American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1926)

November, 1926 AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER Nine How to Edit the Amateur's Films By H. Syril Dusenbery (Chairman, Motion Picture Committee, California Camera Club) Repeated Projection and Elimination of Static Matter Make Interesting Subjects In amateur cinematography, the cinema Second Projection tographer, the editor, and the cutter are usu This done, immediately rewind the film and ally one and the same person. Much has been while its memory is still fresh in your mind, said as to what to take and how to take it but project it again. Have a pad of paper and a very little has appeared on what to do to im pencil before you during this second projec prove the film once it has been returned from tion Start the film the second time. Stop it the finishing laboratory. While the sugges immediately after the first scene is finished tions that follow are primarily written with and make a few notes on your pad. If it can 16 mm. cine film in mind, they hold good for not be improved upon in your estimation, jot standard film as well. down Scene Number 1, O.K. Start the projec Eager to See Results tor again and view the next scene and continue The average amateur, when he receives his this procedure scene by scene throughout the film back from the laboratory, is in feverish reel. Stop the projector after each scene, haste to project it. Once he has seen it, his whether or not you believe you can improve friends are invited in to see it in a rush and it. Consider each scene carefully. It is a bit little or nothing is done in the way of editing too long? Does it contain any dead spots or cutting the film. By the time it dawns upon wherein no action takes place. Take the time Mr. Amateur that his film could be improved to think each scene over before starting the upon, all concerned have seen the picture and it has been consigned away with hundreds of feet of other film where it is allowed to dry out and become brittle and perhaps be forgotten Such is the fate of the average amateur reel. The Difference But the Exceptional Amateur, the one that gets the "interesting" pictures, the one whose pictures have snap — tempo as it is often called— the one whose pictures are viewed over and over and are carefully rewound and filed away in humidor cans, what does he do? He edits his film! Min i m um Eq u ip tnent next scene. If there is any doubt in your mind at all, run the scene over again. Sub Titles Doubtless, during this procedure, certain sub-titles will suggest themselves to you. Jot these down indicating in your notes just where you think they belong. Also perhaps after you have viewed the reel for the second or third time, you will realize the order in which the scenes appear on the screen is not the best. Some particular scenes will be more effective if they follow a certain scene instead of appearing before that scene. This fact must be entered in your notes also. It is very necessary to project the film enough times so th it The only piece of equipment necessary for you become perfectly familiar with it as the successful editing is a good splicing block. 16 mm. film is so small that it is not easy to The Bell & Howell Company have a com follow the action on the film itself unless you bination rewind and splicing outfit that is ex know what it is all about. Once you become cellent for this sort of work. Learn to make familiar with every little movement and moneat splices and make them quickly and then tion, you are ready to begin cutting, you are ready to start. Let us examine a typi Action Transfer your film to your rewind and splic The film is received from the finishing laboratory. It is first projected just as it is received so that you may get a general idea of what it contains. As the film is projected for the first time, note mentally the bad spots. Are there any spots under-exposed or over-exposed or out of focus? Which scenes are too long? Which scenes lack action and therefore don't mean anything? These are a few of the things that should flash through your mind when you view your own picture for the first time. ing outfit and look Scene Number One over carefully. Do not keep more than two frames previous to where action starts. In most cases one frame is enough. By this I mean, for example, suppose you have a scene showing ni automobile drive up, come to a stop and some people step out. You will doubtless have a foot or so of film before the auto puts in its appearance. Look over the film carefully and note the first frame in which the auto appears. (Continued on Page 18)