International photographer (Feb-Dec 1929)

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Thirty The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER July, 1929 zArc cEight BY HARRY BROWN, Prcsf. Cinema Studios Supply Corp. Some two to three years ago the motion picture industry seemed to realize that there was something wrong and that the attendance at picture theatres throughout the country was dropping off rapidly, which was cutting into the earnings to a dangerous point. No one seemed to know just exactly what the trouble was and it is the usual procedure in any industry, when there is a slump, to cut expenses in the point of production and this was what all producers attempted to do. Most people connected with the industry are more or less familiar with what took place. The most important departments to suffer were the electrical and mechanical, due to high speed film, because it was found that it was impossible to photograph a motion picture with incandescent lighting equipment. It was also discovered that this lighting equipment could be operated considerably cheaper than the arc lighting equipment in use at that time and, without consideration of the very excellent photography produced by the arcs, most of the large studios installed or purchased a considerable amount of incandescent equipment. Now, it is not the writer's idea to criticize any move that goes for efficiency, but I think that I am justified in criticizing an industry which impairs the quality of their production by the introduction of an efficiency measure which amounts probably to five or six per cent but decreases the quality a great deal more. For the past twenty years it has been the untiring effort of those connected with the art of photography to strive for perfection and it was customary for critics to have something to say about the photography of all large and small productions, but when this move of economy took place we wiped away in a few months what had taken years to attain. Then came the sound pictures. The novelty of this new advent blinded not only the producers, but the public as well. I believe, however, the time is coming when the industry will be compelled to give serious consideration to the re-establishing of something like perfect photography. It is the writer's opinion that it is far more essential to have detail and perfection in sound pictures, than it was in the silent drama. When the observer becomes intensely interested in the drama being unfolded and all of a sudden is confronted with scenes in which it is impossible to see the performer's face at the same time that you hear the voice, the attention of the audience is not held as it should be. There are other cases also — spectacular scenes where the background is lost because of the poor lighting arrangements. It is true that a large part of the arc lighting equipment cannot be used in the making of talking pictures, because of the fact that most of it is obsolete in the first place, and it seems reasonable to assume, where an organization will spend onehalf or one million dollars for sound apparatus so delicate that they have to rebuild their sages, that it would be just as logical to invest in new and up-to-date lighting equipment. In so far as economy goes it will be found, I think, when all facts are taken into consideration, that arc lighting is still not only the most essential, but the most flexible equipment, as well as having many other advantages. After an unbiased and intelligent investigation, one cannot help but come to this conclusion. This article will be followed by a more detailed and complete analysis of costs and operations. SISHIgBHlllllEHiaiilHllllIllS^ § BROWN-ASHCRAFT Silent J\^ [y v_>< Efficient — AND— Climax Incandescent Studio Lighting Equipment SALE AND RENTAL Everything Mechanical and Electrical for the Studio CINEMA STUDIO SUPPLY CORP. HARRY D. BROWN 1438 Beech wood Drive Phone HO. 0513 Hollywood, California 1 1 1