International photographer (Feb-Dec 1929)

December, 1929 The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER Twenty-seven THE STILL CAMERA IN MOTION PICTURES (Continued froi.m Page 20) to be seen and enjoyed by an enthusiastic world. Take, for instance a day at Warner Brothers' studios on Sunset boulevard, the great producing organization that picture. But they by no means form a complete list of the widely diversified tasks that the still camera performs in motion pictures. When a picture is in preparation and the director is looking for suitable locations on which to shoot the best possible outdoor scenes he rarely visits the locations himself. Instead, a still photog —31 • —If* Kh i Elmer Fryer, chief still artist for Warner Brother films and records Vitaphone talking pictures. There are seven specials and feature length talkies in production. The Vitaphone Varieties department is filming and recording one or two reelers at the rate of five and six a week. Elmer Fryer, Local 659, head of the still department for Warner Brothers and First National, as well as portrait artist for the latter studio, has assigned his men to the various pictures. Fred Archer is portrait artist for Warner Brothers. Mack Elliott is busy shooting his still camera on "The Man" starring John Barrymore. Irving Lippman is engaged on Al Jolson's latest starring vehicle "Mammy!" Mack Julian is covering "Golden Dawn." J. Bredell is shooting "Hold Everything" with Georges Carpentier, Winnie Lightner, Sally O'Neil and Joe E. Brown. George Baxter, one of the busiest still men on the lot, is chief still photographer for Vitaphone Varieties, the short reel specialties of which Bryan Foy is executive in charge of production. Over two hundred Vitaphone Varieties alone will be made this season. One of these still men is high on a parallel. Another is shooting an intimate love scene. Another is focusing his trusty Graflex on a fast action shot. Another is covering a huge and beautiful dance ensemble. And so on. These are the actual duties of a still man on the set during the making of a at hi. s camera rapher is dispatched to the approximate locality with instructions to pick out desirable spots and shoot them. It is from the finished still photograph that the director makes up his mind where the actors will perform and where the movie cameras will be set up. Reference work is also largely dependent upon still pictures. Each set in which any action of a picture takes place is photographed devoid of actors. This still is filed for future reference when the company may need a similar setting or is desirous of renting the set to another producing organization. Nor does the reference work stop here. Practically every piece of property of any value is photographed. The stills are filed and numbered so that when a technical director wants a certain kind of door or window, or for that matter, a particular type of wedding cake, all he need do is to consult his still file and find out exactly where to find the real property. This system is also invaluable for costumes and makeup. At the beginning of production of every picture the players are photographed in their makeup, so that every day they will be exactly the same in character. The shading, etc., is based on this pre-production still. Costumes follow the same process. If a player at the end of a picture is in doubt as to what he wore the first day, all he need do is scrutinize a still picture of himself and the facts are there. An intensely vital factor in the business of still men is remote and aside from the actual filming and recording of a picture. That is publicity and advertising— one of the most important phases of the motion picture production and distribution. It is the medium through which the public is reached and made ('Concluded on Page 43) George Baxter photographing a close-up on a Warner Bros. set. Bryan Foy directing