International photographer (Jan-Dec 1935)

May, 1935 r h INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPH KK Elc adding to it, among other things, the departments of acting, photograph}*, sound recording and lighting. The director has the job of general, seeing to it that everything fits into the pattern. A slip in any detail on a scene might result in that scene being laughed off the screen. A wrong bit of costuming, an anachronism in props or set, the wrong interpretation of a line of dialogue, a bad piece of photography or lighting or sound recording — any one of these is enough to set at naught the efforts of the other technicians who made the filming of the scene possible. The two months of filming is just a culmination of the eight or nine months which were spent on research and preparation. It is a matter of putting to practice everything we had worked out in theory — of translating into flesh and blood, wood, metal, cloth and stone the ideas contributed by each technical head. When everything has been photographed and the individual scenes picked from the daily "rushes," the process of assembling, editing and polishing the film begins. With every scene placed in sequence in the first rough cut, the picture is still a half-baked affair. Some of the scenes have no sound track. There is far too much footage, necessitating the removal of some scenes. Musical background has to be supplied for certain spots. Special effects have to be put in. All of this is a matter not only of a few weeks. The film has to be run over and over again for various pur poses. Sound track has to be fitted to scenes shot silent, musical sound track scored to others. Scenes and portions of scenes are trimmed out through a slow process until the dramatic value of the picture is closely bound. When the film is practically in readiness for exhibition, it is tried out on an audience in a preview generally held in a neighborhood or small town theater. This is just as important a part of the process as any, and here the audience is called on to contribute its share to the making of the film. Their reactions to every scene and every movement in the picture is carefully noted. Their laughter or silence or gasps are the barometers by which we measure the finished product. After this first preview, a final trimming is given the film according to the unspoken dictates of the audience. Then, and only then, do we feel that it is ready for release. It is the ultimate audience which tells us whether we have done our work well or not — and they tell it in terms of dollars and cents at the box office. FRED WESTERBERCS GREAT LITTLE BOOK The Cinematographer's Book of Tables is on sale throughout the world. At any dealer— $1.00. THE REGENERATION THE HULA OF Robert Miller, for 17 trips chief cinematographer of the famous Dollar Line, departed for Honolulu on April first to spend several weeks shooting atmosphere for a history of the Hula Hula dance. Mr. Miller shipped on the big Matson Liner, Malolo, leaving Mrs. Miller to follow him after school is out in June. He will be associated in Hawaii with Robert L. Lukens, of the Hawaiian Electric Company, purveyors of light and power to the city of Honolulu and its environs. The Hula Hula dance, in its pristine glory, was both a ceremonial and an entertainment and Mr. Miller and his associate are interested not only in restoring it to the original splendor, honor and fame, but in disseminating it throughout the world by means of teaching through the medium of the mail order. Mr. Miller has made many trips to the Orient and the South Seas, but this present sojourn in the Paradise of the Pacific looks like a protracted visit. \\ SOUNDOLA rr For Editing, and Inspecting Sound Track Only — Positive or Negative WILL NOT SCRATCH NEGATIVE Does Not Heat — Operates From Any Lamp Socket Price Amplifier and Sound Head, $150 I^oTion PicTure/^uipmenT(o. |Td. 645 NORTH MARTEL AVE CABLE ADDRESS ARTREEVES HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA. US A Please mention The International Photographer when corresponding with advertisers.