The Cine Technician (1939)

March \|»i'il. IHHK T III, (IN E-T E t II \ 1 ( I \ \ 20-1 Cinema Log by KENNETH GORDON Twenty Years Back Mv friend, ('. Lancing, who was acting in films in 1913, sends me a photograph taken behind the lines of the 13th Corps cinema crew. You will see tluy are featuring a British and Colonial film. Lancing, who is the sergeant behind the projector, is still acting in films looking as voung as ever. Incidentally the managing director of B.C. was our old friend, J. I >. McDowell, M.C., O.B.E. British Money for French Films The Cit\ Editor of the "Daily Herald" declares that while the independent British film industry lias been brought to a standstill because of the long controversy on quotas, over £1,000,000 of British money lias poured into French film finance. It is estimated approximately 75% of the French film industry is now financed \>\ London. lie states that similar finance will be available for approved British film producers when the position is clarified by the Films Bill. "The Cine-Technician" understands that certain finance lias also been found for Italian films and AngloItalian films already have been produced. SUMMARY OF COLOUR CINEMATOGRAPHY (Continued from previous page) either from a reversible positive or 1>\ printing from a negative in complementary colours. Quite apart from the purely technical problems which must lie solved b\ a successful colour process, a whole series of economic considei'at ions must also he kept in mind. To estimate the practical cost of a process, for example, the exposure cost, the cost of the raw stock, the cost of processing, the cost of printing, the life of release prints, and even the projector light cost in the cinema, must be taken into account. It is thus difficult to prophesj which particular process will prove most popular ultimately. Technicolor, lenticular film and multi-layer-film will probabh, all c pete with one another in tin.' end. The technical, economic and artistics problems and the advantages and drawbacks of each particular process can only be found h\ their practical application to film production. Bui if is undeniable that colour films are on the move, and are reaching the point when cinema theatres can no longer dispense from them r--. ^^fc i$th l orps Cinema ( 'reic. Thank You, Lord Horder Lord Holder, speaking at the B.K.S. I tinner, paid high tribute to the work which has been done by British technicians. But I do not think that he realised that but few real workers graced the festive board at the "Trocadero". Most of the film technicians are out of work, and those luck\ enough, to have jobs and cash, are hard at work helping to get the Films Bill put into some kind of fhape, so that it will get the wheels of industry revolving again. Perhaps at some future date, when wages are again flowing, the technicians can hear for themselves the praises and suggestions of Lord Horder. Meanwhile, his help for our cause in the House of Lords would he a ver\ welcome tribute to the cine-technician. Throwing His Weight Into Films Twenty-five stone, six feet tall, with a 65 inch waist line. Mr. Norman Taylor of Newark, believes in himself as a comedian. He has therefore put up the cash, formed his own company, written his own story, engaged producer, scenario writer, and camera crew in spite of the Films Bill, and starts production of "SINK OK SWIM" at the Marylebone Load Studios. We trust he swims. Colour Pioneer .lust had a letter from Charles Urban, "Kinemacolor" pioneer, telling us thai he lias presented his records and library, including his early types of machines, to the Science Museum, South Kensington. He has promised, when he has a little more leisure, to write tor "The Cine-Technician" about the early days of colour. This should make very interesting reading.