We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
Eight
AMERICAN CINEM ATOGR APHER
January, 1926
The Evolution of Studio Lighting
Bij Harnj D. Broum
Film Illumination Makes
Tremendous Strides in
Period of Twelve Years
In the year 1914 I became installed as chief electrician for the Universal Film Company at the then embryo Universal City. This was in the days of canvas diffusers and artificial lighting was unknown in Hollywood as red flannel underwear in the South Sea Isles. The high art of using reflectors had not even been developed. Even "Came Dawn" and "Later" had not yet begun their hectic careers as subtitles.
"It's raining, boys, let's go home" was not an uncommon cry and all Filmdom were pagan worshippers of the Sun god.
Indoor Studio
Not long after my advent as Universal's electrician, along about the middle of January, 1915, Isadore Bernstein, then general manager, concluded that the company should have an indoor studio. He was probably inspired by the difficulties attending the
"shooting" of "The Master Key," a serial which Bob Leonard was directing and in which he and Ella Hall were featured. This had been a particularly stormy season — most unusual for California, as any native son will testify — and the serial was behind releasing schedule.
First Cooper Hewitts
Acting upon Mr. Bernstein's order, we selected a garage and converted it into our first indoor studio, into which we invested all the available studio lighting equipment in Los Angeles, i. e., five Kliegl side arcs and one 35-amp. spotlight. To this we added 20 banks of Cdloper Hewitts, which we ordered from New York, the first to come to the coast.
Pioneer Electrical Force
We soon followed this up with the installation of 1000 W. nitrogen lamps, which were just being developed as overhead equipment. With this auspicious beginning we proceeded to "shoot" in our proud indoor studio many of the scenes of "The Master Key," which also included several exterior street scenes. The electrical force at Universal at this time was made up of five men, one of whom was Paul Guerin, now chief at the Mack Sennett Studio, and another Walter Strohm, now chief at United Studios.
W infield-Kerner' s
The spring of 1915 saw the coming of the Winfield-Kerner Company's studio lamp, which was adopted and used by most of the studios operating in California. This com
pany had previously manufactured phot o-engraving lamps. The Winfield-Kerner lamps came into use during the regimes of Messrs. McGill and Harry Caulfield as Universal City general managers. Our total capacity in transformers was 100 K. W. A. C, which included all the power for pumps, etc.
Five Minute Limit In the latter part of 1915 Universal made a picture called "Lass O'Leary," which called for a rather large street set and considerable night stuff. Our total capacity on this street was 30 K. W. A. C. With fast work on the part of t h e cinematographers we were able to keep the load on about five minutes without burning up the transformers. "Lass O'Leary" was filmed during Henry McRae's reign as general manager.
We often worked all night
i Com inued on r v < -13)