American cinematographer (Aug 1936)

August, 1936 o American Cinematographer 359 How Short Is d '^Short'^ Continued from page 349 The laugh-getting effects we try to achieve with dialogue can, to degree, be obtained by gag titles. Certainly, your titles should be humorous in keep- ing with the story. Come next in order of appeal, scenic and travel pictures. These, too, are open to us of the personal camera frater- nity. Merit rests on the unusualness or strangeness or unfamiliarity of the audience to the pictured scenes. Or, in rare and breath-taking beauty of the vistas. As you know, much depends on the commentator with sound travelogues. Bright and sprightly comments contrib- ute much in needed explanation, descrip- tion and entertainment. The same ap- plies to your titles. An otherwise dull or average travel reel can be elevated to high screen rating by shrewd cutting and clever titling. Then are novelty reels. These in- clude uncommon events and processes. The reels that Pete Smith makes are splendid examples. A ping-pong game, swimming and diving, curiaus industries, odd occupations, factory processes—yes, the amateur cinematographer—can be filmed to exceeding screen interest. Again, clever comment, in titles, adds much to audience enjoyment. This field is as open to the amateur as to the pro- fessional cameraman. These are the leading short-subject subjects. We amateurs can parallel these paths secure in the knowledge that our films will not be boring to our friends. I would like to emphasize the need for constantly changing camera angles and the strict avoidance of static shots. On several occasions we have considered stories which, because of peculiarities of construction, would necessitate shooting the entire reel in two or three set-ups. Due to their sheer inherent story value, we have gambled and shot a couple of these stories. They were deadly on the screen—slow, draggy, uninteresting, des- pite the fact that there was plenty of pictured action. The interesting slant is when we finally adapted the stories to prevailing treatment, with its many short and fast cuts, the reel in spite of its speed gave the impression of being twice as long. Audiences lost themselves in the story, drank heartily of the proffered enter- tainment, saw a fast parade of varying scenes. They got a greater measure of enjoyment. Hence their impression of greater length. ^ica THE ORIGINAL MINIATURE CANDID CAMERA .Model G with f:2Summar Speed Lens Prices Start at $111.00—U. S. Pat. No. 1,960,044 E. LEITZ, INC. • DEPT. 181 • 60 EAST 10th STREET, NEW YORK CITY Branch Offices in CHICAGO . WASHINGTON . LOS ANGELES . SAN FRANCISCO I hese action shots of "Shorty” and "Ditto" fa- mous screen monkeys, owned by Mr. Haeseler of Hollywood were shot with a Leica. Only the "click-spin-click" of a lightning Leica can get action while it's happening, yet produce sharply focussed snaps that arrest the fastest motion. LEICA PHOTOS BY HELEN MORGAN ACCURACY • Built-in autofocal range SPEED • One full second to J/WOO of a finder automatically focuses every shot in- second — the greatest range of shutter stantly and accurately. ^p^eds of any miniature camera. BOOKS FOR CANDID CAMERA FANS The 500 page Leica Manual" covers lights, timing, posing, developing, printing and enlarging, $4.00. "How to use your Candid Camera" less technical but very instructive and profusely illustrated, $3.50. Both at your photographic dealer. Write for FREE copy of our magazine Leica Photography. Cinematographic Annual, Vol. 1 - Now $2.50 # Considereci one of the greatest works on Cinema- tography ever published. * This greaf book has contribu- tions from not only the most noted Directors of Cinematog- raphy, but from men high in the laboratory and manufacturing end of the Cinema Industry. AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER 6331 Hallywoad Blvd. Hollywood, Calif. •