The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

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May-June, 1953 THE CINE-TECHNICIAN 61 Beware the 3 D-Ts. A note on the new techniques by ADRIAN & CHRIS BRUNEL IN spite of the influx of careerists, exhibitionists and opportunity exploiters, who have been greatly responsible for the present plight of British film production, the leading spirits amongst our technicians are still men and women who " believe in pictures." To them we appeal to consider and discuss the problems relating to 3-D picture production, to look for the best use of the " new " picture form, while protecting the old from the senseless hysteria that killed silent pictures. And now, to look back and see what we can learn from our attitude towards the problem that faced us through the hasty turning over to talkies in 1929 and 1930. Although we were making synchronised sound-ondisc films in the early years of the century, soundon-films was not being used until Vivian Van Damm started his De Forest Phonofilms round about 1925. His productions were mainly variety turns and playlets, and not many were drawn to experiment in the field this great showman was pioneering. Soon plans for launching sound films in a big way were in progress in America and it is interesting to note that although the Warner brothers were active in this connection, producers were not the prime movers so much as the electrical interests concerned. The result was that when Al Jolson's The Jazz Singer burst upon the world, quickly followed by a number of hastily photographed American stage plays, directed by stage producers, the emphasis was on the apparatus rather than on any pretentions of a new art form. How similar is the advent of 3-D in this respect. It should also be noted that the Cinematograph Films Act of 1927, which required a gradually increasing quota of British films from renters as well as from exhibitors, was greatly encouraging British film production and our films were becoming increasingly popular. This obviously was an influencing fact behind the great onslaught on silent films. When the bombshell burst here, chaos and hysteria resulted throughout Europe. In spite of the blasting crudities of the early American talkie features, it was obvious that here was something which, if carefully guided, developed and evolved, could become a great new medium. While recognising this, many who had grown up with silent films were more concerned to save them from extinction; one defended what was a new art against the snobbish attacks of those who despised what they regarded as the common people's theatre, and one was conscious of silent films being on the threshold of great new developments: silent films and talkies should be allowed to develop separately, possibly borrowing from each other, and growing from strength to strength; both silent and talkie films, each with their special appeal, could be seen together in the cinemas, so creating a greater stability for the cinema as a whole. Inverted MM 2 Mirrors 1 Mirror No Mirrors Diagrams Show the three prevailing systems of 3-D motion picture cameras, now in general use in Hollywood: (1) two cameras mounted opposed, record-images from two variable mirrors (M); (21 two cameras mounted at right angles, with one recording image reflected in mirror and other recording scene direct; and (31 twin cameras, mounted side by side, with one camera inverted to permit closest possible interocular distance (distance between lenses). This system requires no mirrors. Convergence, parallax, and variable interocular adjustments are provided through various systems of adjusting mirrors, angle of cameras, etc.