The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

September, 1953 THE CINE-TECHNICIAN 113 continuous, uninterrupted record. Only one camera operated at a time; the other stood by, fully loaded, and took over as film supply in the other camera neared the end. Readers naturally will ask why we used standard cameras here when the production was to be in three-dimension. Because it would have been more difficult to secure the footage with a 3-D camera operating at ultraspeed and because we were using telephoto lenses at this distance, we elected to make a single negative from which dual 3-D prints were made optically. This is the same method often employed in making animation films in 3-D. The effects of convergence and interocular are nil, first because of the distance and second, because the ultra-speed footage intercut with that made by the 3-D cameras is of very short duration — just short flashes on the screen. Therefore defects in convergence are hardly noticeable. The remaining camera — the Wall single-system — also was mounted on the balcony, near the ultrasped Mitchells. Its purpose — to record an editing track — has already been explained. The master sound track was recorded separately, magnetically, from the NBC broadcast of the fight. We had sufficient magazines loaded and in readiness to enable us to shoot a 15-round bout with all the cameras, if necessary. We brought along 60 magazines for the Eclairs along. In all, we had 9 cameras operating on the scene. This required a crew of 30 men, most of whom had been recruited in Chicago and New York. To direct the operations of all these men scattered about the stadium, we provided a two-way intercom phone system. Thus I was in constant communication with each camera operator during the fight. Originally, of course, we planned to direct the photography of the bout much the same as is being done today in filming TV shows, where more than one camera is used. However, and very fortunate, too, the way it turned out, every camera was rolling when the dramatic knockout took place. We thus were able to show the crucial action — considered controversial also until the films were examined by officials — from several different angles, in threedimension and in slow motion. A further interesting photographic note, perhaps, is the fact we brought in no studio lighting units. For illumination we utilised the lighting already provided in the stadium. Here a great number of incandescent units had been mounted over the ring, throwing intense light directly from above. The reflected light bouncing from the canvas happily supplied what might otherwise have been produced by fill lights. We were able to work at an aperture of approximately f/4.5 on all cameras — including the high-speed cameras, which were loaded with new, fast DuPont negative. We used both DuPont and Eastman Plus-X in the other cameras — about 50-50. I have been asked if we used the Research Council's convergence calculator in setting up the 3-D cameras. This we did not. Raphael G. Wolff, president of Stereo-Cine Corp., sent along his technical men, Henry Ludwin and A. V. S. Bodrero, who managed this phase of the operations, using methods they have developed in conjunction with the equipment. The interocular and convergence for the two Stereo-Cine cameras working up close at ringside often had to be approximated. In shooting fast action close up, it simply isn't possible to change the interocular progessively as the fighters move toward and away from the cameras. A question frequently asked is whether shooting the bout in 3-D involved anything different in photographic technique than if we had shot the event m Above: Camera positions as described in article. On facing page: Rocky 's hand raised in victory; circle shows one of the two Stereo cameras in position. ' flat ' or in 2-D. If we had shot the bout with regular 2-D cameras, it would not have been necessary to have two cameras at ringside. Instead, we would have filmed the whole thing from a distance, using telephone lenses. You simply cannot get the same results in 3-D shooting from a distance with long focal length lenses. After we were assured the bout was officially ended all exposed film was rushed to the DeLuxe Laboratories in New York City for developing and printing. Dailies were screened the following day, the film edited and the sound dubbed in, and regular release prints were shown in most of the nation's major theatres the following Monday. (With acknowledgments to "American Cinematographer ") A COMPLETE LABORATORY SERVICE PRECISION FILM PROCESSING TITLES : INSERTS : ANIMATED DIAGRAMS : OPTICALS : FOREIGN VERSIONS : FILM STRIPS : SPECIAL EFFECTS : EDITING : NEGATIVE CUTTING STUDIO FILM LABORATORIES LTD. 71 DEAN STREET, W.I Telephone : GERRARD 1365-6-7-8 Review Your Films at our RCA Preview Theatres