Amateur Cine World (November 1936)

cheated out occasionally so as not to stereotype the shots too much. In other interiors the third dimension can be very effectively achieved by erecting a door frame with an open door in front of the camera and shooting through it. Shooting over coals in a fireplace has been resorted to but it is such an unusual angle from which to view a room that it worries the audience, who regard it merely as a stunt. Beams above the camera are far more impressive and natural. Sets Should Reflect Mood of Story The next rule is to make the sets reflect the mood of the story. If it is a blithe, light comedy, the walls and floor coverings should be in a high key, a pea-green distemper being used for the walls instead of grey, and the furniture should be only a couple of tones lower in value than the walls, just sufficient to make them stand out in relief. For dramatic films a much heavier key is correct— battleship grey for the walls, very dark furniture, dull floor coverings and plenty of heavy curtains. If the picture is of the horror type the sets should be carried up higher than usual, particularly in shots showing doors and windows, which should have plenty of head room above the upper lintels. This will give the effect of the rooms crushing the inmates. A minimum of furniture will give a bleak aspect and one bare, oiled branch of a tree, narled like a witch’s arm, placed outside the window is worth almost a whole volume of Poe in the matter of achieving a creepy atmosphere. No set, however, should be so dark that it over-shadows the actors. In horror films, as in all other types of story film, human interest is far more important than scenic effect. It is the players and not their backgrounds which really matter, therefore backgrounds should be designed to help the actor but not submerge him. The ‘‘ Seven by Six’”’ Rule A very ordinary rule of thumb governing the construction of sets is that governing their proportions—one which is sometimes overlooked, with unhappy results. It is known to art directors as the “seven by six’’ rule. Thus, if our set is fourteen feet wide it should be twelve feet high, and so on in multiples of seven for the width and six for the height. This is to enable the cameraman to get the longest possible long shot without going over the top of the set. The individual or club with a small studio can, however, afford to ignore the rule sometimes, particularly if the script does not call for very long long-shots, being content with the usual nine foot high set and letting the width spread itself out as far as possible in order to give the greatest variety of panning shots. Lastly, the use of dummy beams and chandeliers, to suggest a ceiling, should be utilised whenever possible. A real ceiling to a set is a nuisance ; it interferes with the lighting and gives the cameraman perpetual headaches Acountrycottage set built up of unit flats. In the concluding — instalmentof this article, to be publishednextmonth, the author describes, with practical examples, the butiding of sets on the umit system. sides studded with rivets. Let the SETS (Continued from previous page) trying to include a portion of it in the picture without including its near edge. To suggest a ceiling by hanging a chandelier or gas bracket from the roof of the studio so that it comes in to the top of the picture quite naturally is much more satisfactory. In fact, suggestion is the set designer’s one great standby if he wants to avoid expense. Particularly is this so in the construction of throwaway sets that will not be on the screen for more than a few seconds. Very often, out of doors, one can find a structure which will serve admirably as an interior scene, provided it is not kept on the screen for more than a second or two, It is necessary to cultivate the ability to look at buildings or rather portions of buildings, without any regard to their actual surroundings. For example, most towns possess a railway footbridge with high, iron-plated Usually these have board floors and no roof, merely an iron tie bar here and there. The plating is so high that it is impossible to see over on to the railway lines. The astute set hunter will recognise in this a free-ofcharge set which can be used, in medium shot, to represent the deck of a ship. He needs but one or two adjuncts—a deck chair with a girl in it, a rug round her knees, or an extra dressed as a passing sailor, and also an old motor tyre, roped and painted to represent a ship’s life belt, to hang from one of the cross ties so that it lies flat against the plating. He must ascertain at what time the bridge is deserted (probably early Sunday morning will be the best time) and he should see that the assistant director arranges the ‘call’ accordingly. Five minutes’ work on the bridge with very brief action which has already been fully rehearsed in the studio and the production is the 366