Home Movies (1951)

HOME MOVIES February, 1951 PUBLISHED IN HOLLYWOOD Simplicity and ease of threading keynotes the Auricon Cine-Voice Camera. MANY amateur produced 16mm films embody excellent technic. They are outstanding from the standpoint of correct exposure, prime focus and composition, and only the lack of sound accompaniment prevents them from emerging as complete and artistic productions. The obvious reason for the lack of sound has been the near prohibitive costs involved in adding sound to silent film. The customary procedure has been to photograph on negative film; a negative sound track is then recorded, and a composite print made from track and picture, for projection. The method involves the use of three times the normal film stock, in addition to costly laboratory services of developing, synchronizing, sound editing, matching and printing. If the original photography is in color, the costs may easily double over the B & W. y[ou Can J4ave <§>ound-0n-3ilm at the CoH of Silent By MORRIS J. BliECHELE Photographs Courtesy Berndt-Bach Recently, the writer had the opportunity to vacation in the Hawaiian Islands, and realizing the wonderful picture possibilities awaiting him there, evolved a method for producing a 16mm Sound -On-Film travelogue at a minimum cost. 3500 feet of film was exposed, which has been edited into a complete Sound-On-Film Color movie with a running time of one and one half hours. The total cost involved was exactly the same as for the same amount of silent color film! The technic employed contemplates the use of 16MM Single Perforated reversal film. This is supplied by all manufacturers at exactly the cost of silent A TYPICAL SET-UP FOR POST RECORDING film and is available in black-and-white and in color. While all dealers do not stock this film, it may readily be obtained on special order. The writer used an Eastman Cine-Special for the original photography. Models of this camera use a single claw and sprocket with teeth on one side only, thus making it possible to expose the single perforated film in this camera. Several makes of cameras, however, can easily be modified to accommodate the sound film. The Bolex, for instance, is a single claw job and may be modified at the factory for sound sprockets. In fact, practically any camera, which uses a single claw pull down on the inside of the film, may be modified for sound film by removing the sprockets and having the outside teeth ground off. It is of course essential that the camera have available a speed of 24 frames per second, and a reliable footage indicator is desirable, but not absolutely necessary. In exposing the film for post recorded sound, it is best to first run off the customary threading leader; then either swing the turret to expose the film in • See "SOUND" on Page 66 The entire outfit is carried in one case.