Home Movies (1954)

LETTERS • Continued from Poge 17 MORE ON TITLES May I make a suggestion about your Titles? I think these would be better if they were placed on a separate page. I dislike chopping up the cover and sometimes the magazine arrives in a wrinkled condition. Have been a subscriber for many years and because of the many articles and ideas found there my filming has been 100r< better. ■ — Geo. Kina, Hamilton. Canada. Any one else for titles? * * * WANTS MAGNETIC SOUND PROJECTOR I am at present in the market for a magnetic sound 16mm projector. £ pon reviewing the literature on these projectors. I find only three companies offering this feature but only as an adjunct to optical sound. The dual system is almost beyond the means of the amateur cinematographer who screens film for his own entertainment. The rentals on optical sound film features almost makes it necessary to go into competition with the neighborhood theater to make ends meet. Needless to say. those amateurs overseas have no opportunity to screen anything other than their own film, hence, the optical should be an adjunct to the magnetic system and made an optional item. The foregoing is my opinion and opinion of most amateurs I have spoken with. An article in your magazine which would bring this subject to the attention of the manufacturers would be greatly appreciated. If you are aware of any company manufacturing a 16mm projector with a purely magnetic sound system, would you provide me with the name of the company, the address and any literature on the product? — Commander R. W. Lange (DC) USN Navy Section APO 206 Postmaster, N.Y., N.Y. Information has been mailed you. * * * WANTS INFORMATION I am building a record player which was illustrated in your August issue. Although I have completed the case, and have all the hardware I can't seem to get the turntables here in Washington so can you have MR. OSWALD give me this information? Mav I say that his ideas are excellent and I suggest that such things be continued in HOME MOVIES. Am a subscriber and think that your publication is the best monthly of its kind. — F. J. Beaver, Visual Aid Director, 1808 Adams Mill Rd., N.W., Washington 9. D.C. We don I have Mr. Oswald/ s address — but hope that he uill see this and get in touch with you. SOUND STRIFE I would like to add a running commentary to some of my movies but my projector is very noisy and the tape recorder picks up every sound. Is there any way that I can build a soundproof cabinet to put the projector in so that I can eliminate this trouble. — B. E. Carter. Columbus, Ohio. Why bother building a sound cabinet. Simply place projector in a room which has a fairly tight door and a window so that you can watch the film as it is being projected. Then record your commentary as you view the film. * * * TIMELY TITLES PRO AND CON I shudder every time I open the magazine and see the so-called "Timely Titles". Can't think of any movie filmer using such crude drawings to title any of their movies. ould appreciate more of the film reviews . . . and like to hear what other clubs are doing . . . — //. /. Barney, Los Angeles. I want to thank you for the wonderful titles which you have on the back cover of Home Movies every month. Previously the art w as sort of tired and old fashioned. The new Timely Titles are modern and breezy and seem to be just the thing for titling my own home movies. Keep up the quality of these fascinating titles please. — Vance W ebb. Chicago, Illinois. We shall try to please some of the people some of the time. * * * EXCHANGE FILMS Am wondering if you can put me in touch with anyone anywhere in the world who would like to swap films, for a short time. It should be films of their own community or town and should include local scenes. I am also interested in renting a few oldtime professional movies. Two I have in mind are "The Covered \^ agon and "Lost World". Have any of these films been placed on the market in 8mm? If so where can I rent them? May I say that one of the things which really sells your magazine is your "Timelv Titles". Have used scores of them and my cigar box is full of them. Would also like to trace some Hoot Gibson and Tom Mix films. —W. E. SpeUman, P.O. Box 163, Huntsville, Ohio. Readers who can help Mr. Spellman should get in touch with him at the above address. Our thanks to Mr. Spellman for a very interesting letter. Your suggestions are very welcome and ive shall act upon them in the near future. But what about the Timely Titles? Look what other readers say? We shall most certainly go stark raving mad. CINEMASCOPE • Contiuned from Poge 24 breathtaking shot of the Hollywood Hills. The shot indicated plenty of separation between the various planes and sharpness was complete, edge to edge. Another sequence taken from an aircraft included the wing of the plane and the focus was set at 10 feet. This one was also wire sharp, from approximately three feet from the camera to 35 feet — at which point the background softened somewhat due to the w ide opening used. While focus is adjusted with both lenses at the same distance, and this is now recommended by the companv. Ray Wolfert who tested the lens said that he set the taking lens at ten feet and the anamorphic lens at thirty and got excellent results. This will probably have to be worked out to the particular tastes of the individual cameramen, and should be done after a few tests have been made. This is true of any piece of equipment, and is certainly not peculiar to the 16mm Cinemascope lens. Officials say that the anamorphic lens will fit at least four various taking lenses of different focal lengths, so it must be assumed that there would be a slight variance with the different lenses. The application of wide screen molion pictures and the uses in industry are many and varied. Bell & Howell officials say. One customer claims that he used a wide angle lens to photograph the shifting of materials in his warehouse, but found that the anamorphic lens was much more valuable for this type of work. Another manufacturer who emploved 20 high speel cameras for a certain defense job. now states that he can do the same thing w ith ten cameras equipped with the new Cinemascope lenses. Asked about exposure, the Bell & Howell demonstrator said that about one third stop increase in exposure should be used. The lens is made w ith a half inch lip protruding in front of the glass and it would seem that the necessity of using a sun-shade could be eliminated — if you aren't a purist, that is. If we may inject a personal note here, we might say that 16mm and 35mm Cinemascope is something which will become part and parcel of our lives, eliminate the old square picture, and probably change the very essence of cutting and editing: in fact, may even shorten the alphabet of film making and eliminate many of the camera setups which were necessary for long shots and close-ups. Cameramen who have seen Cinemascope here. ?av that the anamorphic lens will make their jobs easier. 28