American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1941)

back to camp. En route back, as he pretends for a moment to be shooting the camera, he and his faithful dog have an exciting brush with two toughlooking adults. The climax of the film is reached with the presentation to an audience of campers and guests of this film-within-a-nlm— very cleverly handled, too, by the way — and the screening of the' young hero's accidentally-made shots of the toughs, who are recognized by the local Sheriff as badly-wanted bank robbers. And the final fade-out, of course, shows the youngster, reward-money in hand, going into a photo-supply store to purchase a camera. The two young chaps who made that picture simply Actionized events which might very easily happen in a summer camp. They made a story out of it which has interested audiences all over the world where the film has been screened for movie clubs and similar groups. But they did more than that: they made a record of the places and personalities they knew during their summer in camp — sugar-coating it, perhaps, with Actionized entertainment — but a record, none the less, which helps them re-live a very happy summer, strengthening memories of fellow-camp ■ ers who have since grown up and scat ■ tered, as might be expected, all over the four corners of the nation. But on the screen they live and move again — not merely standing around and looking embarrassed, but doing things that are interesting and characteristic. And that, T no matter how you may disguise it with fictional or serious documentary embellishments, is what makes a well-made camp movie worth making — and increasingly well worth owning in years to come. END. Idea Exchange (Continued from Page 339) 'to which the three legs are pivoted. The (disc has three projections, each one of \ which, as shown in the sketch, fits beItween a pair of the wooden members forming a leg of the tripod. I attached ,| this disc permanently to the tripod; with some types this can be done very easily, .by boring a x/4-inch hole in the center iof the disc, and using a slightly longer ■ Vi -inch bolt in place of the one which ; holds the tilthead on the tripod. I completed the gadget by inserting a strong metal rod through the tripodlegs, as shown, a few inches from the jtop. The positioning of these rods governs the maximum spread possible with 'the tripod's legs. In use, you simply open the tripod-legs until the metal rods hit the projecting corners of the wooden block; the legs can't spread wider than this, and accordingly can't suddenly slip or spread and spill your camera. JACK MAZZARD. Showcase (Continued from Page 341) The complete set consists of 44 doublefaced 10-inch records, and is known as Set E-6G, and lists at $50. The individual records may be purchased for $1.50 each. The records are 10 inches in diameter, with the same recording on both sides, thus giving the advantage of double wear and, incidentally, eliminating the confusion of accidentally putting the right record onto the turntable in a darkened projection room — and putting it on wrong-side up! The recording has been done at the standard home-phonograph speed of 78 r.p.m., and the individual effects vary from one to 3 minutes in length, depending on the character of the effect involved. The effects are separated by a blank space so that the operator can pick out the desired soundeffect without difficulty. Since these records were made primarily for use in broadcasting stations, theatres and the like, there appears to be no restriction as to public or commercial use of these recordings. They may be obtained directly from RCAVictor, or ordered through any RCAVictor dealer. Vaporated Films Survive Fire and Water Four reels of motion picture films were in the State District Health unit at Mt. Sterling, Illinois, when the offices were destroyed by fire in January, 1940. The films were in metal containers so the flames didn't touch them, but the cans were blackened in the Are. Three of the reels were Erpi Classroom Films, and were Vaporated for Erpi before delivery to the Health Department. Untreated inner and outer leaders were attached to these films after they arrived in Illinois. The leaders, both inner and outer, were ruined by heat and water. The Vaporated films on the same reels were not damaged in any way. They were put back in circulation, and according to the Vaporate Co., have continued to give satisfactory service. Central Camera Co., of Chicago, has just issued its new summer catalogue, a free 64-page booklet of bargains in cine and still cameras and equipment. Royal Tripod Improved A number of important improvements have been incorporated in the 1941 model of the Royal Tripod, according to Albert Specialty Company, the manufacturers, The Royal now features a new plastic cap on the head. Besides providing a nonslip base for a camera, this blue-black head improves the appearance of the tripod and adds an interesting color contrast with the chrome finish of the tripod legs. The tilt head has been redesigned in the interest of greater utility. It is now provided with an adjustable camera screw wThich can be lengthened or shortened to accommodate camera screw sockets of various length. When cutting off short lengths of 35mm. minicam film for immediate processing, waste will be prevented if the original leader strip is cut from the exposed portion and cemented to the unexposed portion, all in the dark, of course. Several of the types of filmcement sold for substandard cine use will work well on the 35mm. nitrate film for this. 8 Enlarged I /^L R TO 1U educed TO 8 Geo. W. Colburn Laboratory Special Motion Picture Printing 1197 MERCHANDISE MART CHICAGO ^ COOKE CINE LENSES Cooke lenses will give you crisp, extremely sharp definition throughout the entire spectrum. Envisioning future demands, Cooke lenses have always surpassed current requirements. Focal lengths for every need. Write for descriptive literature. BELL & HOWELL COMPANY Exclusive World Distributors of Taylor-Hobson Cooke Cine' Lenses 1848 Larchraont Avenue, Chicago New York: 30 Rockefeller Plaza Washington. D.C. : 1221 G St., N.W. Hollywood: 716 N. LaBrea Ave. London: 13-14 Great Castle St. RUBY CAMERA EXCHANGE Rentals — Sales Exchanges Everything You.Need For The Production Of Motion Pictures Under One Roof 35 — 16mm. We Invite Foreign Inquiries In Business Since 1910 729 Seventh Ave., New York Cable Address: Rubycam American Cinematographer July, 1941 355