The Cine Technician (1935-1937)

Xui^-.-Oit., 1936 The Journal of the Association of Cine -Technicians 67 Waterloo in Wardoiir Street, by Eric Siepmann. Chatto cS; Windus. 7/6 net. Firmly grasping the nettles of truth, Eric Siepmann has a dig" at the film business. The book should be a great entertainment to the reader who happens to be involved in the complicated art of film production. The story borders on phantasy, as all good stories should : it relates to the budding " Napoleons " who are ambitious to screen to the long suffering public the outpourings of their vivid but alab ill-matiued imagination. The spineless induidual who inad\-ertently wanders into the office of an embryo film corporation finds himself landed with the job we ha\e been dreaming about at some time or other. Knowing absolutely nothing about film production he eventually becomes the biggest noise in the show. Thus the story runs true to life ! The Httle dago (whom our hero supplants), although quite mad, is nevertheless human and his type can be easily recognised. One suspects the author has had first-hand experience of his subject. Maybe the film business was too crazy for him to find the particular ladder that leads to the elevated neons boosting the stars ! James S. Hodgson. Adrian Brunei's New Book Film Production. Newnes. 7/6 net. It is a pleasure this quarter to find another book written by a professional rather an aesthetician. This book is severely practical. I almost said too severely ; but it is intended for the amateur cinematographer, and the plainest of practical hints will help him in the long run better than the philosophical analyses of an Arnheim or a Spottiswoode. He is likely to acquire theories of his own as he makes his films, and the theories will be better for being so acquired. On the other hand, he may find he is more interested in the film itself than in words about it, more inclined to theorise with camera and scissors than with a pen. Perhaps that will be a good thing too. The book covers, in simple exposition, the main departments of film production — camera, cutting, script, etc. It also has short appendices contributed by professional technicians on each of the special jobs performed on a film. And a glossary of suggested character-names, some of which struck me as a little ingenuous. It is light but very clearly written and should be valued by the amateur. The professional will read it with interest, but I hope that one day Mr. Brunei will give us a weightier book, directed more to the professional technician. Sidney Cole. The articles on scenario writing seem generally informative as one might expect from the writers. Since this book is devoted largely to the interests of amateur cinematographers one does not expect nor does one find any very detailed advice to the would-be scenarist. However, the writers pass to their readers an amount of technical assistance that should be of use to them. Rather more emphasis might have been given to the various stages through which a story passes before appearing in its final form as a shooting script. There must be few connected even remotely with cinematography who are not aware of the trials, tribulations, contortions and perversions through which a stoty passes before it is finally moulded into shape. But such problems may be left to those who are paid to wrestle with them and need form no substantial part of the pleasures of the amateur cinematographer. It should be an inducement to such amateurs to continue with their labours to realise the immense shortage of qualified scenarists and the very substantial rewards attached to such work. At the moment it is probably one of the very few undercrowded professions. Walter Meade. Western Electric H. C. Humphrey Succeeds S. S. A. Watkins The appointment of Mr. H. C. Humphrey as Technical Director to succeed Mr. S. S. A. Watkins, who is returning to America, has been announced by Western Electric. Mr. Watkins has always maintained close contact with A.C.T., has contributed to the Journal and has helped the Association in many other ways. Our sound members particularly will regret Mr. \\'atkins' departure, but they will be pleased to know that he hopes to keep in occasional touch with us from America. Mr. Humphrey joined the Bell System in 1924 in the Technical Research Department, and designed, installed and supervised the operation of the first commercial Western Electric Recording Studio at Warner ISros. He also designed and installed the first sound-on-film recording system in the Fox-Case Studio, New York. He was also responsible for designing and installing the sound equipment at Paramount, M.G.M., and other Western Electric producerlicensees. Prior to coming to this country he was Assistant Director of Engineering for Electrical Research Products, Inc. We feel sure that the relationship between Western Electric and A.C.T. will continue to be as cordial under Mr. Humphrey as it was through Mr. Watkins. . The Journal of the Association of Cine-Technicians PUBLISHED QUARTERLY (1st February. May. August, November). Editoral Committee : Sidney Cole, George H. Elvin, Kenneth Gordon. Subscription Rate. 9d per copy ; lid post free. 3/6 per annum, post free. Special A.C.T. IVIembers' Rates. (including A.C.T. Technical Abstracts monthly). 6d per copy ; 8d post free. 2/6 per annum, post free. Order through any A.C.T. Studio, Laboratory or Newsreel representative, any branch of W. H. Smith & Son, Ltd., or direct from The Association of Cine-Technicians, 30 Piccadilly Mansions, 17 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W.l.