Home Movies (1954)

A Home Movies Travelogue and about noon, St. Sulpice in the Latin Quarter. The Palais de Justice is now the law courts of Paris. Originally it was the residence of the first twelve Capet Kings of France. Inside the Palais grounds is the St. Chapelle, built in 1247 by St. Louis to be a shrine for a copy of Christ's Crown of Thorns. The Palais is best photographed from the bridge adjoining it over the Seine. From here it looks somewhat like an old fort. • See PARIS on Page 60 In previous articles I have pointed out the importance of music with motion pictures from the standpoint of 1) music as a functional device that, 2) should become a part of your picture for the purpose of, 3) creating, amplifying or sustained the continuity, mood and pace of the pictorial material. PROPERL\ devised musical scores should tell the same story musically that is told pictorially. This being so, the importance ofmusical continuity should be apparent since musical continuity performs exactly the same functional purpose as that performed by a well developed pictorial continuity. Many persons are inclined to dismiss the importance of musical continuity with the argument that nobody knows the difference. It may be true that from a strictly technical standpoint ,few people would know the difference. But from the standpoint of emotional quality imparted to your picture, there is a difference of which the hearer is aware either consciously or unconsciously. So let me emphasize, if your musical score is to serve its functional purpose and be more than just a musical 'filler', it must be based upon musical continuity. In the studios, musical continuity to fit pictorial mood and timing is written into the composition. To achieve similar results with existing musical material (on records), the amateur must cut and edit this existing material to fit the pictorial requirements. In the past, records have provided the amateur with an abundant source of musical material and turntable equipment has provided the means of utilizing this material. However, except in rare cases, close cutting and editing for musical continuity was out of the question. While records and turntables still remain the source of musical material, magnetic tape recorders By DOW GARLOCK Port IV) now provide the means of putting this material into a form that permits unlimited cutting and editing for continuity, mood and timing in the preparation of synchronized musical scores. So, such 'edited' preparation requires turntable equipment and a magnetic tape recorder. For those who have turntable equipment only, do not let the thought of the purchase of a tape recorder frighten you. Such a unit is not limited to use with your pictures and you will soon find hundreds of ways to use (and enjoy) it in your home, social, club and business activities. Recordings of family, friends and relatives, like your pictures, become more precious with the passage of time. For those who have tape recorders only, a single turntable will suffice for most of your requirements. Dual turntables, such as the Geo. K. Culbertson "Model C Fidelitone", will facilitate and add considerably to the flexibility of your recording and dubbing. For those of you that must start from scratch, choose your equipment carefully from the standpoint of both its mechanical features and reproduction qualities for good equipment can (and will) become a lasting addition to your hobby and your home. Before going into a discussion of the cutting and editing of music, I wish to point out some common mistakes that should be avoided. First, don't let the titles of compositions fool you. Many times they have little or no relation to the actual musical (or emotional) quality of the music. And since the emotional character of the music is usually the only thing that concerns us, the choice of material because of its title may not provide us with music of the desired emotional quality. For instance, "The Blue Danube" and "Over the Waves" by Johann Strauss does not suggest (musically) a river or ocean scene nearly as appropriately as they would the gay scenes of a ballroom full of gaily waltzing couples. • See MUSIC on Page 75 57