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6. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ART OF THE CAMERA-MAN IN THE SOVIET CINEMA
No profound analysis of the main creative tendencies of Soviet cinematograph} has yet been made. Even in regard to questions of differentiation of cinenu genres, only now are isolated definitions of a general kind being established, anc these cannot be regarded as so far sufficiently formulated. This greatly hinden. a ^survey of the creative trends of the camera-man's art, for representational treat-, ment cannot be considered in isolation from the theme and content of an artistic, film, and cannot be wrested from the dramatic and directorial treatment. Foi these reasons we have to confine ourselves only to certain general observations which are necessary to our final conclusions.
During the early years of its existence, Soviet cinema, which arose on the ruins of the pre-revolutionary Russian cinema, was deprived of even an elemental*) technical basis. A few poor studios, built for filming by sunlight, a half-destroyec lighting equipment, imperfect accessories and antiquated cameras were what th( Soviet camera-men inherited from Khanzhonkov, Ermoliev, and Darikov.
The position was still worse in regard to the ' artistic legacy ' of the prerevolutionary Russian cinema which burdened the shots of the few camera-menj
A theatrical property-set eclectic of half-dark interiors, the most trivial of ' photographic formalisations ' of portraits of the favourite heroes of the memorablej 11 Golden Series ", 1 absurd compositional laws and recipes — all this heavy baggage of rubbish crashed on to the shoulders of the Soviet cinema, which did its best to acquire a new thematics with the aid of this ' artistic heritage '.
The old school of camera-men, working with a few simplest of compositional principles for photographic fixation of theatrical scenes, proved bankrupt in face, of the creative tasks of the newly born revolutionary cinema. The camera-menj who had taken a course of ' artistic photography ' with Pathe and Gaumont were far from possessing any creative understanding of their role. In the best case they could more or less successfully copy those models of camera-men's art in foreign cinematography which appeared on the Russian screen of the time.
Passive reproductionalism, dead fixation of theatrical scenes, the absence of any creative tendencies characterised the work of the old school of camera-men. There were njo artistic films even in the non-value application of the word.2 Soviet cinema took its first steps in a new sphere of creation, with the news-film.
1 A pre-revolutionary serial film thriller. — Ed.
2 As already noted elsewhere, Soviet film terminology uses ' artistic ' film to mean nonnews-reel or non-documentary, what we should simply call 'story-film'. — Ed.
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