Home Movies (1943)

PACE 300 HOME MOVIES FOR SEPTEMBER Movies of Kiddies . . . will be better if you follow the filming ideas contained in this helpful 32-page booklet. Contains 50 separate ideas on how to film children — how to make home movies of your kiddies appealing and professionallike. 25c POSTPAID "°M£ M0V<E GADGETS 4B Build It Yourself! That gadget you've been wanting — sunshade, filter holder, fading device, or camera dolly — you can easily build yourself. You don't have to be a mechanic; as long as you can use a few simple tools you can make any of the gadgets illustrated and described in this fascinating book of Home Movie Cadgets. Making one gadget will more than repay its low cost. $1.00 POSTPAID HONE MOVIES 6060 Sunset Blvd. Hollywood 28, California hobby when other movie makers, given to scenic and travel filming, were sharply handicapped by travel, film, and other war-time restrictions. Dollytoons entail more labor in their preparation and filming and require less film. After we bag Hitler and Tojo, I expect to get back to just where I left off — filming more and better Dollytoons. Cxperlmental Workshop • Continued from Page 2#9 able only on 8oo foot reels. I therefore altered my Eastman model Sixteenio Kodascope to accomodate the larger reels as follows: Out of soft metal I made up five small fittings as shown in sketch — two No. i's, two No. 2's, and one No. 3. Fitting No. 1 is the extension link. No. 2 is a shim, the function of which is to keep the extended reel arm firmly in place. The No. 3 fitting is attached beneath the projector near the front and serves to give added height so that an 800 foot takcup reel will clear the table. To install fittings 1 and 2, simply remove the screws from present projector arms; attach fitting No. 1 to arm; slide slotted end on projector, add shim (fitting No. 2) and tighten both screws. Job, when completed, should appear as shown in sketch. The spring belt drives can be stretched without injury to accomodate to increased length of arms. — James E. Adams, East Aurora, N. Y. (Review* o/ cAmateur 3ilm* • Continued from Page 274 that's depicted in the picture — the life and functions of butterflies, moths, etc. An interesting sequence is that showing entomologist preparing for a night foray in quest of moths. He prepares a sweet, sticky substance which, by day, he smears on fence posts to attract the moths. After nightfall, he sets up a white sheet nearby and places before it a Coleman lantern as a means of attracting the insects. Again using the glass jar containing cyanide, the entomologist gathers a number of specimens, then takes them home to mount in the special cabinets of which we later see several containing hundreds of carefully mounted specimens. Another highlight is the sequence in which the entomologist is shown n'ounting recently captured specimens. Moths and butterflies are carefully arranged and pinned in place on a small drying board, and this routine is pic tured in closeups. A few "ultra" closeups of some of the mounting operations would do much to heighten interest in this sequence and to make clearer just how the work is done. Final sequences consist of ultra closeups of various specimens, providing a rare study of both common and rare butterflies and moths and their exquisite colorings. In criticism, we believe that Mr. Denny should have made his opening shots of the entomologist and his dog in closeup. A title introduces the man, gives his name, but the following shot is a distant one. Such introductions should always be followed by closeup ; the long and medium shot then following. Many of the scenes can be materially shortened, such as those in which entomologist is shown walking in search of specimens, thereby stimulating increasing interest as the picture unfolds. Also, it would have improved the scenes pictorially if ultra-closeups of butterflies had been filmed with the specimens backgrounded by black velvet or other similar material instead of bring hand held. Otherwise its a fine picture with good entertainment and rare educational value and rates a 3 -Star merit leader. Reader Speak* • Continued from Page 272 them. — Fred Robertson, Poughkeepsie, N. Y. ► Next time the sixteeners pick on you, Fred, remind them that your gang is four times as large as the 16mm. gang. And about Kodachrome pictures getting preference in our reviews: its only because four times as many color films as black and white are submitted to us for analysis. But we like black and white film, too, and so does Alexander Holt, whose article on getting back to black and white appeared in the August issue. — Ed. Foot-age Wanted Sirs: Could you put me in contact with some movie amateur who would be willing to take a roll of 8 mm. film of a soldier stationed at Jefferson College near St. Louis? — John Lundquist, 224 Richards St., Jolict, III. Sirs: I would like 100 or 200 feet of original 16 mm. Kodachrome of some of the interesting highlights of Los Angeles and Hollywood. Also shots of the "Chief" or "Super Chief" in action, pulling into Union Station, Los Angeles, and discharging passengers. — H. Thain, 104 Hillside Ate., Chatham, N. J.