American cinematographer (July 1937)

276 American Cinematographer • July, 1937 INDIA'S PICTURE MEN FACED BY HANDICAPS W HEN Bill Deniing emerged from U. S. C. he joined up with Thomas H. Ince as radio engineer. In that capacity he installed radio equipment in the producer’s yacht and then in the Ince home, so ship could contact shore. From there he went to the Fox lot, and in due course of time sound followed radio. Then Bill went into business for himself, and successfully. He was asked to come to India and make the first sound picture in that country— and did so. That was in 1930. He made others there, for a year and a half. Then he returned home. After another session in production work at the Fox studio he returned to India in 1935 and made a series of six pictures. Recently he sigmed with Gen- eral Pictures Corporation as executive producer to make a series of eight pictures and is actively at work on that program. For seven years one of the hobbies of Bill Doming has been to climb in the air. Now he has a partner, a four-year-old son. When his partner-passenger is aboard the direction to the man whose lap he adorns is simple: “Let’s go find a train!” -•^d so from high in air the very young man delights in watch- ing the trains far below creep over the rails. By WILFORD DEMING, Jr. G radually the United states through the influence of its mo- tion picture productions is breaking down the barriers in India that shut from the screen the great mass of women who in this country would be eligible to appear before the camera. In America as well as in Europe the women of the screen and stage, too, of course are welcome anywhere. And so, too, may the women from anywhere enter upon work for stage or screen. But seclusion of women is even today a predominant feature of Indian life, which is a regrettable situation from the viewpoint of the Indian film industry, beyond question. From the outlook of the industry, which naturally is debarred from tlie benefit of the services of many women of unusual intelligence and capacity and many other qualities that some- times distinguish the outstanding women players, this feminine situa- tion is a millstone around the neck. It is my conviction that in due course of time the ban will be lifted and all the women of India left free to take a part in the making of pic- tures. That American screen is too potent an influence, too powerful an example, especially when its forces are joined with those of Europe. Who shall say that sooner or later some woman of undeniable position will step out in front and make the issue ? And speaking of handicap there is scant understanding of the number of these that exist—in major dimensions, too. India a Continent There is the matter of sound, or the dialogue that has been a major factor ever since sound was injected into the situation. India is a country Wilford (Bill) Deining, Jr. Executive Pro- ducer General Pictures. of countries, its people enmeshed be- neath some two hundred languages and dialects. The world or Asiatic map we see, on which India is represented by a splotch of color corresponding to other British possesions, is seriously misleading. India is more truly a continent, with its five major lingual divisions and the political partitioning involving nearly two hundred inde- pendent states. Today motion pictures in India are being made in three lingual divisions. For the widest distribution, and es- pecially aimed at the Mohammedan masses in the Northwest, Urdu or Hindustani is used. However, while this language is understood approxi- mately by two-thirds of India’s three hundred and fifty millions, it is use- less in Southern India, where the predominant tongue is Tamil, or in the Northeast, where Bengali is spoken. Nowhere else in the world do age- old superstition and mysticism walk hand in hand with modern science as as is the case today in the Indian film industry. Even the most enlightened producer would refuse to start a production on an astrologically “unfavorable” day, or without elaborate ceremonies be- spangled with potent charms. There will be burning incense, the sprink- ling of cast and cameras with red powder, and the breaking of cocoa- nuts. Seclusion of Women Even though productions may be scheduled far in the future, an as- trologer’s announcement of a particu- larly favorable day will fine! every studio in a scramble to undertake the ceremonies and grind a few feet of film on this magic day, thus sending the picture off to a flying start under the mystic guidance of the stars. 'Of interest may be the fact that this faith in the planets is not confined to any one or several of the communi- ties; rather it is shared by all. The seclusion of women is a par- ticularly serious problem to the In- dian film producer, for his only Continued on Page 305