The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

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April 1955 CINE TECHNICIAN 53 MAGNETIC SOUND EDITING Producers and Technicians Confer on Methods and Equipment A SPECIAL meeting held at Lime Grove Studios discussed problems arising from the introduction of magnetic sound recordings, for all stages of production up to, but not including, the final release sound negative. In addition to the members of the B.F.P.A.'s Sound Technical Committee, the meeting was attended by representative film editors, representatives of the B.B.C. and manufacturers of cutting-room equipment. Since the decision to use magnetic sound was taken by the B.F.P.A. Executive Council in October, 1954, the manufacturers have made much progress in developing new magnetic sound editing equipment and in adapting the old optical equipment, but the meeting was primarily called to discuss and solve the problem of editing with magnetic sound instead of with optically recorded sound as in the past. After thorough discussion of the matter, the Committee submitted the following recommendations to the Executive Council, which were approved. 1. Acceptance of models of intermittent-picture type editing manufactured by Acmade Ltd. and Photographic Electrical Co. Ltd. in which the sound side will reproduce magnetic recording or optical recording, subject to the following modifications: (a) A plug and jack system arranged so that an external sound-reader may be plugged into the amplifier. (b) Sound gate to permit wax pencil markings to be made exactly opposite sound modulation. (c) Free-wheel device to be fitted on sprocket above sound gate, thus providing a built-in sound reader. 2. Recommendations that each normal cutting: room to be used for the editing of magnetic sound tracks should be equipped as follows: (a) A combined magnetic and optical editing machine. (b) A portable sound-reader which can be plugged into the editing amplifier, which acts as a rough searchhead. (c) Alternatively, a fixed search-head, attached adjacent to the No. 2 sprockets of the synchroniser, also capable of being plugged into the editing machine amplifier. 3. Recommendations that a precision search-head with amplifier attached, is suitable for synchronising purposes (e.g., synchronising clap-sticks with picture) if this is carried out in a place not equipped with and editing machine. 4. Recommendation that fullycoated 35mm. magnetic film be used for all original recordings and that magnetic striped film, with balancing stripe, be used for magnetic transfers of selected takes, used for editing purposes. (There is at present only one source of supply in England for striped magnetic film, but if this recommendation is approved it is likely to be available from all makers). The recommendations will mean that in due course photographic sound negatives, processes and prints will not be required until the final release negative is made, thus saving considerable expense and giving an improved quality of sound. Children of Hiroshima THE most memorable part of -* Children of Hiroshima is the short flash-back to 6th August, 1945, when Hiroshima was destroyed by the atom bomb. A charming young school mistress has returned to her native Horishima some years after the explosion to look up the survivors of her kindergarten class. With a friend she visits the ruins that act as a memorial to the quarter of a million who died, and they re-live that terrible day. While a clock ticks away the seconds before zero hour, the city goes about its daily business — and children fish for tiddlers, a baby crawls on the nursery floor, but a plane flies high in the clouds. A blinding flash in a silence that is more telling than the most shattering explosion, flowers wither in a few seconds, fish flap dying on the ground. Men and women stand like guant, helpless statues, slowly suffering. As the atom cloud mushrooms up, a figure helps his stricken friend — a few more scenes, and the sequence is over. Described in words this means little, but on the screen it is terrific — because it is so restrained. It could have been morbidly horrific — it isn't. It could have over-played on sentiment — it doesn't. It could have been antiAmerican propaganda — it isn't even thdt. While simple and direct, the technique of this sequence is first class. The rest of the film is concerned with the lives today of the survivors of the kindergarten, now growing up, and the stories are actually based on real experiences of Hiroshima children, put together by screenwriter-director Kaneto Shindo. Because the story concentrates on children, looking forward like all young people to a bright future, the picture has a wonderfully hopeful note, despite the sadness of its subject. Children of Hiroshima certainly does not deserve an 'X' certificate from the Censor; the producers of this moving drama of everyday Japan wisely kept away from the horrific. Even the half-blinded beggar, whose face is scarred by the effects of atomic radiation does not present a ghoulish figure to the audience, so skilfully has he been photographed. The Japanese have a reputation for imitating the West. Children of Hiroshima is a good example of a truly indigenous film, and British technicians can well improve their filmcraft by studying it. CHRISTOPHER BRUNEL.