The Cine Technician (1939)

March-April, 1038 T B E 0 I N E-T E C H N I C I A N THE JOY OF BEING AN EDITOR ■>•;■> Getting out this journal is no picnic If we print jokes people say we are sillj ; It we don't, they say we are too serious. [f we clip things from other magazine, We are too lazy to write them ourselves; It we don't, we are stuck on our own stuff. It we stick close to the job all day, We ought to he out hunting up news. It we do get out and try to hustle, We ought to he on the job in the office. It we don't print contributions, We don't appreciate true genius; And it we do print them the journal is tilled with junk. It we make a change in the other fellow's write-up, we are too critical ; If we don't, we are asleep. Now, like as not, someone will say We swiped tins from some other journal. We DID! OUR INVALIDS The General Council is glad to report that Mr. George Elvin, whose, serious illness was reported in our last issue, is now fully recovered and back at the ACT. office, or wherever else business calls him. Be has asked us to say how much he appreciated all the kind wishes, not to count innumerable pounds of grapes, sent him during his two months absence. On the other hand we are sorrj to report that Mr. Reg. Bartlett has. upon doctor's orders, had to resign his post as organiser. Fourteen months ago he started his organisational activities, devoting all his energj and time to the job, and good all-round progress particularly in the laboratory section has been made. His pleasing personality and keen sincerity broke down the opposition of mam non-unionists, who are now among our most loyal members. Reg. will be deeply missed. It is sincerely Imped that a lighter occupation will sunn see him fully restored to good health. A.C.T. will not lightbj forget Ins good work, and the General Council asks members to appreciate the lot ot the chief officials of the Association and realise their sacrifice of health to the Cause. No man can give more, and we do ask members to help personally as much as possible, in order to lilt as much of the burden as possible from the shoulders of those still in harness. FILM-MAKING SINGLE HANDED A lecture on "Film-Making Single-handed" was given at the Reimann Studios, on Februan lllh. h\ Mr. Ale\ Strasser. Alter describing the present state ot the industry, the difficulties besetting those without influence who tried to enter it. and the lack of any system of training or advancement, he showed how . in the past, such individual enthusiasts as were able to engage in pi'oduction mad< the simpler short films cartoon, travel films and other non-fictional subjects. He enlivened his account with examples especially ot the dilatoriness ot film companies —from his own experience of making and trying io sell a cartoon him. The coming of sound had made single-handed production very difficult, hut the documentary groups had carried on the tradition ot single-handed individualisticwork. Mr, Strasser paid high tribute especially to the work ol .John Grierson in founding the E.M.J3. (now (l.l'.O.) Film Unit and in training main newcomers to the industry . Alter the lecture, lour documentaries were shown "0.30 Collection", "lane to the Tschierva Hut" and "Night Mail", all made h\ the G.P.O., and "Housing Problems", made b\ Arthur Elton for the British Commercial Gas Association. AUTO KINE CAMERA NEWMAN-SINCT.AIR IS THE MOST MARVELLOUS CLOCKWORK DRIVE.\ CAMERA IN THE WORTH. It drives 200 feet Standard (35 mm.) Kine Film with one wind of the mechanism It is reloaded in a few seconds. Price: With F/1.9 Ross Xpress Lens, £130. Other Models and Lens available. OCR PORTRAIT GALLERY ARTHUR GRAHAM, A.C.T. Member No. i, recalls the good old days during George King production "Remember When," at Sound City. JAMES A. SINCLAIR & CO. LTD. 3, WHITEHALL, LONDON, S.W.I.