The Cine Technician (1935-1937)

46 The Journal of the Association of CineTechnicians Novcmljer, ic)35 board for more effective presentation and dnrai)ilitv. Speaking broadly, the Art Director of Commercial films will find his subject fall under two headings — Drama and Comedy. In each he fulfils an entirely different function. In the former he should produce upon the screen a series of pictures which, by their composition in light and shade, augment the action of the characters involved. In the latter, his duties do not proceed beyond providing a pleasantly inconspicuous background which will not distract from the action, although an occasional display of the spectacular may be useful for production value purposes. With its lighter type of background, comedy undoubtedly forms the finest training for the young Art Director, more especially if he has had a previous architectural training. Once the sketches have been passed by the Director, the Quantity Surveyor attached to the Art Department will, with the Art Director, produce an estimate based on estimated time of labour and cost of materials, and once this price has been accepted by the powers that be, the Art Director and his assistants must curb their desire for aver embroidery whilst the drawings are in the working drawing stage. To go over estimate is the greatest crime an Art Director can confess to, for the film business is no philanthropic institution. In America I have known Art Directors of international repute dismiss discussion of what one would presume their most successful work, with "We won't mention that one, we were $5,000 over." Working drawings are prepared to half or quarter inch scale, according to the custom and convenience of a particular Studio. After which, they are full-sized where necessary, and distributed to the various carpenters, plasterers, ironfounders and other shops necessary for their particular e.xecution. In the Art Department is a large blackboard, upon which plans of all the stages and the lot of the Studio are drawn to scale. On this board, plans of the various sets are placed, representing the position each will occupy when built. This is a very necessary piece of organisation, and much skill is often necessary in planning a shooting schedule on this board so that each set will be erected ready to be WHiLF. I^AIiLNTS SLEEP.' 10. if). Mis. Hammond's DrnwinR Room, London. LAWRENCE P. WILLIAMS. A. R.I. B. A., A. A. Dip. "THARK," 1932. A Gate in the Garden Wall of "Thark" House. LAWRENCE P. WILLIAMS. A.R.I.B.A., A.A.Dip. shot in its correct sequence and to prevent the shooting of one set by the awkward placing of another in too close proximity to it on the stage. Now go on to various other duties, such as selecting furniture, dressing data, and trips abroad. The duties of the Art Director and his assistant extend to the supervision of the building of the set in the shop, and also during its erection on the stage, but curiously enough, owing to an old custom of the industry, he is not responsible for the safety of artists and others on the set. In other words, the construction of the set is not his job. This custom most likely dates from the time when Art Directors were recruited from the ranks of scenic artists and others whose knowledge of construction was considerably less than that of the master carpenter who worked under them. Now that most Art Departments number amongst their staff more than one qualified architect, this does not apply to the same extent, though the principle still sticks. During the time that the set is in course of erection on the stage, the Art Director will be worrving about the selection of curtains and furniture with which it will be dressed. This is a most important i)art of his job, which is often so far neglected that it is left, in many large firms in tliis country, entirely to the tender mercies of an outside property man. Nothing could be more short-sighted, as the entire character of the most beautifully-designed set can be lost when furnished by someone not constantly in touch with the characters and their moods in relation to the story. It is quite apparent that one whose job is to spend his lime outside the Studio collecting special hand props and is in no way associated with the script, cannot be suitabh^ ecpiipi^ed to select furnishings for a picture of any pretensions. In connection with films requiring a foreign backgromid, an .\rt Director to a Company has, from time to lime, opportunities for foreign travel, to collect data and local colour for his settings. English Art Directors, by their proximity to the Continent of Europe, are much more (Contiitucd at foot of page 47.)