The Cine Technician (1939)

62 T HE CIN E-T EC HNIC1 A N June-July, n,;; Increase in Technical Facilities for British Film Production The following information is extracted from an article by Nir. I. I). Wratten in the Afrit issue of "The Photographic Journal." New Studios May, 1938, saw the official opening of the London Film Studios at Denham, Bucks, a completely self-contained I luction centre. There are seven separate stages, two of which arc each '250 feet In' 120 feet by 45 feet high, two each 125 feet by 120 feet by 45 feet high, and three each 120 feet by 80 feet by 35 feet high. The four larger stages are air-conditioned. These buildings are of reinforced concrete construction, and the inside walls are covered with rock-wool for sound absorption. The sound system used is Western Electric, with a five-way dubbing channel. Complete protection from the weather is afforded by corridors which connect the stages with the administrative block and the dressing room block. In the administration block are located two theatres, one of which is large enough to comfortably seat three hundred people. One of the largest private power plants in the country, having an output of 440 lews., was built to take care of the power requirements of these studios. For stage lighting, it is understood that no less than 10,000,000 candle-power is available. The studios are also independent of outside services, in so far as water supply is concerned, water being ilit, lined from the river Colne, which runs through the property, and from a well supplying up to 17,000 gallons per hour. Altogether, about 70,000 gallons of water per hour can be made available by pumping operations. Pinewood Studios at [\cr Heath, Buckinghamshire, wen officially opened on September 30th, 1936. These studio: are designed on the unit principle, each unit consisting o eight stages. It is understood that in the future two unit: will be built, making a total of sixteen stages, but on tht opening date only five stages of the first unit had beer completed, consisting of three large stages having dimensions of 110 feet by 165 feet by 40 feet high, and one stag( divided into two small stages 110 feet by 83 feet by 40 feet high. Constructed on a steel framework, with solid concrete walls eleven inches thick, these stages show thai careful consideration necessary to the various requirement! of production. Internally, the walls and ceilings sound-proofed with slag-wool. All approaches to the stage; are under cover, an obvious necessity when one consider: the inclement weather prevalent in this country, anc covered ways are also provided between the workshop; and the stages. Further, a covered space of about 15, out square feet in area is located in the centre of the unit Lighting equipment consists of large numbers of both tungsten and arc lights, principally supplied by R. R Beard, Ltd., and Mole-Richardson. For sound recording the Western Electric variable density system is used. Additions to Existing Studios During 1936 several English studios engaged in extensive additions to their premises. With the additions completed during the year, Sound City Studios, Shepperton, Middlesex, now has seven sound stages, totalling 80,000 square feet of floor space. Built on the unit system, each stage has its own dressing rooms, Studio Lighting (continued from page 60) being not to have the same negative density on the set as on the artist ; it can either be greater or lower. I know that my artist is rendering a constant negative density to within a very fine degree, so, providing the laboratory is up to the scratch in its sensitometric control, all is well. To those of you who are in the studio business this does work out in practice. On a picture which I have just had trade-shown there was a variation of only three printer points in the whole picture. There is one very pleasant thing about making pictures that I would like to mention. During the shooting of the farmyard the animals created a lot of dust. It rather worried me in case the rays oi the lamps should pick-up. When we saw the "rushes," this dust softened down the distance and gave that delightful hazy appearance that one so often sees. I was very pleased and when asked afterwards how I got the haze, I replied that it was a \ ei \ old ti ick It was luck. Discussion In reply to a question <>n photographi< backings, Mr. Langley said : A print of any given "still" subject is approved by i .iiin-i.iin.iii and director. The art department tells tin photographii backing department what size that punt has to In enlarged to llic backing department takes the negative ami subdivides it into a number of equal parts dependent upon the width ol the sensitive paper and the width ol tin enlargement. Assuming a 10-in. bv S-in. negative to be enlarged to 30-ft. bv 20-ft. A roll of sensitised paper is of unlimited length and, say, 3-ft. wide. The operator would divide his negative into 10 equal vertical strips and enlarge on to the paper, one portion at a time. The paper strips of 20-ft. by 3-ft. are developed in a weak developing solution in order to reduce developing errors and when finished are pasted on to a wooden frame 20-ft. by 30-ft. covered with hessian (a kind of sack material). As the paste dries the shrinkage draws the hessian drum-tiijht. "this photographic background is flooded with an even light and when photographed a little out of focus (focus beinii on the a is most realisti< Asked about Hack projection, the lecturer said : Back projection is the name given to a diapositive when the subject is a kinematograph print. The screen is of some translucent material, either of ground glass, paper or matt celluloid. At the moment matt celluloid is the favourite method. projection screens are made in many sizes, the usual one being about 20-ft. l>v 15-ft. the motor which drives the projector and the one which drives the camera must be interlocked by some electrical means m order that when the shutter ;>! the camera is open the projector shutter is likewise ami vice versa. I use a Vinten camera more often than .m\ other all the cameras are equipped with Cooke lenses. I shoot at f 2 in order to -jet the maximum exposure within practical limits This means that 1 use the minimum of light, and naturally the fewer numbers «c light soun es tin better the personal control. I use a Weston foot candle meter with which I measure the intensity ol my key light 1 point this at the lights from the positions of the actors and not from the i amera to the act, >i 1 prefer a ground glass screen over the lamps to silk or butter muslin, because the -^la^s was constant : it was not affected by hc.it and did not become yellow, as butter nuislm did.