Home Movies and Home Talkies (Jun 1933-May 1934)

218 HOME MOVIES & HOME TALKIES TWO IMPORTANT NEW BOOKS «Home Movies** Introduces the "Film Craft** Series Cine Textbooks at Reasonable Prices WE have great pleasure this month in announcing the pubheation by Home Movies and Home Talkies and Messrs. George Newnes, Ltd., two important textbooks which should prove of the greatest service not only to all home movie-makers but to every student of the cine art. The fir.st of these, entitled "Film Craft— The Art of Picture Production," is by our wellknown and esteemed contributor, Mr. Adrian Brunei, whose series of articles ' ' Producing A Film ' ' has proved one of the most popular features in this magazine. This book contains not only the series in question in an amplified form but also a large amount of new matter (more than equal in quantity to the reprinted matter) which adds greatly to the value of the series. New Material Of particular interest in the new material is an important series of appendices by well known film experts. Thus, Sergei Nolbandov writes on "Costing Production." Mr. Nolbandov, incidentally, has been Production Supervisor at the A. S.F.I. Studio at Wembley as well as Production Manager at the Ealing Studios. ' ' Direction ' ' is dealt with by Ivor Montagu, who has many film achievements to his credit, not the least of which is his founding of the Film Society. He, of course, is the translator and adaptor of Pudovkin's famous book on " Tilm Technique," which is referred to below. A wellknown authority on Russian films, which have done so much to influence cinema technique, he contributes much of value to Mr. Brunei's book. Well-known Experts " Film Writing " is covered by Mr. Angus MacPhail, who occupies one of the most important positions in the British film producing industry. "The Routine of Editing" is by Michael Hankinson, Chief Editor of the British and Dominions Film Corporation, among whose recent editings are " Good Night, Vienna," "Yes, Mr. Brown" and "Bitter Sweet." "Substandard Editing" is handled by Reginald Beck, who edits substandard films professionally ; "Commercial Cutting" is by Ian Dalrymple, Supervising Film Editor to the Gaumont-British Picture Corporation and Gainsborough Pictures, Ltd., among whose recent pictures are " Sunshine Susie," " Jack's The Boy," "There Goes the Bride," "The Frightened Lady" and "The Prince of Wales." Mr. Dalrymple is responsible for the final editing of all the productions of Gaumont-British and Gainsborough Pictures, Ltd., from " Rome Express " upwards. The subject of " Production Management " is treated by Mr. T. Lionel Rich, Unit Production Manager of Gainsborough Pictures (1928), Ltd., who has been responsible for the production management of such important productions as ' ' Simshine Susie," "Jack's The Boy," "Soldiers of the King," etc. Lighting and its direction comes under the care of Mr. Henry Harris, who was a pioneer in cinematography and who more recently has been concerned in a number of well-known pictures, such Mr. ADRIAN BRUNEI as "Up For the Cup." "Art Direction " is discussed by Mr. Frank Wells. Mr. Wells has been called a " himian reference library," for he can supijly an outline of anything without a moment's hesitation ! He has recently acted as Assistant Art Director for Gainsborough Pictures on a number of important productions. This by no means closes the list of contents, which will be fovind to cover nearly every aspect of fibn making. Last but not least, reference must be made to the excellent and up-to-date glossary of technical terms and to the specimen shooting script of a silent film, which should be a most valuable guide to every amateur cine society. Pudovkin's "Film Technique" For some years Pudovkin's " Film Technique," the first English edition of which was published in 1929, has been looked vipon as the standard work for every student of the films. Unfortimately, it has been out of print for some time and Home Movies and Home Talkies is very glad of the opportunity of again making it available to the public in a new edition, to which has been added three papers of Pudovkin's latest work, so as to bring the book up to date. The keynote of the book is struck in the beginning : ' ' The foundation of film art is editing,^' says the author. ' ' Armed with this watchword the young Cinema of Soviet Russia commenced its progress and it is a maxim that, to this day, has lost nothing of its significance and force." The various chapters cover such aspects as ' ' The Film Scenario and its Theory ' ' ; ' ' The Film Director and Film Material " ; " The Peculiarities of Film Material " ; " The Director in His Relationship to the Actor " ; " The Actor in the Frame " ; " The Director and the Cameraman," and " Rhythmic Problems of the Somid Film." A Masterly Translation Mr. Ivor Montagu, who has translated and annotated the book, has done his work in a masterly fashion, and no reader interested in either the • theory or the practice of the cinema could fail to derive great benefit from this volume. These two books, then, "Film Craft," by Adrian Brunei, and "Film Technique," by Pudovkin, are the first two volumes of the " Film Craft " series, further additions to which will be made from time to time. We would draw special attention to the very low price at which these books are being sold, i.e., 3s. 6d. each. Books of this type and quality, by experts of this standing dealing with specialised subjects, usually command high prices, but in order that the best work should be made available to as wide a circle of readers as possible, it has been decided to issue them at thi^ very low figure. Our Policy We would ask readers to support us in our policy of providing sound technical books at reasonable prices by bringing this fact to the notice of as many of their friends as possible. It is not necessary to be a practical cinematographer to read and enjoy these two books— they are brilliantly written and should find a place on the bookshelf of every man and woman who desires to keep up to date in matters pertaining to this great modern Ai't. Order these books through yom* bookseller as soon as possible, for at this price the demand is bound to be very large and the editions will almost certainly be rapidly exhausted. With a sufficient response to this price gesture on our part, it will be possible to continue the series at this highly popular figure.