FilmIndia (1940)

ET TU BRUTE! Was it Mr. Himansu Rai, or was it somebody else who produced the first sound picture in English for consumption in the European market? Possibly it was and the picture was "Karma". But we are not sure whether it was with him or with somebody else that we had occasion to discuss as to what really was the kind of material that European audiences desired which would make our English speakinp. pictures financially successful there. But we do remember, that we were told that if we would present to them not necessarily the real India, hut the India as they imagined il existed, we would have done the trick and our efforts crowned with success. And possibly so came "Karma". But that is an old story, and old wounds had best not be reopened V/hat we wish to convey, is. that if we give our audiences or our readers as the case may be. such material about India which years of suneriority complex has taught the foreigner to believe to be the real truth about India, they will easily swallow it and rejoice that they were right after all. And so inspired with these words of wisdom, there have come to these shores many a tourist with but one aim, that of acquainting the world about the mystic land of Ind. They have landed at Bombay, a little of their enthusiasm certainly damped by the absence of elephant processions they had expected to see. they have spent a day visiting the studios, then a hurried cross trip to Calcutta, a few more visits, then as fast as Imperial Airways could carry BY THE EDITOR, Bulletin of the Association of Cire-Technicians. them, back to Karachi and so to the Motherland. Mayo-fashion they hurried to write about their experiences of our film life in the publications of their own country, expressing the surprise, to quote one of them, "that the average Indian technician could speak the English tongue." We have recently had the case of another such brilliant correspondent in the "American Cinematographer" writing under the name of Berku. who chooses to collect a lot of sundry material, and presents it to the American public as India's Film History. We wish we could reproduce here a few of the 'facts' he mentions, but we are really pressed for space, and will leave it for our own official Bulletin some time later and when we feel again like it. But about these eminent men of science and letters that come from abroad and write about us, we have but little to complain. After all their only purpose is to give their readers the fodder that they want little concerned with the feelings of those they injure here. What really pains us, is when we hear one of our own countrymen contributing in eminent foreign publications and writing about India and its film Industry in terms that to say the very least are scarcely very flattering. Save Us Your Charity, Ambalal We are afraid the latest offender ■in this respect is a most valued friend and well-wisher. Although his active associations with the Industry ceased some five years ago when he deserted our ranks from behind a motion picture camera for a more remunerative position behind the counter of his own camera store. We refer to Mr. Ambalal J. Patel. Cinematographer. and Proprietor of the Central Camera Co. fresh from Hollywood, and writing in the 'American Cinematographer'. He would have our American colleagues believe that out here in India we have but twenty-five stages owned by as many companies — and most of them not even sound proof. The most popular camera is the Bell & Howell though some studios have recently acquired the Super Parvo — that there is but one dolly and a crane and hence the dolly shot in our pictures is something of a rarity. Half our laboratories are stili employing the time honoured rack and tank system, and temperatures controlled by the addition of ice, because it is cheaper and simpler. But there is a last word of praise, a silver lining so to say. He must pat the technicians on the back, because inspite of being self taught, he admits our ranks have no lack of capable men. We are full of enthusiasm and are earnestly striving to improve our country's films. Now that is a tribute indeed, specially when we are previously told to believe we have nothing but the most primitive of tools to work with. We really feel it is scarcely right for us to accept all this glory and to allow our colleagues abroad to believe that just like the best of our Dacca silks which are spun and woven with hand, we too, merely with a lot of obsolete apparatus manage to turn out about 200 feature pic i Con, on page 53 51