American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1926)

Four AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHE1! .hi nuary. L926 J\. S. C. to Staqe Huqe Motion Picture Ball Affair for F i 1 m Profession to Be Held at Hotel Biltmore, in Los Angeles. ^ Saturday Night, February 2l)th, Is Date Set for Elaborate Cinema Event. The American Society of Cinematographers will stage a ball for the motion picture profession at the Hotel Biltmore, Los Angeles, Saturday night, February 20th, it has been announced by the A. S. C. Board of Governors. Extensive preparations are already well under way to make this the most colorful of all the A. S. C. balls which have numbered some of the most successful functions in the film industry. Fifth Ball This will be the first ball to be presented by the Society since October, 1923, at which time the fourth A. S. C. ball was held. The latter affair was conceded to have been one of the most beautiful events in the history of filmdom. Its important happenings and musical presentations were broadcast to the radio world over KHJ, the outside populace having been given its initial opportunity to "listen in" on this exclusive motion picture ball. A major part of the Society's activities having been monopolized with the construction of the A. S. C.'s special quarters in the Guaranty Building, Hollywood, no ball has been presented by the cinematographers in more than two years with the result that all of the stored-up energies of the membership are now being concentrated on making the forthcoming affair the most pretentious ever undertaken by the Society. In Charge The A. S. C. members in charge of the ball activities are Homer Scott, picsideni or the American Society of Cinematographers, as chairman of the ball committee; Fred W. Jackman, former president of the Society, treasurer of the ball committee; and Arthur Edeson, chairman of the special committee on entertainment. Richard Connor, widely experienced in the staging of similar functions, has been retained by the Society to handle the actual management of the ball. A feature of the occasion will be a lavish souvenir program which will be presented to every person attending the affair. Space in the program is already being reserved by prominent members of the film profession as well as by leading cinematographic and mercantile organizations. This will be the first time in several years that the A. S. C. will issue such a program, and it is predicted that its success will parallel that of the ball itself. Philip H. Whitman, A. S. C, Enters New Cinema Field Philip H. Whitman, A. S. C, has joined the staff of the Mack Sennett studios where he is co-directing and writing stories for Mack Sennett comedies. Whitman's identification with the Sennett forces marks the resumption of an association which began in 1915 at which time he started his cinematographic career with the same organization. It was there that he first manifested the camera genius which has made him one of the outstanding figures in the profession of motion photography. The A. S. C. member is recognized as a master of trick and intricate cinematography, which stands him in good stead in his new connection in the comedy field. Notable Achievement Subsequent to his original connection with the Sennett studios Whitman was in charge of the special trick and miniature cinematographic department at Universal City. He left Universal to become associated with Arthur Edeson, A. S. C, in the filming of the intricate phases of Douglas Fairbanks' "The Thief of Bagdad." Whitman's work commanded such wide attention that he was called to New York City to do similar special work for Cosmopolitan, after which he was placed under contract to handle the intricate camera work at the eastern studios of the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation.