American cinematographer (Nov1933)

276 American Cinematographer • November 1933 D OCUMENTARY films have become so popular in the past few years that special theatres now run a complete program of news, interest and travel films. Many of the world’s largest cities support as many as five or six of these houses. Thus the producers have been forced to scour the world for material with which to keep up the weekly change of program. The aim of every far-sighted producer is to build up reels that will please the ever criti- cal audience and bring prestige to his product. The Magic Carpet of Movietone is a series of travelogues in natural sound, covering all corners of the globe, pro- duced by the Fox Film Corporation. Through the medium of the Magic Carpet, the alluring tales of the Arabian Nights come true and all can take a flight around the world in time rivalling that record breaking flight of Wiley Post. To get better material than the old stereotyped scenics, special Magic Carpet crews have been sent out from New York to cover the high spots of concentrated civilization as well as the isolated regions of the globe. The amateur is also breaking away from the old idea of bringing back scenes of himself posed on the Rock of Gib- raltar, or balancing uncertainly on a camel with the Pyra- mids as a back drop. He, too, strives to make an action picture record of the places visited so that he may enter- tain his friends with a vivid reproduction of all that he has seen. The satisfaction of producing a film in keeping with the possibilities of the cinema art is encouraging amateur and professonal alike to more strenuous efforts along this line. While the finished product of both professional and ama- teur varies with circumstances, there are many general rules that can be profitably followed. The first requirement of a high class documentary travel film is local atmosphere in every scene. This is done by including some landmark or object of local color in either the background, the foreground or as an integral part of the composition of the scenes. Should your location be the Rocky Mountains, then moun- tains, waterfalls, lakes and forests make up the back drop. In Florida, palm fringed shores, tropica! vegetation and beau- tiful cloud effects should be the foundation of all scenes. In the land of the Moslem, domed mosques and graceful minarets give the necessary local atmosphere. Vesuvius is unmistakably Naples. Big Ben and the Tower Bridge turn your thoughts to London, while all the world recognizes New York by its collection of giant skyscrapers. While these prominent landscapes are best adapted to the introductory and closing scenes, they should also be used throughout the body of the reel wherever it is pos- sible to do so without monotony. Putting local atmosphere in the foreground is accom- plished in many ways. In the tropics, shoot some scenes through tropical foliage and others under a palm frond. A general view of the vast stretches of the average flat desert is no picture at all by itself, but add an Arab on a camel in the foreground and the scene immediately takes on depth and life. A general view of a sugar cane field is improved by placing an ox drawn cart in the foreground. If noth- ing else is available, use some stray blades of grass in one corner of a prairie scene. The details of dress of the people who are your im- promptu actors can be featured to establish the location. Wooden shoes immediately place the scene in Holland; ten gallon hats take you to our West; grass skirts to the Poly- Making nesian Islands; kimonas to Japan and fur clothing to the frozen North. With this idea of atmospheric foreground in mind, many otherwise dull general views can be made artistic, interest- ing and unmistakably identified. Make your film live and breathe the atmosphere of your subject by the use of close-ups. Here’s the safest rule to follow. Immediately after your general view, move in and take a close-up of some integral part of it. If a windmill turning in the breeze is an important part of your general view, then the logical close-up would be the revolving sails filling the screen. A general view of a native woman weaving homespun should be followed by close-ups of the hands and the feet operating the loom. Generally speak- ing, any scene you make can be followed by a close-up. Close-ups give the opportunity to show details of the faces of your actors. Each scene should appear as natural as possible, so it is obvious that a face concentrated on some definite task is vastly more interesting than a scene of someone staring into the lens. Also, in making close-ups of people, watch out that they don’t take off their hats, reverse some object with which they are working, or light a cigarette in between your general views and close-ups. It is important to match the action of the general view with the close-up. If you show a native cart moving across the foreground from left to right, then your close-up of the characteristic wooden wheels must also move from left to right. It is well to remember that after making such a general view, you can always chase after the wagon for the close-ups, even though in a different location. Or you can make close-ups of the wheels of a similar cart. Close- ups of outstanding action keep your film moving. The problem of locating and filming the outstanding fea- tures offered in the place you are covering is more difficult. Any collection of motion picture scenes is more interesting