The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

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May-June, 1953 THE CINE-TECHNICIAN 55 the spectator is constantly adjusting his vision to each scene, it is good practice to plan sequences so as little cutting from one scene to the other is necessary. Dolly shots eliminate many of these quick cuts, and are therefore suggested. While the camera must be level laterally, there is no objection to tilting it up or down. It is interesting to observe the audience participation in such scenes as those made from a roller coaster, tilting forward or backward as it helps the illusion in this type of scene. In long shots it is well to include more of the foreground than is usual with flat pictures. This provides an unobtrusive depth effect. Scenes made from parallels or other high set-ups preclude this foreground effect and should be avoided where possible. In due time, better adjusted and therefore more comfortable Polaroid glasses will be available to the movie-goer as more 3-dimension films become available. In fact, prescription viewing glasses of the clip-on type having Polaroid stereo lenses will be worn by those who ordinarily need glasses so that they may more fully enjoy the thrills of the realistic presentation that this medium will bring. As we learn to make 3-D productions without distortion and mechanical errors, the present objection to glasses will be overcome. It is reasonable to believe that comfortable glasses are no more objectionable than viewing a film through the windshield of a car at a " Drive In." What about process shots, matte shots and some of the other special photographic effects we presently use ? On the whole, rear-projection process can be used for 3-D films much as at present. Most plates or " keys " contain only distant objects. The foreground objects will be placed in front of the screen as usual and photographed with the 3-D cameras. In most cases this arrangement will reproduce satisfactory results. Straight side-angle plates from moving cars may take preference to say, three-quarter angles because in the former there is a natural separation of the angle of view between successive frames that correspond to the 3-dimension camera. Where present process cannot be used, double Polaroid projection plates with filters on the cameras and projectors, or the travelling-matte-colour-separation methods for each film can be utilised. The usual matte painting concerns only distant vistas with small divergence or depth. In these cases, the same painting can be used for each film. Those cases where portions contain middle distant trees, buildings or other objects, will be repainted in proper perspective for each film, though the distant background remains identical. In more complicated matte shots such as ceilings, where fairly close architectural objects at many planes are required, the " foreground miniature " technique may be followed. Miniature settings will require that the interocular be less than normal. To assist cinematographers in arriving at the correct interocular distance for photographing a given miniature set, the following formula has been established: 2| D* S = D S is the separation between the lenses in making the stereoscopic pair. D is the visual distance to which the object is apparently to be brought, and D* is the actual distance of the object. The following table shows how far the interocular of the lenses must be separated for conditions of miniature photography (or inserts, etc.) to give the stereoscopic effect. The first column represents in jeet, the distance from the camera to the object being photographed. The top row shows the spacing of the lenses, in inches, necessary to place the objects visually for the stereoscopic effect desired: Interocular : lin. IS in. 2in. 2iin. 3in. Distance 100 250 166.6 125 100 83.3 75 187.5 125 93.7 75 62.3 50 125 83.3 62.5 50 41.6 25 62.5 41.6 31.7 25 20.8 10 25 16.6 12.5 10 8.3 For example: to photograph a miniature ship that is 50 feet from the lens so that it will appear to be 125 feet away, the interocular of the lenses must be only one inch apart. Likewise a separation of H inches will give the apparent distance of 83.3 feet, etc. Separating the lenses greater than normal will bring distant objects apparently closer; that is, an object 100 feet away at the normal separation of Above Diagrams show method of setting stereoscopic apparatus of a typical 3-D motion picture camera for two types of shots: (D distant, and (2) closeup. For sake of clarity, the various elements have not been held to proportionate size. Ml and M2 are the adjustable angular front-surfaced mirrors which reflect scene or image into lenses of the cameras L and R. D is the stereoscopic base dimension — variable for each type shot. To vary the lens inter axial, the cameras are moved laterally toward or away from the mirrors. Changing angle of mirrors, as in (2), alters the convergency , and in this method the cameras may also be pivoted so that the angles A between cameras and mirrors are always retained at 45°. Ideal screen results in 3-D depends primarily on the proper setting of the interaxial distance (also called the interocular), the convergence. a)id correct focus.