Home Movies (1951)

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IDEAS Santa Gets Caught Close-ups I made a Christmas film last year which was of interest to me and I pass it along for what it is worth. The story was built around Santa's false beard. It opened with a close-up of a pair of hands removing a false beard from a box. The scene cut to a medium shot of Dad as he finished dressing. He adjusted the false beard to his face. He checked his appearance, placed a bag of toys over his back and went into the living room where the family awaited Santa's arrival. As he enters, his son was so overjoyed with Santa's arrival that he ran to Santa and flung himself in Santa's arms. As he did this, he accidentally brushed against Santa and knocked off the false beard. Seeing that Santa was a fake and only Daddy, he was very unhappy. "Santa will not like this. He will not visit our house" he cried. Dad and Mother tried to convince him that there was no Santa Claus and thus no reason to worry, but the child would not be convinced. Finally Dad and mother got him to bed and they went to bed themselves vowing to get up early and place the presents around the tree and pretend Santa had done it. They are awakened early in the morning by their son shouting "Santa did not forget." The gifts have been placed under the tree. There is even a new box which they have not seen. They look at each other for they did not wrap it. They open the box. Inside is the false whisker set with a note saying "Mine is much longer. Santa Claus." I made my film in one evening. I'm certain anyone else could do the same thing. Hilda Gerovin, Providence, R.I. A different one reel picture can be made by limiting yourself to nothing but closeups. It could be a reel showing how something is made, following the hands through the step-by-step process, or it might be a film story with nothing but hands and tools, shown. I made such a film. This was the idea: The opening shot showed some hands trying to open a window. It was stuck tight. The hand pushed and tugged but the window refused to budge. The next scene showed the hands reach into the tool box where thev removed a hammer, a chisel, an oil can and a crow bar. The scene cut back to the window. At the window, the hands gently tapped the window with a hammer. Nothing happened. The window still refused to open. Next the hands placed the chisel into the sash seams and hammered away. Still the window refused to open. In desperation the hands placed the huge crow-bar against the window and hit the sash a terrific blow. Glass shattered but the window still refused to open. The next scene was a close up of a telephone with the hands dialing a number. Beside the phone the book was open to the section marked "Repair Services." This scene cut to a shot of the hands opening the front door. A pair of hands carrying a bag marked "Jones Repair Service" passed through the screen. The bag is set down beside the window and the repair man's hands push on the window. It still refuses to open. The hands part the window curtains and flip open the window lock. The window opens easily. I've had a lot of fun doing many of these one reel films. They require a lot more careful planning than do the more conventional sort but they This Is . . . YOUR DEPARTMENT To all of you who have asked us for filming ideas, we dedicate this department. The suggestions outlined are edited from cine fans all over the country and we are sure they will be welcome. If you have ideas for short film subjects, send them along — your fellow hobbyists need them. — Ed. are excellent training. Such technique is helpful in doing how-to-do-it movies where the use of close ups is essential to the story. Calvin Chapman, Seaside, Oregon. (Mr. Chapman s idea is one of the best we have seen in months. Filmers who accept the challenge to make a humorous film story like Chapman's, may send them to HOME MOVIES for criticism and review. We will publish the most interesting ones. — Ed.) Film Gifts Selecting the proper gifts at Christmas time is a tough proposition. It usually ends up with a tie for Dad, a pair of sox for Uncle Henry and a scarf for cousin Mathilda. You would like to be different but there seem to be no new ideas. I think I have a new idea. Give motion picture films. During the past year, as you have projected your films for your friends, many of them may have shown a marked interest in specific reels. Perhaps Uncle Henry liked a reel on fishing, maybe mother liked the films about your baby or the shots on the family reunion. If you can give them the reels which they liked best, you will be giving them something they will treasure for many years to come. The reels can easily be duplicated. If they are black and white you can do them yourself in your camera. If they are color you can have them printed by any one of the companies which specialize in this work. I added titles to the films which said "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Smiths." When the films were projected they were reminders of our wishes for the year. Harriet Smith, Kellogg, Ida. Selective Focus There are a lot of instances where it is desirable to keep the background of a scene blurred. When I reach the point where I've cut down the light as far as possible by moving into deep shade, using scrims and slow film and still cannot open my lens up as far as I want I add neutral density filters to my lens to cut down the exposure to the point I want. 411