Kinematograph year book (1944)

British Production. 269 to create effects, finds the question of materials much less complicated to cope with, because of his experience, than do, say, architects and others who have always worked with " real " materials. The chief difficulties, according to George Pro vis, are the need to use wet timber, which buckles in the heat of the arcs, the lack of plywood, paper and clear glass, and the poor quality of canvas and paint. Because plaster is in good supply, this material is being used more and more as a substitute for others in many clever ways. On the whole, however, film settings have improved by the introduction of new techniques in the use of substitute materials. AH these matters make for economical productions without the sacrifice of the quality effect on the screen, but the men ultimately responsible for the success of a motion picture are the director, the cameraman, the trick expert, who have displayed an efficiency in war-time organisation and flair for the adoption of untried though promising expedients, and an uncanny appreciation of the medium in which they operate, which have proved an inspiration to other technical members of the studio staff. Between them they have produced films of a quality which have won the highest commendation not only from British exhibitors but also from acknowledged experts of the American industry, who have admitted that the consistent high quality of British films constitutes a challenge to the American industry. For the first time on record British producers — Michael Powell and Emerie Pressburger — have achieved awards of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in respect of the original screen plays for "One of Our Aircraft is Missing" (British National) and " 49th Parallel " (Ortus). For special photographic effects of " One of Our Aircraft is Missing " Ronald Neame also received an award, as did C. C. Stevens for special sound effects of the same picture. Studio Technical Services.— The many restrictions in studio clothing, setbuilding materials and the short supply of spares have confronted studio executives with very real problems of organisation. Although, to the patron's eye, a British film is as well dressed and furnished as ever, the effect has only been achieved by careful planning and co-operation between studios. For instance, the hiring and exchange system instituted with the Gainsborough studios has saved thousands of pounds, and, what is the more important these days, more than double the number of coupons which these clothes represent. Back Projection. — -A detailed account of current back-projection developments appeared in the June transactions of the S.M.P.E. Transparent screens had now reached a width of 36 ft., an increase which necessitated the supercession of the old single-hand projector by a triple-head projector of novel type. The latter employs three complete projection mechanisms, the centre, being the key machine, directly faces the screen, the two outer units facing inwards perpendicular to the centre machine, their images being reflected to the screen by means of front surface mirrors. A considerable degree of control of intensity of the superimposed picture is possible ; and, moreover, the superimposition of the three images tends to eliminate graininess. The triple-head projector has resulted in an astounding increase in available lumens. "When Paramount first needed a powerful process-projection equipment for a Technicolor film it employed the most powerful installation then available, which projected 26,000 lumens on to the screen. To-day, the triple-head projector has projected 126,000 lumens on a 36-ft. screen in black and white and on a 24-ft. screen in Technicolor respectively. But even this is not the limit of performance. A large-scale background of a forest fire involved the employment of two triple-head projectors projecting to two 24-ft. screens placed together. Studio technicians successfully overcame the problem of operating six projection heads, two Technicolor cameras and the sound-recorder all in synchiony. The foreground set was a large one, with the projector 100 ft. and sometimes 150 ft. from the screen, the total distance from the cameras to the back of the projectors being nearly 300 ft.