The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

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94 THE CINE-TECHNICIAN August, 1953 The CINE TECHNICIAN The A.C.T. Journal AUGUST 1953 VOL. 19 NO. 104 PRICE SIXPENCE Round the Film World CONTENTS Cover Still : Tom Stobart shows rushes to other members of the Everest expedition. (See page 106) Round the Film World page 94 Wake Up, Newsreel Men! by ' Newshawk 95 the Chancellor, The Wage Freeze, and technicolor's Profits, by the General Secretary ... 96 Teresa Bolland, A Cine Profile, by ' Recorder ' . 97 Film Progress in China, by Alex McCrindle . . 98 Cine's Complete Guide to British Films . . 99, 100, 101 Knights of the Round Table, cartoon by Jack Cook 101 A Film Technician's Notebook, by Adrian Jeakins 102, 103 V. I. Pudovkin, tributes by Adrian Brunei and Ivor Montagu .... 104 A.C.T. Notes and News, compiled by ' Middy ' 105, 106 Lab Topics, by Alf Cooper 106 These 3-D Films, Cartoon by Derek Meddings . 106 Robert Flaherty The General Council Decides ... 107 108 Editor: REG GROVES Editorial Office: 2 Soho Square, W.l Telephone: GERrard 8506 Advertisement Office: 5 and 6 Red Lion Square, W.C.I Telephone: HOLborn 4972 Our Pinewood Correspondent writes: As readers will have seen in the Press, 75 per cent of Pinewood's A.C.T. members recently received their notices in connection with the F.A.A. dispute. The rights and wrongs are not nowimportant but all Trade Unionists can draw some useful lessons from it. At Pinewood we had, through months of work at J.W.C. level, built up fairly happy labour relations. The management had recently introduced a pension scheme on generous terms — a move which went a long way to cementing the satisfactory state of affairs. Then, at one blow, the management ran the risk of destroying all that had been so laboriously built up: faced with the possibility of there being no work for production staff owing to the strike of extras they bluntly issued notices on Friday afternoon. The joint works committee are ignored — local agreements on redundancy forgotten. In one callous, unimaginative stroke they once more relegate the unions to being just " Raw Material ", not people with whom industry problems can be discussed. Odd, isn't it? Not, we are sure, just callousness: only lack of imagination in failing to realise that even their labour force are human beings. However, to happier things: Fast and Loose started the floor 23rd July, with Gordon — Innocents-in-Paris — Parry directing, and Teddy Bair producing. Newcomer to Pinewood is production manager Teddy Joseph. On the same picture Pinewood welcomes back Peter Seaborne . . . this time as film editor, and Alan Arnold in charge of floor publicity. Applause for that nice guy Paddy Carstairs for voicing the general feeling at Pinewood: he addresses his subs to " Teresa Bolland, Shop Steward de Luxe, Pinewood." Teresa has also been upgraded to Unit Manager . . . good luck to her. Any minute now and she'll be producing! Special Effects have just finished the action sequences for Hell Below Zero — a tricky job on whaling ships in the Arctic. The Pinewood travelling matte team are getting themselves an international reputation, they are off to France again . . . their third visit, to work on a French film. Also on periodic visits to France is " Vetch," art directing The Black Knight, shortly to be produced at Pinewood on sub-let. Romeo and Juliet unit are still in Italy. Editor Sid Hayers is off to join them shortly. Hugh Stewart is in North Africa on a recce. Another nice location? Work has just commenced in Italy on the first film to be shot in three dimensions: II Piu Comico Spettacolo del Mondo (The Greatest Comic Show in the World), writes Ezio Corti. This film is directed by Mario Mattoli and it stars the famous comic actor, Toto. The Italian 3-D system being used is called " poldelvision " ami is substantially the same as the American " natural vision." " Poldelvision " has an improved method of shooting: the two synchronised cameras are lined un on the scene through prisms which permit the lenses to focus on the centre of vision in the same way as we focus our eyes. The effect of this method la that the centre of vision on which tin' lenses focus appears to be the same distance away on the cinema screen as when shooting; that which is further away appears beyond the screen and that which is nearer appears to be between the screen and audience. Italians are reserving their opinion as to the value of this system until they see II Piu Comico Spettacolo del Mondo because up till now foreign experiments in 3-D, such as Man in the Dark and Bwana Devil, both in " natural vision " have contained many defects and have not been satisfactory. I am not considering the content when I say this, for I assume that the American technicians and producers are more interested in the technique than the artistic content. Whilst 3-D has been developed to counter television competition, there is always the problem of content to make box office successes. Over 280 films have already been entered for the Seventh Edinburgh International Film Festival to be held from 23rd August to 13th September, and the Selection Board is at present undertaking its arduous task of grading and assessing. Entries have been made by 34 countries. Feature length films submitted include one from Austria, one from Brazil, two from Czechoslovakia, six from France, five from Great Britain, three from Hungary, two from India, one from Norway, one from Poland, two from Puerto Rico, one from Sweden, two from the U.S.A.. and four from U.S.S.R. There will be special programmes of art, experimental and scientific films and also two programmes of international films for children. Two international film Conferences will be held this year. The subject of one will be the inter-relationship of Television and Film. The other will be the film's part in Public Health. Special programmes associated with both Conferences will be arranged. In association with the Festival, the British Film Institute and the Scottish Film Council are again organising a fortnight's school on the Art and History of the Film. The lecturers will include well-known film personalities. At The Gate. " Gibraltar Adventure." feature-length film for the Children's Film Foundation. Film mostly shot on the Rock itself. "Gibraltar Adventure" is writer-director James Hill's second film for the Foundation. His first film. " The Stolen Plans ". won two first prizes at last year's Venice Film Festival. In picture above are director James Hill, cameraman Frank North, operator James Allen, and a small piece of continuity girl Audrey Salter. (Continued on page 106)