International photographer (Jan-Dec 1934)

. tprit, 1934 T 1 1 INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER Twenty-fiv, Since, therefore, the effect produced in the resultant picture depends on the manipulation of the camera by the photographer, just as a painting depends on the manipulation of the brush by the artist, it stands to reason that the motion picture can be classed as an art medium. It is a peculiar fact that an art medium is such not in spite of its limitations but rather because of them. If it were possible to reproduce nature as it is the result would not be art, for nothing new would have been created. Wax figures of a historical group in a museum are not art, no matter how real they may seem, but a marble statue in that same museum may set the art critics raving, even though the statues are obviously made out of marble or bronze. The difference lies in the fact that one is little more than a reproduction of nature, unreal in spite of its attempt to be real, while the other is a representation of nature which makes no attempt at being nature itself. It is something new. A work of art, because of the limitations of the medium, must necessarily change, even distort, nature, and since the change depends upon the limitations, the limitations become a means to an end. The motion picture has many limitations. The most obvious of these are lack of third dimensions, absence of color and sound (this, of course, applying only to the average amateur picture), limited screen size and absence of space orientation, and lack of support from other senses. All of these and several other limitations prevent the motion picture from being an exact reproduction of nature, and become the means by which it can be made art. Color, sound, and third dimension are a step toward the reproduction of nature, and hence a step away from true motion picture art. They merely satisfy the public's craving for novelty, and lessen the necessity of imagination, which is so important in all art appreciation. Color is a great advantage in filming certain subjects whose value lies chiefly in color, such as flowers, costumes, and particularly colorful landscapes, but its absence need by no means worry the amateur who knows how to use black and white photography. With panchromatic film and filters he can obtain effects which in many respects are more startling than if the subject has been photographed in color. Color film is usually more unnatural than black and white photography because as yet there is no absolutely perfect color process, and the deficiencies in the existing processes detract from rather than add to the picture. The effect is much like that of a colored post card. In black and white pictures the imagination subconsciously visualizes the colors which it knows should be there, and the lack is not felt. The beauty in black and white photography lies in a pleasing distribution of light and shade, thus lending itself better to an artistic creation than color could do, since, unlike painting, the color photographer cannot control the colors. In exteriors certain over-corrections can be made with filters which produce a variation from nature frequently more pleasing than the original, while in color film such an over-correction would only increase the unnaturalness. No one will deny that the motion picture is essentially a visual medium. Hence I do not consider the lack of sound a disadvantage to the amateur. Sound has a rightful place in motion pictures only if it is used to enhance, to emphasize, the visual and does not take its place. If sound is predominant the picture degenerates into the realm of the stage, as was so often the case in early talking pictures and still frequently is, thus changing into another, and a less expressive, art form. It has been proved time and again that what we see remains in our minds much longer than what we hear, and it is, therefore, a mistake to substitute sound for the more powerful visual possibilities offered by the motion picture. The amateur, consequently, should not consider lack of sound a drawback, but should make use of this lack by substituting for it the visual. This is not always easy to do, but the result will be more gratifying and more artistic than if sound, of the inevitable substitute, titles (which like sound should never take the place of what can be shown visually), had been used. This, of course, applies only to purely dramatic pictures, for sound is of great value to newsreels, travelogues, educational, commercial, and scientific subjects. A good musical score will, however, prove to be a valuable aid to any silent picture, for it pleasantly occupies the oral sense without detracting from the visual. Music is in many respects to the ear what the motion FAXON DEAN HOLLYWOOD'S BARGAIN SPOT Individual Attention Courteous Service Sensible Prices RUDDY GERAUS • •• Prompt Service on Rentals Night or Day CAMERA SUPPLY CO., LTD Phone GL 2404 1515 CAHUENGA AVENUE Nite Phones: No. Hollywood 1271— GLadstone 6583 Cable Address "CAMERAS" All Codes HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA Please mention The International Photographer when corresponding with advertisers.