American cinematographer. (1951)

^eleviGitot Film Production By LEIGH ALLEN ing the rigid setting of the camera, so necessary to making the split-stage shots in the camera, we resorted to the alter¬ native of “dollying” our subject. This was done by placing her on a chair mounted on a camera dolly, and having a grip move the dolly as required. Although the “before” and “after” procedures were filmed split-frame, each procedure was photographed on a sep¬ arate strip of film, then combined in the final printing to insure accuracy in matching up the two areas in the film frame. It would have been possible, of course, to shoot the two sequences on a single strip of film by using a camera provided with a masking slot behind the film. Our main reason for not fol¬ lowing this method was to insure suc¬ cess of the production and avoid the necessity of having to do it over. In other words, were we to shoot the “be¬ fore” sequence, then wind back the film and shoot the “after” action on the other side of the film frame, and that action was flubbed, we would then have to start all over again, beginning with the “before” sequence. The professional producer of commercials with his costly production time, simply cannot gamble with such methods even though they are reasonably productive of success. While we are on the subject of com¬ mercials for hair treatments, it is inter¬ esting to note still another innovation which we employed in the production of a spot announcement for a popular brand shampoo. We call it the “product wipe” and involves the old familiarwipe-off procedure briefly popular in professional films a decade ago. We simply made a thirty-two frame wipe with a bottle of the sponsor’s product, wiping over the frame from left to right. The first scene showed hair dingy and drab. The scene following the wipe re¬ vealed the model’s hair glimmering and smartly dressed after use of the spon¬ sor’s product. Optical effects such as this play a large part in the production of effective TV film commercials. END. role OF motion pictures in Television is reviewed in a recent issue of Highlights, Eastman Kodak publication for stock¬ holders. The article states in part: “At least 30% of all TV programs now on the air are on film. This percentage, moreover, is rising as the advantages and methods of using films become better known. “For 1951, TV will use an estimated 300 to 350 million feet of motion picture film. Most of this will be black-andwhite 16mm film; the rest 35mm . . . Interestingly, a number of producers are currently shooting TV films in color. These are printed in black and white for telecasting now. But, when needed, they’ll be ready for use again on color telecasts.” Desilu Productions has returned to stand¬ ard motion picture practice for photo¬ graphing and editing the weekly / Love Lucy film for television, which is filmed by Karl Freund, A.S.C. Previously, the company employed a cueing system and a multiple camera setup. • Prockter Syndications International is newly organized company which will syndicate film programs for television. Major portion of company’s activities will be devoted to domestic and foreign distri¬ bution of film programs created by inde¬ pendent producers for television stations and local advertisers. Andrew Jaeger, company V-president stated that the future of film packages is being challenged by the problems of local TV stations. Their big needs are film packages of acceptable quality at realistic prices. Most of them can only by film properties, he says, if their sales departments actually have a sponsor ready to pay the freight of the package because of the high price structure. The development of film packages which can be sold at a price which will enable the stations to buy them for sus¬ taining as well as commercial use is essential, Jaeger pointed out. • Stock shot footage — over 2,000,000 feet of it — is now available to producers of TV films. Ben Pivar & Associates, at Hal Roach Studios, recently acquired con¬ trolling interest in the Independent Film Library, and will make stock shot foot¬ age available to telefilm industry. • Official Films, originally reported in a TV film production tieup with Jerry Fairbanks, reportedly has completed ne¬ gotiations with Hal Roach, Jr. which will result in creation of the largest TV film production company in the country. Four shows are planned for immediate production. • The Film Industry has become an integral part of Television, according to Frank Orme. Writing in the September issue of TV, Orme says that more than 100 tele¬ vision film producers are active in Holly¬ wood at this time. “Next year,’ he says, “TV film production will be a $100,000,000 baby.” Millions of dollars have been made available for telefilm production, with investors basing their confidence on the independent station market, he says. “Completely without cooperation from the major film companies a TV film industry has sprung up in Holly¬ wood which is already producing a greater volume of film than in the entire theatrical film industry . . . Eventually every major film company will be in the television business.” e The Association of Documentary and Television Film Cameramen has an¬ nounced new wage scales now in effect, as follows: cameramen, $62.50 per day, $225 per week; soundmen, $35.00 per day, $150 per week; assistant sound¬ men. $28.00 daily, $120 per week. • At least eight factors causing degradation of picture quality in kine-recording for television have been identified by Radio Corporation of America technicians. Factors, which cause loss of detail, dis¬ tortion of the gray scale rendition, and increase of noise or graininess in TV film are listed as faulty scene lighting, poor handling of the studio camera, im¬ proper adjustment and maintenance of levels in the circuitry associated with the recording monitor, optical and me¬ chanical losses introduced into the system by equipment components, and the film size and processing methods. RCA believes little improvement in photographic processes can be expected under present conditions, but that an increase in kinescope brightness or the introduction of a new film emulsion might make changes in processing desirable. • Filmed commercials for the Red Skelton show are now being turned out by Desilu Productions, with Karl Freund, A.S.C. at the camera. The commercials are vir¬ tually complete productions in them¬ selves, running several minutes on the screen, and have the same high direc¬ torial and photographic quality that characterizes the I Love Lucy series of TV films, which Desilu also produces for Phillip Morris cigarettes. TV Film Quality Most film that is good for television use has employed a restricted scene brightness range. This does not mean “flat” studio lighting. All accent lighting used so effectively by Hollywood can and should be retained. But the ratio of that light to fill light must be reduced. Again it becomes a problem of fitting the scene into the final print densities which can be faithfully reproduced. — Journal of S.M.P.T.E. December, 1951 American Cinematocrapher 503