American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1941)

Her first step! Scene from one of Dr. Berry's film-studies of his pupil's progress. Teaching Cripples To Walk With I6MM. Movies By LITA HIEBERT THERE are few Academy Award motion pictures more dramatic or thrilling than the eleven miles of Uimm. film owned by the Milton Berry School for Paralysis in Encino, California. This internationally known school vhich teaches victims of paralysis to ,valk again, to talk, to feed and dress hemselves, even to dance and drive cars >ossesses some of the most remarkable notion pictures ever filmed. ; Through the system of photographing ■ach student upon his enrollment, the .(.hool has, during the last dozen years icinianently recorded on film the miracjilous corrective feats they have performed with more than 2000 pupils. Twelve years ago the Milton Berry chool purchased an Eastman motion licture "Model K" camera with an f :3.5 ens and which handles 100-foot reels. Uthough the lens has since been hanged to an f :1.9 to make possible the aking of pictures under more difficult ighting conditions, the camera is still n excellent condition and has been used egularly. In 1936 the school purchased another Eastman motion picture camera — the cw Model A Magazine type. This amera has proved indispensable in makig the rapid changes from black-andhite to Kodachrome which are so often /ecessary in this work. An important feature of this Magaine camera is the slow-motion regula>r, usually set at 64 frames per second I'hich permits Mr. Berry and his staff f instructors to analyze in detail the gait" pictures of the paralyzed students. | Inasmuch as no two cases of paralysis re identical, it follows that no two stuents at the school receive the same corective assignments. These assignments are based upon a thorough knowledge of the body muscles and their resulting body-actions in a normal and pathological condition. It is through the medium of slow-motion pictures that each movement of the paralyzed individual is scanned, analyzed and broken down as he moves across the screen. The slightest incoordination of movement in the gait of these victims of paralysis is immediately detected on the film and the correct physical maneuvers assigned to adjust the pathological condition. This study of motion and locomotion in paralyzed conditions was begun about 40 years ago by the late Dr. Milton H. Berry and is called "Patho-kinesiology." When broken down into syllables the word has the following connotation, "ology" means study of, "kinesis" or "kinetic" means movement, "Patho" means abnormal. The word in its entirety, therefore, means the study of movement in abnormal conditions. It is from the portion, "kinesis" that the word cinema, applied to motion pictures, likewise had its derivation. Although infantile paralysis has been the most widely publicized type of paralysis, there are other types not so generally known. Of these, "Spastic" paralysis, caused by some injury at birth, is one of the most common. Regardless of the fact that victims of spastic paralysis are usually told they will never walk or become physically independent, the Milton Berry school is disproving this daily by teaching these individuals to stand and walk alone, to dress and feed themselves. It is the only place in the world where this remarkable work is being done. Another classification of paralysis is the "Broken back" division. This includes victims paralyzed as a result of industrial or motor car accidents. There are in this country thousands who wrongly believe they will have to be confined to a lifetime in bed or a wheelchair, thousands who should be told that they could learn to walk again. Through the Milton Berry Foundation, which has been created by philanthropic individuals and organizations, many paralyzed individuals in need of financial and physical help will soon be able to receive the benefits of this famous corrective program. The "March of Dimes" is also making it possible for 75 victims of infantile paralysis to attend the Milton Berry school. Motion pictures are being taken constantly of the students in action so that a regular check-up can be made on their progress. These complete records are carefully indexed and labeled, and through a card file which runs back over the last dozen years, the record of any student can be brought out at moment's notice. Most outdoor pictures are made on the partly shaded, tree-bordered patio of the school where classes are conducted daily. In shooting these Kodachrome films, however, the matter of lighting usually presents a problem because the pupil, to exhibit his manner of walking to the best advantage, must emerge from the shadowy portion of the patio-ramp into the sunlight, walking a distance of about 100 feet. These shots are made with all shadowy parts taken with the Magazine Cine-Kodak at f:5.6. As the subject then emerges into the full sunlight, the diaphragm is stopped down to f:ll. Most indoor shots are also made with the magazine-type camera, using indoor Kodachrome again to obtain best results. These shots are made with 2500 watts of illumination and with the aperture opening set at f:2.8. Because 98% of all the students who have attended the Berry school have been told by others that nothing much rould be done toward rehabilitating them, it is impossible to overestimate the im (Continued on Page 195) American Cinematogijaphek April, 1941 175