American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1941)

Right, Warner Bros. Ripple Machine. Left, the result as seen in a scene from "The Sea Wolf." FREEDOM OF THE SEAS ON A SOUND STAGE By ANTON CROT and LEO KUTER ■"""> REEDOM of the seas — on a sound M stage — was the objective that actu■'* ated the design of the "Ripple Machine." Officially, it has a much longer ■title, being known at the U. S. Patent jnffiee as "The Water Ripple and Wave Illusion Machine." The Academy of MoItion Picture Arts and Sciences also used this longer designation when honoring 'jus with an award this year. But for ||the purposes of our account, let's just call it the Ripple machine. Why design a machine, you may ask, :\vhen satisfactory results can be obtained through the use of marine "procijess" or "transparency" shots ? Have you ever tried panning or moving your (camera about when shooting process? jjYou have no freedom of action or movement. It was to give the director and Linematographer such freedom within Ijstudio confines that a marine stage was equipped at Warner Brothers. By use of the Ripple machine, a decree of perfection wTas attained that .presented the illusion of unlimited jlengths of distant marine horizon, impossible with projected backgrounds. The machine is built in units fifteen feet long. They may with ease be joined in series, and when placed behind a mus lin or similar backdrop, and illuminated, the three vertically-suspended transparent screens being actuated, the opaque wave patterns thereon provide an effective simulation of the undulating surface of a natural body of water. The machines are designed so as to permit setting the horizon level at any height desired. We first utilized the wave illusion in the production of "The Sea Hawk," and later, with several improvements, in "The Sea Wolf," just released. Both of these pictures had been filmed previously, but under much different circumstances. Both had been photographed actually at sea. In the case of "The Sea Hawk," in its first production sixteen years ago, real ship hulls were used, over which 16th Century superstructures were built. Topheavy and cumbersome, the rebuilt vessels were a menace to the lives of those who sailed them off the Southern California coast. No need to go into the added production costs, the inconvenience of navigating unseaworthy craft or the delays caused by landlubbers among the cast and studio crew. In those days, it was unthinkable that the same latitude and freedom of action could be duplicated on a studio stage as was then enjoyed by the use of a camera at sea. But the technical aspects of the motion picture have advanced greatly in the last five years — thanks to the close cooperation of art directors and cinematographers. Five years ago, initial experiments were carried on toward the objective of shooting a sea picture entirely on a sound stage. This was for the production of "Captain Blood." And this is how it was done. Stationary and moving ships were constructed on a regular stage floor, with painted backings to represent the sea and sky. Here and there a few piano wires were strung horizontally over the sea areas, with shining, glittery materials fluttering from them. This in an attempt to simulate light patterns on the water. The attempt was reasonably successful. But inasmuch as the ships did not rock or roll, the backings had to be rocked and pulled up and down by laborers. The shortness of backing lengths did not allow the cinematographer much leeway to pan his camera. The result was that action was reduced to short widths, with many cuts, and the illusion of interminable distances was rarely obtained. The experiment did, however, prove one point. Motion pictures did not have to go to sea to film a sea story. The public was satisfied with what it sawon the screen in "Captain Blood." Improvements were demanded for the production of "The Sea Hawk" last year. For one thing, the script specified action difficult to obtain unless the ships were motivated. We went to work on the problem of making them rock and roll, toss and twist. The stationary back(Continued on Page 186) American Cinemato<;kapher April, 1941 165