The Cine Technician (1939)

191 T UK < I N E-T E CHNICIAN D -Jan., 19 7 Poet's Corner Producers We Beseech You (or A New Year Wish) A.C.T. will tell you why You must join the F.B.I. Troubles then will be abated For you'll all be Federated. George Elvin the board can sit on For he really is a Briton. Things are bad and you must cry At the British Indust-try. Once our Britain ruled the leaves. Must we Britons now be slaves? There has been a lot of stalling, Hark your "Mutterland" is calling, Tempus Fugit, so 'tis said, \~cry soon you'll all be dead. So come o>i, you really must Hoys be British and (or) be Bust ! Keep It Dark Cassandra, of the "Daily Mirror," is thanked for the following: — I hope that some Americans' understanding of the British mind is a little better than that of Louis B. Mayer, the Hollywood him executive, who recently said: 'Once I had the honour of parading before his late Majesty King George V in a suit of armour, when he visited my home town in Canada — so I think 1 can say I understand Britishers'." Newsreel Swindle Sheet In Bradford she was Mabel. She was Marjorie in Perth. lu Plymouth she was Phoebe, The sweetest thing on earth. hi London she was Doris, The Brightest of the bunch, But down in his expenses She was Petrol, Oil and Lunch. Intelligence Test For All Who's been at m\ I. What is a Film Star'.' And why? Remember the Law of Libel, boys. Who trumped the British Ace cameraman? What is the Shape oi Tilings to Come? Why could no .Man Work Miracles with our tradi Why havi stars stopped marrying cameramen? What is a "non-discerning Patron"? What does a Receiver receive (a) officially (b) unofficially? Who's going to wash his hands of the Film Industry? And how much soap is he going to use? More i Why have Stars stopped marrying Cameramen? Final Notice Seeing as how it's Xmas, 1 must now away to fill some of the little ones' stockings! They will have their little bit of fun. Bung ho! Remember me to the tolks. POG SUB-STANDARD (continued from p. 1S41 ing in a situation which, although it has its awkward points, is by no means unsolvable. The Sub-standard Committee of the Association has prepared a special list of technicians of all departments who are prepared to shoot on the smaller stocks, and draws attention to the facts that, firstly, a large number of normal documentaries are already produced on substandard film, and secondly, that the present policy of the General Council on this question has by no stretch of imagination Keen chanced to meet this new intensified amateur activity, but has never in any shape or form countenanced the "employment" of such labour. The present situation has probably been brought about in the first place largely by producing firms who turned down these smaller subjects on account of the little profit involved. Local firms were therefore forced to find other ways oi getting their work done and the individual technicians were never approached. In future. however, through the instrumentality oi the Sub-standard Committee, many likely firms will be contacted and it will be suggested that next time ;l film is wanted the A.C.T. should supply the crew. With the increased use of the cinema in the Schools and by utility and other companies Eoi demonstration purposes it will he regrettable it this side of the industry does not remain under professional a egi s . For technicians who wish to increase their knowledge of sub-standard technique, no better course is open than to join the Loyal Photographic Society, whose kine section is open to all those interested in cinematography. The response from the trade to the recent 1U\S. Cinematographic Competition was lamentably low and it is to be hoped that in the coming New Year A.C.T. members will enrol in the Society and qualify under its new rulings (see "The Cine-Technician," Vol. II, ] BO \- ate ship and Fellowship. 1938 will also see the transference of the Association from the Central Association of Photographic Societies to the Federation of Cinematograph Societies with regard to its membership of the Photographic Alliance, and so our differences with the amateurs must be quickly regulated in order that our entr\ into the newer bod\ need not he marred by any discordant features. Members are therefore urgently requested to bring to the Council's notice any anomalies that exist in this matter and to assist the Sub-standard Committee with suggestions and by seeing that they themselves do not engage in any activities subversive to the W I 1 interesl s. T. S. LYNDON-HAYNES, A..E.P.S.