The Cine Technician (1935-1937)

60 The Journal of the Association of CineTechnicians November, 1935 Technique can be Overdone By P. L. MANNOCK, Film Critic, Daily Herald The following are the main points fyoin a lecture given by Mr. Mannock to A.C.T. members : — I AM not a technician. His job is much more comphcated and specialised than mine. I don't think the technician's angle is one that I, as a critic, ought to be particularly interested in. It is not my business to tell the public how things are done, unless there is something definite to be gained. An art or music critic is not so concerned in the physical operation. He judges a thing as a work of art. Film technicians, of whatever branch, should regard themselves as cogs in a wheel, very important cogs — one cog missing spoils the action of the machine — but they .should always work in the spirit that they are doing something artistic, at the same time conceahng what they are doing — art should conceal art. There is a tendency in films, no more in British than American, to let the technicians' tricks stick out a bit too far — the gadgets and dodges are invaluable, but they shouldn't be overdone. Technical advances should be subordinated to their proper sphere only, and be used to advance the speed and continuity of the picture. I remember, soon after close-ups were invented by Griffith, a French technician introduced close-ups, which had a sort of vignette with a foggy oval round it — very nice as a portrait, but put as a close-up purely for the artistic effect, it simply struck an incongruous note. It was entirely artificial. I hope every cameraman has some particular vanity about his own particular job. There is plenty of room for personality, but I do not think that the cameraman especially should indulge in certain tricks just because technique and apparatus have imj)roved immeasurably. The last year or so I have noticed an extraordinary popularity for trucking shots. They are being terribly overdone. This sort of shot is obviously an advantage for following people around, but a certain director of my acquaintance was boasting the other day that he had shot a trucking shot that lasted about 270 feet, and thought it wonderful. There is no point in boasting about such a thing, unless it is helping forward the telling of the story in the quickest possible way. My impressions of these verjlong trucking shots is that the reverse happens. All quahty is lost and a row of people simply lose their personality and the general effect is of a poached egg that has broken. This is a particular example of the danger of technicians using tricks, just because apparatus and ideas have become more imaginative. Other effects which are being overdone are freakish dissolves and quick changes. But although these "wipes" Employment Bureau Accurate records of disengaged Technicians of all departments and grades. Film Companies requiring Techinicians for permanent or temporary engagements stiouid communicate withi A. C. T. caters for Technicians in the following departments : — ART SOUND NEWSREEL LABORATORY SCENARIO TELEVISION CAMERA & STILLS EDITING & CUTTING FLOOR & PRODUCTION Membership Forms, Subscription Rotes and Full Details from ASSOCIATION OF CINE-TECHNICIANS 30 PICCADILLY MANSIONS, 17 SHAFTESBURY AVENUE, LONDON, W.I Telephone: Gerrard 2366