The Cine Technician (1935-1937)

12 The Journal of the Assueiation of Ciue-TecJiuieians Max 193; The Art of Make-up : its Uses and Mis-uses Harry Davo (B.I. P. Make-up Chief) Make-up and its study has to-day become a highly skilled craft of Motion Picture production, and a few simple deductions of mine, obtained after many years' experience, may help to assist the cameraman to detect faults before the screen has demanded a re-take through badly finished make-up, with its waste of negative stock and time. The make-up expert must first acquaint himself with the lighting used by the cameraman and the colour and tone of the sets from the Art Department. For a long time at Elstree the lighting used by Claude Friese-Greene and Jack Cox has called for a dark make-up {No. 27 for ladies and No. 29 for gentlemen), in which case shading on the eyes and the lips must be darkened accordingly. Lately we have had Otto Kanturek in our midst, who suddenly thrust upon us a light make-up (No. 25 for ladies and No. 27 for gentlemen), and which has been accepted by many of the cameramen lately. Otto Kanturek uses very light sets, such as whites, light greys, silver, etc. One will always find a lot of shadows, such as vases, windows, or any object on the set which he finds he can use with effect, and it is effect too. The use of very soft frontal lighting, so that the shadow effects are not destroyed, necessitates a light make-up. Now back to the make-up. Plenty of time should always be taken on every individual artiste to get that smooth unpastelike effect. The foundation or groundwork should be used thinly, Ijut at the same time sufficient to cover freckles and blemishes and well smoothed into the skin to avoid streaks. Eye shading, whether brown or a medium grey, which by the way is a very successful colour applied correctly, should almost fade away at the eyebrows. In the case of women this should be left greasy. A line under the lower lashes is not always effecti\e, except in the case of grey or light brown eyes. Lines reaching the inside of the eyes near the nose tend to make the eyes narrower instead of fetching them out. Brown lines can be used on the outsides of the eyes to add to their length, but should be softened down. The pencilling of the eyebrows is always a job that needs careful attention, as a face has to be studied well before deciding on a suitable shape. In most cases freak eyebrows and long thin lines look what they are — just pencil marks. Now for the lips, which also have to be made to suit the shape of the face. In practically all cases the top lip should be made fairly deep, as it is lost when speaking words commencing with B, M, P, etc. Naturally in a small face you don't want it all mouth, 'but in a large face you will find a lot of space to fill up, so make the eyes, eyebrows and moutli accordingly large. The hair should also be put forward or behind the ears or on the forehead, as the case may be, to hel}) to get the best results of the features. After settling down to a straight make-up to suit the individual lighting, we come to a more intricate part of the make-up, which involves the uses of shading and different colours, some of whicli I will mention here, as they are very often necessary. Taking the broadness off the nose can be done in The shading of the jawbones, which is often required, should be done — in the case of a dark make-up — by a lightbrown shading such as Max Factor 21 hning and used very sparingly, otherwise it will make a very nasty patch around the jaw. If one is using a 24 or 25 foundation, the shading can be done with effect by using No. 29 Max Factor grease paint. ^ a similar way. In the case of a man with a dark chin, it is advisable to first cover the chin with a light grease paint to tone it down, afterwards putting the foundation on in the usual way. Also dark rings around the eves should be obliterated in the same way, and, if necessary, a light colour put on afterwards. Dark shading should be avoided on deep-set eyes, and in its place a green gold or blue gold should be sul)stituted accordingly. It is difficult to explain the right colour or right amount of colour necessary in such cases until one actually comes in contact with the subject that is being made up. It must always be remembered not to have too much shading, etc., on in the first place, as it is much easier to add to it than to reduce it once it has been powdered. Colour Cinematograph Patents The close attention to the patent news should keep our readers in touch with the rapid developments taking place, almost daily, in connection with colour cinematography. Fi\'e applications for patents dealing with colour have been made in the last five weeks. These are Colour Cinematography, No. 5234, P. Angenieux and J. M. Gutman ; Colour Photography, No. 4774, Producing Colour Photographic Materials, B. Gasper, who has a colour film process, to Which no doubt he will apply this patent : Lenticular Films No. 6412, Production of Copies of Colourrecorded Lenticular Films, Messrs. Opticolor Akt-Ges ; Colour Cameras, No. 6117, Multi-colour Camera N.E. Reckmeier ; and Colour Cinematograph}', No. 5887, A. R. Trist. During this period the following complete specifications liave been open for public inspection : — No. 23871, Apparatus for taking Phot()gra})hic or Cinematograjjhic Views in Colour, A. J. Arnelf ; No. 2413, Apparatus for copying Lenticular Films by Optical Projection, Messrs. Opticolor Akt-Ges ; Metliod of producing Photographic I)\e-stuff Images, No. 51788, Dr. B. Gasper. Messrs. Opticolor have tluee more specifications for inspection. Copying Color-record and other Lenticular Inlms by Optical Projection, No. 24652 ; Apparatus foicopying Lenticular Films by Optical Projection, No. 24771 ; and the Projection of Lenticular Films, No. 24782.