American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1952)

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before ihe boat docked at the island. On another occasion, when shooting in a remote Pacific Northwest location, a 104-foot camera tower toppled over, smashing the camera. Miller took the shattered machine apart and worked from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. getting it back into working condition. Still active as ever in the industry, Virgil E. Miller, A.S.C., can look back over 40 years of Hollywood picture¬ making and point with pride to the many outstanding feature productions which he has photographed — but of none can he be more justifiably proud than “Navajo.” STEREOFILM MAKING WITH VERIVISION CAMERA (Continued from jtage 204 The 16mm test film mentioned above was exhibited in 1949 in The Hague, Holland, and in 1951 in London and Coventry, England, before assemblies of experts. It is the opinion here that the photography of practical stereo feature films, as well as industrial and docu¬ mentary stereo films will have to be done along the lines suggested above to assure an acceptable film product. To be universally acceptable, a stereofilm camera should offer stereobases from as small as l/^-inch up to about 8 inches (or more), and stereoangles from 0.3° to 3° or more. In 1951, I saw reason for applying for patents in various countries for a universal stereofilm camera using single 35mm film, and which takes simul¬ taneously two full images on the single filmstrip. Thus, “movement parallax” between the L and R images is avoided. Stereobases and stereoangles between the above named limits are made pos¬ sible with this camera. It should be noted also that the same filming system is applicable to photographing 16mm stereofilms. The VeriVision camera — VeriVision is a registered trademark — consists of a modified standard 35mm motion picture camera. The modification is applicable to most standard motion picture cameras such as Mitchell, Bell & Howell, Wall, Debrie, Newman-Sinclair, Askania, Arriflex and Cameraflex. The modified camera is mounted on a special stereobase, having two frontaluminuized plane mirrors, as may be seen in the accompanying photo. At the back is a six-sided ruler calibrated to predetermined stereotaking formulas, each of its sides corresponding with one focal length of the set of lenses used. Thus the cameraman need only see that this rule is properly positioned with relation to the pair of lenses in taking position on the camera, and to place the sleigh (movable base), bearing the larger of the two mirrors, opposite the number giving the distance from camera to object in feet. Turning (rotating) the six-sided ruler on its longitudinal axis automatically adjusts the stereoangle. When a tracking shot is to be made, the sleigh is moved along the ruler iti ihe appropriate man¬ ner. That is all. No calculations (other than that necessary to determine the distance of camera to object) are neces¬ sary. Thus anything — that is, any sub¬ ject or action — can be shot instantly. The small, negligible vertical parallax caused by the use of two lenses one above the other may, for very special purposes, be corrected automatically. The steps necessary to modifying a standard 35mm motion picture camera for the VeriVision stereofilming method are as follows: a) The film transport mechanism must be redesigned so that two standard frames of film instead of one are pulled through the movement at one stroke — the stroke being 38.00mm. b) The film gate aperture has to be doubled in size in order to permit ex¬ posures of two standard frames of film at one time, with the usual dividingline of 2.97mm provided in between the frames. c) The camera viewfinder must be turned 90° and remounted in this posi¬ tion, as the camera is used 90° to normal when photographing stereofilms. (See illustration.) d) The single lens mounting must be replaced with a new twin lens mounting, providing for two lenses one above the other, as may be seen in the illustration. Stereo systems which provide for photographing two images at the same time through one lens have proved un¬ satisfactory. Use of the single lens results in serious image deformations of a trapezoid character, as well as loss of light. Fortunately, the best results in stereofilming follow the use of wideangle lenses. Thus, for instance, two 28mm f/2 lenses can be used. Lenses up to 75mm in length can also be used for 35mm film. The two lenses must be mounted in the camera with perfectly parallel optical axes, the interaxial distance being 19.00mm. A blackened separation over the total length of the lenses and extended to the division between the two-frame aperture in the gate (with a slit for the shutter, of course), is necessary in order to keep each image free of inter¬ ference from the other. The standard lens diaphragms can no longer be used. These must be replaced by insertion-type calibrated diaphragms. Of course, with this method of mount¬ ing, there is a small measure of vertical parallax; however, this amounts to only 1°5' at 1 meter distance, and diminishes rapidly to only 33' at two meters dis¬ tance. This parallax is substantially cor¬ rected during projection of the film, when the two images are superimposed on the screen. It is also possible to intro¬ duce a method of automatic correction in the stereobase adjustment. It should be noted that the camera itself also is placed on a sleigh to permit adjusting its position in relation to the small plane mirror, according to the length of the lenses used. Present plans of VeriVision Holdings call for licensing camera manufacturers to modify their own cameras for stereo¬ filming by the VeriVision method. Such an arrangement already has been made with one English manufacturer. In order to project VeriVision stereo¬ films, certain modifications of standard projectors are necessary. These include the use of sprockets of double diameter (or a change in gearing) to produce twice normal film transport; replace¬ ment of the standard gate with a double gate, so that one L and one R image are projected simultaneously; and the installation of a double prism at a suit¬ able distance before the projection lens. The standard projector lens and lamphouse are not changed. GLAMOUR FOR CLOSEUPS ( Continued from Page 205) connected through the dimmer bank so that its intensity may be varied at will. Actually, says Planer, the Houdini re¬ flects rather than directs light. Its pur¬ pose is to put a tiny dot of light known as a catchlight in the pupils of the eyes of players in closeups. It’s an important compositional touch that adds much to the naturalness of a player’s expres¬ sion — a touch that was used by great painters and portraitists long before there were motion picture cameras. Planer has simply applied to cinema¬ tography a favorite trick of the old masters, using a unique light source of his own invention. “I could achieve the same effect with a lighted match,” Planer said, “but no need to risk burning my fingers every time I shoot a closeup when there’s electricity at hand.” The lighting effected by the Houdini is not to be confused with that of the well-known eye-light, used by every studio cinematographer and also by Planer. It is not a “fill light” and its 220 American Cinematographer May, 1952