American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1941)

AMONG THE MOVIE CLUBS Long Beach Has Contest The November 19th meeting of the Long Beach Cinema Club featured the Club's annual contest. Julian Hiatt, nationally recognized still photographer, Arthur Hoffman and Jack Nicholson judged the pictures, which were divided into three classifications: 16mm., 8mm., and sound. First prize in the Sound Di\ ision was awarded to retiring President Mildred J. Caldwell, for her 8mm. Kodachrome film, "Song of Old Hawaii," with synchronized sound-on-disc added by the Synchro-Sound method. In the 16mm. division Forrest Kellogg won first prize for "Painted Valleys;" Clarence Aldrich, second prize for "Ranch Romance," and Ted Phillips, third prize for "Happy Landing." In the 8mm. group Harold O'Neal won first prize for "San Francisco;" Lynn Harshbarger, second prize for his version of "Ranch Romance," and A. W. Nash, third prize for "Horseback Trails." A novel feature of the award meeting was the presentation of the business part of the meeting by means of a transcription previously recorded by the officers. Claude L. Evans and Stanley Jeffcott were welcomed as new members. The November 5th meeting of the Club featured a 1600-foot Kodachrome sound picture provided by General Electric, detailing the difference between the conventional or "amplitude modulation" radio and the new "frequency modulation" system. Lois Elliott, teacher at Will Rogers Junior High School, screened 2,000 feet of Kodachrome taken in South and Central America. Rushes of a Club production, "Oddettes," were shown by Carl Weldin. RAY FOSHOLDT, Sec'y-Treas. X-Mas Films at N. Y. 8mm. The November meeting of the New York 8mm. Club screened four excellent pictures, headed by a very timely Christmas film made by J. F. Hollywood, nationally-famed exponent of 8mm. and a prize-winner in THE AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER'S International Amateur Movie Contests. Member Roesken showed a short Kodachrome scenic filmed at Acadia Park, Maine, and an interesting, though unedited travel Long Beach Winners. Left to right: Ted Phillips; Lynn Harshbarger; President Mildred Caldwell; Harold O'Neal; Mrs. Forrest Kellogg, who accepted Trophy for her husband; A. W. Nash; Clarence Aldrich; and Julian Hiatt. presenting prizes. film of the South Sea Islands, filmed by a friend of one of the Club members, was also shown. The concluding feature was the showing of a scenario film, "Auntie in Moccasins," filmed by Member Harley. This was by long odds the outstanding feature of the evening, and proved excellently done in all its details. Aussies Hold War Benefit Show The Australian Amateur Cine Society scored a smash hit in its most ambitious undertaking to date, a public showing of outstanding amateur films held on October 11th at Sydney's Conservatorium of Music, with the proceeds used to provide a fund for the purchase of Australian amateur films for screening in Air Raid Shelters in England. Despite a regrettable lack of cooperation on the part of the public press, an audience of over 900 gathered to see the films. The programme included the following films: "Warragamba," a scenicfilmed by G. J. Menon and Foster Stubbs of the A.A.C.S., fourth-prize winner in the Society's 1941 Sherlock Gold Cup Competition; "City of Sydney," scenic, filmed by James A. Sherlock, A.A.C.S.; "Charcoal," a documentary, filmed by J. H. Couch, A.A.C.S., second-prize winner in the 1940 Jacobs Cup Competition; "Lamington National Park," a scenic, filmed by C. W. Francis of the Queensland A.C.S. and third-prize winner in the 1941 Sherlock Cup; "Nuts to You," a documentary dealing with the Kingaroy peanut industry, also filmed by Mr. Francis; "New Hampshire on Parade," a scenic filmed by Fred C. Ells, of California, the Society's American liaison officer and second-prize winner in the 1941 Sherlock Cup; "Then He Woke Up," a comedy by Frank Brooks; "Romance of Timber," a documentary filmed by F. Barry, of Newcastle; "Brown Men and Red Sands," a documentary of the Australian aborigines filmed by F. P. Mountford of the Adelaide Filmo Club, first-prize winner in the 1941 Sherlock Gold Cup Competition; and "The Court of Old King Cole," an amateur-made color cartoon, filmed by W. and H. Owen, of the Victorian Amateur Cine Society, winner of first prize in the 1940 Jacobs Cup Competition. A handsome sum was realized at this showing, and a repeat performance is to be given in January in response to public demand. JAMES A. SHERLOCK. Publicity Officer, A.A.C.S. (Editor's Note: Now that this country is at war, American Amateur Movie Clubs will unquestionably be casting about for means in which they can "do their bit." This news from our fellows in Australia comes at an opportune time, giving as it does a useful hint. Many of our own clubs, especially the older and more established ones, have in their libraries and the libraries of their members an invaluable collection of outstanding amateur-made films which the public might well be glad to pay to see. Club shows like this, with a nominal admission charge, should be capable of raising useful sums for the U.S.O. and similar patriotic funds, and we urge club officers among our readers to consider this idea.— THE EDITOR.) L. A. 8mm. Tests Fast Film The November meeting of the Los Angeles 8mm. Club featured the making of practical tests of the new super-fast Agfa Triple-S twin-8 Pan film. Messrs. H. De Hoff and Frank Leonard of the Los Angeles Agfa-Ansco branch office explained the new film, and then turned over several rolls of the new product to the Club to be shot at the meeting. Camerawork on these tests was detailed to Past-President Claude Cadarette and Honorary Member Wm. Stull, A.S.C., Editor of THE AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER. Scenes were made at f:2.5 and /:3.5 using one and two "dinky inkies;" panoramas of the entire audience were made using a single No. 2 Photoflood; other, closer shots were made with normal lighting and stopped-down lenses, and, for contrast, yet others at full aperture and with only normal room lighting. As soon as the tests were exposed, the film was rushed to the Los Angeles Agfa-Ansco laboratory, processed, and returned and projected before the meeting adjourned. The results on the screen showed that the speed of the new film is, if anything, even higher than the manufacturer's claim: even the scenes made under normal room lighting at /:3.5 showed a recognizable image, and the long-shots of the audience showed that the single Photoflood carried amazingly clear to the back-wall of the auditorium. Gradation and grainsize were both surprisingly excellent, even though the development had been rushed. The demonstration was acclaimed as one of the finest ever put on for the Club, and the Agfa-Ansco representatives were tendered a vote of thanks for having made it possible. As soon as the shooting of these tests was completed, shooting of another kind was heard outside, and a masked cow(Continued on Page 594) 580 December, 1941 American Cinematographer