Motion Picture News (Jul-Aug 1922)

August 5 , 1922 655 Four Hundred Thousand Miles of Traveled Roads Behind Him FOUR hundred thousand miles of traveled roads behind him ; ahead, adventure in its wildest forms. That’s the record and program of Hereford Tynes Cowling, head cinematographer for the Barton Holmes Travelogue picture company who “shot” scenery with his movie camera at the opening celebration at Rainier National park Sunday. Cowling will leave America on August 25th for his latest, and what he terms his most thrilling adventure, a seven-months’ trip through the wilds of Africa. He will travel the trail used by Theodore Roosevelt during his trip through Africa. The expedition will start in British East Africa near Lake Victoria Nyanza. It will follow the Nile river to Cairo, Egypt, then go home. “We will get some of the wildest traveling in Africa on our trip,” Cowling said. “No, I haven’t any of that ‘most thrilling moment’ stuff. A good part of my traveling has been thrilling, just as thrilling as I care to have it. “I can change the subject, though, and tell you of one of the ‘most unique’ events I have || ever seen. I would not dare to tell this one for fear of being nominated for the Ananias Club were it not possible for me to produce !! 150 feet of perfectly good celluloid to prove it. Films Fish Fight “I claim the distinction of filming the only fish fight ever filmed. It was in the Royal City of Bankok. There I found natives who raise fish for fighting purposes just as some people raise game chickens. I happened to witness one of these fights. The fish, each about three inches long, ^ire placed in a glass jar. Upon the sight of each other they bite and snap until one is entirely exhausted. The other is then declared the winner. “The owners would not allow me to film the fight, so I bought two of the fish and staged my own fight for the camera. I have never heard of a fish fight being filmed outside of this one.” Despite his thousands of miles of wandering over the globe, Cowling this week made his first visit to Rainier National park. He came west over the Chicago & Wilwaukee, filming scenery on the way. Several reels of pictures of the Tacoma and Seattle waterfronts were filmed during his stay. Worked for U. S. Since 1910 Cowling has worked behind a moving picture camera. At that time he entered the U. S. reclamation service. He was head photographer in the “See America First” campaign of the department of the interior. In 1917 the celluloid expert entered the employ of the Burton Holmes Travelogue Co., and headed an expedition to Formosa, Philippines, Indo-China, Siam, Dutch East Indies, Australia, Tasmania, China, Japan, New Zealand, and the South Sea islands, producing semi-educational and travel pictures. Following the world war, Cowlipg traveled through Belgium, France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, Switzerland and Czechoslovakia filming “Europe in the Remaking.” He claims the distinction of being with the first cameramen who entered Vienna after the close of the hostilities. Still Going Strong In other travel trips with his camera Cowling has been in Algeria, Sicily, Spain and India. “I’m still young,” said Cowling, “and I figure that I still have a lot of going to do. Four hundred thousand miles is a long ways if you stop to think about it, but I don’t have the time.” Incidentally, Cowling has won a place in “Who’s Who in America.” • Renovations at Small Part of FourPer Cent Original Investment Results in New House N the opinion of Eugene H. Roth, one of the most prominent motion picture managers in the West and associate manager of the Im! perial, California, Portola and Granada theatres in San Francisco, it pays one to renovate every nook and corner of his theatre at certain intervals. “ By this,” said Mr. Roth, “ I mean those nooks and corners should be renovated that the patrons do not see, as well as those they do see. Because not only does the owner and manager have a certain feeling of completeness and having done the right thing, but the fixtures in the house will last longer. “ Furthermore, one should not wait until the theatre is running down, but should renovate (while the fixtures are still in good working order.” And Mr. Roth practices ' what he preaches. The California theatre, one of the largest motion picture houses on the Pacific Coast, was on the eve of its recent fifth birthday completely renovated from roof to basement. “ In most instances,” said Mr. Roth, “renovation calls for that only which the eye sees. In this instance the renovation included the skylight on the roof, all metal work, water tanks on the roof, and the roof itself received a coat of red lead and three coats of weather proof paint.” The wooden tanks were given a creosote stain ing as a preservative and the fire escapes on the surfaces as well as those the eye cannot see, were treated with three coats of paint. Some 300 feet of vacuum hose were extended to the roof and applied to ventilating system. In the attic, from the wall to the roof a space of ten feet depth was explored for dust even to the remotest corner. In the auditorium of the theatre, the walls received a similar treatment. The entire house was recarpeted, requiring some 3,300 yards. Before the carpets were laid, the woodwork was treated with a chemical disinfector and then stained. Five layers of carpet lining and one layer of felt was laid before the carpet was tacked down. Every seat in the house was gone over by expert chair renovators. In the projecting department, three of the latest types of motiographs were installed, replacing those in constant use during the past five years. A complete new equipment of chairs, stairs, stands and conveniences for the men, was installed. The entire outer walls of the theatre, being of tile structure, were first washed down and scrubbed and then sponged with a liquid soap and hosed. This gave the appearance of newness, and, with the repainting of the metal works on the marquise and window paintings, the California theatre offered to its patrons a delightful cleanliness, which added materially to their comfort Herbert Tynes Cowling filming in the Sahara desert Film Patches By R. O. Schmidt Seldom is very much importance attached to the simple matter of a film splice (patch), yet it is a very important phase of projection. I’ll say that time and time again you have “ cussed ” the numerous bad splices in film such as weak patches which pull apart while passing through the projector or the equally careless patch which gives us the misframe. Are you one of the fellows who make a brother projectionist cuss these too numerous poor splices or do you see to it that when making a splice it is made correctly? If you are of the first-mentioned class, then for the benefit of yourself and the fellows who run the film after you, change your ways. If you belong to the second class, try to improve upon the splices which you are now making. With the following drawings and description I hope to make clear one method of producing a good splice. To make the splice described here two too!* are needed, namely: scissors and a discarded safety razor blade. In figure 1 we have shown a section of film which is broken. Before proceeding further it might be well to mention that the emulsion (sticky) side should be up. Now with the emulsion side up cut film square across, midway between the first and second sprocket holes below the line which divides one exposure from the other, as shown by the dotted line “ a-a,” figure 1. Then cut film squarely across on the line which divides one exposure from the other, line “ b-b,” figure 1. After these steps have been completed the result as shown in figure 2 will have been obtained. Now wet emulsion covering the space marked “ c,” figure 2. Take safety razor blade and scrape emulsion off film entirely. With this step completed, place safety razor blade at right angles to the film (from which emulsion ha* been removed), and scrape very lightly. During this step be sure that you do not scrape the film too thin. The splice is now in condition to receive * thin coating of cement. This should be applied only to the section of film prepared to receive it (“c,” figure 2). Now, very quickly, place exposure “ f,” figure 2, over “ c,” figure 2, being sure that sprocket holes “g” register. Pres* firmly together for a few seconds. Then apply to edge of splice (both sides) another thin coating of cement, pressing firmly together again. If you are not using a better method at pre»ent, try this one. From the article you may think it is a bit long, but this splice can be made in less than a minute. — Silver Sheet.