Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1930)

JAIWHAB*^' 1930 ADVENTURES In FILMLAND Ho^v Stories Have Converted Our Celluloid hito Fun And Fa?itasy LIKE so many others, I purchased my camera for the sole purpose of making an animated album of our little daughter. Of course, the thrill of the game has since led me into other fields, but that is another story. Betore I bought the outfit I read all the advertising literature I could find and, whether I got the idea from that or whether it was just one of those more or less brilliant flashes that we all get occasionally, I do not recall, but I did get one fixed idea: Each film must tell a story! Why take a lot of odd shots of the baby when, by weaving a little picture story around her, I can accomplish my main purpose, that of photographing her, and at the same time probably produce something that will not too painfully bore our friends? For what proud parents do not insist on trotting out the latest pictures of young hopeful after bridge is over? So, I made a resolution, one which has done me and my pictures a world of good and one which I realize is important to every beginner. It was this: Never press the camera button unless the camera is pointed at a scene which is part of a picture story, be that story ever so humble. This decision, that all my pictures should have continuity, was made, happily, before I even owned a camera. When I bought the camera, I made sure an instruction book was in the case and that night I all but memorized the book, giving especial attention to the exposure chart. That study completed and the camera loaded, I gave thought to the story for the first picture, for the following day was Sunday and I was itching to press that button. My thought ran something like this: "Children are happy little creatures — they lend themselves to comedy — to humorous situations — humor is largely based on someone's misfortune— not so good; another basis, anachronism — fine — I'll have the fourteen month old baby play in an eighteen year old setting — make a picture and entitle it Her Typical Day." 20 By D. C. McGiehan Well, the theory was good but the practice wasn't. The first shot was to be The Awakening. We pulled the baby's crib over to the south window. I opened the lens to /:3.5. We got the baby quietly covered and I started the camera. She sat up, stood up and toddled toward the camera. The action was good; I was later to learn the camera work wasn't. Even next to a window, you just can't get a shot at /:3.5 with the camera running at normal speed. The Bath followed and didn't turn out for the same reason. The Breakfast was underexposed but visible, due to the fact that there were two windows. Had I run the camera at halfspeed, it would have been fine. The rest His Slingshot Skil Photogra-ph By Waircti Boyer BULL'S-EYE BILLIE Would Furnish Plot Material For A Modern David And Goliath Film. of the story called for outdoor shots — the arrival of a sweetheart, presentation of a bouquet, tea on the lawn, little demonstrations of affection and the final parting. In spite of the fact that the sweetheart, aged two years, arrived crying, presented a slap instead of a bouquet, that the tea party turned out to be a football game and the final parting a very tearful one, I kept the camera humming and the final result, except for the interiors, gave some excellent pictures of the baby in several moods tied together with a simple story. I also learned another thing at this time. Although I had made a conscious effort to hold the camera steady, the pictures did a lot of dancing, so I bought a solid pan-head tripod. Next, I thought I'd make a scenic newsreel picture of the community in which I live. Again the question of continuity arose. It was solved as follows: Scene 1 — sign on the railroad station; 2 — panorama of station plaza taken slowly; 3 — the train coming in (I sat on the freight platform close to the tracks and the result was effective ) ; 4 — passengers alighting. I next assumed the camera to represent the eyes of a supposed guest. I pointed out several attractive scenes to Mr. Camera during the drive from the station, showed him around our place, called his close (up) attention to a flower here or a shrub there and then took him calling on the neighbors. We found one painting his house and the view directly up from the base of the ladder was interesting. Another was watering his garden, so that Mr. Camera caught the beauty of sunlight on wet leaves as they swung in the breeze. Further on he watched a young lady playing with her Persian cat, caught some of the neighbors' children playing about a new house and so on, until we reached home again where we joined the other guests in a little pantomime in which everyone had to be introduced to Mr. Camera. If you have never entertained your camera as a guest, try it some time. And if you think he might be near-sighted go out and buy him a focusing mount for his lens so he can, if necessary, look the neighbor's dog in the eye from one foot away. It makes life more interesting. When the baby attained another month (now fifteen months old) we decided she was old enough to play Little Red Riding Hood. I know this will bring smiles, especially when I say that our very unruly Airedale was cast as the wolf, but you should see the completed picture. I'll stake it against any of the Our Gang comedies with Rin Tin Tin thrown in, despite the difference in ages, equipment and direction. First I reread this nursery tale carefully, then wrote a very complete continuity sheet. This not only listed the numerous shots in their proper sequence but contained notes as to locations and means of prompting the "wolf's" acting. Red