Amateur Movie Makers (Dec 1926-Dec 1927)

EDITING FILM for FUN How to Secure the Pleasures and Rewards of Reel Perfection with Illustrations of Professional Methods by Paramount PERHAPS the most interesting, yet the most neglected phase of movie making, is editing the finished film. Blending random scenes into an interesting continuity is fascinating work, yet the amateur movie maker who takes every possible precaution when photographing a scene, frequently makes little or no effort to edit his film once it is returned to him by the finishing laboratory. He is either too easily satisfied with what comes out of the camera and therefore deliberately chooses not to edit his film, or he feels that he does not know enough about editing to attempt it. It may be that he heard somewhere that editing is a long and tedious job, or perhaps, at one time or other he actually attempted to edit his film but, not knowing how to proceed systematically, he found himself hopelessly lost in a maze of loose film. Everything is easy once you know how — even editing! That it takes time must be admitted, but tedious — no. It is really a thrill to build up a film piece by piece and see it grow under your careful guidance. It is like piecing a puzzle together, and when the work is done, you will find such a vast improvement that you will be amply repaid for the time you spent. The average amateur, when his film is returned, is in feverish haste to project it. Once he has seen it, his friends are invited to view it in a rush and little or nothing is done in the way of editing or cutting the film. By the time it dawns upon him that his film could be improved by editing, all concerned have seen the picture and it has been consigned away with hundreds of feet of other film to dry out and become brittle and perhaps be forgotten entirely. Is it any wonder that such films have a raw unfinished look and lack the perfection of the professional? Before attempting to edit film, one should have the proper equipment. Twenty By H. Syril Dusenbery This consists simply of a good splicing outfit and a rewind. It will also be helpful to have a magnifying glass to examine the film and, if possible, a table or a bench with a piece of heavy ground glass set in, under which a light is placed. If you do not wish to mutilate a table, you can purchase a viewing outfit that you M m v ,?r ::■■.■ ■ rflHj MM 4 mm »j ||l|MnM s ^ezt f' I NOTING THE DEFECTS As the Film Runs Through the Projector can place on any table and thus convert it into a working bench. The professional studio considers an illuminated viewing device indispensable. Such equipment is a wonderful aid to the eyes in viewing, editing and assembling the film. Learn, first of all, how to make good splices. A good splice must be made quickly as the cement dries in a very few seconds. You must uee the minimum amount of cement to make a strong splice and not slop it over the rest of the film or get your fingers all gummed up. A good splice can be made in a jiffy. Don't make a big job out of splicing. It really is quite easy! Every splicing outfit is accompanied with a direction sheet that should be carefully studied. To begin with, the emulsion must first be scraped off at the point where the splice is to be made. For a good splice, every bit of emulsion must be removed completely without cutting into the film base. Dampen the narrow strip of emulsion that you intend to remove and it will come off more easily. Hold the film in place on the splicing block, apply just the right amount of cement to entirely cover the narrow strip of film from which you scraped off the emulsion and then immediately press the ends of the film firmly together. A little pressure should be applied to assure good contact and in a very few seconds the cement will be dry and the film ready for use. If the joint fails to stick, it generally means that you did not completely remove all the emulsion or the cement began to dry before you pressed the end of the film together. Keep your fingers and tools free from surplus cement and you will find splicing remarkably easy. Practice making splices on some old film and before you know it, you will be making perfect splices quickly. Learn the right way from the very start. If you do not understand the instruction sheet, ask you local dealer, from whom you purchased your outfit, to help you. Above all, do not attempt to edit film until you can make a good neat splice rapidly. Let us examine a typical reel just as it comes from the laboratory. The first step is to project it on the screen just as it comes to you so that you can get a good general idea of what it contains. As the film is projected for the first time, mentally note the bad spots. Are there any bad flashes between scenes? Are any parts out of focus? Are there any spots overexposed or under-exposed? Are any scenes too long? Are any scenes lacking action? Are there any waits where you watch the film expectantly but nothing happens? These are the sort of questions you should be asking yourself as you view your pictures for the first time. Seldom do the scenes appear in their best order. You must decide which is the best opening and the best closing scene. .