International photographer (Feb-Dec 1929)

Sixteen T h INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER July, 1929 J-forning In On J-for n A Letter fom CLYDE DE VINNA in Darkest Africa Business Representative Howard Hurd of Local 659 has just received a letter from Brother Clyde De Vinna, written from Nairobi, Kenya Colony, Africa, excerpts from which are herewith presented to the brethren. Brother De Vinna and his associates are on location in Africa filming "Trader Horn," for Paramount: April 25, 1929. We've been galivanting around pretty much all over the country looking for likely spots for old man Horn to do his stuff, and they aren't so easy to find. As a matter of fact, "darkest Africa" is rapidly becoming settled up, and everywhere are farms and plantations. Only in the outlying districts, accessible by rather extended auto trips, is any "wild" country. * * * Just at present we're on one of those funny English trains hopping along in the general direction of Nairobi, having been on a week's trip around the Lake Victoria country. Found a few likely spots, but they're rather scattered, and will mean considerable traveling during the course of the picture. * * * The rainy season has just begun which, of course, is a great help. You should see some of these "roads" when they get about an hour's steady rain on them! The great majority of the soil in the country is red, sort of volcanic, but now and again they have what they call "black cotton soil," and when it gets wet there's nearly no bottom to it, and hitting a stretch of that stuff in the rain means that you're more liable than not to stay right there. Haven't been able to do much with the radio set, either. * * * Lake Victoria is some puddle, second largest lake in the world, as a matter of fact, with nearly 28,000 square miles of water. Inhabited mostly by crocodile and tse-tse fly. We found a small lake a few miles west of Victoria, called Lake Navagaba, however, which has some promise as a location. Will also be going up into the Nile country, about 300 miles from civilization— also over into the Congo country, about 250 miles northwest of Kampala. That's in Belgian territory, but the rest of it will be in British. The lab is located in Nairobi, about the geographical center of the scenes of our operations generally and in the only spot that would fit, so far as physical conditions are concerned. Nairobi is nearly 6,000 feet above sea level, and the climate is fine. Fred Meeks is doing his stuff in great shape, and judging from the appearance of tests already gone through, I should say that if we don't have a swell looking picture, it won't be Fred's fault. * * * The water supply isn't too good in Nairobi, but Fred has doped it up with chemicals until he's getting a beautifully clean and even negative . Mighty glad to have him along. The rest of the gang arrive in a few days, and we are more than anxious, naturally, to get all the dope from them. * * * Mail is very infrequent down here, and more than welcome, so for the love of Pete get busy and let us hear from the boys once in a while. * * * We go to Mombasa in a couple of days to meet the gang. That's down on the coast and hotter'n the hinges, and I'm very much afraid we're going to have to do some of our river stuff down there. Other locations are near Nairobi, some 400 miles by rail from Mombasa, and others are, as I mentioned, in the Lake Victoria country, 500 miles north of Nairobi, and still others as far as 300 miles north and west of the lake. * * * It just happens that in the parts of the country where the locations are suitable, the natives are very uninteresting so we will have to find what we can of the more savage looking birds and transport them to spots selected. * * * Many thanks for sending along The International Photographer — very interesting to us to get all the fresh news. Please give my very best regards to all the gang, and tell 'em all to write. Sincerely, CLYDE. P. S. — Our address, M-G-M Company, P. O. Box 981, Nairobi, British East Africa. May 6th To Ira Hoke * * * The rest of the gang got in last week — all looking and feeling very well. Maybe you think we weren't glad to see them Honestly, I haven't done any talking in ages, compared to the talkfest that ensued after our meeting. There were so many things to be asked — so many things to be told — I suspect it sounded like a meeting of the Ladies' Aid to the outsiders. They seemed to have had a good trip, but of course were glad to get off the boat. They had been on there eighteen days from Genoa, and suspect were about getting fed up with it. Nogle stayed in Mombasa to photograph a big government auction sale of ivory which comes off tomorrow (18,000 pounds of confiscated tusks), and will jiin the gang at Nairobi immediately. He is coming out of his trouble O. K. I presume you know of the rather serious operation he had on his face about a month before they left — caused by a tooth. He was laid up with it for three weeks, but has picked most of it up again, and looks very well. Nine of us — Van Dyke, Red Golden, Bob Roberts, McAfee, Morgan (prop shop), Cornwall (electrician), two hunters and myself are going out on a scouting trip. Cornwall will stay at Kampala, which is our advance base, and take care of the electrical gear when it comes along and he will be joined later by Riley, the other electrician. Riley had a little trouble with a tooth, too, and had it yanked out in Nairobi yesterday. The rest of us will shove along into the Congo and Upper Nile country to pick out a couple of village sites, to be joined later by the rest of the gang. We're going with full "safari" — which is the local term for camping trip. Have two "hunters," as they call guides here, one of whom is recognized as the best shot in Africa. Full crew of cooks and servants, or "boys," as they are called. Each of the cameramen has a personal boy to look after his tent, etc., as well as a gun-bearer, who stays right with us all the time carrying the cannon, and besides that we are each packing a big Colt. Not that it's particularly dangerous, but — never can tell. Communication with headquarters at Nairobi will be maintained by wireless without any trouble, as we will never be further away than 1,000 miles or so. I haven't had a real chance to get through to the U. S. with the set yet. As you know, it's approximately 14,000 miles, which is more than enough to taxe the capacity of a set much larger than the one I have. However, given a good setup, and decent conditions, I feel that we can get through quite frequently. Just now, the rainy season is on, and you never heard such static in your life! The Llewellyn Iron Works is a tomb alongside it. Will try and send you a few stills as soon as we get straighten edoadf. — shrdlushrdlu get straightened out — everything so far has been a hurry and bustle, as you can well imagine. Fred Meeks and DeCenco, his understudy, have a first class lab. going in Nairobi, much to the amazement of a number of local "experts" who forecasted no end of trouble, if not entire disappointment. Fred is turning out negative that would put many a Hollywood lab. man to lots of grief trying to equal — and all in all, his end of the trip seems an assured success. We're all out to make the greatest picture ever shot — so stand by for a big treat when we finally get back to Hollywood. I'm intensely proud of my gang and of my share in the project — I don't think it's possible to get together a greater bunch of fellows, or a gang that knows their ctuff as do these boys. The boys got a kick out of getting the second number of The International Photographer after they got here — they arrived a week or so before the gang. She's a peppy journal all right, Ira, keep her coming! Liked the story very much indeed. Let us hear from any of you boys