American cinematographer (Apr 1937)

162 American Cinematographer • April, 1937 SERGEANT TEOREY IS OUTSTANDING DISCIPLE OF 8mm MOVIE MAKING By William Stull, A.S.C. O FFICIALLY he is First Sergeant Robert W. Teorey, Senior Enlisted Man, Marine Corps Detail, U. S. Cruiser “Chester.” Unofficially he is Bob Teorey, 8mm. sharpshooter and member (when in port) of the Los Angeles 8mm. Club. By reckoning, he is an outstanding exponent of amateur movie making as it should be prac- ticed. Teorey’s movies do credit to the traditional efficiency of the Marines. Technicalities he keeps “well in hand.” He would probably be the first to resent any implication that exposure, filtering and lighting give him no trouble—but on the screen his pictures flow with an effortless smooth- ness that conceals all hints of technical problems. More- over, every scene seems to have been made with a pur- pose. And by painstaking attention to the details of editing, continuity, and title-craft, he makes even his “home- movies” well worth seeing. In all of this, Mrs. Teorey plays a quiet but definite part. Far from being a “camera widow,” she is as enthusiastic about the cine-filming hobby as is her husband. While the Sergeant concentrates on photography, cutting and title making, she devotes her attention to the equally im- portant problems of continuity and title writing. Each perfectly supplements the other’s inclinations. Like many another cinefilmer, Teorey’s interest in the hobby goes back many years, but his active Aiming dates from the relatively recent introduction of 8mm. After what he admits seemed like an eternity of window shopping, gazing yearningly at deluxe 16mm. cineboxes, he was one of the first to march in and buy when the Cine- Kodak 8 appeared. Today he uses a newer, f:1.9 version of this same camera, which he makes perform in a way to excite the envy of more than a few adherents of the larger film. Stresses Continuity Teorey would probably make a suc- cessful newsreel cameraman, for he has an instinctive appreciation for good film subjects. Ranging land and sea with his cinebox, he “covers” his story completely, never overlooking intimate action in his natural desire to film pictorial scenic shots, and on the alert for bits of human interest wherever he is. When he gets home he has a detailed record of his cruise. At this point Mrs, Teorey enters the nicture. While her husband “rough cuts” the nicture, getting the scenes assembled in their correct order, her active mind searches for a theme to knit the scenes into a co- herent picture. Then they collaborate on any needed “added scenes” for this continuity and in writing and photo- graphing the titles. The Teoreys’ first major production was a film record of the Chester’s cruise to the Orient carrying the late Secretary of War Bern. The frame- work upon which this is hung is fur- nished by the Sergeant’s letters to his wife. So complete was Teorey’s coverage of his story that only a few added scenes showing Mrs. Teorey re- ceiving and reading the letter were needed. The idea also permitted the use of typewritten title cards. An insert of the letter and a sheaf of snapshots reads, “* * * and until I get home the inclosed snapshots will gives you some idea of the cruise.” As she looks at the first snapshot the picture opens showing the Secretary of War boarding the Chester. Balances Scenery and Action From then on the scenes carry one at a rapid pace from San Francisco to Hawaii and then across the Pacific to Japan. In his cutting Teorey has achieved an excellent balance between shots of the official ceremonies relating to the ship’s distinguished passenger, glimpses of everyday life aboard and scenery at the points visited. There are colorful shots of the formal calls of high Nip- ponese officials in Yokohama; intimate close-ups of Secre- tary Bern and the Chester’s officers; and scenic shots ashore and afloat which would gladden the heart of any photographer. There are telling shots of Chinese life in Shanghai and Hongkong. One of these speaks eloquently of the poverty of China’s millions. A family living on a small sampan hovers around the cruiser, hungrily collecting the garbage thrown overboard. The father makes a downward sweep with a long-handled net; a second later a telephoto shot shows his little girl eating the morsel he salvaged. First Sergeant Teorey Teorey admits two things were against him in this picture—the weather, nrevailingly bad, and a short- age of film. “In Honolulu, Tokio, and Manila,” he says, “I had no trouble getting 8mm. film; but in some of the other ports it wasn’t so easy. When I caught myself running low on film I’d try to postpone every possible scene until I had plenty of film. “*Once. arriving in Manila, we were greeted by a delegation of Filipinos in most unusual outrigger canoes. T got a few shots of them, but deter- mined to shoot more when I had been ashore and replenished my film supply. But the nfxt dav, when I Iiad the film, tl-iey were gone. They were hill peo- ple, down especially to greet the Sec- retary!” Filmed President’s Cruise Teorey’s next imnortant film was the story of the Chester’s cruise to South America, convoying the Presi- dent. This film was bound together bv presentation as a “movie party.” The opening scene shows Teorey com- ing home after the cruise. Next, his