The Cine Technician (1938-1939)

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THE CINE TECHNICIAN May-June, 1086 Scenario Competition for a Film on the League of Nations In accordance with a decision ot the Assembly oi the League of Nations at its 18th session, the Secretariat of the League has opened a competition, with prizes, for scenarios tor documentary films on the League ot Nations, (a) For a general film describing the fundamental purposes of the Covenant and the principal activities of the League ; ih) For a film dealing with some special branch or aspect of League work (e.g., the settlement of some political dispute ; some aspect of the work ot the Health Organisation — such as malaria, epidemics, standardisation ol sera : or Communications and Transit — such as the unification of road signals, buoying and lighting of coasts, pollution of the sea by nil ; or the organisation of the control over the legitimate trade in opium ami dangerous drugs, etc.) The films should lie sound films, with English and French versions. The maximum length ot the general film should be 6,000 feet, and that ot the special film aliout 1,500 feet. Scenarios should he complete with detailed technical indications both as regards photography and sound. Scenarios should he written in French or English ; manuscripts submitted in other languages will be considered only in as much as it will be possible for the Secretariat to obtain French or English translations without delaying unduly the work of the jury. Scenarios should be addressed to. and should reach the Secretary-General of the League ot Nations. Geneva, not later than August 1st, 1938. The name of the sender should be enclosed with the scenario in a sealed envelope : it should not appear on the scenario, which should bear a motto. The scenarios will lie judged by a competent international jury. The competition will not he limited to scenario writers who have professional experience, but competitors may indicate the nature of any previous experience they may have h id in the writing or scenarios. The copyright of all drait scenarios submitted for competition which receive a prize will he vested in the League. Prizes will be awarded as follows: (a) For the general film, up to a total amount ol 2,000 Swiss francs, the First Prize being not less than 1,000 Swiss francs: (h) For the special film, up to the amount of 700 Sw iss francs, the Thirst Prize being not less than 400 Swiss francs. In th.' event of its being decided to produce a film from a successful scenario, the Secretariat may invite the author to assist in its production, in which case an additional payment, of an amount to be agreed upon with the author, may be made. It is understood that the Secretariat has the right, in the case of any film for which an award has been made, to make such changes in the scenario as may be necessary for its production as a film. All requests for further information in connection with this competition should be addressed to the Director, Information Section. Secretariat of the League of Nations, Geneva, THE DUPLICATE NEGATIVE (Continued from page 5) not seriously affect photographic contrast when the two new duplicating films are used, a matte or diaphragm type of light change is preferable. If the latter two types of light change are used, consideration should be given to the possibility of using the new high pressure mercury vapour lamps, since in addition to certain other advantages, these new lamps would not require marn changes in the laniphouse to increase ventilation. It has been stated that the new Fine Grain duplicat ing materials should be developed in a D.76 developer, and in this connection the bath normally used for the development of picture negative is satisfactory. Most laboratories usually work with a J). 70 type of developer, slightly weaker than the original D.70 formula. It will be noted that the yellow dye in the duplicating positive is discharged rapidly during development, giving a slight coloration to the developer, but this has no effect on the properties of the developer and can safely be ignored. Complete fixation in the normal picture negative fixing-hardening bath is attained comparatively rapidly, and no unusual precautions are necessary at this stage, except to make sure that the two new films are not over hardened by prolonged immersion in the bath. Under conditions of machine development, using the normal fixing-hardening baths used in this country, fixation is completed in from two to three minutes. No special modifications are required in the subsequent washing, but the Fine Grain films dry rather more rapidly than positive film, and consequently the drying rate in the cabinets should be reduced in the most convenient manner, such as by reducing the (dry bulb) temperature or decreasing the air velocity through the cabinets. Little more need be said on the subject of these new Fine Grain Duplicating Films, other than to point out that the smooth, rather glossy emulsion surlaces of the new films are slightly more susceptible to abrasions than are the normal duplicating films, and that in consequence more than usual care should be taken in handling them. RECOLLECTIONS OF A PIONEER CAMERAMAN (Continued from page 71 and so on were made with their help. I once spent hours getting a sequence ot shots in which the main player was a prehistoric animal of the Dinosaurus type. He had to do a lot of chasing about over rocks after a little band of white hunters and was eventually killed by them. In the actual scenes he was shown hot on their heels the w hole time ; for realism both the Dinosaurus and his hunters appeared on the scene at the same time. Actually the sequence entailed an enormous amount of work in making exact plaster replicas ot real rocky scenes I had already shot. However, the most difficult part of the whole business was the making up of a small lizard to play the part of the Dinosaurus. Apart from the patience needed in constantly re-fixing a tiny saw-edged strip of cardboard spikes that ran from his head to the tip of his tail, he was about the most temperamental performer I have ever come across. The direction in which I wanted him to go and that which he took were always "as the poles apart." These are but a few of the snags that were overcome by the little band of pioneers in the early days.