Home Movies (1943)

HOME MOVIES Published in Hollywood AUGUST 1943 efa 'ens. ra">afe/e J^e-dUcovering. (Black-and-white 3ilm NTIL war conditions made home movie film increasingly harder to get, thousands of movie amateurs had never before used black and white film. They started their movie making with Kodachrome and continued using it as long as they could find a roll on dealer's shelves. Now, amateurs who refuse to let a little thing like film shortage deter them in pursuit of their hobby, are buying any kind of film that will fit their cameras. It frequently happens that when one can't find a roll of Kodachrome, there's usually a roll of panchromatic to be had. And what those who have tried panchromatic film for the first time have discovered, is that black and white film possesses many characteristics not found in color film; that it has an inherent wide monochromatic color range offering unlimited pictorial possibilities to those willing to explore them. Kodachrome will undoubtedly remain the choice of the novice filmer because it is the simplest to use. Set the lens at f/8 or f/ii and you can't miss. But the wider exposure range of panchromatic film not only permits getting good pictures under light conditions that would preclude use of Kodachrome ; it also offers greater latitude for special photographic effects. The pictorial qualities brought out in a scene through use of filters is just one of the interesting attributes of pan film. The scene at top of this page is an example. Although in monochrome, it possesses all the tonal graduations that • For hard-to-light interior scenes, super-speed panchromatic tilm will get the shot with ample latitude in details. would have registered in color film. Getting a masterful shot such as this brings out the sporting instincts in a filmer. It requires something more than simply sighting the camera on the scene with lens fixed at the general Kodachrome aperture of f 8 or f 1 1; and the filmer is more appreciative of his work because it represents a greater skill. The faster emulsion speed of panchromatic films makes it possible to photograph many subjects with wider pictorial success than when color film is used. The average panchromatic emulsion is rated between 12 and 32 Weston as compared to 8 for Kodachrome. The superspeed panchromatic emulsions are rated at 100 Weston making it possible • Continued on Page 259 • Circus shots like this are easy to get at normal camera speed when fast panchromatic film is used. Extreme left — Rivaling the finest color Kodachrome can offer is a monachrome filter shot like this made with panchromatic film and a 23-A red filter. 243