American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1941)

Canadian War Effort. Like the March of Time, the National Film Board started out with its own editorial staff, but without camera units or processing plants. Both conceived, planned and directed pictures but farmed out the camera and laboratory work. Like the March of Time, the National Film Board since June, 1941, has had its own laboratory and camera crews on its direct staff. However, the work of the National Film Board has become so extensive that it still needs to engage the service of commercial producers to handle additional productions and technical work under National Film Board direction. In addition to scheduled monthly production work, the National Film Board envisions a far greater activity past the era of war into peace and reconstruction of the future. It plans to use film to enliven and cement the interest of the common man and woman in public affairs and in the daily life of Canadians. The National Film Board enjoys the complete backing of the Government. In the Spring of 1939 the Dominion Parliament passed the National Film Act which authorized the establishment of the National Film Board consisting of the Minister of Trade and Commerce, one other member of the Privy Council of Canada, three representative civil servants and three laymen. It was this Board which named John Grierson as Film Commissioner. Some of the outstanding releases which Grierson's staff has produced and released for the "Canada Carries On" series are, "Atlantic Patrol," portraying the part that Canadian Destroyers are playing in the Battle of the Atlantic; "Home Front," which shows women in their part; "Front of Steel" and "Wings of Youth," "Churchill's Island," "Strategy of Metals," "People of Canada," "Guards of the North," etc. In short, the National Film Board comes into the Government Production field much as an efficiency-expert enters a factory to track down leakage of supplies and effort or to supervise and coordinate activity so that the maximum peak of efficiency may be realized with the means at command. For example, should the National Parks Bureau decide that they needed a film to carry on their particular work, they will consult with the Government Film Commissioner and decide how the money they have available can be spent to the greatest advantage. Likewise if the Agriculture Department might want to explain the value of tree-planting and wind-breaks on the prairie, or the National Galleries may want to show how Canadian artists work, the idea is submitted to the National Film Board first. Backed by a long experience in production and distribution, Grierson is thus able first to plan a production that will use to the fullest extent the power of real motion picture technique, and second, one which will squarely meet the competitive requirements of films for theatre as well as non-theatrical distribution. END. "PROFESSIONAL Jr." TRIPOD by CAMERA EQUIPMENT COMPANY The "Professional Jr." tripod is the most rigid on the market and has many features which are usually found only in regular heavy professional models. For example, it has a wide flanged base to assure steady panning, super smooth action of the friction type tilt head and a pin and trunnion of generous size to minimize the effects of wear and make possible smooth tilt shots. A sturdy handle screws into the top to control the movements, but for carrying, is removed and screwed into a socket in the center of the base. Wooden legs locked by a quick release knurled knob can be adjusted for height by a twist of the knob set between each leg. The extended height of the tripod is 8672", low height 46". Top plate can be set for 16mm Eastman Cine Special with or without motor as well as the Eyemo 35mm camera with or without motor and 400 ft. magazine. It will also take the DeVry 35mm camera. The tripod legs are reenforced to the head to assure steadiness at all positions. Tripod Head Unconditionally Guaranteed 5 Years. "Professional Jr." tripods are being used by many leading Newsreel companies, 16mm and 35mm Sound Studios for all important work. Left: 16mm Eastman Cine Special mounted on "Professional Jr.** Right: 35mm Eyemo with motor and 400 ft. magazines mounted on "Professional Jr." CAMERA EQUIPMENT CO. 1600 Broadway New York, N.Y. Underwater Movies (Continued from Page 371) enough to flatten an ordinary open-air shot unpleasantly, flattens out an underwater shot so much more that it is completely unusable. As regards exposure, we found that our Weston meters were quite as accurate reading on an underwater scene from the camera-bell as they are for ordinary open-air shots. We simply hel 1 the meter close to the glass porthole, took the meter-reading, and followed it in the usual way. The results were perfect. Focusing, as is well known, proved ■ more difficult problem. Fortunately Len Smith, A.S.C., in filming the previous Tarzan film's underwater scenes, had given us ample data to simplify this problem. The refraction of the imageforming light rays passing through the water tends to "bend" the focus forward (away from the lens), so that if you are filming an object, say nine measured feet away from the lens, and focus your camera at that distance, your point of actual focus will fall three or four feet behind the point you want to focus. Therefore we made it :i rule in filming our underwater scenes to focus the camera :it a point : closer than the actual American Cinematographer August, l'.Ml 397