Home Movies (1943)

HOME MOVIES FOR NOVEMBER PAGE 377 ice, Rankin timed each scene carefully, all the time following the action through his viewfinder in order to record only the most interesting part of each act. From observations made at the previous performance, Rankin was saved the mistake of starting his camera immediately as the performers entered the arena at the far end of the auditorium. Instead he waited until the skaters moved closer to the camera and recorded most of the action at the closest possible range with a great saving in footage. Now ordinarily we consider a motion picture that does not have an occasional closeup as less interesting than one that does. But closeups were almost impossible to obtain without shooting some of the action again at another performance with the camera set up closer — particularly as Rankin hadn't a telephoto lens of sufficient speed at the time. But fortunately the absence of closeups is overlooked, particularly because the film having been photographed from a fairly high angle and far enough back in the auditorium so the camera lens covered the entire ice arena, there is constant movement of the skaters to and away from the camera. The scenes automatically grow from long to medium and to reasonably close shots without a cut by virtue of the camera movement following the performers. The film is one that will never become dated nor lack interest, for cos • Continued from Page } 5 5 have him mount the new turret front while I wait. The original single-lens front should be interchangeable as a unit, being instantly removable with little more work than taking out four screws. The multilens turret, mounted upon a similar front panel, should replace the single lens unit with equal ease. The camera design should allow for installation of a dissolving shutter at a later date. This shutter should be easily interchangeable with the regular camera shutter at the factory. It should be as efficient as the shutters on the big Mitchell or Bell & Howell studio cameras, and open and close by means of a small, manually operated lever on side of camera. A windback, of course, is just about the most important feature of a cine camera for many amateurs, yet I realize that there are many who would never use it. Therefore, this feature should also be provided for in the orig t umed skaters performing unbelievable routines on ice will always be good screen entertainment, particularly when it is in color. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or Paramount or Fox, or any of the others could not have pictured the Ice Follies any better with a motion picture camera than did Rankin. Of course, they would have captured the sound and music, but then Rankin has this, too, in the selection of well chosen musical recordings which he plays by means of dual turntables during screening of the picture. Description of the show is by subtitles, and here, again, Rankin has done a creditable job. His narrative is well worded and carefully composed to make an attractive series of titles that explain the highlights or introduces the stars of the various acts that go together to make up the Ice Follies. For awhile, Rankin said, it looked as though he would not be able to go through with his plans to film the ice show. Kodachrome was getting scarce around town. But a little persistent effort over a period of weeks finally netted enough film for the project and filming was begun the first week the show was in town. All the pains, all the careful planning Rankin put into production of "Ice Follies of 1943" paid off in a beautifully photographed and highly entertaining motion picture. It has been nominated the Movie of the Month by Home Movies' editors. It is one of the best amateur movies of the year. inal camera design, making it possible for the factory or dealer-representative to install a windback in my camera at any time and at a reasonable price. These innovations, I think, would take care of the needs of most of the ambitious movie makers, after they pass beyond the embryonic "snap shooting" stage of making movies. I, for one, would find a lot of pleasure in adding gadgets to my camera one at a time as circumstances permit and as I develop a need for them. My zest for movie making wouldn't be suddenly chilled upon viewing a brother cinebug's swell movie made with a more elaborate camera than mine. Instead, I'd appreciate that I could do the same with a comparable camera, then I'd start saving up to buy the windback or the telephoto lens needed to better the quality of my pictures. (Next month, Joe Lenser will give his ideas for improving the post-war home movie projector. Ed.) 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