American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1924)

Six AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER January, 1924 **M^*C*#« Birdseye view of buffalo before stampede aot under way. There were several thousand in herd. stampede which would accompany the killing off of the old hulls, Mr. Inee sent to Wainwright a company consisting of two directors, Mr. Reeves Eason and Mr. John Ince ; players including Mack Wright, Robert Rose and Al Richmond; and six cinematographers, Paul Eagler, Al Gosden, Abe Scholtz, Harry Mason, William Menke and the writer. William J. Oliver joined our party at Calgary. Last but not least in our expedition was "Nick," (the cinematographers' friend) who supervised the building of the camera pits and platform. In his hands to no small extent, were our lives. Pits and Platform The platform and the pits were used as a haven from which to Him the stampeding buffalo and were built directly in the path of the stampede so that we could get a faithful record of the on-rushing beasts. The platform was about 20 feet high and was surrounded by a stockade of fourinch posts which would keep the buffalo from striking the platform and shaking the cameras which were mounted thereon. These cameras were operated by Paul Eagler and Al Gosden. Cameras in Pits About 50 feet in front of the platform a camera pit, about five feet square and six feet deep, was dug. In this pit I had my camera planted to shoot close-up action of Mack Wright and Bob Rose tripping their horses and falling near another pit while they fired at the buffalo. This second pit was for protection in case the buffalo came too close and there was danger of the actors being trampled upon. Rut the courage of the two actors must be acknowledged as thev did not avail Paul Perry, A. S. C, casts his weather eye from the pit. themselves of the pit even though the frightened animals came within six feet of them on all sides as the production, "The Last Fronl iev," will show. Sharpshooters In front of the second pit was constructed a third in which were stationed Bill' Oliver with his camera, and two sharpshooters who killed the old bulls as Mack Wright shot at them. Eight were killed in the scene in this way. There was another pit on the side that was occupied by Abe Scholtz and two sharpshooters. Harry Mason was stationed on a hill to get a panorama of the entire stampede. Triangle Fence Anyone who has not seen a stampede of 5,000 buffalo can scarcely appreciate the thrill of shooting such a scene. We had a mile and a half of 15 foot wire feme stretched on either side of the cameras. The opening between the two sides of the fence was about a mile across at the far end but as the fence ended near the cameras it tapered down to an outlet of about 75 yards. Herd Bunched This triangular arrangement compelled the buffalo to "hunch up" as they rushed toward the cameras and, as they reached the apex of the triangle, they were