International projectionist (Jan-Dec 1946)

ings." The number of preliminary sketches and semi-finished drawings incident to a single release is truly astronomical; but an idea may be gained from the fact that a "typical" Disney color cartoon — about 700 feet in release print form — requires approximately 45,000 finished color drawings ! The animators have assistants who work under them in developing action. While an animator draws the most difficult and important points of action, his assistant follows through along the course indicated by the animator. These drawings then pass to the "in-betweeners," so-called, who are less experienced artists. They do the small, finey graded changes completing the action. The animators work on an illuminated drawing board. This is done so that after one drawing has been completed, a second piece of paper can be placed on top of it and the new drawing varied just enough to make the movement smooth and natural-looking. A completed series of drawings is photographed and returned to the animator who runs the film on his own little projection machine. He studies it to see that the action is smooth and that the over-all effect is as it should be. This rough test must then be approved by the director and the production supervisor. In addition, Walt himself keeps in close enough touch with the making of every picture so that each step has his approval. When the drawings are approved they are sent to the inking and painting department. This department is composed solely of girls who transfer the drawings to sheets of transparent celluloid and outline the characters with pen and ink in such a skillful manner that they lose none of the charm of the original drawings. Other girls apply the chosen colors of paint to the reverse side of the celluloids so that the inked outlines will show. Paints used for the Disney productions are ground and mixed within the studio paint laboratory from especially worked out formulas, and the colors and shades of the paints and inks total over 2,000! After the celluloids are finished they are sent to the camera department. Each celluoid is placed over the correct background and photographed. After a production is filmed, the processes leading up to the finished product are very like those in a regular motion picture studio. The sequences are put together and previewed for audience reaction. The picture is then either released as it stands, or organization had paid out more than $3000 in benefits. Famous Disney Multiplane Crane, 15 ft. high, with camera shooting downward on transparent material to simulate depth. Full crew shown. it undergoes some further editing at the studio, all depending upon how it has been received at the preview. The steps in the production of a full-length animated picture follow the elemental short subject pattern, a short subject being basically comparable to one sequence of a full-length production. Therefore, a feature may have as many as six directors, with each directorial unit responsible for the making of several sequences of the picture. • * * TMA-Daddy of Them All O By FRANK GALLUZZO Grand Secretary-Treasurer, TMA 'N NOVEMBER 25, 1883, a small group of men assembled at 32 East 1st St. in New York City and organized fraternal association based on understanding and the promotion of good fellowship among the mechanical workers in the amusement field. Thus was the beginning of the Grand Lodge of the Theatrical Mechanical Association. Three lodges were represented at this meeting, represented by the following men: From New York: John A. Thompson, Joseph H. Thompson and John Nunro; fror Philadelphia : John Penrose, James Meyers and John L. Furze; from Boston: Hilliam J. Moorehead, Frederick Weld and Charles E. Taylor. The first president of the Association was John A. Thompson, of New York. A Chicago Lodge was instituted in 1884., with Ralph M. Betchel as the delegate. Amusement mechanical workers all over America were intensely interested in TMA by the time the first biennial convention was held at Buffalo in 1887. Here it was that Thomas J. Bent of Chicago was named Grand President. By 1891 TMA had grown to 130 lodges throughout the United States and Canada and had more than 5000 members. Up to this point the organization had paid out more than $3000 in benefits. Succeeding conventions saw TMA grow by leaps and bounds. It was at the Toledo convention in 1919 that the organization changed its name to Theatrical Mutual Associations, its present title, and at the same time opened its membership rolls to the entire amusement field. Among the names inscribed on the pioneers roll of TMA are' Al Ruland, New York; J. Gallagher, Boston; John P. Smith, Philadelphia; James C. Parmell, St. Louis; Fred Rihm, St. Paul; James Duncanson, Louisville; Charles Leak, Toronto; Isadore Freeman, Cleveland; J. A. Dohring, San Francisco; William Parker, Cincinnati, Charles Palmer, Toledo; Lee M. Hart and Louis Hemrich, Chicago, and J. P. Carter, Toronto. The Grand Lodge Theatrical Mutual Associations has weathered the torm through good and bad years and always with its founding principles in mind: Charity, Benevolence and Fidelity. Interest in TMA is running very strong just now, with several new lodges having been formed and some old lodges reinstated. Next TMA convention will be in Omaha in July, 1947. Present Grand President is Philip Hitter, 1687 East 28th St., Brooklyn, N. Y. • • • 18 INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST July 1946