American cinematographer (Jan-Oct 1925)

April, 1925 AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER Thirteen Rene Guissart Opens Paris Studios Rene Guissart, A. S. C, has left for Paris, France, where he has established headquarters for a motion picture production service that is an innovation in production matters. Guissart's service will make it possible to match the photography in an Americanmade production with any scenes desired in the way of an European background. Personally in Charge Through the use of suitable photographs for a guide and specifications as to any costuming, etc., Guissart will be able to provide required scenes against any designated British or continental background. The A. S. C. member will personally take the scenes as ordered, and all details will be under his personal supervision. Big Orders Before sailing for France, Guissart already had acquired substantial orders from some of the largest producing companies for assignments to be executed immediately on his arrival in Paris. This material to be provided by Guissart is to be incorporated in forthcoming feature productions. European Experience This is believed to be the first time that a complete service of this sort has ever been offered, or that it is to be handled by one experienced in both European and American production affairs, as the A. S. C. member is. Guissart knows European customs and cinematographic channels completely by virture of the long time he spent film Rene Guissart, A. S. C ing important productions in England and on the Continent. In this country he has been an ace cinematographer with various of the largest studios and most prominent directors, among the latter being D. W. Griffith, Allan Dwan and Maurice Tourneur. Knows Continent In Europe, Guissart filmed some of the biggest productions to come across the Atlantic in recent years. He was chief cinematographer for "Chu Chin Chow," which was filmed in Berlin by Graham-Wilcox, whose production headquarters are in London. For the same organization he photographed numerous other features in London, among them being those which starred Mae Marsh. He returned to the United States in 1923, but had spent scarcely a fortnight in Hollywood when a very attractive offer took him back across the Atlantic to Paris and then to lember Establishes dquarters for European Cinematographic Production Monte Carlo where he filmed J. Parker Read's production of ''Recoil," starring Betty Blythe and directed by T. Hayes Hunter. He again returned to Hollywood and had been there only a short time when he went to Italy with Technicolor to work on "Ben Hur." Subsequently, after Fred Niblo became director of the feature, Guissart was retained as chief cinematographer on the production. The A. S. C. member returned to Hollywood with the "Ben Hur" company and found that an experience such as was his in European cinematographic affairs was at a premium, and the plans for his unusual studio in Paris, with channels reaching to all continental and British centers, were consequently formulated. Before his departure to make his permanent headquarters in Paris, Guissart was appointed European representative of the American Cinematographer. A. S. C. HEADQUARTERS ARE LOCATED AT 1219-20-21-22 Guaranty Bldg., Hollywood Calif. GRanite 4274