Amateur Movie Makers (Dec 1926-Dec 1927)

TRICKS with AMATEUR CAMERAS Announcing a Practical Method of Rewinding for Trick Photography By Jack Turner ALTHOUGH we had been very emphatically advised by cinematographers from New York to Chicago that "tricks" with the amateur sixteen millimeter camera were impossible, we proceeded to experiment with our own. It wasn't very long before we were convinced that our very willing advisors were wrong. Since beginning our experiments last January we have not only succeeded in producing trick effects, but have worked them down to such a fine point that we now do not hesitate about employing them in the regular films that our company uses for advertising. The "tricks1' that we speak of are nothing new in the cinema line — but they are unique in the amateur phase of the game. As would quite naturally be supposed, in many cases our "tricks" necessitate the use of double exposure. This indeed sounds like an impossibility when using an automatic spring-wind camera that will only run one way. In fact, this was one of the main difficulties that our kind professional advisors were constantly throwing up before us when we inquired how to take tricks with our equipment. Our results, as we have said above, are nothing new in movies — however, our methods in a few cases will be novel to some of our readers, and our method of rewinding for doubleexposures, we are positive, will be news to most the amateur cinematographers. We say this not in a boasting way ■ — but base our broad statement on THE greatest obstacle in the way of duplicating on amateur film the multiple exposure work of professional trick photography has been development of a simple and dependable way of winding the film back for the additional exposures. Mr. Turner has solved this problem in a simple and practical way and in this article shares his discovery with all amateurs who are interested in experimentation in this field. the fact that everyone, including several authorities, told us that the only possible way to rewind a sixteen millimeter film, when using a springwind camera was to go into a dark room. We knew that this would not always be practical, as many of our shots are of material handling equipment working on road construction, and cross-country pipe-line work where there is not even a building in sight, much less a dark room. Realizing that we had to work out some way to rewind, using the camera itself for the dark room, we got out pencil and paper and began figuring, finally reached a solution on paper, and found that the only equipment we needed was two extra sixteen millimeter camera reels. We figured that these extra reels must have square holes in both sides, rather than a round hole in one side and a square ILLUSTRATING THE REWIND METHOD Left: Loading camera for first exposure using special reel, labeled No. 2, for takeup. Note that this side has square hole instead of round hole on side where normal spool has round hole. Right: Loading camera for rewind after first exposure. Reel No. 2 is. turned over. Reel No. 3 has a square hole on both sides, to make rewind possible without going to a dark room. hole in the other. After quite a bit of correspondence we succeeded in procuring these extra reels, and had the round hole in each reel filed out to the correct size square hole in our tool room. Our first experiment worked like a charm and now we think nothing of rewinding the same film five times, if necessary, without ever putting foot inside the dark room. In fact, we do not hesitate about rewinding even in the bright sunlight. The following explains very simply how other amateur experimenters may do their rewinding in the same manner. First, equip yourselves with two extra camera reels. These must have square holes in both sides. They may be cut in with a file. In loading the camera, use one of these special reels for the take up. In running the paper leader through to the word "STOP" use some standard, to insure accuracy in your timing. For instance, we will say, run it through until only the letter "S" is covered by the intermittent mechanism, leaving only "TOP" visible. Close the camera, and carefully turn the dial to exactly 96'. Proceed as usual taking your shots, using masks or whatever you chose to block out the parts to be exposed on the second run through the camera. Be sure to carefully record the beginning and ending of each scene, writing down the exact dial reading at these points. When the full reel has been exposed, open the camera, extract the empty (Continued on page 56) Twenty-six