Home Movies (1943)

PACE 324 HOME MOVIES FOR OCTOBER Camera Dolly Sooner or later, every serious cinctographer needs a camera dolly for effective cinematic shots. If all the odds and ends in pipe have not already been turned into the scrap drive, you can make a substantial dolly from two lengths of half or three-quarter-inch pipe, one pipe tee, and three elbows, plus three large, ballbearing casters. Construction details are self-explanatory in the accompanying photo. The pipe is cut to required lengths, according to spread of your tripod, then threaded and joined. The elbows are screwed into place and the casters fitted into them. This operation will depend entirely upon the make and type of caster used. One method is to insert wooden plugs into the open end of the pipe elbows, drill holes in center of each, and insert stems of casters. For best results, it is necessary to securely anchor the two front casters so they will not swivel, leaving the third caster THE E\PE to swing free as a means of lending free movement of the dolly in effecting a traveling shot. — Arthur Zaugg, Hollywood, Calif. Cut-outs for Backgrounds With an assortment of colors of typewriter paper, a pair of sharp pointed scissors and a little imagination, very attractive titles can be made for Kodachrome shots. Careful inspection of the scene for which the title is intended will usually disclose some simple object which typifies it. The feature may not be the subject of the scene, perhaps merely the background. For example, the long shot which introduces a sequence on a sail boat race can be represented for a title background by cutting out a simple outline of a sailboat (or two of different sizes) from white paper, laying these on a sheet of sky blue, and covering the boats to the water line with a sheet of lighter blue, the edge of which has been coarsely scalloped to suggest waves. The title can Sail \nq down Silver Bay fee be lettered in the white area, over the lighter blue, or more professional yet, on a sheet of cellophane placed over the whole sailboat background. If the title background is in blue and white, canary yellow letters will stand out beautifully, particularly if narrowly edged in black. Similarly a lighthouse, a clocktower, a church bell, a mountain peak with its snow cap, even a gasoline pump with its hose running to the back of a car, can make a fine title background, and provide lots of fun in devising and enhance the screen appeal of your film. Each title background should have at least two or three layers of different colored paper, all but the bottom (background) sheet being cutouts. Obviously the colors must harmonize; pastel shades are best; they may be had in any large stationery store. Simplicity is highly desirable. If you don't draw easily, try tracing an outline from a projected form. Suitable illustrations frequently turn up in magazines. R I M E I T A I The same technique is excellent for black and white titles, but assorted shades of gray should be used with black, rather than different colors. White should then be restricted to the lettering itself. Artists' supply stores usually have a large selection of gray papers. — Lor?ts J. Milne, Philadelphia, Pi una. Title Letters Source Another source of small title letters is your local stationers who can supply die-cut white paper letters and numerals gummed on the back and manufactured by Dennisons, specialists in unique paper products. These are all capitals and are the same as used in office building directories. Photo album fillers of black pr.per make ideal backgrounds for such letters. The letters can be used over and over again by moistening only a spot on the letter, permitting it to be removed from the title background after use. — Bert Baker, Minneapolis, Minn. Special Effects Tripod Minus the conventional three legs, this gadget could hardly be correctly termed a "tripod." Nevertheless, it replaces a tripod where a combination tilttop and camera support is needed for obtaining shots from a "worm's eye" view. I used it very successfully in filming two prize-winning pictures that involved getting shots of flowers and shooting up through foliage of trees at passing cloud formations. The gadget consists of two boards of equal length, hinged at one end, as shown in illustration. Two casement window adjustment rods, one at either side, permit tilting , the camera base WANTED! Those ideas for gadgets, tricks or shortcuts in filming, titling, editing or processing home movies — pass them on to fellow cinebugs through these columns. For each idea published, you'll receive two new projection reels. Write description of your idea plainly and when possible accompany it with a photo, sketch or diagram. There's no limit on number of ideas you may submit. Ideas not immediately published will be held for possible future publication unless they dupicate ideas previously submitted. Important: Be sure to mention whether your cine equipment is 8mm. or 16mm. so we may promptly forward award adaptable to your use.