Home Movies (1943)

PAGE 22 HOME MOVIES FOR JANUARY * ★ ★ * 4) Meliaqe to the public and the tetailet: GOERZ PHOTO LENSES AMERICAN product since 1899 made by AMERICAN labor AMERICAN -owned factory We have no connection with any other firm TO THE RETAILER: Because of their accuracy Goerz lenses are front line photo-optical equipment in many fields of activity of our Nation at War . . . The utmost is being done to meet the demands of the Coiernment for these photographic precision tools . . . From time to time there may be available some of these fine ariastigmats for civilian use and so Wt invite you" to '-write us about your requirements . . . • There is a Goerz Lens for Every Purpose To help you in the selection of the proper lens our long experience is at your service — For detailed information and prevailing prices see your dealer or ADDRESS DEPT. HM-1 C. P. Goerz American Optical Co. Office and Factory * 317 East 34th Street New York * 8mm.1 6mm. -35mm. / KODACHROM rt£" OF THE BEAUT I FU CAVERNS of LURAY This extremely Interesting and most unusual film Hill make a valuable addition to your film library. 36 2x2 KODACH ROM E SLIDES — » for — J 1 .00 100 Ft. 16mm. KODACHROKE P P 10 00 SO Ft. 16mm. KODACHROME 0 A 6.00 50 Ft. 8mm. KODACHROME S I 8.00 25 Ft. 8mm. KODACHROME T D J. 50 LURAY CAVERNS, Bx. 1 076, Luray, Va. 16mm SOUND on Film Recording Studio and Editing Facilities BERNDT-MAURER RECORDER CEO. W. COLBURN LABORATORY 995-A Merchandise Mart CHICAGO additions to the new series of animated cartoon subjects now being distributed by this company and their affiliated dealer agents. Six Shooter Mickey is title of one of the latest cartoons which depicts Mickey Mouse as a rough, tough westerner who rescues Minnie Mouse from that famed scoundrel, Peg-Leg Pete. Highlights of action is battle between Mickey and Peg-Leg on edge of precipice, with Mickey subduing his giant opponent and winning the hand of Minnie. Released simultaneously was Donald Duck in Donald's Mexican Romance, a mirth-provoking skit with Donald as a Mexican troubador astride a donkey and playing his guitar. The above subjects, as well as others in the newly released series are fully described in a new catalogue of home movie films just issued by Hollywood Him Enterprises. Copy may be had free by writing the company at 6060 Sunset Blvd.. Hollywood, Calif. Plan 'em like pro^eiiionali . . • Continued from Page so idea — which they did a year or so later. "The Refugee" is the story of an English refugee boy who comes over to America right after war breaks out. Complications set in when the American boy, at whose home the English refugee is staying, resents the intrusion of a "foreigner," while his sister falls in love with the English lad. Everything works out for the best. The refugee boy saves all their lives when a saboteur tries to do some dirty work. Robert Johnson is, perhaps, the busiest executive of the organization. In charge of productions, it is his job to pass on stories, select casts, O. K. properties and costumes and direct and photograph Continental's productions. "The success of our organization," said Johnson, "Is due, as much as anything else, to the fact that from the very beginning we recognized that we first must have a good screen story to make a successful motion picture. We recognize three essential steps in putting an amateur screen story together: first, story conference — writer and collaborators get together, work out plot and story outline; second, story is put into scenario form; and third, the scenario is analyzed as to the best possible camera set-ups — closeups, medium or long' shots,' etc — that will enhance the action and motivate the story. "When we are writing a scenario, we always keep in mind the properties, settings and locations that are available, and with gasoline rationing, this is more important than ever. We've even rewritten scenes originally intended to take place on interior settings so they could be enacted in outdoor locations and thus accomplished savings on film and lighting costs. "Simplicity in casts is a keynote in all of our productions. We have found that the smaller the cast we have to handle, the more successful the production and the easier it is on all members of the production staff. Rehearsals are considered an important item in that they not only save film but assure smoother performance of the cast. In our opinion, all amateur movies would be considerably improved if the filmers would insist upon one or two rehearsals before actually shooting an action scene. "The acting ability of an amateur cast should never be over-estimated. For this reason, we never write into our scripts parts that only Bette Davis or Clark Gable could successfully handig. We keep the action as simple but as natural as possible consistent with the abilities of our cast. Pantomine is stressed as an important element in silent motion pictures and as a means of lessening the number of spoken or descriptive titles required to retain coherence in the story." This intelligent analysis of amateur movie production requirements certainly indicates why Continental Pictures became at once successful and has remained so for more than six years. In 1939, the organization began to assume national importance. McXaught and Johnson had heard from other amateur producing groups throughout the nation, suggested they join together in a national chain of amateur producing units. The Amateur Movie Producers of America resulted. AMP boasts a membership of more than 12 amateur organizations stretching from Maine to California. Chief benefit of the tieup is the interchange of each other's films and, of course, the incentive that results to continaully produce new films to circulate among this ever growing circuit of appreciative contemporaries. The average cine club could take a lesson from Continental Pictures, for surely no greater benefits could accrue to movie amateurs than the experience and the wide appreciation of effort that results from cooperative production of planned motion pictures. Given the same intelligent leadership, any group of cine amateurs could match the success of Continental Pictures.