Business screen magazine (1959)

«?" Above: Guatenuila operaiions nuimii^er Harold Hoopmcm (rii^lit) explains ctrillini proi;ress to ChiatemciUm Presldeni Mii-iii'l Ydigoras Ftientes. At right: heavy groiitui fog in the rain forest made filming work very difficult. Ohio Oil's Gamble in Guatemala l»r.-iman« Siorv ol Oil Hx|>lor;.li»,. |,v 4m,.,.| Airlill Sli»»vii in "U\^ lUsl^' WHEN A Big "First'" happens in industry the cameras usually aren't far behind. The Ohio Oil Company scored a definite "first" in American industry when it airlifted some 6 million pounds of drilling equipment into the dense jungle of Guatemala earlier this year — the largest air operation in the history of the oil industry. And the cameras weren't far behintl. Earlier, M. S. "Chris" Mauser, Ohio Oil publicrelations manager, had figured that his company's huge airlift pointed out some of the truths that oil industry public relations people had been trying to get across to the American public for years: that oil companies have to take huge financial risks to find new reserves of oil. and that as long as they are free to take these risks and compete vigorously, ample reserves will be found. Film Informs Guatemalans and U. S. Hauser and Ohio Oil's management saw that by building a motion picture around the airlift and the tremendous risks involved, a powerlul message could be told in an inteI■estin^ and enlertainmg manner. They also saw that^uch a film could do double duty: Through a Spanish language version, it could explain the huae operation to the Guatemalan people Since Big Risk is entirely narration, the message could be tailored to tell Spanish-speaking viewers why an American company is willing to take such risks to hunt for oil where ithas never been found and what to expect if oil is found in commercial quantities. Ohio Oil selected Wilding. Inc., to produce the film. Wilding had turned out four of Ohio Oil's earlier public service films: Unseen Horizons in 1949. Decision in 1951, The Case of Officer Hallihrund in I9.S5, and You Decide in 1958. Project Given to E.\perienced Hands The producer assigned James Prindle, writer ot many outstanding screen plays and especially qualified in the oil business, to write Above: sliooiing liud to he quick or planes and ec/uipmeni would start to sink into Chinafa airstrip if crews were ilelaved. Left: cameras recorded unusual loading operations of giant "/■lying Boxcars" at Puerto Barrios, near the Caribbean. A 6-Miltion Pound .lirlifi Into Gudternala's Dense Jungles Makes E.xriling Tale of Search for Oil the script and Charles Beeland, Atlanta-based cinematographer, to do the color filming. For the Spanish language version of Big Risk, Jose Flamenco y Cotero was the voice. Flamenco is well known to Guatemalan radio listeners. .Although the Wilding crew had somewhat anticipated the difficulties in filming in the dark damp jungle, they often ran into more than they had bargained for. Torrential rains lasted weeks past the usual wet season, adding to the rain forest average of 200 inches a year. Ground fog was the order of the day. arid snakes and clouds of insects further contributed to the photographer's and script writer's woes. Native Music Used in Background The result, soon to be released in the United States and in Guatemala, reflects few of the difiiculties encountered during the operations. Its skillful blending of native music recorded on the spot and Prindle's script, voiced by veteran Chicago radio-TV personality Don Gorden, combine with other elements of film to S?«'!:: M. S. Hauser (left) Ohio Oil public relations manager, di.scus.ses sound track changes with Wilding vice-president Larry T. Young. make a smooth 22-minute package, certainly welcome in the nation's service clubs, schools and meeting halls. The film starts with a brief tour of the Central .American republic, visiting such places as modern Guatemala City and ancient Antigua. The scene firmly set. Big Ri.'ik goes into the meat of the film, transporting 6 million pounds of drilling equipment and supplies into a landing strip c:u-\ed out of the jungle, I 10 miles inland. Backing many of the scenes are strains ot a famous Guatemalan marimba band playing native music. Distribution by Modern and Sponsor Released this month. Big Risk is beini; distributed by Modern Talking Pictures, Inc., as well as by Ohio Oil Company offices throughout the United States and in Guatemala. riie film is a worthy addition to Ohio's film library; brings fresh evidence of the industry's endless quest for essential oil reserves. ^ BUSINESS SCREEN M .A. C A Z I N E