals, $9.95 pel dozen. Equally attractive bargains in good used feature pictures, cartoons, sports, comedies, travels. Big selection of used, 16mm. sound projectors. Save on new and used reels and cans, projection lamps, and other supplies. Write today for your copy of Blackhawk's big catalog 10J. "Sixteen's Super Mar- ket." BLACKHAWK FILMS. Inc., Davenport, Iowa.

MISCELLANEOUS

■ KODACHROME DUPLICATES; 8mm., or 16mm., 11^ per foot. Immediate service on mail orders. HOLLYWOOD 16MM INDUSTRIES, Inc., 6060 Hol- lywood Blvd.. Hollywood 28, Calif.

B NO NEGATIVE ? ? ? Send picture or transparency and $1.00 for new negative and 2 5x7 enlargements, CURIO-PHOTO, 1187 Jerome Ave., New York 52.

■ SOUND RECORDING at a reasonable cost. High fidelity 16 or 35. Quality guaranteed. Complete studio and laboratory services. Color printing and lacquer coating. ESCAR MOTION PICTURE SERVICE, Inc., 7315 Carnegie Ave., Cleveland 3, Ohio. Phone: Endicott 2707.

■ TWO 4 x 5 BL. & W. ENLARGEMENTS and nega- five from your moviefilm. or one colorprint from colorfilm. Send frames and one dollar. CURIO- PHOTO, 1187 Jerome Ave., New York 52.

■ 16MM. SOUND movie camera for rent. Write ANTHONY IOVINO, 86-01 Commingwealth Blvd., Bellerose, N. Y.

NEW IMPROVED

1 950

MOVIE MAKERS BINDER

NOW AVAILABLE

$3.00 each*

'Please add 2% City Sales Tax for New York City delivery

AMATEUR CINEMA LEAGUE, Inc.

420 Lexington Avenue, New York 17, N. Y.

WILL THEY FIT MY CAMERA?

Second in a series important to every amateur, "Will They Fit MY Camera?" this time surveys the entire line of Kern-Paillard lenses. The article will tell you specifically whether this, that or the other lens may be used with your 8mm. or 16mm. camera, whether an adapter is needed, and so on.

Don't miss "Will They Fit MY Camera?" in

February MOVIE MAKERS

JANUARY 1951

wood for her comedy, Breakfast in Bed. Second prize went to Mrs. John Fitch- ner, for Dumb Bunny. Laugh, Ladies, Laugh, by Mrs. David Jenks, received third prize. In fourth place was Pickled Peaches, by Mrs. Philip Cook.

The judges were Mrs. Les Williams, Southwest 8mm. Club; Mrs. Charles Peters, Los Angeles Cinema Club, and Mrs. Eugenia Elliott, ACL, Los Angeles 8mm. Club.

The club meets on first Fridays at historic Campo de Cahuenga Club- house. Interested amateurs may contact Neva Bourgeotte. at 4639 Coldwater Canyon Avenue, North Hollywood, or phone Sunset 3-2202.

Chicago ^he annual banquet and installation of officers of the Chicago Cinema Club, ACL, was held this fall at the Chicago Bar Asso- ciation building. Charles Lonk accepted the president's chair. Other officers chosen were Mrs. Clarence Koch, vice- president; Mrs. Keith Nowell, secre tary. and Sherman Arpp, treasurer.

On February 1 the club is sponsor- ing its Super Gadget Night, in which many other Chicago clubs will partici- pate. A "bazooka" (36 inch telephoto lens) and a four-lens turret are only two of the unusual features to be ex- hibited. The club meets in the Civic Opera Building. All are welcome to attend.

Northern Calif. A new slate of

officers was chos- en for the Northern California Council of Amateur Movie Clubs, headed by Emerson Owen of San Jose Movie Club as president. Other officers are Gordon Robertson, Bay Empire 8mm. Movie Club, ACL, first vicepresident ; Joseph Pancoast, ACL, Richmond Movie Club, second vicepresident; Clyde Evans, ACL, treasurer, and William Crowell, ACL, secretary, both of the Westwood Movie Club.

Schenectady Tlie Christmas par- ty of the Movie Group. Schenectady (N. Y.) Photogra- phic Society, ACL, was built around the 1947 Ten Best winner. Magic Stair- way, by Harlan Webber, ACL, now president of the society. A number of surprise holiday features also were on the program, as well as refreshments in keeping with the season.

Rockford party

A festive pro- gram brightened the holiday slate for members of the Rockford (111.) Movie Makers, ACL. Two Christmas films, // Santa Claus Stayed and Christmas Toy Shop, by Arnold Lundgren, were features of the gala program arranged by Floyd Ros- ene and Don Anderson. Santa himself was on hand to pass out gifts to the children of members and those from

MOVIE MAKERS

31

the Rockford Children's Home, who were special guests for the occasion. Community singing, special entertain- ment and abundant refreshments rounded out a festive night.

Seeburg session A recent gath- ering of the Seeburg Camera Club, of Chicago, fea- tured a screening of a Shell Oil Com- pany film, 10,000 Feet Deep, and an 8mm. Kodachrome film by Al Koch. A subsequent meeting took place in the home theatre of club president J. H. Boulet, jr., ACL. Members' films and slides were shown, plus a travelog of the Canadian Rockies made by Mr. Boulet.

Oak Ridge A meeting of the Oak Ridge (Tenn.) Cine- ma Club, held recently at the Ameri- can Museum of Atomic Energy, fea- tured a screening of Engineering for Radioisotopes, by Tom Trent, ACL. On the same program were The Great Smokies and The Happiest Man on Earth, the latter film based on an 0. Henry Memorial Award short story. The producers' names of these two films are not known.

Berkeley guest D°n Flagg. pro- fessional filmer, was an honored guest at the Decem- ber meeting of the Berkeley (Calif.) Movie Club. He gave a talk on the pro- duction of industrial and television films and screened some of his own work. Arthur Hart projected his 16mm. Kodachrome film, Solitude, and Dr. Frank Burton, ACL, and Mrs. Burton showed two of their Christmas films.

Omaha programs Two Pro- grams of in- terest were presented on the fall sched- ule of the Omaha Movie Club. The films shown included Trip to Florida, by W. R. Tatman; Around Lake Michi- gan, by C. H. Swindler; Trip to Den- mark, by Jens Jensen; Coronation of 1950, by Mrs. J. G. Kretschmer, and Rocky Mountain National Park, by Jewel Bockwitz, ACL. The club meets every fourth Friday in the Joslyn Mem- orial.

Aussie winners A record entry of thirty one films, representing all states in Australia, made this year's Five Best competition, sponsored by the Victorian Amateur Cine Society. ACL, one of the best since the war. The winners were The Little Imp, by R. L. Greenwood; A Letter to Mary, by L. Piatt and R. H. Norgate; Wings Over the Sea, by W. D. Burns: Out to Lunch, by Len Mon- tagu, ACL. and Homeward Bound, by Max Knobel. The President's Trophy and the PJP Award went to The Little Imp. The Home Cinemas Award (for

the best 9.5mm. film) was given Denzil E. Howson for Village History. It is in- teresting to note that the three top winners were in black and white.

Entries for D. C. The first of the

monthly entries in the annual contest of the Washing- ton Society of Amateur Cinematogra- phers were screened at a pre-holiday meeting. These were Day's Journey, by Philip A. Simpson, ACL; Apple Blos- som Festival, by Elias E. Pederson. ACL; Long Lake Holiday, by Daniel M. Friedman. ACL. and Flight to hvo Jima, by Richard H. Parvin, ACL.

Common Mistakes and Their Correc- tion, a Harmon Foundation instruction- al film; a demonstration of projection conducted by Harold Wagar. and a talk on editing given by Major W. A. Ander- son, ACL. preceded the screening of contest entries.

Cincinnati The nrst 0I sucn Pr0"

jects to come to hand since cessation of hostilities of World War II, the Cincinnati Movie Club is busy drawing up plans for a series of civil defense training films. Planned as group productions, the films are be- ing made at the specific request of the city government. Other film clubs might take their cue from this and offer their services in like manner to their respec- tive communities.

Winnipeg program The Novem-

ber meeting of the Winnipeg Cine Club, in Canada, featured a talk by H. E. Rasmussen. Photographic Lenses and Their Uses. Lenses actually made by Mr. Rasmus- sen were displayed.

On the screen were Picnic Short, a film of the club outing by Bill Cross, and Highway 61, a travelog by Anna Doupe with sound on disc. Refresh- ments followed the program, with Mesdames Gibson and Peterson serying as hostesses.

Milwaukee Tne midfall program of the Amateur Movie Society of Milwaukee, ACL, featured a showing of the first rushes of Red Feather Parade, club filming project produced for the local Community Chest. A technical discussion followed. Also screened were Mexico and the Gaspe, by Al Huennekens. and The House on the Hill, by Selma Preuss, ACL.

An added attraction was the showing of stereo slides taken by Bill Verburgt, Mibs Rheingans, Al Wudke and Mr. and Mrs. Sonnemann.

AACC The Associated Amateur Cinema Clubs, in Chicago, presented its annual Show of Shows last month. The feature picture was On the Highways and Byways of Mex-

m-

w

Announcing—

Three Rare New Subjects

WILD ANIMAL FILMS

Complete life cycles of ■•COYOTE," "SAGE GROUSE" and "CANADA GOOSE" taken by famed Eberhart organization. Orders of 3 or 6 reels shipped in beautiful hand-finished Ponderosa pine cabinet. Choose any assortment of the following — "Coyote" "Canada Goose" "Sage Grouse" "Busy Beaver" "Bears!" "Spotted Fawns" "American Bison" "Leaping Tuna" "Bocky Mountain Elk" "American Deer" "Big Horn Sheep" "Moose!" "Prong Horn Antelope"

8MM Black A. White. . . Box of 3 $ 5.95

(each reel 50') Box of 6 10.95

8MM Kodachrome Box of 3 18.95

(each reel 50') Box of 6 36.45

I6MM B & W Box of 3 10.95

(each reel 100') Box of 6 21.45

I6MM Kodachrome Box of 3 45.95

(each reel 100') Box of 6 90.45

We ship postpaid. Send check. cashorM.O. to:

WILD LIFE FILMS CO.

Dept. MM- 1 6063 Sunset Blvd.

HOLLYWOOD. CALIF. Free Sound and Silent Catalog

2!4 x 314 COLOR PRINTS 50c each

Price of larger prints on request From 8 and 16mm Color Film

Send 3 frames or tie thread next to frame desired. Add 25c handling charge on orders of less than $5.00. No C.O.D.'s.

HOUSE OF COLOR

4423 Harvey Way Long Beach 8, Calif.

■■:•;•.•:•:• • •:•;••• ••••••:•:••• *:o •• ,

Mount LEICA lenses

and accessories on your

CINE-KODAK SPECIAL I

with the new precision

TENPLUS ADAPTER

Cusfom-made. $46.50 Guaranteed.

Send postcard for free information.

THE TENPLUS COMPANY

. 43L GARDEN DRIVE ROSELLE, NEW JERSEY

3o»o«o»o»o»o«o« :•:•:•:•.•••••••••-•»••<

GOT YOUR

ACL MEMBERSHIP PIN?

This colorful emblem of an active filmer is described in detail on the inside front cover.

GET YOURS TODAY!

6MM~~16MM KODACHROMS BLACK & WHITE

FILMS & EQUIPMENT

• NEW AND USED . . .

SOLD FOR CASH OR ON TERMS . . .

• We also buy your films and equipment.

• We trade either films or equipment. Doing business all over the world.

• Our bargain lists are free. If you haven't our discount card, ask for one.

Here's some samples: Kodak 33 8 MM projector, perfect $55

1200' reels or cans $1.00 each

NATCO S.O.F. projector $225

FRANK LANE & CO.

#5 Little Bldg., Boston, Mass.

32

JANUARY 1951

THE ACL LEADER

signature of a GOOD FILM

To all ACL Members:

Yes, we've put in 18 re-orders for the ACL Full Color Leader — and still your orders are pouring in.

If you haven't ordered your ACL Leaders yet, you're missing all the glow and sparkle that the beautiful color footage will add to your fin- ished films.

Against a dark background, the earth — with the continents vari- colored against the rich blue seas — revolves slowly until the sparkling, crystal letters ACL fade in across the sphere's curvature.

Then a narrow band of brilliant red, bearing in white, raised letters the word MEMBER, swings across the globe. A second band of red, with AMATEUR CINEMA in white, zooms in from the right and is fol- lowed by a third red band, with the word LEAGUE.

A smooth lap dissolve follows, and across the same three red panels ap- pear the words WORLD WIDE AS- SOCIATION OF MOVIE MAKERS, in gleaming white letters. These, together with the sphere, then slowly fade out.

There's still more: the trailer. As your film ends, you fade in once more on the slowly spinning earth — and a brilliant red band sweeps diag- onally across it, announcing in large white letters THE END.

Cordially,

\

JAMES W. MOORE Managing Director

P.S. 16mm. leaders are 14 ft.; 8mm., 7 ft. — same running time.

If you are not yet a member of the Amateur Cinema League, see the inside back cover of this issue for complete information and an application blank.

AMATEUR CINEMA LEAGUE. Inc. 1.51

420 Lexington Avenue New York 17, N. Y.

Yes, as a member of ACL. I certainly want several of the beautiful new Kodachrome leaders. I enclose my check or money order for:

16mm. Kodachrome leaders at $1.50 each

8mm. Kodachrome leaders at $1.00 each

Street. City

ico, photographed by Larry Randall, ACL, of the South Side Cinema Club, and narrated by Lou Bohlin. vicepresi- dent of the AACC.

The second half of the program in- cluded Country Life, by Oscar Berg- man, of the Edison Camera Club; Her Heart's Desire, by Othon Goetz. ACL, of the Metro Movie Club, ACL; Adven- tures in Snap Shooting, by William Ziemer, president of the Metro Movie Club; Honey Harvest, by William W. Vincent, jr., FACL. of the Kenosha Movie and Slide Club, ACL, and It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog, by Gerald Richter, of the South Side Cinema Club.

Australia The 1950 Gold Cup Com- petition, sponsored by the Australian Amateur Cine Society. ACL, was won by A. T. Bartlett, of Brisbane, Queensland. Give Us This Day was the trophy winner's entry, running 700 feet of 16mm. Kodachrome with sound on disc. Second and third place honors went to H. Sothern. also of Brisbane, for Sojourn in Northern Italy, and L. Montagu, ACL, of West Australia, for Out to Lunch.

Asheville agenda The crowded

but interest- ing fall season of the Smoky Mountain Movie Club included the annual con- test, an outing, election and the annual banquet. Newly elected officers are Josephine McDaniel, ACL, president; Robert Campbell, vicepresident. and Betty Rose Jayne, secretary treasurer. The club's outing took the form of a weiner roast, staged at Bent Creek. The new officers were installed at the banquet, after which awards were made to winners of the contest. Dr. Schell took top honors in the 8mm. class for The Deep South. Second and third places were filled by O. R. Powell, for The Circus, and Joe McDaniel. for The Fence. Thor Behrens, ACL, led the 16mm. filmers with Paquita Dolls. Goose Hunting, by Dr. Chapman, and Asheville Highlights, by Zeb Fox, ACL, were in second and third positions.

NEW OFFICERS for Peninsula Home Movies Unlimited, in California, pose for their por- trait. Seated (I. to r.) are Lloyd Masch, re- cording see'y.; John A. Gorman, ACL, presi- dent; Al Baker, treas.; standing, Ralph Swiclc- ard, sec'y.; Herb Holloway, vicepresident.

Westwood agenda The West- wood Movie Club, in San Francisco, was host last month at the regular monthly session of the Northern California Council of Amateur Movie Clubs. The October club meeting featured a discussion of exposure meter technique, led by Leo Kerkhof. A screening of San Francisco, in 8mm. Kodachrome by Mr. and Mrs. Morton Thomas, followed the talk.

Westwood will be guest on the radio program, Filming for Fun, on Sunday, December 31. The program, conducted by Clyde Evans, ACL, is aired over KLX, San Francisco, every Sunday at 12:30 p.m. Westwood club members will be interviewed and activities of the

group discussed.

* *- *

ALTHOUGH it is a useful gadget at anytime, a lens shade is almost an essen- tial to avoid reflections in snow Aiming.

* * #

S. F. oldies 01d Picture Night, a re- cent special event con- ducted by the Golden Gate Cinematog- raphers, ACL. featured a 25 year old film made on a hand-cranked Keystone by member Pellegrini. Father's Day and Yosemite, made fifteen years ago by George Sohst, and School Days and The Fall of the Alley Gang, by A. Theo Roth, ACL, made about seventeen years ago, followed. A relatively new film, The Inside of a Chair, by Per Rasmus- sen, completed the screening.

In the election that preceded the meeting, A. Hauchildt was chosen presi- dent for the coming year, with R. Alex- ander as vicepresident. A. W. Balzarini and H. Ketjen are. respectively, treas- urer and secretary.

JACK SHANDLER, and Mrs. Shandler, of the Los Angeles Cinema Club, thread up for a screening of Paradise of Mid-Pacific before members of Long Beach (Calif.) Cinema Club.

WANT TO JOIN A MOVIE CLUB?

Write to the ACL for the address of the club nearest you. If there is no club active in your community, we'll send you free a detailed bul- letin on how to get one going. Address: Clubs, Amateur Cinema League. 420 Lexington Avenue, New York 17, N. Y.

MOVIE MAKERS

The clinic

[Continued from page 20]

ends. Voila! When not in use, the entire business may be rolled up and carried in your jacket pocket or camera case.

Charles Artus, ACL Entretat, France.

REVOLVING TITLE BACKGROUND

If any filming fan wants a knockout moving background for the lead title of his Christmas reel, I urge him to run, not walk, to his nearest package store (liquor dealer, that is). There he may be able to beg or borrow the moving holiday display put out this season by the Four Roses people.

The gadget consists of a large plastic l)all geared to a tiny electric motor which revolves it at four revolutions per minute. This speed is ideal for one of those lead titles which move slowly across the face of the screen and off. Your letters, of course, should be mounted on the curved surface with some sort of adhesive.

George J. Wieland "Woodside, N. Y.

HANDY FILM CLEANER

After repeatedly misplacing that soft ■piece of velveteen I use for film clean- ing. I decided to anchor it down in some way where it always would be handy. Now I have two small blocks of wood, Tiinged together at one end and with their inner faces covered with strips of velvet. In use. the strips are moistened Tvith cleaning fluid, the blocks clamped lightly around the film as it passes from one rewind to the other.

Some provision should be made for changing the cloth strips as they be- come too dirty for further use. And if you're real forgetful, you can screw the the gadget down to the rewind board. Solomon Kessler, ACL Portland. Maine

Winter projects

[Continued from page 14]

■process filmed. Ask your local Chamber of Commerce for suggestions. Your com- munity might be interested in a movie of the public school system. Or perhaps a movie study of the public library or local hospital — as suggested in Novem- ler Movie Makers.

Yes, by putting your movie equip- ment to work instead of letting it hiber- nate during the long days, you'll keep "in training." You'll find that as an amateur cinematographer you're on your toes and rarin' to go by the time the snows melt and the first crocus pops through the soil. Give it a try. Your imagination and some film are all it takes.

Behind-the-lens filters

[Continued from page 11]

Creation of these tweezers is easy. Take any ordinary tweezers of the cor- rect size, heat the tips in a gas flame and bend them gently sideways. Any jeweler can perform this operation for you, if you feel you can't handle it yourself. Now, so that the filter may be inserted and withdrawn from its cam- era position with the tweezers, cut a small notch in its edge with an ordi- nary ticket punch.

All of this tweezer business may sound as if the lacquered gelatin filters were uncommonly delicate. This is not wholly true. While they should be han- dled carefully to avoid fingermarks and scratches, so should glass filters and indeed your lenses. Your lacquered fil- ters may be cleaned with film cleaning fluid, if necessary, and they are best kept between sheets of soft white paper in suitably labeled envelopes. Stored in this way, a complete set can easily be carried in your camera case with- out any excess weight or sacrifice of space.

A titling tell-all

[Continued from page 15]

distance and the correct diopter lens to be used at this distance. By a simple example, let us see how the nomo- graphic chart will determine these data.

We have decided, for instance, that a title area 4 inches wide will be suit- able for the size of letters to be used or the picture background we have in mind. First, we will need to know the corresponding height of this area. En- tering the chart along the Width-of- Title-in-Inches scale, we place a straight- edge on the 4-inch point and align it with Pivot A. Reference to the Height- of-Title-in-Inches scale now shows that our title area must be 3 inches high.

The next fact we need to know is how far the camera should be from our title card so that its lens will just cover this 4 by 3 inch area. We intend using, let's say, the standard 1 inch lens on a simple 16mm. camera. Again entering the chart along the Width-of-Title-in- Inches scale we place a straightedge on the 4-inch point and align it with the 25mm. point of the Focal-Length-of- Lens scale. Reading from the scale marked Distance-of-Auxiliary-Lens-from Title-in-Inches, we find that the correct camera-to-card distance will be 20 inches. (Exactly the same finding, of course, would result if we were using a

13

25mm., or 1 inch, telephoto on an 8mm. camera.)

So far, so good. But the 1 inch lens on our 16mm. camera is a fixed focus unit and we know we cannot work as close as 20 inches from the subject. An auxiliary lens is needed; but what diopter strength should it be? We now enter the chart along the Distance-of- Auxiliary-Lens scale, place the straight- edge on the 20 inch distance just de- termined, and align it with Pivot B. Reference to the Diopter-of-Auxiliary- Lens scale shows the desired strength to be 2 diopters. With this auxiliary lens over the fixed focus objective (or on a focusing lens set at Infinity ) , our title copy will be in perfect focus.

There remains now only the matter of centering your title card. The nomo- graphic chart cannot aid you in this. But I can refer you to the simple and excellent system outlined by Roy H. Burgess, ACL. in Your Titles Will be Centered; it appeared in the October, 1950, number of this magazine.

n

Getting "The Gannets

[Continued from page 10]

not hard to find. Part of Eric Coates's Dancing Nights provides the introduc- tion and carries through the locale- establishing scenes. From this point, parts of Swan Lake and Khachaturian's Gayne ballet music fit the tempo to the end. Recording was accomplished by using two wire recorders; the narration alone was recorded on one machine and was then played electrically into the second, at the same time as the music was being fed into the second recorder. Synchronization is maintained at all times, using the technique de- scribed in the April, 1949, issue of Movie Makers.

Welcome to Tucson

[Continued from page 23]

sight until you have offered cigarettes, passed candy to the children and ad- mired the papooses. Most of the Indians, especially on the reservations, expect to be paid a nominal fee for posing," he continued. "But don't overpay them either."

DON'T MISS DUDE RANCHING

Another source of good action and human interest will be found in Tucson's 20 million dollar a year dude ranch industry. There are some seventy five ranches in and around the city, so you can take your pick. You will want closeups of some of the name plaques at the entrances, both because they are good identification and because many of them have unusual names and de- signs.

One ranch will probably have a

34

JANUARY 1951

EXPERIENCE ISN'T EVERYTHING

FOR two years in a row, now, the Maxim Memorial Award has been won by a fllmer with compara- tively brief experience in our chosen hobby. War- ren A. Levett, ACL, the 1950 winner, has been look- ing through a 16mm. viewfinder for little more than four years. Glen H. Turner, ACL, the top movie maker of 1949, had only two and a half years of 8mm. filming when his One Summer Day took the treasured trophy. On the bare face of it, these facts should lend encouragement to all.

But don't let them mislead you. There are a number of important aspects of making a good movie which are not indicated by — nor may they much depend on — one's length of filming experience. While we do not pretend to have foregathered them all here, a few which do occur to us are the following:

First of all, the filmer must have within himself a genuine desire to improve his pictures. Without this enthusiasm, ambition and resolve, experience may well mean nothing. (Each of you must know a ten, fifteen or twenty year movie maker who still has not made a real movie!) With this resolve, however, nearly any accomplishment may be within your reach.

Improvement, however, cannot feed on emotion only. Growing skills are sinewed by growing knowl-

edge— and knowledge means study. Along with an intelligent eagerness to know the "whys" and "hows" of movie making, growing knowledge also entails a sizable assortment of growing pains. Spurred on by his ambition, the imaginative filmer's concepts will for some time outstrip his technical abilities to attain them. There will be setbacks and disappointments. And so, along with resolution and study, the fine- filmer-to-be will need patience and perseverance.

On the less technical side, there are still other talents which must flower with one's camera skills. An appreciation of good composition contributes much. A sense of "story" development (not neces- sarily in photoplay form) is important. And a true understanding of what makes a movie is mandatory.

With some of us these abilities and instincts develop quickly. With others, the development is slow and arduous — and with others, not at all. Sooner or later, however, at some moment which no one of us can predict — saying, "I, in two years, three years, five years, will be a fine filmer" — sooner or later all of the magic elements are present. Smoothly, then, each melds with the other, and a great movie is the result.

Experience, intelligently used, may hasten that mo- ment. But it alone can never guarantee it.

THE AMATEUR CINEMA LEAGUE, Inc. Founded in 1926 by Hiram Percy Maxim

Joseph J. Harley, President Ethelbert Warfield, Treasurer

C. R. Dooley Arthur H. Elliott John V. Hansen

DIRECTORS

Ralph E. Gray, Vicepresident James W. Moore, Managing Director

Harold E. B. Speight Stephen F. Voorhees Roy C. Wilcox

The Amateur Cinema League, Inc., sole owner and publisher of MOVIE MAKERS, is an international organization of filmers. The League offers its members help in planning and making movies. It aids movie clubs and maintains for them a film exchange. It has various special services and publications for members. Your member- ship is invited. Six dollars a year.

AMATEUR CINEMA LEAGUE. Inc.. 420 LEXINGTON AVE.. NEW YORK 1 7, N. Y.. U. S. A.

group starting out on a ride over desert trails into the rolling foothills. You might go along. Try to get the bright colored shirts and levis against scenic skies and country. Or you might prefer to stay around the ranch swimming pool and line up some pretty girls in fancy cowboy togs or sun shorts.

At other ranches you can find groups of dudes having a chuck wagon supper around a crackling campfire. playing shuffle board, having an outdoor fashion show, a square dance or a barbecue — any number of activities that will keep your footage counter ticking. You'll be impressed with the friendliness of the people, especially the ranch owners. After all, there might be a potential dude or dudine among your friends who see the film. ,

FIESTA IN FEBRUARY You'll get more outdoor action every February when all of Tucson puts on its Western outfits and throws the an-

nual Fiesta de los Vaqueros. In the parade, the only one in the country barring motor-powered vehicles, literal- ly hundreds of horses carry riders, draw carts and old carriages, stage- coaches and other relics of the West. Indians in native costumes, drum corps, marching units, strutting majorettes, floats in the Old Western themes, scores of riders in beautiful regalia, the Sheriff's posse all mounted on golden Palominos — everyone gets into the act. Even the spectators must dress West- ern or risk getting thrown into the portable hoosegow and fined. The pro- ceeds go to charity.

The parade route is published in the newspapers in advance. The parade be- gins at about ten o'clock in the morn- ing, but you'll have to get there early if you want a good camera position. Pick a nice building or a section of the park for your background, and don't forget some human interest closeups and angle shots for cut-ins.

ROUGH RIDING AT RODEO After the parade there will be all manner of exciting doings at the rodeo — bull and bronc riding, calf roping and tying, team tying, bull dogging, trick riding and all the rest. Amateur photographers are kept out of the arena for their own safety. More than one angry Brahman bull has sent a camera- man and his equipment sailing sky high, while snorting horses stomp on avail- able toes. But don't despair. Get a seat in the grandstand as near to the chutes as possible. If you have never covered a rodeo before, it is a good idea to do a little dry shooting before you begin in earnest. It isn't easy to keep a rearing, pitching, unpredictable animal in your finder.

And to end your film there are many out-of-the-world sunsets to be recorded. It has been done before, but somehow there is no ending quite so satisfying and conclusive as a beautiful Western sky.

BEGIN THE NEW YEAR RIGHT!

AND MAKE BETTER FILMS

HERE'S HOW THE AMATEUR CINEMA LEAGUE CAN HELP YOU with your filming interests just

as it has advised and aided more than 100,000 A GUIDE TO

■■.I'jfi

other movie makers:

AS A MEMBER YOU RECEIVE

I -The ACL MOVIE BOOK - the finest guide to 8mm. and 16mm. movie making. 311 pages of information and over 100 illustrations. This guide sells for $3.00!

2-MOVIE MAKERS -the ACL's fascinating, friendly, up-to-the-minute magazine — every month. Chock full of ideas and instructions on every aspect of movie making.

PLUS THE FOLLOWING LEAGUE SERVICES

AMATEUR CINEMA LEAGUE ,< INC.

Continuity and Film Planning Service . . . planning to make a movie of your vacation? of your family? The ACL's con- sulting department will work up film treatments for you, full of specific ideas on the planning, shooting and editing work. Special forms are available to help you present your ideas to the consulting department.

Club Service . . . want to start a club? The ACL club depart- ment will give you helpful tips based on experience with clubs around the world for more than 23 years.

Film Review Service . . . you've shot your film and now you want to know how it stacks up? Are there sequences in it that you're not quite sure of? Any 8mm. or 16mm. film may be sent to the ACL at any time for complete screening, de- tailed criticism and overall review.

Booklets and Service Sheets . . . service sheets on specific problems that you may come up against are published at intervals. They are yours for the asking. Current booklets are: The ACL Data Book; Featuring The Family; Building a Dual Turntable.

ALL THIS IS YOURS FOR ONLY $6.00 A YEAR!

(less than the price of a roll of color film)

EXTRA - NOW AVAILABLE!

Official League leaders in full color!

Official League lapel pins for you to wear!

Official League stickers for all your equipment!

I

1-51 AMATEUR CINEMA LEAGUE, Inc. 420 Lexington Avenue New York 17, N. Y.

I wish to become a member of the ACL, receiving the ACL MOVIE BOOK, Movie Makers monthly, ond all the League services for one year. I enclose re- mittance for $6 (of which $2 is for a year's sub- scription to Movie Makers) made payable to Amateur Cinema League, Inc.

1 Name_

I

■ Street-

I City

I

Zone State-

-inchT2.7 (f/2.5) B&H Super Comat. Standard C mount for 16mm cameras. Click CnQQ^ stops. Filmocoted. ^0 \j

Announcing newest

famous Bell sHowel ftmilu of fine lenses I

( ;iv of movie lenses Newest addition to the W» *™£, Hobson Cooke is the very fast l-««* *£ "' g0%, greater resolution SSt It gives : from ^"ofTe PiCutes than an,

*£?SS^ ^hXX^-inoh iens. Bell

With the addition rf thgnm rf seve„ out-

& Howell brings you the fif* » ^ twlce the

standing lenses, Each en ^ .^^ e»

member in the

.J-inch f/1.4 Taylor Hobson Cooke Ivotal in focusing mount. Unusual resolving power for sharpest defini- tion. Finest color correc- tion. Click stops. Depth of field scale in dis- e ■* ■» A nc tinguishing red. * | / JJ

inch T 1.6 (f/1.4) Taylor Hobson Cooke Ivotal. Stand- ard C mount for 16mm cam- eras. Click stops. Filmocoted. (Also available for B&H snap- on mount 8mm (1*7(101: cameras) 1/3

^-inch T 2.5 (f/2.3) Taylor Hobson Cooke Pan- chrotal. Standard C mount f or 16mm cameras. Extra legible depth of field scale. Click stops. Filmocoted.

$18250

-inch T 2.5 (f/2.3) Taylor Hobson Cooke Panchrotal. Standard C mount for 16mm cameras. Extra legible depth of field scale.Click stops. Filmo- coted. Nearly 50% faster than ' the fastest of any other lead- ing 4 -inch lens — 400% faster than the slowest. 5900 95

\

Only Bell & Howell lenses give you these three advantages:

i Highest degree of correction yet developed for 16mm film. Same sharpness and contrast for all lenses, regardless of focal length.

^•Uniform-step magnifica- tion—just like the lenses Hollywood studios use.

%3»Widest range from which to choose. Complete family will include seven superb lenses.

You buy for life when you buy Bell •£ HOW0.il

Chicago 45

WATCH YOUR ANGLES • COMMON LIGHTING ERRORS • BOLEX LENS SURVEY

What

mean

Five times every second— eighteen thousand times every hour— your Swiss watch is a masterpiece of pre- cision. In twenty-five years, its escape wheel has been hit four thousand million times — only microscopically-ground jewelled bearings and ten different types of steel can take this incredible beating. For more than 150 years in the high winter-locked cantons of the Alps, the Swiss have learned, and passed from generation to gener- ation, the secrets and skills of intricate mechanism manufac- ture. Your great grandpa was proud of his Swiss-made key- wound watch— your grandma, her Swiss musical box. In father's boyhood— the Swiss gramophone. In sister's working day— a Swiss typewriter. On your day off— a Swiss movie camera. One hundred and fifty years have pro- duced a brand of craftsmanship and skill that can be aided . . . but never surpassed . . . by modern mass production methods. Behind every Bolex is this tradition of combined craftsmanship— that of the watchmaker— the engineer— the optical designer— the physicist.

In the field of movie camera manufac- ture, only the Paillard company has this background of more than four gener- ations of experience. And yet the Bolex engineers are ever alert to new develop- ments in movie-making. No other camera in its price class even approaches the versatility or performance of the Bolex — no other movie camera can offer the same economy of actual film production coupled with simplified, positive-action spool loading. There are no second thoughts or after thoughts about a Bolex —the camera that is first with so many exclusive features.

Automatic threading, full reverse wind for any or all of the film, clutch dis- engagement of the motor, eye-level focus, adding and subtracting frame counter, and the universal Octameter finder. For the perfectionist, there is the line of Kern-Paillard "Visifocus" lenses, de- signed to match the fine performance of all Bolex cameras. These, and many more features are yours only with a Bolex.

Meet your Bolex Dealer and get to know more about Bolex— why a Swiss movement is as important in a movie camera as a chronometer— what makes the Bolex tick, how Bolex Service is available the world over— and how you can make finer movies— with a Bolex.

Your Bolex Dealer has Bolex H models available from $244.75 to $318.00, less lenses, no tax.

Bolex owners— receive regular free mailings of the 25c magazine "Bolex Reporter" by registering the serial numbers of your Bolex equipment with us.

Paillard Products, Inc. 265 Madison Ave., New York 16, N. Y.

Model H-16 <& H=8 Movie Cameras

i-t« 20 195:

MOVIE MAKERS

*9

A warm welcome is extended to all of the new ACL members listed below. They have been elected to and joined the League since our last publication. The League will be glad to forward letters between members which are sent to us with a covering note requesting such service.

Caesar Dentino, Peoria, III.

Milton L. Goldman, Philadelphia, Pa.

Rev. H. R. Pannabecker, Toronto, Canada

Ray Richards, Glen Oaks, N. Y.

Mary L. Rickert, Albany, N. Y.

Robert 0. Smith, Cambridge, Mass.

William H. Snyder, Reading, Pa.

D. Irving Temple, New Rochelle, N. Y.

Sidney A. Weiss, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Arnold M. Bisberg, New Britain, Conn. James P. Boyce, Warn ego, Kans. Joseph H. Brown, Montvale, N. J. Stanley J. Chadwick, Teaneck, N. J. William C. Cook, Monsey, N. Y. Morris J. Feigenbaum, Hartford, Conn. J. M. Gilliam, Scottsville, Ky. F. Eugene Hart, Union City, Ind. Charles P. Healey, Jersey City, N. J. Richard E. Holtzman, South Bend, Ind. Carl A. Johnson, Dallas, Texas Kenneth W. Lampert, Brooklyn, N. Y. Willis S. Martin, Ft. Wayne, Ind. Samuel Maxwell, Detroit, Mich. F. William McMillin, Morristown, N. J. John Charles Mendel, Birmingham, Ala. Benjamin J. Olejarski, Staten Island, N. Y. M. Edward Remsen, Malverne, N. Y. William Stefanu, Chicago, III. Miss Opal Wike, Hickory, N. C. Harry B. Woolnough, East Hempstead, N. Y.

Andrew Asmonda, Swissvale, Pa. Harold R. Beckwith, Flint, Mich. J. H. Belt, Salt Lake City, Utah Frank E. Bradley, Northampton, Mass. Dr. P. L. Brandstein, New York City Leland W. Hansen, Anaheim, Calif. Daniel L. Holmes, Braintree, Mass. Morton M. Jones, Kansas City, Mo. Alexander S. Krampovitis, Bridgeport, Conn. Alexander J. McMurray, Newark, N. J. H. E. Prentice, Ensign, Kans. Fred A. Smith, Vancouver, Canada

Morris L. Binday, Hempstead, N. Y. Robert J. Cigoy, Cleveland. Ohio Richard R. Crow, Forest Hills, N. Y. William W. Edwards, Akron, Ohio Eduardo Fleischmann 0., Guatemala City,

Guatemala Mrs. Josephine G. Halliburton, Macon, Ga. H. H. Hinrichs, Kansas City, Mo. Al Karseboom, Broooklyn, N. Y. Gerald D. Kimberly. Ann Arbor, Mich. Walter V. Mitton, Augusta, Maine Burton A. Schenley, New York City T & V Movie Club, New York City

Harold C. Arnold, Saskatoon, Canada Dr. Stephen L. BeGell, Binghamton, N. Y. David L. Dooley, Oklahoma City, Okla. Dr. Phyllis D. Schaefer, Philadelphia, Pa. Dr. Stephen Szalay, Teaneck, N. J. Mrs. R. L. Wyrick, Park Place, Ore. Edward P. Alazzoni, Louisville, Ky. Edward F. Cook, Trenton, N. J. Gates D. Dunn, Atlanta, Ga. Albert Feinauer, Providence, R. I. Edward French, Albany, N. Y. Robert H. Guetschow, Chicago, 111. Maude Hall, Detroit, Mich. Leighton P. Harrison, Vancouver, Canada Alex S. Macdonald, Rosseau, Canada Emily Materna. Memphis, Tenn. Peter Nickels, Ottawa, III.

Why M Own the Best?

For home movies of theatrical quality, try the new rf Cine -Voice" 16mm Sound -On -Film Camera. Shoot full-color or black & white. Now you can enjoy your own High-Fidelity talking pictures!

$695.00 with a 30-day money-back guarantee. You must be satisfied. Write today for free illustrated "Cine- Voice" folder describing this newest achievement in 16 mm cameras.

^*

'^Sfe

BERJDT-BMH, Incorporated

7383 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles 36, Calif.

MANUFACTURERS OF SOUND-ON - FILM RECORDING EQUIPMENT SINCE 193!

40

FEBRUARY 1951

HBUO!

##

want finer

home i

movies •

Gef the new MEDIUM BEAM

G°E REFLECTOR

PHOTOLAMPS

• To capture precious movies you'll prize for a lifetime, be sure you have good lighting. Use the new Medium Beam G-E Reflector Photolamps!

They're designed expressly for home movie making. With 375 watts, you use less current and can have four on a single circuit. It's smart to use them in pairs, too, to give better balanced lighting for color. 40° beam matches camera coverage, so you get more usable light right where it's needed.

Try the new Medium Beam G-E Reflector Photolamps soon!

(And to "follow" lively children, put PH-375s in handy camera light brack- ets. Seeyour dealer!)

Remember . . . G-E Lamps for every photographic purpose

GENERAL ELECTRIC

THE MAGAZINE FOR 8mm & 16mm FILMERS Published Every Month by AMATEUR CINEMA LEAGUE

February 1951

New ACL members

The reader writes

Closeups

Ideas for Easter

39 42

What filmers are doing 44 William L. Lucas 45

What's wrong with my angle?

Photographs by Ernest H. Kremer, ACL 46

Take it easy with Indians! The clinic Third-floor theatre

Elmer W. Albinson, ACL 48

Aids for your filming 50

A. C. Hugh, ACL 51

Some common lighting errors

Photographs by Leo J. Heffernan, FACL 54

Will they fit my camera?

Movies at Monterey

An improved film cleaner

News of the industry

Clubs

One-man movies

Ernst Wildi, ACL 56

Felix Zelenka 58

Lewis C. Cook, ACL 59

Reports on products 60

People, plans and programs 64

Editorial 66

Cover photograph by Harold M Lambert from Frederic Lewis

JAMES W. MOORE Editor

DON CHARBONNEAU Consultant Editor

ANNE YOUNG Production Editor

JAMES YOUNG Advertising Manager

Vol. 26, No. 2. Published monthly in New York, N. Y., by Amateur Cinema League, Inc. Subscription rates: S3. 00 a year, postpaid, in the United States and Possessions and in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain and Colonies, Uruguay and Venezuela; $3.50 a year, postpaid, in Canada, Labrador and Newfoundland; other countries $4.00 a year, postpaid; to members of Amateur Cinema League, Inc., $2.00 a year, postpaid; single copies 25£ (in U. S. A.). On sale at photo- graphic dealers everywhere. Entered as second class matter, August,* 3, 1927, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under act of March 3, 1879. Copyright, 1951, by Amateur Cinema League, Inc. Editorial and Publication Office: 420 Lexington Avenue, New York 17, N. Y., U.S.A. Telephone LExington 2-0270. West Coast Representative: Edmund J. Kerr, 6605 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles 28, Calif. Telephone HEmpstead 3171. Advertising rates on application. Forms close on 10th of preceding month.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: a change of address must reach us at least by the twelfth of the month preceding the publication of the number of MOVIE MAKERS with which it is to take effect.

_

MOVIE MAKERS

AGAIN!

41

Revere brings you the best in home movies . • . with

Luxury Eights

at Boctqit VhkeA

Here are new Revere 8mm models that give you so much more for your movie equipment dollar. Embodying the same fine precision

workmanship that has always distinguished Revere products, they are years ahead in design and features, tops in performance — truly luxury equipment at budget prices. See them at your dealer today. Compare them with others and you'll readily appreciate why Revere, more than ever, is the choice of

critical movie makers everywhere! Revere Camera Company, Chicago

O

CINE EQUIPMENT

Sensational ! New ! feeiSGfe

cine-graphic EN LARGER -V I EWER

Make beautiful

enlargements from

your 8mm or 16mm

movie film!

Now, for the first time, you can make your own large, exciting prints from your color or black-and-white movie film — and for just pennies each! It's simple and great fun! Just select the frame to be enlarged, project it on amazing .Gevaert patented Diaversal paper, and produce rich, deep-toned prints in about five minutes! Utilizes any standard 8mm or 16mm camera lens. Ideal for viewing and editing, too!

Model E 208— for 8mm film, $4750 Model E 216— for 16mm film, $4950

Each complete with Diaversal paper and every- thing you need for making enlargements.

8mm "B-61" MAGAZINE Amazingly compact and easy to handle. New type magazine loadingis quickest and simplest ever devised. Other standout features include micromatic view-finder with click stops, and five speeds. Handsomely designed with gleaming chrome and leather trim. With F2.5 coated lens, includ- ing tax only $ ]_J2^

"B-61" WITH SWING-AWAY CASE Handsome plastic carrying case with handy strap. Camera and case, complete, $XX6'^

8mm "B-63" MAGAZINE TURRET

Last word in 8mm cam- eras! Everything you want for advanced movie making! Quick, easy magazine loading, 3-lens turret versatility, micromatic view-finder with click stops, five speeds, and a host of other features. Brown crackle finish enhanced with chrome and leather. With F2.8 coated lens, including tax, : ..onlyS14250

8mm "85" DELUXE

PROJECTOR All new, with greater- than-ever conven- ience, beauty, and value! Slip-over case of burnished russet- brown plastic whisks off and on in seconds. Two-reel storage compartment in pro- jector base. 500-watt lamp, 300-ft. reel, 1- inch F1.6 coated lens, and case . . . $ J J^50

42

FEBRUARY 1951

COMMONWEALTH

Announces THREE New Additions

to the

Edward Small Group Now making |Q in all

JLUNNr

OF

S£2?a'T"D0NATi

vm iw

HAYWARD-BENNHH

6E0RGE V

SANDERS \_J M0SOF

crnsm

Madeleine Carroll ^^^^

l°uis Hoyward

SeNKm W THE .RON MASK

a1genTlemanBafter dark

^onDonlevy. Miriam Hopkrns

KIT CARSON Andei

Jon Hall, lynn Ban, ua _~

THE CORSICAN BROTHERS

Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Akim TamiroH

William Gorgon, Guy M»» Moore, Peggy Ry°"

^sV^t0hV0m0oh.scans

L Ron'olpn SCO,,, Nnnie Barnes, Hen,, Witcoxon ._-«—»

FRIENDLY ENEMIES

Charles Winn.ger, Char es Rugg jomes Craig, Nancy Kelly

For Rentals Communicate

with your leading

%% I6MM. FILM LIBRARY ^p

EXCLUSIVE I6MM DISTRIBUTORS

COMMONWEALTH PICTURES

CORP.

723 Seventh Avenue. NewYork 19, N.Y.

This department has been added to Movie Makers because you, the reader, want it. We welcome it to our columns. This is your place to sound off. Send us your comments, complaints or compli- ments. Address: The Reader Writes, Movie Makers, 420 Lexington Ave., New York 17, N. Y.

SIGNIFICANT

Dear ACL: Received my December Movie Makers just a few days ago, and I have been reading and re-reading it since. It seems to me to be a most sig- nificant issue. The articles on the in- dustry and the development of amateur filming were especially interesting. It's amazing what has happened in a few short years. The ACL has really pioneered!

Glen H. Turner, ACL Springville. Utah

TALKS THE LANGUAGE

Dear Friends: May I congratulate you all on your splendid 25th Anniversary issue of Movie Makers! It is a mag- azine that talks the language of the amateur and I wouldn't want to miss a single issue.

Madeline M. Lemperle. ACL Rensselaer, N. Y.

HIGHLY PRIZE

Dear Sirs: I want to thank you for the copies of your 25th Anniversary number of Movie Makers which you sent to five filming friends of mine.

We highly prize this issue, due to the historical data on the various manu- facturers' equipment. It is interesting to note the struggles of the early pio- neers and the great progress made in the 25 years of organized effort.

Ira F. Kerwood, ACL McGregor, Texas

MINE OF INFORMATION

Dear Mr. Moore: Please accept my congratulations on the quality of your 25th Anniversary issue. It was really a mine of information and reflected clearly a considerable amount of hard work on your part.

Thomas H. Elwell, ACL Advertising Manager Paillard Products, Inc. New York City

"MODERN" CAMERAS

Gentlemen: I have in my library sev- eral bound volumes of Harper's mag- azine dating from 1870 to 1880. In the volume for 1872 there are a page and a half of pictures of the "modern" cameras of that era! Your story and

pictures beginning on page 450 of De- cember Movie Makers just brought them to mind. Our club members here were very much interested in both.

F. C. Barney, ACL Seattle, Wash.

FINE ARTICLES

Dear Sirs: I certainly want to take this opportunity to congratulate Movie Makers magazine, not only on its 25th Anniversary issue, but throughout the entire year. There have been so many fine articles which I feel sure have helped countless amateurs in getting more fun and better results in their filming.

Verner E. Martin, ACL President Dayton Amateur Movie Makers, ACL Dayton, Ohio

IMPRESSIVE

Dear ACL: I was very proud indeed to be included among those present in your 25th Anniversary magazine, which was a magnificent job in every respect. Recalling my years on the League's staff, I can well imagine the blood, sweat and near-tears that went into it. Rest assured it was well worth the time and effort; for it was impressive both in part and in toto.

William Howe, ACL Laguna Beach, Calif.

JUST THE THING

Dear Friends: Congratulations to the League on its 25th birthday and to you for the Anniversary issue of Movie Makers.

Incidentally, your cover was very good. Any magazine can print a pretty picture on the cover, but the specially- made photograph with the accompany- ing technical explanation was just the thing for our magazine. More like it would be in order.

H. D. Bateman, ACL President Agriculture Amateur Movie Makers Washington. D. C.

To all these friends — and many others — our warmest thanks.

In the future, we shall try to arrange for other specially-made cover photo- graphs based on movie themes. Our readers are cordially urged to submit such pictures for possible cover use, keeping in mind the necessity for a composition which will accept the mast- head in the upper left corner. Prints must be on glossy paper and have a minimum size of 8 by 10 inches. Photo- graphs accepted will be paid for on pub- lication at our regular rate of $10 each.

MOVIE MAKERS

43

THE BALL ROLLING

Gentlemen: Under The Reader Writes for October, I think Solomon Kessler, ACL, of Portland, Maine, has an ex- cellent idea. We need unity, and need it right now. Our country is in an awful condition.

If you approve my membership ap- plication, I want to start the ball roll- ing with the following dope: I am 51, born in Texas, true American. My hobbies are hunting, good movie equip- ment and fine guns. No fishing, no square dancing or calf roping. But I do brag about TEXAS.

J. B. Dalton, ACL Abilene, Texas

FEEL CLOSER

Dear ACL: I would like to state that I agree with Mr. Solomon Kessler's idea, of Portland. Maine. I think the magazine should have a page devoted to photos of our fellow members with information about them. By this way we might feel closer to each other, even for those who live outside the States. What do you think?

Orlando Matas, ACL Havana, Cuba

We think yes, emphatically — and if reader interest supports this idea, we'll find a place for it in Movie Makers.

In the meantime, every member of ACL is sincerely invited to send us a brief biography and photograph for use on this get-together page. While member Dalton's biog (above) is a model of re- freshing candor and brevity, perhaps a bit more data would be still more in- teresting. . . Let us hear from you, soon.

DR. LIVINGSTON, WE PRESUME

Dear Sirs: Thank you so much for your superb ACL leader and the lapel pin, the latter of which has already been of use to me.

On the second day of a recent trip into the unexplored area of New Zealand, and just as we were leaving civilization, I met an American mem- ber, Chris Hansen, the introduction being brought about by your pin which I wore on my shirt. We had quite a long talk about cine matters. Very nice. Ian Pollard, ACL Dunedin, N. Z.

CARD STOPS COP

Gentlemen: During the Rose Festival last fall at Tyler, Texas, I was taking a shot of the Court House when I was stopped by a policeman who asked me if I had a license to take pictures. I replied I was not a professional; but he wanted proof. I showed him my driver's license, bank reference, mem- bership to my hunting lodge and even a burial insurance receipt — all of which failed to meet his requirements.

Finally, I happened to think of my membership card in the Amateur Cin- ema League. Upon showing this to him, he graciously admitted defeat and gave

me a key to the city . . . Here's my check for renewal in ACL. I can't af- ford to be without it.

A. T. Wilson, ACL Cleveland. Miss.

Questions ^j

LiiiiiiiBiBaaiBiiiiuiim

Answers

Readers are invited to submit basic problems of general interest for answer in this column. Replies by letter to individuals must be reserved for mem- bers of the Amateur Cinema League. Address : Questions & Answers, c/o Movie Makers.

LAMP CORRECTION

Gentlemen : In your column of the No- vember issue, under the heading, New No. 1 Photoflood, you make the state- ment that the No. 1-A Photoflood is designed to burn on 105 volts. You further state that this bulb will burn less brightly on 115-120 volts.

This certainly does not appear to be consistent with my understanding of any present incandescent lamps. If the lamp was designed to burn on 105 volts, its use in a 115-120 volt circuit should increase the lumen value, color tem- perature and current drain. Which one of us is right? C. E. Maass, ACL

Crestwood, N. Y.

Member Maass is right by a country mile. The reactions he claims for a 105 volt lamp burned on a 115-120 volt circuit are correct on every count — and they are, in fact, those we had intended to state our- selves. Sometimes there simply is no ex- plaining this inverted type of editorial error.

THE MERCURY TREATMENT

Dear Movie Makers: I am interested in taking some scenes of indoor sports (wrestling, boxing, basketball) on Type A Kodachrome and with an f/1.9 lens. I understand that by exposing the film to mercury (is it before or after pic- ture taking?) it is possible to increase the film's rated speed and thus bring out a better image. Can you advise more fully?

E. E. Sercu Rochester. N. Y.

The manipulation you refer to is known as hyper-ssnsitizing, and argu- ments concerning it have been batted about in photographic circles for years. While it is true that a certain increase in sensitivity is created in any photographic emulsion by exposing it to mercury vapor (before picture taking), the weaknesses of the method are these:

(1) There is no way of gauging how long to expose the emulsion to the mer- cury fumes; (2) there is no way of gaug- ing how much hyper-sensitizing takes place; (3) there is no way of gauging how long this hyper-sentitizing will last . . . The process is not recommended.

RADIANT

4-way bettei

SCREEN

Whether you now have an old faded, discolored wrinkled screen — or are considering purchasing a new modern screen for the first time — Radiant's "Vyna-Flect" Screen Surface protects you against the dulling fog of discol- oring, fading, yellowing and dirt. Movies or stills stand out with unu- sual snap, clarity and contrast. Colors are clear, brilliant and true. Images seem to j-u-m-p out of the screen. Here's why:

A Really Improved Screen Fabric

The new "Vyna-Flect" screen fabric is made by an exclusive Radiant proc- ess. Millions of tiny mirror-like beads reflect light instead of absorbing it — which assures you the brightest, clear- est pictures. This surface is mildew- proof and ivasbable, so that you always have a perfect projection surface.

Send for FREE BOOK

"/Wore Brilliant Projection"

crammed with practical infor- mation on how to get the best projeciton under all conditions. At the same time we will send you a sample of the new Radiant "Vyna-Flect" screen fab- ric so you can see how much better your pictures look on this miracle fabric. Radiant Mfg.

o r p

1 20 8 S.

Talman, Chicago

RADIANT

PROJECTION SCRE IN S

44

FEBRUARY 1951

U. S. Pat. No. 2260368

GOERZ AMERICAN

APOGOR

F:2.3

the movie lens with microscopic definition successful cameramen have been waiting for—

A new six element high quality lens for the 16 and 35 mm film camera. Corrected for all aberration at full opening, giving highest definition in black-&- white and color. Made by skilled technicians with many years of optical training.

Fitted to precision focusing mount which moves the lens smoothly without rotating elements or shifting image.

This lens comes in C mount for 16 mm cameras. Fitting to other cameras upon special order.

Sizes available now: 35 and 50 mm uncoated and 75 mm coated.

Write for prices, giving your dealer's name.

Ss£i GOERZ AMERICAN

OPTICAL COMPANY OFFICE AND FACTORY

317 EAST 34 ST., NEW YORK 16, N. Y.

MM -2

ELJUtliMfi^

THE RALPH R.EIJOCORP.

626 W. 165 ST. • NEW YORK Send your film for free criticism or estimate

,328*

16 MM

and

Motion Picture .Service

WRITE

FOR

PRICES

DEPT. M

CloseupS— What filmers are doing

GEO.W.COLBURN LABORATORY, Inc.

164 N. WACKER DRIVE, CHICAGO 6, ILL.

GRANDMA MOSES, in a scene enlarged from the 16mm. film of that name, takes a purpose- ful look at one of her latest primitive pictures.

You will scarcely need us to tell you who that lovely old lady is, so intent on her painting. Grandma Moses, of course! The point is that we enlarged the still shot directly from a 16mm. Kodachrome short subject on this pep- pery primitive, recently completed by Erica C. Anderson and now making the rounds of the art theatres on 35mm. Technicolor. Others engaged on the production were Jerome Hill, director; Hugh Martin, music; Alec Wilder, or- chestration, and Archibald MacLeish, narration.

Just in passing, we'll bet you don't know Grandma Moses's real, full name. Give up? It's Anna Mary Moses, nee Robertson. Try that on your quiz- minded friends, sometime.

That handsome home theatre you see pictured on page 51 might well be called "the house that popcorn built." For A. C. Hugh, ACL, is practically the popcorn baron of the British Isles, having built up that business in twenty years until his five and a half acre plant is now the largest single popcorn producing unit in the world . . . Should make it nice for his movie guests.

A few months ago, in The Reader Writes column, Solomon Kessler, ACL, of Portland, Maine, suggested that we run brief personality portraits of League members from here and there so we could all get better acquainted. And so, naturally, we suggested that he start the ball rolling — which he has done as follows (Mr. K. now has the mike). "I am now 29, was born and schooled in Richmond, Va., and came to Maine about ten years ago. After working at various positions — including the ship- yards— I went into the merchant marine from 1943 to 1946. Getting out of that service in 1946, I successively married a Maine girl, bought a grocery store and fathered a baby girl, now 4 years of age. I took up amateur movies only a little over a year ago, but now have a Revere 8mm. model 60 turret maga- zine camera, a Revere projector and

most of the accessories to accommodate same. All fellow hobbyists interested in starting a movie club in this area are invited to get in touch with me at 87 Lancaster Street, Portland 3, Me." Over and out for Brother Kessler. This department will welcome similar reports (and a picture) from readers and members everywhere.

We are, frankly, mighty darn proud to tell you that the November number of Movie Makers was given an Award for Special Merit in the recent 11th Exhibition of Printing held by the New York Employing Printers Association in the Hotel Biltmore. More or less alongside us on the display walls were such diverse companions as the N. Y. Times Magazine, Art News, Esso Oil- ways and The Tale of the Nude.

Credit for this honor should be shared equally by Anne Young, ACL, production editor of this mag, and Western Newspaper Union, the printers of same.

Our days have been considerably brightened of late by the beauteous South Pacific belles in the movies and transparencies sent to us, by way of Rochester, by Chris E. Hansen, ACL, currently in Indonesia on business. Since it will still be some time before Mr. Hansen has a chance to look at these pictures himself, we feel quite privileged to have this preview of them.

The dates for this year's annual Natchez Pilgrimage will be March 3 through April 1, and if you haven't caught this hoop-skirted pageant, we recommend it to you and your camera. Detailed filming directions were carried in Wel- come to Natchez, in Movie Makers for February, 1949. Back copies are still available at 35 cents per.

u

SOLOMON KESSLER, ACL, of Portland, Me., sets the personality page rolling with a pocket- sized profile of himself presented herewith.

45

Photographs by William L. Lucas

"HERE'S HOW IT'S DONE," says Dad in the second scenario, as he out- does the kids in hand-painting an Easter egg. Note how simple back- ground and cross lighting concentrate attention on subject's action.

IDEAS FOR EASTER

Here are three simple film plans for picturing this spring holiday

THAT lone crocus popping up through the cold ground out in your front yard means that the Easter season is coming. In most of the country Easter is a colorful time of the year. There's forsythia, pussywillow, Easter eggs, magnolia and Milady's bonnet. Yes, it's a season when once again color film can do justice to your movie scenes; so let's load our cameras and look around for ideas.

If you are a parent, you'll naturally want to take some movies of the kids' annual egg hunt after the Bunny's arrival. We'll presume that your child — or children — still believes in the Bunny and present a short continuity accordingly. This script is merely intended as a spring- board— something which you can amend according to the size of your family or the amount of film you wish to shoot.

"THE EGGS AND I"

It is a peaceful living room scene. You are reading the paper while Mary, your wife, is darning some socks. Jimmy, the offspring, is playing on the floor. Suddenly Jimmy gets up, tugs on your sleeve and asks, "Daddy, do bunnies lay eggs?"

You smile indulgently, shake your head and motion for Sonny to continue playing. You return your attention to your paper, but he tugs at your sleeve again.

"Then where do Easter eggs come from?" he asks.

You start to reply, then realize that you don't know the answer. "Uh — I'm busy, Jimmy," you finally tell him.

Jimmy ponders this inadequate reply for a moment, starts to play again, but finally comes back to your chair once more.

"Daddy," he asks, "how can the Easter Bunny carry so many eggs?"

You glance at your watch and say, "Time for bed, Jimmy."

Jimmy tries to argue the decision, but you motion for

WILLIAM L. LUCAS

Mary to come and get him. He bids a reluctant good- night, then you settle down in solitude with your paper again. But you can't concentrate, and you lay the paper aside, scratch your head and yawn. A moment later Mary returns to the room, comes over to your chair and says:

"Don't stay up too late — tomorrow's Easter."

You shake your head, yawn again, then she leaves the room. Soon your head is nodding and you are asleep.

A dream sequence follows wherein a closeup of you lap-dissolves into a closeup of a toy Easter Bunny. This is followed by ultra closeups of apparently dozens and dozens of eggs, all beautifully colored. Then appear rows of various Easter candies, Easter baskets and toys. Finally there is another closeup of the toy Easter Bunny, which lap-dissolves into a closeup of you, still asleep. On your lap and on the arms of your chair are the toy Easter Bunny, colored eggs, candies and toys. Jimmy comes walking into the room, dressed in pajamas, rubbing his eyes as though he's just awakened. He crosses to your chair, sees all the Easter presents and is greatly excited. He lets out a shout, and you awaken with a start. You are perplexed as you see yourself surrounded with the eggs and candy. Glancing at your watch, you see that it is six forty-five.

Jimmy grins. "Now I know where the Easter eggs come from," he says.

You smile weakly. Mary enters the room in her dress- ing gown. All three of you join in the fun. When Jimmy isn't looking you point at all the Easter eggs and whisper to your wife, "Did you do all this?"

Slowly she shakes her head no. You shrug, then pick up the toy Easter Bunny and inspect him carefully. This scene fades into a later scene in the living room. By now the toy Easter Bunny looks somewhat bedraggled. Jim- my is playing on the floor, eating some candy. Empty Easter baskets are strewn about, but no eggs are in sight.

Jimmy stands up. walks over [Continued on page 66]

46

WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY ANGLE?

Are your camera angles ordinary, eye-level and uninteresting?

Pore over these pictures and you'll find out how to improve them

Photographs for MOVIE MAKERS by ERNEST H. KREMER, ACL

Jl NY of you baffled button pushers remember some M*^ articles we ran last year called What s Wrong 9 » With My Picture? Presented in three installments (May, June and July), the series probed pictorially into the symptoms, causes and cures of some fourteen different movie maladies.

Technical troubles, mostly: over and underexposure, faulty focus, dirty camera gate, edge fog, parallax cut-off. that sort of thing. Ernie Kremer did the pictures (which were the real meat of the matter ) and yours truly did the copy and captions, and as far as we can tell the series did some people some good, judging by the letters we received at ACL.

But Ernie wasn't