Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1953)

108 APRIL 1953 swampy. To build a blind here at this height that would be strong enough to support you would be quite an undertaking, whereas it's easy to mount a remote-controlled camera in such a location. Usually clamping the camera to a high stepladder or to an improvised tripod made of long poles will hold it effectively in position to film warblers at their nest. Often, for those birds nesting in more rigid trees, it even is possible to attach the camera to a branch of the tree with a clampon bracket. On the other hand, sometimes a blind proves more convenient for filming such birds as meadowlarks, towhees and killdeers that nest directly on the ground. Here one may be constructed by fastening burlap tightly to poles driven into the ground. Peep holes cut in the burlap sides allow the operator to film nesting action just as he sees it without being seen by the bird. Sucha blind often must be built at some distance from the nest several days in advance of its use. Then, day by day, it is moved closer to the nest until the bird has become accustomed to it. OBSERVE BIRD HABITS Whichever method you choose, by all means watch the birds for some time before setting up either a remote-controlled camera or a blind. Birds, like many people, seem to live according to fixed habits. It's not at all uncommon for a bird to have a favorite branch or edge of the nest on which to stand while feeding its young. Often at the same nest the female will have her own perch, while the male will have a different spot as his favorite. By watching for these preferences, the best camera position can be determined. REMOTE CONTROL TECHNIQUES In fact, for a remote-controlled camera such forehanded study is imperative. Filming birds by remote control demands a specialized technique. You first focus the camera on a predetermined spot at which the bird is likely to perch. Then make a mental note of the area to be filmed by the camera so that, from a distance, it may readily be determined just when the bird is in the proper position for filming. Often distinguishing twigs, leaves or branches are useful guides for outlining the area to be filmed. In other cases bits of white adhesive tape stuck to tree branches can be used to outline the field of view. Of course, they must be placed just outside the edges of the area to be filmed so that they will not show in the picture. Finally, since remote-controlled cameras often must be operated at distances of 50 to 100 feet from the camera, a pair of binoculars will be most useful for observing the bird as it moves into the area covered by the camera lens. With binoculars every movement can be seen and the best action selected for filming. LONG SHOT TO CLOSEUP Good bird-filming technique, either by remote control or from a blind, calls for a few long shots and medium shots of the bird amid its surroundings to show the locale of the nest. Then move in with the telephoto lens for closeups of the bird itself. Small song birds will fill a movie screen when filmed with a 3x lens 5 to 8 feet from the bird. At the same distance, switch to a 6x lens and you will obtain superb head-andshoulder shots — so close and so screenfilling that you will actually see the bird breathing in your movies. Such closeup filming requires accurate focusing. Measure the camera-tonest distance with a steel tape. Never guess the distance. Bird filming also requires time, patience and often luck; so don't ruin those potentially fine shots with a fuzzy focus caused by misjudging the distance. TAKE CARE TO CONSERVE Bird filming requires, too, that consideration be given for the welfare of the bird family. Never break away branches from a tree-shaded nest or mat down the grass about a ground nest to simplify shooting a picture. Rather, tie back the branches with string and carefully part the grasses by hand so that both may be returned to their natural positions after the filming session. Wanton destruction of nest cover leaves the young wide open for destruction by predators, while prolonged exposure to brilliant sunlight will kill both eggs and young. For this reason ' it's better to film on slightly overcast days — conditions described as hazy-sun or cloudy-bright in the exposure guides that accompany color film. Fortunately, too, such cloudy-bright lighting produces softer, shadowless color for your films. Audience interest in your bird films will be heightened if you vary your viewpoints. Move the camera about between shots to secure full coverage of the subject. And pack in plenty of closeups! They are the backbone of top-quality bird movies. Film action. Catch the parents as they alight at the nest. Cut to an ultra closeup of the young with their mouths gaping wide. Film another closeup as the parent pushes insects down their gullets. Watch for that humorous action that occurs in every respectable bird family — laughable episodes such as the worm that's too big to slide down the little one's throat. Try, too, for a shot of the proud parent as it painstakingly tries to push an insect down one throat after another, seemingly despairing of ever finding a mouth big enough to accept it. Finally, film the climax of bird family life as the youngsters flutter their wings, feebly at first, and then fly from their nest. Bird filming is indeed an absorbing pastime. Combining as it does the surprises of bird study with the fun of movie making, it offers unlimited opportunities . for pleasure to every outdoorminded movie maker. Come to Coronation! [Continued from page 96] Now, most unfortunately, the facade of the palace is rather plain ; and, to make matters worse, it faces almost northeast up The Mall. Thus, it is only restively early in the day that it is well lit, and then, of course, largely cross-lit. Riding in the historic State Coach (an equipage which will seem, I am sure, as close to fairyland as most of us will ever get), the Queen will proceed from the palace along The Mall, under the great Admiralty Arch (B), across the southern side of Trafalgar Square (where Nelson's Column is the principal feature) , and into Northumberland Avenue towards the River Thames. Here there is a sharp turn to the right along the Victoria Embankment, a beautifully wide road which follows the river wall until the Houses of Parliament are reached, where there is another sharp right turn along Bridge Street. (This street is only a short one. and yet it is the principal approach to Westminster Bridge ) . Then there is a left, a right and another left turn round the eastern and southern sides of Parliament Square, until the great West Door of the Abbey is reached. You will, naturally, not be able to shoot in the Abbey, but it may be possible to obtain later film library material with which to supplement your own personal record. The ceremony of crowning is a very sacred one and there has been much controversy about televising and filming it. While some of the earlier restrictions have been lifted, certain parts of the ceremony will be still essentially private. When the ceremonies are over, the newly crowned monarch will drive back to Buckingham Palace by a much longer route. From the Abbey the coaches, mounted Guards and marching contingents will go round the opposite side of Parliament Square and then up Whitehall towards Trafalgar Square. Whitehall runs almost due north and south, as you will see by referring to the map. Swinging round the southern side of Trafalgar Square again, the route takes more than a left handed turn to go down Pall Mall in a southwesterly direction roughly parallel to The Mall, until St. James's Palace (C), is reached. A sharp right turn here up the slope of St. James's Street, followed by a sharp left turn brings us into Piccadilly. On the