The international photographer (Jan-Dec 1933)

Twenty The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER April, 1933 EASTMAN FILMS BRULATOI WHAT'S WHAT! Published Monthly by J. E. Brulatour, Inc., Distributors Ej DE VINNA BACK FROM ALASKA Rambling Cameraman Who Gained Fame in South Seas Clicks Encore in Far North CLYDE DE VINNA, winner of the Academy award for his photographic achievement in "White Shadows of the South Seas," has returned to Hollywood after spending ten months in Alaska as chief of camera staii on the M. G. M. production, "Eskimo." Production direction was in the hands of W. S. Van Dyke, who has alsc won his spurs for riding the seas and the mountains to far locations for the Culver City Studio. De Vinna has been in charge of the cameras for four of the M. G. M. Van Dyke productions, namely, "Whitest Shadows", "The Pagan", "Trader Horn" and now "Eskimo." On the current production which is being polished off in its fine points during the next two or three weeks at the M. G. M. Studios, De Vinna had as his photographic associates George Noble and Bob Roberts as second cameramen and Dale Deverman and Jimmy Knott as assistants, with Roy Clark in charge of the stills. C. S. Pratt and H. D. Watson are the sound engineers, who recorded all the takes during the ten months of production in the far north where they employed a special super-portable sound recording equipment, which is the creation of the engineering department sound division, M. G. M. Studios. Noble, Roberts, Deverman and Knott remained on location in Alaska where they will be kept busy for the next several weeks in obtaining special shots of whales and polar bears ; also photographing some additional background material. De Vinna's report on conditions at their location, which is between Point Teller and Point Hope, approximately a hundred miles north of Nome, is most interesting. He states that during the months of December and January past he had barely an hour a day in which to operate the cameras, and then under conditions which were far from favorable. With sunrise at about 11 a.m. and sunset at 1 p.m., just two hours later, he was unable to get any degree of satisfactory exposure except between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Unit was equipped with a motor generator of 500 amp. capacity and ample lighting equipment, with which the company made all of their interiors while they were in the north country. Ten actors and actresses were taken from the Culver City Studio, and this cast was augmented by about six hundred natives. Including the cast and technicians the personnel of the unit numbered about forty. All of the long jumps by the entire company were made by plane, and coming out from Teller to Fairbanks, Alaska, a distance of 600 miles, the jump was made in approximately six hours. During the ten months on location the camera crew exposed approximately 300,000 feet of Eastman Super-sensitive grayback negative, and De Vinna is most enthusiastic in his unstinted praise of this film. He declares it would have been impossible to obtain results achieved with any other film ; in fact, he says that while Eastman Super-sensitive grayback is ideal for all production purposes, it was certainly made to order for the very unusual conditions under which most of tne photography was made on this production. The glaring reflections and halations from the snow and ice were no deterrent to successful, pleasing and artistic photography, and De Vinna allows he would like to see somebody go into this country with a clear base negative and come out with anything at all comparable to the results achieved with Eastman grayback. In discussing the natural light condition De Vinna says it is simply terrible, that there is no degree of uniformity in the light ; one day will be glaringly brilliant and the next day overcast and soggy. We asked him whether he had used any sort of scientific instrument to measure the light, and he replied, "I used the best instrument that any cameraman could possibly use under these conditions, a good old hand test of Eastman Grayback Super, which told the story exactly as we had to know it." We were very much interested in discussing with De Vinna details of their living conditions. We asked him whether they had any fresh meat. "Plenty," he said, "we had reindeer galore, fresh beef and at times a pig." "How," asked we, "did you get the pig." "Flew in," replied De Vinna. "Do you mean to tell us," we gasped "that up there pigs have wings?" j* i ! !»* ? — So Gibby and Bud picked us up off the floor, De Vinna dusted his hands, threw a nasty look over his shoulder, and left our office to returi* to the lot, where he will complete his pick up and polish d.T shots of "Eskimo." Ernie Miller to Mexico Having completed photography of the Mascot serial "The Three Musketeers", Ernie Miller, chief cameraman for Fanchon Royer Productions, is now in Mexico shooting backgrounds and special atmospheric shots for a forthcoming Mascot feature. With Miller on "Musketeers" were Edgar Lyons and Tommy Galligan as seconds, with Monte Steadman and Joe Lykens, assistants. Fanchon Royer is expected to return from New York to Hollywood in a few weeks, at which time company of about thirty will be taken by Miss Royer to Mexico City, where a big Spanish feature will be produced, at which time Miller, of course, will be in charge of the cameras. Fox L. W. O'CONNELL has completed production on the Hamilton McFadden picture and has started a new one under the direction of Frank Craven which carries the tag, "Five Cents a Glass." Sounds very interesting and picture will probably be completed before the title is a realization in fact in Hollywood. Don Anderson is in the spot of second cameraman, with assistant jobs being handled by Harry Daw and Russell Hoover. HAL MOHR has completed "Warrior's Husband", a Lasky picture directed by Lang for Fox distribution, and is now standing by for his next probable assignment again in association with Director Henry King, the man who was responsible for "State Fair", which was also photographed by Mr. Mohr. Bill Skall continues as the man of all work. GEORGE SCHNEIDERMAN is completing "Pilgrimage", a Jack Ford production, and is standing by for another assignment, which will probably take him to the Fox Western Studios for the next several weeks. Curt Fetters, second : James Gordon, Lou Kunkel, assistants. JOHN SEITZ is turning in especially beautiful photography on the current Janet Gaynor vehicle, "Adorable , which is being directed by Dieterle. Joe McDonald, second cameraman ; Lou Molino and Eddie Collins, assistants. JAMES WONG HOWE has returned from Europe where he has spent the past six months on assignment of Fox, and is now in production on "Power and Glory", directed by William Howard. Paul Lockwood and Harry Webb are James' assistants. LEE GARMES has started on the new Blystone production, "My Lips Betray" with Warren Lynch and Johnny Schmitz, seconds ; Warner Cruze, H. C. Smith, assistants. ARTIE MILLER is also on the lisc of new starts at Fox, being assigned to the new David Butler production, "Hold Me Tight." Second camera is being handled by Joe Lashalle ; Bill Abbott and Al Lebovitch, assistants. Warner Bros.-Fi t National SOL POLITO is in char of cameras on Warner Bros, s nd musical, "The Gold Diggers 19! which is a close follow-up o; 'Fo second Street", which was a phi graphed by Polito. Incider ly, critics in every key city in t'Ui States have been most kind i t enthusiastic comments on tb jho raphy of "Forty-second Strc ' being a smart little boy, coi me' hold his staff intact, with M Jo his second, and Speed Mitche his sistant. TONY GAUDIO is all st led and in a sputtering state en: siasm with his current as nm "Voltaire", starring Georg Ai This is Gaudio's first picture th Arliss, and even Tony is delif <1 | the results. John Adolphi is eel Al Green is the second and ( G rie, assistant. SID HICKOX is in produ a turning in some truly beau il tography of Kay Francis "1 Stevens, M. D.", which Lloyd ico directing. Tommy Brannigai I t ating the camera and Wesley ide is th eassistant. ARTHUR TODD has com ed Bobby Jones golf series, whic hr< the kindness and courtesy of \ . Warner, we enjoyed seeing ir mi with the Warner chief at th< urt Studio last week. Photograp is about as important in this ries Bobby Jones shorts as is titan Bobby Jones swing of the f < Perhaps Mr. Warner would : us to say more at this timi >ec we can appreciate his desin d 1 this splendid photographic fi .ire cret until the series hits th scr of the theatres throughout a try, and when the average s,er, for that matter, the extraordi S f er, sees this series, he may nc ert realize why it is different o, e not realize that the photogr: y i stitutes the big difference, bne theless we take our favorite >hi< hand and salute Mr. Todd. GEORGE BARNES has mc to Burbank plant where he is eh: of the photography on the J1 B dell picture, which no less a Hut ity than Fred Gage himself p »> "Great!" And, boys and gi| | Fred Gage says it is great, ■ that. JIMMY VAN TREES conti; Richard Barthelmess and is .'■ photographing "Breadline" i -r direction of William WellmanjSa is Lou Jennings, assistant Ji.J Trees, Jr., who is clicking el that spot. CHICK McGILL has a ciM assignment for a cameraman '«> Prisoners", and is taking ; of all the opportunities that 1; » the art director, has made avi;H' him. Roy Del Ruth is direct : ' nethl Green is the second d Whitley, assistant. MERRITT GERSTAD, M. <ffj timer, has been added to the '3I First National staff, and d U past month has been busy1* added sequences on the Jam ^j picture, "Reform School." H second cameramen were Ben >' Harry Davis, and the assistai M Hower and Jack Kaufman.