American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1941)

Professional 16mm. Camera (Continued from Page 170) plate, terminating in a convenient knob by means of which the camera may be turned by hand while threading. The film-magazines, as has been mentioned, are of the standard Bell & Howell double outside type. Magazines having a capacity of 200, 400 or more feet of film may be fitted, and the spindles provide for using either the regular laboratory-pack core or a special core. It is also possible to fit the regular 100and 200-foot daylight-loading spools on the magazine spindles. The film take-up differs slightly from convenient 35mm. practice in that special ratchet-type pulleys are used, and the take-up belt is threaded over the pulleys of both magazines at all times. A special adjustable belt-tensioner is used to compensate for the varying amounts of slack in the take-up belt when 200-foot and 400-foot magazines are used. An endless fabric belt is used. McMahan and his Chief Cinematographer Jack McCoskey have added further professional refinements to the camera. They have mounted it on a standard 35mm. free-head tripod, adding to its 35mm.-type Bell & Howell dovetailed head a screw which meshes with the camera's tripod-bushing. They have also fitted a standard professional mattebox and sunshade, which works excellently with this camera. In the original design of this camera, Bell & Howell made the mistake so many other camera-designers have, of attempting to utilize the magnifying focusing system as a finder. A 1-inch lens is mounted in the front-block of the camera in such a way that when the focusing rack-over is in photographing position, the focusing magnifier is behind this lens. In theory, this should give a most excellent finder: but in practice, it would be almost impossibly difficult to make accurate follow-shots using this finder's small eyepiece. Therefore McMahan and McCoskey have fitted a standard Mitchell finder to this bracket, giving a professionally large, upright finder-image which may be accurately followed, and corrected for parallax. In developing this first experimental model, the designers also sought to adapt it for use as a single-system sound-andpicture camera. As will be seen from the illustration, a fitting is provided for a sound-recording drum, and two main film-moving sprockets are used, instead of the one large one familiar in most 35mm. professional cameras. An aperture at the rear of the housing was provided to accept a standard recording galvanometer, and of course the sprockets, pilot-pins, etc., were one-sided to permit the use of single-perforated 16mm. sound-film. This would appear to be an unnecessary refinement, for the writer has not as yet encountered a single commercial 16mm. technician who favors the use of single-system recording over the more controllable double film system generally used in 35mm. work. McMahan and McCoskey, at any rate, do not employ this system, and have accordingly had pilot-pins fitted on both sides of the gate, rather than above and below it on one side, as in the original design; they are also replacing the original one-sided sound-type sprockets with sprockets bearing teeth on both edges. This should assure greater steadiness and far better control of the film at all points. A standard professional anti-buckle throw-out switch is also being installed, even though in this camera buckling is hardly to be anticipated. It would appear, too, that for completely professional use the eventual production models of this camera would do well to employ more thoroughly professional lens-mounts. The present experimental model is adapted to accept the usual "Type C" Bell & Howell lensmounts employed on the 70D-A Filmo camera. This has two drawbacks: one of the principal difficulties so far encountered in enlarging 16mm. Kodachrome and black-and-white to 35mm. has been that 16mm. lenses are not mounted with as great precision in relation to the film gate as are professional 35mm. lenses. In addition, the conventional 16mm. lens mounts are not easily adapted to the ring-gear arrangements necessary to permit following focus when the camera is used inside a blimp for direct sound recording. It would seem that a line of larger and more professional lens-mounts must necessarily follow as these cameras are finally put into production. To date, however, it must be admitted that there has been no official assurance that these cameras would go into commercial production. The present example, Bell & Howell officials freely point out, is strictly an experimental model, further inferring that upon the present model's performance in practical tests in Hollywood studios, and in actual service in McMahan's commercial production of industrial films will rest the technical and commercial future of the design as an actual commercially-available product. However, to this writer it seems certain that the camera, even as it stands today, most certainly ought to go into production, for it fills a need that has long been felt among commercial, industrial and scientific users of 16mm. for a professional 16mm. camera that is designed and built to truly professional standards of precision and operating convenience. It should also have an increasingly spectacular future in studio work, not only in making 16mm. tests for 35mm. production, but even in actually filming independent feature productions for joint 16mm. and 35mm. release. It is, at any rate, one of the first, if not actually the first 16mm. camera with which a 35mm. -trained studio camera crew could feel completely at home. As such, it represents the most sensational technical development of 1911. END Pixilated Pictures (Continued from Page 173) ture of the operating-table upon which lay the inanimate form of the "Monster," and even miniature figures of the "Doctor," the "Monster," and the "Doctor's" assistant, "Fritz," the hunchback. In this, the miniature operating-table is raised through the ceiling — an obvious impossibility in a full-scale set — as the electrical current animating the "M< lister" is turned on. Alvey paid extremely precise attention to the design and construction of the full-scale and miniature sets for this scene, with the result that when the picture was finally cut, the two matched up surprisingly well. Another miniature set was that used for the old mill used in the final scene in which i,he "Monster" v/as finally di stroyed in a spectacular fire. Most of the production was filmed with Mrs. Price's Model 121 Filmo; but for filming these miniatures, a 70D-A Filmo was obtained by Cameraman Jack Locke, to make possible the use of the higher camera-speeds so necessary in filming miniatures. Shooting completed, young Alvey. assisted by his secretary and script-clerk, Babe Price, and Cameraman Locke, edited the film, made the titles, and got it in shape for the gala Premiere. For this great event, Pixilated's Art Department next went into action. The staff here included young Alvey, Russell Bertsch and "Tish" Walker. Their varied duties included designing, building and painting sets, and making posters to advertise the showings of Pixilated's attractions. (Unlike Hollywood Art Directors, it may be mentioned, all the members of Pixilated's Art Department "double in brass" in other production assignments: Glen Alvey, for that matter, is almost as much of a multiplethreat filmster as Orson Welles, for he writes scripts, directed the picture, played the part of the scientist, "Henry von Frankenstein," built miniatures, directed sound, photography and cutting, and collaborated on poster-design. His associates in the Art Department both played parts in the production. "Tish" playing the part of the little peasant girl, and Russell, her father. By the time "Frankenstein" was premiered, Pixilated and its productions had done a lot of climbing from their origin as a simple neighborhood "kid show." "Frankenstein's" premiere was held i no less a place than the ballroom of San Antonio's swank St. Anthony Hotel, before a capacity crowd very generously besprinkled with adults. And it was carried through in true Hollywood si with celebrities, lights, microphone.! speeches, and all the trimmings. As each of the Pixilated players arrived, they were conducted ceremoniously to the microphone and interviewed, after which they proceeded to their seats under the glare of a spotlight. The presentation of the picture was no 'ess professional, and was accompanied by a carefullyrecorded musical score, with sound 102 April, 1941 American Cinematographer