American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1924)

December, 1924 AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER Tiuenty-three Rene Guissart, A.S.C. on Big "Ben Hur" Job Has Wide Experience in European Cinematography. Photographed "Chu Chin Chow." Word has been received from Rome that Rene Guissart, A. S. C, has been made chief cinematographer of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production, "Ben Hur," which is being directed in Italv bv Fred Niblo. Guissart left Los Angeles sometime ago for the Italian capital, his assignment then being chief cinematographer for Technicolor on the color phases in the production. European Experience Guissarfs new appointment makes him have charge of both color and black-andwhite photography on "Ben Hur." The A. S. C. member has had widespread experience in European cinematographic matters, having spent, prior to 1923, several years in filming in Great Brittain and on the continent, his headquarters having been in Lon Rene Guissart, A. S. C. don. It was during this period that he photographed "Chu Chin Chow" which, announced as one of the biggest production ever made across the Atlantic, is to be distributed in this country by MetroGoldwyn. Many Trips Subsequent to filming "Chu Chin Chow," which was made in Berlin, Guissart returned to the United States. He had, however, been in Hollywood but a short time when he was engaged to return to Europe to shoot J. Parker Read's production of Rex Beach's "Recoil," directed by T. Hayes Hunter and featuring Betty Blythe and Mahlon Hamilton. Guissart photographed this vehicle in France and at Monte Carlo. He again returned to Hollywood on the completion of the Read feature, but had not been there a great while when once again he was Europebound, this time for his engagement on "Ben Hur." THE STILLS PROBLEM SOLVED (Continued from page 7) the Director and quality on the stillman. All things considered this article does not greatly differ from that in your June issue of the American Cinematographer, but it does fix the responsibility of stills; shows that time is not saved by engaging another photographer to take stills, and I think demonstrates the only ideal way for still work. INVESTIGATIONS ON PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPERS (Continued from page 19) solved silver precipitates the sulphide as fast as it is formed and no fog is produced. In this connection, the solvent power of the developing solutions for the silver halides in various emulsions was measured. • 7. A developer which gives sulphide fog can be revived by the addition of a small quantity of lead acetate which precipitates the sulphide as lead sulphide, or by developing a quantity of waste film therein. About 0.5 grams of crystallized lead acetate per liter of solution should be sufficient in most cases. 8. No substance has yet been found which can be recommended as a preservative against bacterial growth in a developer. FILM TRUTH AND PROSPERITY (Continued from page 20) with those of only a year ago will show that it is protecting that confidence. And in this work it has the support of all the far-sighted and honest men and women in the industry. Through the efforts of all of these, the time is not far off when the motion picture industry will stand purged of these contaminating few. It will stand in all respects worthy of the public confidence which will be placed in it. Box office receipts will reflect — indeed they are already reflecting — that confidence.