Business screen magazine (1958)

Daniel Pcterkin. Jr.. president of Morion Sail Company, inrrocliicecl the film story. Of Salt and MORTON >laj<»r l*r»<iii«M>r of This llasii* r»niino<lily Brings First Bi^ Picliiro lo ♦<»it«m'ii in "WliiH' \Vond«'r" onsor; Morton Salt Company. TLE: White Wonder. 28 'j min.. 35mm Eastmancolor, produced by Wilding Picture Productions, Inc. The ancients so revered salt it they spoke of it as "the fifth nient" — ranking it equal in inirtance to the four elements: rth, air, fire and water. Today, salt is so recognized and ;ential a part of our everyday es that it has even become comjnplace in much of our daily nversation. For instance, we ;ak of a really fine person as ing "the salt of the earth"; we / of the indolent, shiftless in/idual. "he isn't worth his salt." Truly, salt serves mankind in a iltitude of ways — yet many peo; know little or nothing of the mense task involved in making available to us for our various 5S. White Wonder is the first "big" lor film on the subject of salt, med in 35mm Eastmancolor. it tells the story of salt, fundamental necessity of our existence . . . hov\ it is made available to us from wells, mines, solar ponds . . . and how it serves mankind in hundreds of ways. Tells Little-Known Story In his filmed introduction, Daniel Peterkin Jr.. president of Morton Salt, describes White Wonder as "the little known story of salt and its uses ... its services to mankind ... its role in our dynamic economy." "Fortunately." Mr. Peterkin continues. "America need not be concerned about its salt resources, for nature made sail abundant. But finding salt in the right quantity and quality, and in the right places . . . producing it in a hundred kinds and grades for every special need . . . and getting it to market . . . this is the big and vital job that has to be done before salt becomes available for your use. "The movie which follows shows how Morton salt enters into almost every phase of human life. low: a major liglitiiii' problem for Morion's Eastmancolor film was ?sented by this huge underground mine at Graiul Saline, Texas. The S/jonsor's Objective: to bring Morton ettiployees and the public a broad riew of an industry and its useful services I hope you will find it interesting ... as Morton people find endlessly interesting their challenging job of providing salt for every use . . . where and when you need it." White Woiuter was premiered at Morton Salt regional sales meetings last December in Atlantic City, N. J., and Omaha. Nebr. Direction was shared by J. Marsh, George Hoover and Robert Kohlrust; script is by Adrian Gendot; narrator is Ken Nordine. How to Arrange for Prints Prints are available through district offices for u.se by Morton sales personnel. The film also will be distributed nationally in 1 6mm for showing to civic, fraternal, social, church and school audiences. Black-and-white prints will be available for tv use. ff A Wilding camera is set to shoo! salt drilling, preparatory to a dynamite blast . . . Two tons of electrical equipment were brought down into the mine at Grand Saline . . . A Study in Film Techniques FILMING THE GiANT. far-fiung organization that is the Morton Salt Company involved problems of scheduling, transportation of production and lighting equipment, and the providing of power facilities that went far beyond the "set-up and shoot" arrangement which may seem to some to be the only factors necessary in elTective motion-picture making. To get the story that is visualized in Eastmancolor in White Wonder, representatives of Morton Siilt, its public relations agency (Robert Wood & Associates) and Wilding Picture Productions. Inc. spent five months of coordinated effort before the finished "product" was ready for public viewing. Time-Table for Shooting After the script was formulated and approved, there came the time-tabling of dates and locations for the actual filming. Scenes were to be made at Morton facilities in Saltair. Utah; Grand Saline. Texas; Port Huron. Michigan; and at the Morton Research Laboratory in Woodstock. Illinois, in addition to stage shots in Wilding's Chicago studios. Camera crews had to be assigned for each location. This was in early Fall, so all scheduling on field trips had to be qualified by "weather permitting." Fortunately, the weather did permit, and scheduling came off as planned. First plant visited was Saltair. where solar evaporation ponds came under the camera's eye. Here, the crew was one director and one cameraman — and lighting was no problem. Plenty of Light — and None The sun's rays gave more than enough light; the reflection of the blue sky on the white salt, with rugged mountain ranges in the background, provided an interesting vista in which to frame salt, men and machinery. At the Grand Saline mine, however, the problem was exactly the opposite — there was no natural light whatsoever. To this location. Wilding sent a crew of nine men — a director, a cameraman and an assistant, and six electricians. Electrical equipment weighing two tons was sent to Texas in one of the studio's tractor trailers. A Problem in Logistics All of this equipment had to be hauled down the shaft into the mine. Incandescent bulbs, 2,400 feet of electric cable, and a 35mm camera, no small item in itself. BUSINESS SCREEN M.A.GAZINE