American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1946)

Solar Aircraft Acquires Fonda Machinery Co. Patent and manufacturing rights on film processing equipment and develop¬ ing machines previously turned out by Fonda Machinery Co., has been acquired by Solar Aircraft Company. The latter, which produced highly-precisioned parts and accessories for airplanes during the war, has factory space, skilled machin¬ ists and toolmakers, and necessary ma¬ chinery to greatly increase the output of Fonda film developing equipment. Fonda Film Processing Equipment Di¬ vision of Solar Aircraft Company has been set up, with sales and display head¬ quarters at the former Fonda plant, 8460 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. John F. Van Leuvren, original de¬ signer of Fonda developing machines, remains with the new company; while John Tuve continues as production man Widely recognized as “the most suc¬ cessful news reel camera”, the Wall 35mm. sound camera, manufactured by St. George Recording Equipment Corp. of New York, won new laurels during the war when eighty of these sound cameras were constantly in use by the Army and Navy without a single un¬ satisfactory report. Compact, light in weight and sturdy, these cameras proved easy to handle under the most difficult conditions of desert and jungle fighting and “stood up” under long, strenuous service. The Wall sound camera has been used for Fox Movietone films since 1928. The entire Wall outfit weighs only 37 pounds and is simple to operate. One man can easily operate both sound re¬ cording and photography. The sound sys¬ tem is battery operated. The Wall camera can be used for regu¬ lar studio photography, without sound, when desired. It is free from “blimping”. Bausch & Lomb Baltar lenses are used. These have proved superior to any for¬ eign lenses. St. George Recording Equipment Corp. announces that it has a limited number of these Wall 35mm. sound cameras available for immediate shipment. Each outfit comprises the following: Wall camera-single system sound — complete with Bausch & Lomb Baltar 50mm. f. 2.3 coated lenses, Bausch & Lomb Baltar 75mm. f. 2.3 coated lens, Bausch & Lomb Baltar 100mm. f. 2.3 coated lens, Bausch & Lomb Baltar 152mm. f. 2.7 coated lens, modulite gal¬ vanometer, camera case — carrying, cam¬ era accessory carrying case — consisting of 1 matte box, Bausch & Lomb Baltar 35mm. f. 2.3 coated lens, magazine belt tightener, six collapsible film spools, four bakelite film centers, 1000-ft. and one 400-ft. magazine leading hooks, filter holder container with nine double and ager of Fonda equipment for Solar. Clayton Wall, formerly with the Army Air Forces at Wright Field, is designing engineer. William Prager, associated with the AAF photographic division during the war, becomes sales manager of the Fon¬ da division of Solar. Prager is widely known in the film industry. Acquisition by Solar eliminates the production bottleneck of Fonda, which was forced to limit output because of restricted manufacturing facilities. New deal provides factors for volume produc¬ tion of the Fonda developing machines to meet the widespread demand from all parts of the world. Fonda equipment allows for processing of both 35 and 16mm. film. three single filter holders. Oil can, pair pliers, screwdriver, bottle of camera lu¬ bricating oil — good for 80 below zero; tripod (pan) handle, crank handle, three camera belts — small, medium, large, am¬ plifier, amplifier carrying case, amplifier accessory carrying cases, consisting of two camera power cables, two 50-ft. microphone extension cable, two galvan¬ ometer cables, two amplifier power cables, two sets of earphones, four exciter lamps, two microphones with cable, goose¬ neck and baffle, two microphone tripods, camera portable power pack shoulder carrying strap with six nonspillable stor¬ age batteries and 3-4 volt, 2-6 volt, 1-12 volt outlets, vibrator pack with six non¬ spillable storage batteries, magazine car¬ rying case with two 1000-ft. magazines, baby tripod with carrying case and hyhat, tripod with freehead and boot and saddle, triangle and magazine carrying case with four 400-ft. magazines. Telefilm Constructing Film Storage Vaults Telefilm Studios of Hollywood has under construction a large air-condi¬ tioned, steel-reinforced concrete vault for film storage. In addition to provid¬ ing space for the increasing number of 16mm. negatives of Telefilm product, the vaults will be made available for stor¬ age of films for other commercial and industrial producers in the industry. “It's All Yours/' by Steiner William Steiner, A. S. C., recently completed photography on a ten-minute short, “It’s All Yours,” at the Willard Studios in New York. Reel, narrated by Ralph Bellamy, is designed to promote extra-curricular reading by high school students. Best 1945 Cinematography (Continued from Page 79) Academy Award jointly with Ray Rennahan, A.S.C. previously for “Gone With the Wind.” George Barnes, who has nominations in both classes with Selznick’s “Spellbound” in the black-and-white, and RKO’s “The Spanish Main” in color, also previously won an Academy Award for photographic direction on “Rebecca.” Tony Gaudio, in the color nominations this year with Columbia’s “Song to Remember,” was a previous Academy Award winner in cine¬ matography for his splendid photo¬ graphic work on Warners’ “Anthony Adverse.” Final Selections Selection of the photographic achieve¬ ment to be designated for the Academy Award in Cinematography is made through vote of the Directors of Cinema¬ tography for one of the five nominated productions in both the black-and-white and color divisions. The production re¬ ceiving the highest number of votes is adjudged the winner, with the Director of Photography individually responsible for the photography receiving the Academy Oscar; which is considered the highest recognition of motion picture photographic achievement for the year. Recognition for Special Effects Although the spotlight is on the direc¬ tors of photography for their motion pic¬ ture cinematography in the Academy Awards, the recognition of Special Effects for an Oscar cannot be dis¬ counted. The wizardry of the process and special effects photographers, who pro¬ vide realistic illusions for the finished pictures which could be attained through no other means. Because of the complexities of analyz¬ ing the final results of special effects photography, the Academy President ap¬ points a committee of 15 technicians who are familiar with the intricacies of spe¬ cial effects photography in releases of the year. Final consideration narrows down to five productions, with committee making selection of the recipient of the Oscar winner from this quintette. Basic requirements for judging of Special Effect achievements are: Dramatic necessity of the effects, pic¬ torial or sound, or both to the picture. Economic necessity to the picture; it should be physically or economically im¬ possible to produce the picture without the effects. Illusion of actual reality should be ac¬ complished with such skill that the mech¬ anism by which the effect is achieved is not apparent in the final result. Echols Resigns From Ansco G. Harrison Echols has resigned as general manager of the Ansco division of General Aniline and Film Corp., posi¬ tion he has held for the past three years. Wall Sound Cameras Again Available 90 March, 1946 • American Cinematographer