British Kinematography (1953)

July, 1953 THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS 11 before another African location picture was attempted. After some experiments a circular plastic reflector was evolved, lightly held at the edges, and with a central control knob to keep it flat or make it concave or convex. The plastic material was covered with silver paper on both sides, one side being matted. By regulating the knob, the warp of the reflector could be controlled and made to spread or spot the reflection. This type of reflector has been highly successful and has proved a great time saver. Another device which is now being used in the studios is the hydraulic ramp, enabling relatively easy control of rocking platforms to be achieved. Location Problems This evening you will be seeing The Titfield Thunderbolt and it may be of interest to you to hear of some of the special technical facilities which were used on the location. British Railways put a single track branch line at the disposal of the film unit, together with rolling stock and two tank engines. In addition, they overhauled and put into steam the 115 years old Liverpool and Manchester engine " The Lion," loaned by the Liverpool Engineering Society. A 300 ampere diesel-electric generator was mounted in one of the trucks for booster light and an additional 1500 ampere generator on a lorry was also available. Radio Telephony under licence from the Postmaster General was used for train control and also for communication with the location unit office.6 This facility was, by the way, of major importance during the location work on The Cruel Sea and West of Zanzibar, especially in the ship to ship and ship to shore communication in the former. The viewing of rushes on location was catered for by the provision of a temporary theatre in an old mill, where a projector was installed having an H.I. arc. This derived its current from a generator driven by an ancient water turbine, surely the first time a motion picture has been illuminated by means of power from a water wheel ! Colour pilots could be accurately assessed with this light — a great improvement upon the light of the usual portable projector. Special Processes Trick processes were used for a large number of shots which it was not possible to obtain inside the vehicles and on the footplates, Technicolor travelling matte being extensively used. The foreground shots filmed in the studios were photographed in front of a blue backing and the blue record of the 3-strip process made an ideal matte through which was superimposed the moving background. Travelling matte,7 both in colour and black-and-white, has reached a stage of perfection in this country when it can be used by film directors with confidence and without placing undue mechanical restrictions upon their choice of camera set-ups. These are just a few of the aids to production which are of especial use to film making in a country where the weather is so unpredictable. Locations used to mean extended schedules and high costs. The ingenuity of technicians has been devoted to finding ways and means of tackling locations painlessly, thus broadening the scope of production and, amongst other things, enabling film directors to develop a style which cannot be imitated by Television. Role of the Society We are fully aware of revolutionary changes in technique which face us during the next two years. In the long run, it will be the public themselves who decide whether they want stereoscopy or flat films, wide screen or large screen, stereophonic or "flat" sound. The British Kinematograph Society, together with the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers can fill an important role in bringing together the competing interests, with the object of achieving early standardization by evolution rather than revolution. Intermediate standards of screen aspect ratio may soften the blow of heavy capital expenditure.