Film and TV Technician (1957)

June/July 1957 FILM & TV TECHNICIAN 91 formation Service. I understand he will be there for twelve months. Cameraman Ben Hart has practically settled down in Nairobi as a Producer/Director, and if you happen to wander around through the jungles of Kenya you'll most likely bump into Cameraman Bernard Kunicki shooting game — with a camera — for the government. France I had occasion to visit the Billancourt, Paris, Studios, w'.^re I saw a fashion show being shot for a British TV commercial. Cameraman Henry Alekan turned in a beautiful job on a Dupont Superior No. 2. Picon Borel was the operator and the Assistant Mike Mickachosky. I didn't get the Loader's name. They were so busy he never left the dark room ! While I was in Paris I bumped into Colonel Thornton Freeland, who used to work here before the war. He was producing and directing a documentary for the U.S. Government through S.H.A.P.E. It was a nice set-up : three camera units and 350,000 dollars just to show Paris to the Yanks. Some documentary ! British National Studios There are two TV series on the floor. The Charlie Chan series is being photographed by Ken Talbot who, I understand, is in the running for the title of the " Most Handsome Cameraman ". Operator— Gus Drisse — who is not in the running. Assistant Cameraman : Wally Byatt; Loader: Michael Nunn. The other series entitled O.S.S. or Office of Strategic Service, or the M.I. 5 of U.S.A. is being photographed by Brendan Stafford, " whose hair is turning silver ". Operator : Leo Rogers. Assistant : Monty " Tiny " Tomlinson. Peter Burke — and no cracks. And the Camera Department is still under the supervision of Terry (Limited Company) Turtel. Complaint That not enough Camera Section Members turned up at the A.G.M. I am sure if you tried you could make it, so start training for next year's A.G.M. " Viewfinder" FOR SALE Pictorial record of Edwardian era. Complete set of " Ladies' Field " 1898-1908. Can inspect London Office. Sell £12 or offer. Box 209, Charles Sell, 5-6 Red Lion Square, London, W.C.I. Experimental Production Fund SIR MICHAEL BALCON WRITES: May I, through the courtesy of your journal, give some information to your readers about an activity which I believe to be important to the future of British film-making : the work of the British Film Institute's Experimental Production Fund. The Fund was set up with money voted by the film trade Associations from the pre-statutory British Film Production Fund at the time of the establishment of the National Film Theatre. It is administered by a Committee set up by the Governors of the British Film Institute. In the four years since its inception, the Committee has produced, or helped to produce, ten films — among them The Door in the Wall, Indian Fantasy, Momma Don't Allow, Rowlandson's England, A Short Vision and Together. We continue to look for promising projects. Our normal procedure is, in the first instance, to consider outline treatments with an approximate budget : we prefer them to come from people with some amateur or professional knowledge of film production but this is not an invariable rule. Filmmakers are not paid — we provide stock, equipment, facilities — but they share in the revenue from the films. We are interested in genuinely experimental work but have no preference between experiments in style, technique or subject. The films may be made on 16mm. or 35mm. but ideas requiring elaborate technical means usually have to be rejected because of costs : potential applicants should bear this in mind. I hope you will agree that the work of the Committee in finding and encouraging talented young film-makers is important and help us by bringing it to the notice of your readers. Yours faithfully, MICHAEL BALCON, Chairman, B.F.I. Experimental Production Fund. BERNARD FORD MARRIED Freddy Ford's second son, cameraman Bernard Ford, was married at the end of May at Eastcote to Miss Celia Marilyn Potts, of Ilfracombe. Bernard Ford was cameraman at Pinewood Studios on Tame as a Turtle, A Town Like Alice, An Alligator Named Daisy and Reach for the Sky, including special effects. His current picture is Campbell's Kingdom. Miss Potts, who is an all-round sportswoman and local tennis champion, was Beauty Queen at Ilfracombe in 1954. CYRIL KNOWLES We are glad to see cameraman Cyril Knowles back in harness after his recent illness. His work on High Flight was first class. OFFICIAL APPOINTMENT FILM EDITOR (known locally as Film Production Officer) required by Federal Government of Nigeria for Film Production Unit, Information Service, on contract for 18/24 months in first instance. Salary according to experience in scale (including inducement addition) £1,170 rising to £1,488 a year. Gratuity at rate £150 a year. Outfit Allowance £60. Liberal leave on full salary. Free passages for officer and wife. Grant up to £150 annually for maintenance of children in U.K. Free passages for children up to cost of two adult return fares. (It is thus often possible for an officer whose children are being educated in the U.K. to arrange for them to spend two or more school vacations in West Africa with free passages). Candidates must be experienced in editing to final stage both 16mm. and 35 mm. documentary and educational films and must have the ability to lay dialogue, commentary, music and effects tracks. A knowledge of film processing would be an advantage. Write to the Crown Agents, 4 Millbank, London, S.W.I. State age, name in block letters, full qualifications and experience and quote M3B/35002/CY.