Home Movies and Home Talkies (Jun 1932-May 1933)

HOME MOVIES & HOME TALKIES 99 so on through the day till we saw the night revellers returning in the early hours. In "World Melody," Ruttmann's treatment of his world tour was similar but original in so far as he disregarded geography entirely, his intention being to demonstrate the similarity of mankind all over the world. Instead of taking us right through Italy and then on to Albania and thus round the world, with all his film taken in each country assembled together, he mixed it all up ! But with what effect ! — for he divided his mass of material into chapters, such as Sport, Work, Religion, Dancing and Washing. Never have I in any film, play or book had such an impressive and conclusive demonstration of the Brotherhood of Man. Perhaps the most perfect fihn of a town ever made was Ivens' and Franken's " Rain." This little picture was made for the Film Liga of Holland in 1929 ; it was photographed entirely with a portable hand camera and represents a wet day in Amsterdam. It was first shown in England last year by the Film Society and, as it has been seen by so few audiences, I make a present of the suggestion to the sub-standard Hbraries. A Study Suggestion One more suggestion for your study of this type of film — Douglas Fairbanks' "Round the World in Eighty Minutes." This is not a silent film, I know, but it contains many stimulating ideas. If you decide that you would prefer to make a story filrn, there are two ways of finding your subject. You will not, of course, consider published stories, for this may involve you in trouble over the copyiight ; you will have to deal only with stories Using reflectors to soften the lighting In a film produced by Mr. Brunei in Italy and featuring Ivor Novello sj)ecially written for the screen by your own members, and even then I should advise you to acquire an assignment of the copyright in case of difficulties arising from possible public showings. Although there are many fine stories to be found amongst novels, plays and short stories, you are actually better off in having to relj on stories specially written for the screen. Your first source of supply of stories will come from your own colleagues, for most film enthusiasts have tried their hand at story writing. Send round a whip for stories or " Lining up " for a shot. Reading from left to right — Cameraman, James Wilson, Assistant-Director Chandos Balcon, "Continuity Girl" (Hon. Mrs. Ivor Montagu), Mr. Adrian Brunei, Miss Julie Suedo organise a story competition, and you'll soon have some material to choose from. If the response is satisfactory, choose whatever is most attractive or most suitable to your needs and cast it as best you can from the artists you have available. The other source of supply arises from your necessity— -you write a story specially. You may have a setting or locale you wish to exploit, or a comedian or some other promising artist you wish to feature — in which case you will yourself write something specially or else invite j-our merubers to do so. Before I go any further on the subject of the choice of your story, let me insert a large and einj)hatic DON'T — don't be too ambitious, don't embark on anything you are not sure you can do adequately. Avoid spectacular subjects — they only show up your deficiencies. The simpler your subject the more opportunities you will have for exercising and displaying your art, craft and ingenuity. On Choosing Length If you have decided what is to be the approximate length of your film before you choose your story, that will necessarily affect your choice and your treatment of the story. Not being bound by the ridiculous conventions of the professional film world, you can make a subject whatever length you like, though you should, for financial reasons, decide approximately what length you are to aim at with your selected subject. If the length of your final film is immaterial and money is no object, then you are in the unique and delightful position of filming whatever you like and making it just the length you think it should be ; but again, if not for financial reasons, you should make