The Cine Technician (1943 - 1945)

98 THE CINE-TECHNICIAN September— October, 1943 there is nothing foolish about this already patented acquisition to film production. Although primarily designed to permit panning and tilting on foreground models, it has also solved many of the problems of aerobatics with model planes. To be asked to reproduce a slow ' ' Immelmann Turn ' ' with a model suspended by wires would tax the ingenuity of most model photographers. With this invention it is quite simple. While Sid was designing the head so that the lens of the camera would pan and tilt on its nodal point, he also incorporated a movement whereby the lens would turn around on the same point. This naturally meant that the whole camera had to be able to turn upside down. In fact it can rotate at any speed required. These are only two of the additions to the Ealing Studios equipment since the advent of our department. It has been necessary to dwell on the improvement in equipment to illustrate in a small way how the original restrictions referred to have compelled us to be model-minded. Amongst other problems tackled is the simplification of split matt shots. The natural difficulty of finding the second or third part of the matt has been overcome by a new method whereby the remaining pieces of the image to be added are determined from the start. Necessity teaches quickly and it is with the experience gained by it that I feel qualified to express some views on the subject. It was obvious from the start that over a period of time the cost of model set construction had to be lowered before our department could operate without extremely heavy labour costs. The amount of detail required in plaster work, as in all departments, soon showed the vital necessity whenever possible of salvage against the eventuality of similar sets having to be built for future productions. All work undertaken on sets that required model buildings included the making of extra casts, so that these might be stored for stock. In the same way it is realised that it is false economy to build any model vehicles in a cheap slapdash way. The making of such working models as aeroplanes and transport vehicles of all kinds being a specialised and lengthy job, it was necessary to employ model-makers to help out the normal studio personnel who had in the past undertaken this work. As each picture is finished, the models that have been used on it are returned to the shops for repair and so are read\ lor future use. As this system developed, not <>nl\ were our ensts lowered but the standard of work w:in raised. By retaining the same personnel in all departments from picture to picture our <>fhciencj grew . Any ideas or suggestions from mem bers of the crew were investigated and more often than not accepted. Chippies, electricians and grips alike contributed to the finished production. In the last three years, in fact, it would be hard to find a production out of the Ealing Studios that has not had some help from the Model Department. It would be difficult to express on paper any details of actual working as, unlike normal production, there is no formula that can govern the cameraman's work. Exposure and lighting never remain constant owing to the other variable factors that have to be taken into consideration. The principal factor that controls the variation in exposure from shot to shot is naturally camera speed. The various depths of focus required are such a major consideration that any experience of a set lighting key must be discarded and the eye become accustomed to working in overall illuminations that would horrify production cameramen. Consequently the nearest approach to a lighting formula that I have been able to standardise might sound a trifle odd in 1943. When the chief electrician asks how much equipment is needed for a given model set, my answer is always, "How much can I have ? ' ' It has proved safer to start on a set with the full realisation that some unknown problem may arise. At the last moment before shooting the camera speed may have to be increased to a figure that necessitates compensation of lens exposure to such a degree that the original depth of focus seems likely to be impaired. To me nothing looks less convincing than a model shot made with insufficient depth of focus. A woolly foreground immediately destroys the illusion of reality. Always have exposure in hand and if the unknown problem does not arise, then the additional stop or two on the lens can always be used to advantage in giving that crispness so often lacking in model shots. It would be absurd to elaborate in any detail on the methods used by either myself or our department in photographing our models. There are many ways to kill a cat but I think all will agree that the surest approach to perfection in models is to use tin in whenever possible in con junction with reality. By this I mean that a painted sky. no matter how good, is not nature, nor is a model sea, so whenever possible we combine our efforts with natural backgrounds. Model planes riving againsl real skies, model ships in real sea. and real artistes seen against model backgrounds, bring a truer sense of realitx to the cinema-goer, who at all times must believe in our ability to tool them convincingly. What the eye doesn't suspect the producer will pa\ for. So let this war time boom in model photography he stimulated now and after the war by the competition that compels a company to keep on its toes or be left behind.