Amateur Cine World (December 1936)

READERS’ FILMS REVIEWED All films—of whatever subject, length or size—submitted for review, are automatically entered for the ‘‘ Amateur Cine’’ Ten Best Films Competition. Films should be packed in film containers and addressed to the Elitor, ‘ Amateur Cine World,’’ 4-8, Greville Street, London, E.C.1. for the year’s ten best films. Ten handsome plaques are awarded annually Noms-de-plume may be used if desired, but please do not forget to enclose your own name and address and the cost of return postage. T’WAS CHRISTMAS DAY. WISE. 16mm. 8o ft. This entertaining little film begins with some wintry exteriors: the front of the house—gate—view from the window (thus nicely linking exterior with interior)— calendar (Dec. 25)—Xmas cards—close shot of balloons suspended from the ceiling—holly—wine glasses—bottles —eatables (including the Christmas pudding) and a Christmas tree. They are all very good shots, but until we get to the tree they are all stills. This would not matter overmuch had the cutting been quicker so that a vivid brief impression of the festivities is given. As it is, the sequence is little more than a catalogue of festive things. They should not be featured for themselves but for the mood they evoke and should therefore be held on only long enough for the eye to take them in but not enough for it to analyse them. We are not interested in a wine glass qua a wine glass; we have no concern in its shape or size. In this context it should be only a symbol. We get movement when the guests take their presents from the Christmas tree and there are some first-rate close-ups of them laughing and talking naturally, unconscious of the camera. One thus feels that one is present at the event, not watching an acted piece. The audience does, indeed, become members of the party By F. G. S. when the guests turn to the camera and drink a toast. It could be argued, and with much justification, that this kind of treatment shatters the illusion, but this is a purely personal film, intended for a family audience, although the technique is such that it interests those outside the family circle. A shot of empty dishes and the cat before the fire end the film. There is plain evidence of planning and the film hangs together well, but it is just a little too static. A Leader has been awarded. OUR CAMPING HOLIDAY. THORNTON. 9.5mm. 200 ft. Immediately after the main title of this film comes a sub-title: ‘‘ We break our journey for lunch.’ Now every film must have a beginning, but that is not to say that the beginning of the film must show the beginning of the holiday, sports meeting, or whatever it may be. Indeed, in the case of the holiday film it would be quite legitimate to begin at the end, showing, say, the disconsolate return home and then flashing back to the actual holiday. At just what point in the holiday you open the film matters little, provided the beginning is decisive and does not presuppose any previous knowledge on the part of the audience. The characters, event or scene must be carefully introduced and it should not be assumed that the audience is already familiar with them. No doubt in the case of the personal film they will be ; they will at any rate know the people in the film, but they may not know the part those people play in it. So that the locale and personnel must be firmly established at the outset. The First Essential The first essential of film making is that the story shall be told clearly, but however smoothly it is presented it will not be entirely coherent to an audience that lacks the groundwork—which the producer should supply— on which to base their interpretation. For every member of the audience sees a film in a slightly different way. The measure of their appreciation of the picture depends on the amount of intelligence they bring to it and the degree to which they are affected by the subject. The sub-title: ‘“‘ We break our journey for lunch” is not needed at all, because we can see this for ourselves. Admittedly, we cannot see it very well, because there is only one shot. One shot is not enough to carry a sub-title. If it is desired to begin the film with the journey, we might open with a long shot, the car in the distance. If the car is some distance away there is no point in holding on the scene until it gets into the By G; T& Stop motion Rr apn he foreground, stops and its opens up a world of fantasy. The figures are slightly occupants get out. Apart from moved after each exposure. the tact that such a treat See also illustration on page 437. ment would be rather theatrical (Continued on page 437)