Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1952)

MOVIE MAKERS 93 Sea, by C. Jones; The Glory of a Garden, by Rena Stabler, and A Day in the Garden, by Jim Franke. EastOII events Edward Delaney, president, heads the list of new officers of the Easton (Pa.) Click-It Club, ACL, with William Rose as vicepresident and Sterling Genua continuing as secretary-treasurer. The club meets the fourth Wednesday of each month at the YMCA and extends a cordial invitation to those interested in joining the group. March 27 is the date of the club's annual banquet. A gala program is planned, with Frank E. Gunnell, FACL, scheduled to be guest of honor and principal speaker. A nature movie [Continued from page 79] or a modern solenoid used for flash photography can be purchased which have stronger pulls. Your local electrical supply firm no doubt can assist you in selecting the proper magnet for your particular camera. The pull of any magnet also may be increased by sending more current through its coils. For the setup illustrated, three 6 volt lantern batteries were connected in series to provide a total of 18 volts — more than is really needed. Nevertheless, extra long lines between camera and batteries cause a voltage drop, so it is wise to design your battery case to take care of this loss. Illustrated in Fig. 4 is a case designed to hold the three 6 volt batteries. A toggle switch mounted on the cover of this case turns the current on and off as desired, while an outlet socket also mounted on the cover simplifies connecting the wire from batteries to camera magnet. Notice in the same photo how all battery connections are made by copper strips fastened to the cover of the case; thus, when the cover is closed, all battery connections are automatically made. This simplifies changing batteries. To connect the batteries in series, lay out the wiring so that the positive terminal of one battery is connected to the negative terminal of the next battery. To state this in still simpler terms, connect the batteries so that the center terminal of one battery is connected to the outside terminal of the next. That's all there is to building a remote control unit. The pictures you obtain with it will depend entirely upon you — upon your patience and ingenuity for coaxing birds and animals within range of your camera. Fortunately many birds, and some animals, return day after day to the same spot. This happy fact makes it relatively easy to shoot excellent wildlife footage by remote control, for by setting your camera at such locations you will be ready for whatever may come along. An immovable object, such as a small camera on a tripod, quickly loses its danger to many birds; and because you can operate it from a distance, any slight movement on your part will not alarm the creatures within range of your camera lens. SEASONAL OPPORTUNITIES There are so many picture possibilities with this simple remote control outfit that it is difficult to say where to begin. Spring, certainly, is an excellent time to try it out, for then the birds are busy building nests and raising their young. Even such common birds as robins, sparrows and bluejays make excellent film subjects. Locate an accessible nest — one in a low bush or tree or even on the ground — and set your camera, tripod and remote control unit in action. With a 3x telephoto lens, a camera-to-nest distance of 5 to 8 feet should be about right, depending upon the size of the bird. Wind the camera spring tightly, calculate the correct diaphragm opening, connect the remote control wiring from camera to battery case and retire to a distance of 50 feet or so to await results. Soon the birds will become accustomed to the camera and lose all fear of it. Start the camera running as they fly into the nest. Catch them in the act of building the nest. Come back later and shoot more footage as they rear their young. You will soon have a series of shots your audience will not soon forget! And when the hot days of summer roll around, birds of all kinds delight in a little cool water in which to bathe. That's still another chance to film them in closeup shots. Merely aim your remote-controlled camera at a bird bath and you will film action galore as these colorful creatures splash about. Better yet, why not spend a little time building a bird bath with natural appearing surroundings? Your pictures will be all the better for it. Winter, too, has its bird filming opportunities. For a colorful and easy shot, lure the brilliant bluejay before your camera with sunflower seeds. Select natural surroundings in which to put the seeds — an old stump or against the trunk of a tree as shown in Fig. 5. The bluejay is an easy fellow to film in the wintertime, and at a distance of 8 feet from a camera with a 3x telephoto lens, you will obtain a screenfilling image of this brilliant bird. Your audiences will gasp with delight; his antics will fill them with laughter. Chickadees, woodpeckers and nuthatches all love suet, and thus that's another hint for winter picture possibilities (see Fig. 6). Remember, too. that with this remote control unit you Safeguard your Film. Ship in FIBERBILT CASES. 400' to 2000' 16mm. FIBERBILT CASE CO. 40 WEST 17th ST. NEW YORK CITY [Two 3c 'stamps for giant catalogue. State 8-16mm Silent, Sound, Sales, Rental, Exchanges. RIEB & REED DISTRIBUTORS, INC. L7508 MMn -JWMWK 9, K. Y Finest Precision Coated Lenses for 8nm Movie Fans. *D' mount, fits most cameras TELEPHOTO: Focusing Mount, VA" f:3.2 $17.95 — 1V2" f:2.5 $26.95 — iy2" frl.9 $38.95 — 1%" f:l.b (■■lick stops), $42.50 — Fixed Focus,, 1%" f:3.2 $12.95 — 1" f:3.5 $9.95 — WIDE ANGLE: 6mm 1:1.9 $39.95. 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