Hands of Hollywood (1929)

Hands of Hollywood Painted Backgrounds The painting of scenic backgrounds also is done by scenic artists. These backgrounds are employed for the same reason that miniatures are used. For example, if the story requires a character to be sitting at a high window, contemplating the city below, and the director wishes to show what this character sees, such as, rows of buildings, numerous electric signs, etc., a painted background is used. This is placed on the stage. The camera is set upon a platform, overlooking the painted background, and "shoots" through a window frame. The scenic artist paints this background in miniature to repre' sent the tops of buildings, electric signs, etc. Where the electric signs are to appear, the background is perforated and ordinary lights are placed behind these perforations. Photographic Enlargements There is another form of scenic background which is achieved by means of photographic enlargement. For example, the sequence of a story is to be "shot" in a room which has French windows, opening on a garden. Characters in this sequence are sitting in such positions that, by looking through the French windows, they see another character drive up in a car and stop in front of the house. The script says that the action of the characters in the house and the arrival of the car in the garden driveway must be shown in the same shot. This is accomplished by placing the camera inside the room and "shooting" through the French windows, at such an angle that both the characters in the room and the arrival of the car outside are photographed simultaneously. Of course, there must be a lawn and trees at the side of the driveway but, since the camera is "shooting" from an interior, what is actually outside those French windows is just another part of the stage. To show the necessary lawn and trees, an artificial background must be provided. [52]