American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1926)

Twenty-two AMERICAN CINEM ATOGR APHER June, 192( several American users, among whom are David Horsely, J. Searle Daw lev and myself. Double Printing Twelfth, double printing, which consists of making a composite negative by duping from two or more specially prepared positives and masking devices, or in making a special positive from two or more negatives and then duping the result. This corresponds in principle to multiple exposure in the camera. It is usually used to superimpose dark images on high lighted areas, a thing which is difficult to do in the camera. Traveling Platte Thirteenth, the traveling matte. By this process figures in action may be superimposed against any background without being necessary to build any sets at all. It requires very accurate mechanism to work it and is patented. It is sometimes called the Williams process from the name of the patentee, Frank Williams. It consists in photographing the action against a white background. By over exposure and intensification a silhouette of the action forms a mask or traveling matte which is interposed between the printing light and the background negative while a print is made from it. This positive film is then run through the printing machine a second time in register with the action negative, thus printing in the details of the acting figures. From this double print a dupe negative is made for further printing. The silhouette print masks the places occupied by the action figures and the original action negative has a dense black ground w hich masks the background negative image when making the master positive. Projection Printing Fourteenth. Projection printing with separate positive and negative control. In this process the printing is not done by contact as in the ordinary printing machine but by projecting the image from the negative onto the positive. The movement of the negative and positive films is controlled by separate mechanisms so that by manipulation of the controls any combination of the negative action series can be recorded in consecutive order on the positive film. The action on the original negative can thus be stopped, accelerated, retarded or reversed on the positive and by multiple masking and printing several successive phases of action of the same moving figure may be shown on the screen simultaneously. Max Fleischer and Alvin Knechtal are exponents of this process. Other Method Fifteenth. Mechanical devices operated independently and not connected mechanically with the operation of photography or printing have not been considered as coming within the province of this paper. They are too numerous to even attempt their listing. It should be said in this connection, however, that the trick photographer leaves no stone unturned in seeking to produce the desired effect and any device which lends itself to his use is considered his legitimate ally. PROJECTION Continued from Page s) Camera Craft and American Cinematogr apher May be had on Clubbing offers — Consult them. mechanical aptitude, a high degree of technical knowledge and a certain inherent talent for. projection, itself. A projectionist may have a high degree of mechanical skill, he may be an expert electrician, he may have the basic knowledge of physics necessary for the intelligent solution of his many current and recurrent technical problems, he may be furnished with the best projection equipment that money can purchase, the' conditions under which he is working may be perfect for expert screen results and, yet, unless he possesses a peculiar and intangible aptitude for the art of projection, itself, his results on the screen may be colorless and commonplace despite their theoretical perfection. Personality in Projection I have often challenged the statement that the personality of the projectionist cannot be built into his projection. It absolutely can be, providing he possesses the ability to do it. I do not mean to say that we can go into a theatre employing two shifts of projectionists and determine by casual observation of the screen which projectionist is on duty at the time. What I do mean is that if a projectionist of ability and skill and with a natural aptitude for the art is in charge of, or has supervision over, the projection room and is endowed with the faculty for developing the latent talent in his subordinates, then he can just as definitely build his personality into the picture as the musical director can build his into the orchestra. Intelligence Necessary This illustrates the importance of the personal equation in the projection room, the value of which has seemingly been generally underestimated by all except the most astute managers. Expert projectionists and supervisors of projection can not be turned out by any rule of thumb, laboratory, class room nor yet alone by practical experience in the field, itself. Of course, the basis of the qualifications for the expert projectionist is intelligence, and it is a sad commentary on things in general and projection in particular that conditions have been permitted to exist which have tended to greatly discourage the really intelligent man from entering this craft as a means of livelihood. Projection, in a short