American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1926)

September, 192»i AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER Five The EDITOR'S LENS focused by FOSTER GOSS Blanketing the IDorld T7^ ROM an organization which was purely local -*■ at the time of its origin, the American Society of Cinematographers has grown until its scope at the present time spans the world, according to Daniel B. Clark, president of the A. S. C, in the "Studio Section" of a current number of the Exhibitors Herald. 1 Correspondence clearing through the offices of the Society in Hollywood comes from every nook of the civilized world. As the organization of the foremost cinematographers of all times, the A. >S. C. is turned to as the authority on cinematographic matters. From India, China, Russia, Australia, Java, New Zealand, South Africa, the Phillippines, as well as from every state in the Union, there arrive many and varied queries concerning the affairs of motion photography. Letters bearing postmarks come rom obscure outposts of civilization seeking advice as to how to cope with primitive conditions which defy the amateur's efforts to deal successfully with the making of motion pictures for local use or otherwise. r The fame of the A. S. C. has been spread in no small degree by the countless travels of various of the Society members who have circled the globe for many thousands of miles. 1 Herforl Tynes Cowling, A. S. C, has crossed and re-crossed the lines of latitude and longitude so many times that his name as a traveler is on the par with his renown as a cinematographer. Some suggestion of this is indicated by the listing of his exploits in no less an authority than "Who's Who." Cowling has cut through the jungles of Africa as well as of India, while he preceded even the Roosevelt expedition in carrying a camera into forbidden Tibet. He was able to accomplish this unprecedented feat through the co-operation of the celebrated Sir Hari Singh, who later commissioned Cowling to officially photograph his coronation. Cowling made a flying trip from Suffolk, Va., to India to film the ceremony pictures which, though they were to rest only in Sir Hari's private archives, are said to have brought Cowling a reward well in the five figures. % Len Roos,A. S. C, has carried the name of the American Society of Cinematographers into all parts of the Antipodes. He at present is photographing in Australia and New Zealand. On his trip to Australia last year, he was tendered, prior to his departure, an elaborate banquet in Sydney at which leaders in the Autralian film industry were the hosts with Guy Bates Post as master of ceremonies. I' John Dored, A. S. C, keeps the fires of the Society burning in the Arctic circle territory. His headquarters are located at Riga, Latvia. At the time he made a prohibited dash into Russia to capture films of Lenin's funeral, he was imprisoned by the Reds for days until, through information furnished by the correspondent of an American newspaper, officers of the A. S. C. and friends in this country learned of his fate and succeeded in effecting his release. If Charles Rosher, A. S. C, has been in Berlin during the past winter under special contract to Ufa, and is now reported as having signed with British National pictures. Rene Guissart, A. S. C, maintains permanent headquarters in Paris, which he uses as a base of operations to photograph special European material for American producers. Guissart's latest work in an American production is in "Ben Hur," on the production of which he was one of the cinematographers in Italy. Previously he had filmed "Chu Chin Chow" in Berlin. John F. Seitz, A. S. O, has just returned to Hollywood after two years on the Riviera where he was chief cinematographer for Rex Ingram productions. Among the other A. S. C. members who have carried its name beyond the waters recently, are Robert Kurrle, who was chief cinematographer for Edwin Carewe, who produced First National's "Son of the Sahara," on that desert; Charles Stumar, A. 'S. C, who photographed for Universal, on Edward Laemmle's expedition to Europe; E. Burton Steene, A. S. C. Akeley camera expert, who traversed Europe, the Balkans and Mesopotamia for educational cinematographic work ; William Beckway, A. S. C, who went to Europe to photograph Rider Haggard's "She"; and Ernest Haller, A. S. C, who filmed J. Gordon Edwards' "The Shepherd King" in Italy and Egypt.