Amateur Movie Makers (Dec 1926-Dec 1927)

Record Details:

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Home News Reel A REGULARLY issued home movie news-reel, which will match the theatre news reels in speed and scope, is the latest startling innovation in the amateur cinema field, announced by the Wm. J. Ganz Film Company of New York City. Early July saw the birth of this ultra service and the second news reel was issued in the middle of July. The series is known as "Highlites Of The News" and will be issued the first and fifteenth of each month in 16 mm. form, each reel offering 100 feet of the outstanding news events of the hour. The first "Highlite" reel contained the pictures of the Hawaiian Trans-Pacific Flight, of Byrd's TransAtlantic feat, and of the Intercollegiate Regatta at Poughkeepsie, won by Columbia University. The quickness of this new service is shown by the fact that home movie fans were able to secure this news reel at the same time New York newspapers printed the first photographs received of the Hawaiian flight. Residents of New York State are particularly lucky in connection with the second "Highlite", as it features the actual fight pictures of the Dempsey-Sharkey battle. However interstate laws prohibit the national distribution of fight pictures, so the fight scenes themselves had to be pruned from the reels to be distributed outside of New York. However this "Highlite" still shows everything of news interest in connection with the big scrap, except the actual milling. The Ganz company secured the exclusive privileges for 16 mm. filming of this big affair Historians of the home movie may find that the genesis of the first personal news reels was in the Lindbergh flight. In any event the idea of super-speed in connection with home library films seems to have sprung from the successful efforts made to cover this event for amateurs with the same dispatch as for the theatres, and the Ganz record in this connection was remarkable. Over 6,000 home movie fans realized the ambition to show their own reel of Lindbergh film at home at the same time as the theatres, through Ganz rapid service. And these same films were shown on the Pacific Coast within 48 hours, thanks to the air mail, and the Ganz speed-service. The second Lindbergh series of his landing and Paris reception, was returned to America and ready for home movie fans before many of the newspapers had published the photographs which came back on the same ship. And Ganz enterprise was again illustrated T hi rty-four in placing a special camera man on the Memphis to cover the return trip, an exclusive privilege. These films were released as specials, and it is significant that immediately thereafter the home news-reel was born and the first "Highlite" issued in July. Future reels, it is said, will live up to the speed of the original impetus, which brought this progressive plan into being. Thus the amateur industry has stolen another march on time, and won the right, not only to the title of the fastest growing industry in America, but also to the title in its own right of the "Fastest." Projection Helps IF you have slightly overexposed scenes that are valuable, and you wish to get good projection, tinting or toning the film in various colors adds to their density and holds the light back. These scenes, upon projection, appear then as if they were properly exposed. — S. Jack Solomon. Reel Progress AN aid to better projection has been devised by A. C. Hayden which should recommend itself to every amateur who has been distressed by the curling of his films on their reels between showings. This is a spring film clip, made of aluminum and bronze wire, which fastens on the end of the film in the sprocket holes and holds the film flat, the proper tension being secured by attaching the other end of the spring to the reel. This spring takes up any play due to contraction or expansion of the film. As flat films keep the picture sharp and in focus, the importance of this device to good projection is obvious. Superlab THE growing importance of the amateur field is again evidenced by the founding of the Superlab Corporation, which offers to the amateurs of America a laboratory service of the finest character. Specializing exclusively in the development of negatives and making prints therefrom, the Superlab officials announce a new method of treating negatives which is said to eliminate chance of chemical injury to films. They declare that their service will bring to the amateur the finest facilities available to the most exacting professional work. The character and reputation of the founders of this newest sinew of the industry bear testimony to its efficiency and integrity. Headed by J. N. Naulty, former studio manager of Famous Players Laskey Eastern Studios and earlier with the Triangle and General Film Companies, the other officers are: First Vice President George B. Ward, whose reputation as a laboratory technician is widely recognized; Second Vice President, Francis Perugini, cameraman and laboratory technician of seventeen years experience, and film editor of unusual ability; Secretary and Treasurer, Max Mayer, manufacturer of the Superlyte products, known throughout the industry for his invention of many lighting devices, and as founder, and for fifteen years a member of the M. J. Wohl Co. In addition to developing and printing service the Superlab Corporation will specialize in tinting, toning, titling and editing of films, and its pledge to amateurs is through skill and vigilence to aid in perfecting the physical processes on which the amateur industry rests. From the Orient THE League now has representation in the Far East in the person of Teruzo Matsui of Osaka, Japan. Mr. Matsui became a member recently, and is the first of his country to indicate that he wants to become part of the great movement that is taking place in the field of the amateur cinema. Colored Movies IT will be of interest to amateur cinematography enthusiasts to learn that in the near future a new and unique device will be available, which will greatly enhance the enjoyment and quality of 16 mm. film projection results. With this unit, which is attachable to 16 mm. projectors, films may be projected in any one of fifteen different colors automatically interchanged at will by a simple button control. The new development will be known as the American automatic "COLORATOR" and is the first 16 mm. product of the American Cine Products Co. of Chicago, a newly formed organization composed of men who for many years have been closely identified with the manufacture and sale of motion picture equipment. Loyalty EVOTING a cover of his new catalogue of accessories to urging membership in the Amateur Cinema League and subscription to Amateur Movie Makers, A. C. Hayden, of Brockton, Mass., has set a high standard of unselfish service to the cause of amateur cinematography. D