The international photographer (Jan-Dec 1936)

February, 1936 The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER Seventeen [CTURE SECTION [EDITOR FILM CLIPS Blank Separation Frames in Titles: Leaving a short section of blank film — only a few frames — between each individual title, as they are being photographed, will prove a great aid later when the titles are being cut into a reel of movies. Thus, in splicing, the spot where one title ends and the next one begins is more easily located by the appearance of the blank frames. The need for this splicing "signal" is particularly necessary when handling 8 mm. film, due to the minute frames of this narrow-gauge stock. To incorporate blank frames between titles, proceed as follows: After having photographed a single title, turn off the title lights. Then press the camera operating button for a single frame or two, exposure. Repeat this process after photographing each title, until your entire roll of film is completed. If your titles are of the direct positive type, the blank separation frames will be white; or if reversal film has been used, they will be black. Experimenting With Positive Film: No film is cheaper than positive stock and for the amateur, who likes to experiment, it can provide a great deal of entertainment at small expense. Positive film is quite contrasty, however, and has a slower speed than regular cine film. Even so, interior scenes of medium close-up size may be recorded on positive with the aid of some Photoflood bulbs. Short lengths of positive film can be developed in still-picture developing trays, using regular snapshot film developing solutions. And your own camera, provided it has a removable lens, can be pressed into service as a printer. With the lens detached, the camera is loaded with the develop film strip in contact with another strip of fresh positive. Hold the lens aperture about six inches from a 40-watt bulb, with the camera operating at normal speed. Develop this second strip of positive, and you'll have a real home-made print. "Mammy": Regular reversal film will not work this trick. But by using positive film as in the foregoing paragraph, or regular negative-positive system film, you can outdo Al Jolson in his famous "Mammy" song make-up. Shoot a close-up, about a six-foot length of 16 mm., with a result that you have two films; a negative strip and a positive strip, each of like footage and identical action. Now for some editing and cutting. Begin the close-up with about two feet (80 frames) of the positive strip; then cut in a length of negative, switching at the identical frame of the negative which your positive ends with. That is, the positive strip will be cut at frame 80, and the negative strip will be spliced to it beginning with negative frame 81. (To keep relative positions of the subject, the positive print will have to be spliced emulsion face down — negative strip with emulsion face up on the splicer.) Alternate your cutting and lengths of both positive and negative strips, keeping splice changeovers accurately corresponding to frame measurements. If the work is done carefully, you'll get a good laugh when the completed close-up is screened. Timing Slow Motion: Don't start your camera for (Turn to Page 18) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1. Can duplicates be made of Kodachrome natural color films? No, not in natural color. However, if your roll of Kodachrome contains some valuable subject, scenes which are impossible to retake, ordinary duplicates may be obtained from the original Kodachrome roll; these duplicates will of course be on plain black and white film. 2. What is the purpose of Fades, in most amateur films? Fades are most useful in these types of films to impart smoothness to the pictures on the home screen. They are generally used as follows: To denote lapse of time; change of subject; and change of location. 3. In photographing my own direct titles, I notice a difference in density of the background. In every case I was using the same lens stop with my springdriven camera. No doubt the change in density, which you have noticed, was caused by your camera spring-motor. Some cameras have a tendency to slow down, as the spring unwinds; thus this causes a slight change in exposure. While this slight slowing down does not normally affect your regular pictures, it becomes quite apparent in the case of photographing titles. It is good practice to wind the camera fully before each and every title; this will remedy your trouble. Of course, if after doing this you still encounter trouble, have your camera checked over at your dealer's. 4. What lens stop shall I use on my title board? I am using positive film, making directs. It is impossible to give you an exact lens aperture setting, due to the many different types of boards and conditions of lighting. Therefore, the only safe way to ascertain the proper exposure for your board is by tests, as follows: Expose about 10 feet of positive film in the test. Starting at F/16, expose several frames; then set your lens at F/ 1 1 and expose several more frames. Continue this procedure, changing your lens aperture for each exposure, until you have used the largest aperture of the lens. Instruct the film laboratory to develop the film normal time. From the finished film you can easily select the exposure which has given the best results. Henceforth, any future titles you make should yield similar results. 5. Are fades possible when making direct positive titles? Not with much success. Gradually increasing the opening of your lens, while the camera is in operation, will simulate a fade-out; and gradually decreasing the lens aperture will produce a fade-in. For various reasons, however, direct positive fades are not recommended. 6. Why does a projector have a two or threeblade shutter while a camera has but one blade? Only a single blade is absolutely necessary either on a projector or on a camera to cover the movement of the film from frame to frame. However, a single blade causes a noticeable flicker, of no consequence in the case of a camera but very objectionable in a projector. Experience has proved that intercepting the screen images more often than once per frame, materially reduces flicker and the (Turn to Page 20) Please mention The International Photographer when corresponding with advertisers.