The Cine Technician (1939)

Dec. -Jan., 1937-8 T 11 E N E T E ( ' 11 N 1 ( ' 1 A N ISO Here again, we failed to find all the condii ions we required and so decided that we must try Chitral, a place that indeed looked and sounded promising from the pictures and descriptions given to us by the few people who had visited the outpost. We were indeed privileged to be granted permission to go to Chitral, a place that very few civilians are allowed to visit as it is so far beyond the frontier and necessitates travelling through a territory requiring a military escort. We obtained the services of Captain F. Grey, H.L.I. , to arrange for the trip. The preparations all completed, we left Peshawar in June and drove the 80 miles through interesting and historical country to Dir, the present end of the road. Here we said farewell to our car and two buses, and alter another day of preparation took the trail. Our caravan consisted of forty pack mules and half a dozen riding ponies, a truly impressive sight as we filed past the fort on to the mountain trail. Our first march was nine and a half miles to Gujar Tost, with a climb of over 4,000 ft. It was very warm, and I was greatly relieved upon opening the "yackdans" (a sort of trunk that slinks on each side of the mule), to find the film still surrounded by ice and a goodly supply left for the next day; from then on, we should have no trouble in getting snow from the mountains. The marches were not very long, but rather strenuous, and by the time camp had been [(itched, ice or snow arranged for, a quick splash in the ice-cold stream, our meals finished, we were ready for an early turn in, to be watched over by pickets from the post. The second marcn t >ok us over the famous Lorwari Pass, over 10,000 ft. in elevation and as cold as any studio official's heart. Here we changed escort, as the pass is the boundary between Dir and Chitral States. From this lofty position we could see peak after peak stretching off into the haze. I must say that I was thrilled at the prospect of photographing such an exciting country, so much so that upon reaching Ashret Post, I hurried I \ devoured my meal and climbed the mountain about 3,000 feet above the camp, from where I had another excellent view of mountain scenery, and also the sport of following fresh bear tracks . . . For those with a spirit of adventure, what an allurement . . . this gatcwaj to Chitral with her towering peaks, her rushing waters that seem to beckon you on, on . . . The trail to Kirkhani Post, our next march, followed for the most part the rushing stream that we bad first picked up after crossing the ice field just below the pass; it was rapidly becoming a mighty torrent, fur every canyon we passed brought its contribution from its own melting snow field. We had many occasions to congraulate ourselves for having trusted our camera and lens-ease to the coolies, rather than to the temperamental mules who invariably kept to the very edge of the none too wide trail which was often cut from the lace of the rock with a sheer drop of hundreds of feet to the stream below. At Mirkhani, our stream joined the swift Kabul river, which we followed the next day into Drosh, where we were made welcome by the British officers commanding the brigade of troops stationed there. We made Drosh our base for the next month, shooting scenes with many troops and the glorious mountains for a background. The officers and men entered into the spirit wholeheartedly aud gave every assistance to the mad "Bioscope Wallahs." To Indian troops, there is only one name for motion pictures, that being "Bioscope" . . . and they know we are mad for working all day in the blazing sun. Our next move was to Chitral. the capital of the State, 25 miles beyond Drosh. This we did by ears that had been packed in from Dir and reassembled in Dro h The drive is a hair-raising one, hut as there is, at present, only fifty miles of passable road in this mountainous state, the drivers know every hump, and bounced us along at amazing speed. At our journey's end, we were made welcome by the Assistant Political Agent who presented us to His Highness the Mahter, whose present palace is the old fort that was besieged in L895, and in whose reliei one of my cousins played an important part. It seemed strange to find my name well known in this distant outpost. Although we were surrounded by snow covered peaks, the thermometer rose above the 10(1° mark each day, so the film still required constant attention not only before, but during and after exposure. Again, we were given every assistance by everyone who could help; such a spirit makes working a pleasure even in the boiling sun, and it was with regrets that 1 hade farewell to my new friends and looked on Tirich -Mir, the 2.1. 420 ft. mountain, for what I hope will not be the last time. The return trip to Peshawar was uneventful with the exception of a mule taking a high dive over the "kud" with a load of exposed negative. It made a sheer drop of about 30 feet, then somersaulted over and over for another 50 feet or so. As I watched it fall, my feelings were divided between the poor beast and the negative; both must surely be lost; but a miracle happened: before men could reach the beast, it rather shakily clambered to its feet and upon closer inspection the only damage revealed was a few cuts and bruises for the mule, and two smashed yackdans; the film containers were not even dented. We found the heat of Peshawar more trying than ever, especially after opening the mail and finding several new versions of the script . . . Yes, the troops arc right: the "bioscope wallahs" are surely mad! With our remaining unexposed negative, we went to Landikotal, in the historical Khyber Pass. Here again the support and co-operation extended to us made it possible for us to get some exceedingly fine scenes. Our negative all exposed, it only remained for us to pack, say farewell to our friends, and get our film hack to England as soon as possible. This happened to be by boat, which gave Challis and I time to induce Imus to shave the terrible growth he called a beard. .1 also had time to reflect on the trip and wonder if after three months of such trying conditions, the negative and camera had remained in good condition. It was a great relief and most gratifying to overhear, after projection, that even the brains of the industry acclaimed our work as excellent. Being just a technician, I take off my hat to Geoffrey Boothby, the director, llemy Imus and Christopher Challis, of Technicolour ... a better crew never went anywhere. Sound Pioneer A recent invention by the Eussian, Prof. Poliakoff, has revealed the fact that a patent warrant was issued to him in Germany for the recording of sound on film by an electrical process as long ago as 1899. This probably makes him the first man to have electrically re sound on film.