American cinematographer (Oct 1933)

October 1933 • American Cinematographer 223 D. Knegt, Auhtor of this Article and Prominent in European Cine Club Work. Amateur Movie Making in Europe by D. Knegt Hon. Secretary of the Nederlandsche Smalfilmliga Amsterdam (Netherlands). i N EUROPE, as in the United States, we have some experience in the inter-club-change of film ideas, due especially to national and international contests being held in various countries of the European Continent and Great Britain. We have created a yearly contest covering a number of countries which represents the pinnacle of interest for European amateur cinefilmers. Belgium (Union Beige des Cineastes Amateurs, Brussels) in 1931 started the first international contest (I. Concours International du Meilleur Film d’Amateur) . Holland was in charge of the Second Contest in 1932 and France will conduct the Third International Contest, to be held in Paris in December. The first international contest covered five countries, the second nine countries and th third contest is said to cover about fifteen countries: (France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Hungary, Netherlands, Belgium, Czechoslowaky, Switzerland, Yougoslavia,) whereas United States, South Africa and Japan have also been invited to participate. Cinephotographers from any other country in the world may participate in this interland-contest, writing for de- tails to Cine-Amateur, 94 Rue St. Lazare, Paris (IX). These contests are organized in the form of exclusive entries representing each country in the various classes, the entries being selected by an official organization (league, club or magazine in each country. Consequently each country may only participate with one film for each class of 16 mm, one film for each class of 9.5mm, and one film for each class of 8mm. There are classes for scenario films (play-film), documentary films and so on. As far as the United States are concerned, we nourish high hopes that the international contest of 1933 in Paris will, for the first time in amateur movie history, show the participation of American products. We take it that through the intermediary of the American Cinematographer there will be a way to do so. May our hopes not be dis- appointed! What about amateur movie making in Europe? We have been assigned to write a series of articles on the activities of European cinefilmers. For the beginning we may mention that a number of European countries have splendid national organizations, whereas local clubs and individual workers are found “en masse” in any place. However the number of serious, advanced amateurs is re- stricted and in consequence thereof membership’s lists of the leagues and clubs in European countries in general are not in proportion to the number of hobbyists in each country. Holland perhaps is exceptionally favoured in this respect, because the Nederlandsche Smalfilmliga, Amsterdam (Dutch Substandard Film League) with over 400 members, is numerically the strongest organization in Europe, at least taking into consideration relative populations. Moreover the Dutch amateurs have done splendid work in winning both in 1931 and 1932 first prizes in the documentary classes 16 mm and 9.5 mm in international contests. The first prize-winning documentary film 16 mm in the 1932 contest (‘‘The Street”—3 reels) of Messrs. Carre and Scheffer, Rotterdam, Holland, ought to be seen in the U. S. as a specimen of fine and artistic amateur work of European style. Another European amateur movie organization which is very active, is the Austrian club: Klub der Kino-Amateur Oesterreichs, Vienna. The Vienna amateur, in spite of the rather difficult times, economically speaking, for the Aus- trian Republic, is apparently doing a lot of film work. We intend to bring into this series of articles activities of the Austrian amateur. For the present we can give only a glance at the activities in some of the countries, where amateur movie work is manifesting unusual activity. Great Britain and France are, as may be known, count- ries with highly developed amateur organizations. In both countries the scenario film (play film) is the vogue, in full contrast e. g. with Holland, Germany, Hungary, Austria, etc., where the documentary film is the favorite. (Continued on Page 235)