Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1931)

MOVIE MAKERS 87 Educational films LOUIS M. BAILEY Astronomical ■ To show how work at the Princeton University Observatory is carried out and movies of sunrise on the moon were taken is the purpose of a two reel, 16 mm. film recently completed by Serge A. Korff of the Princeton Observatory. The film ends with actual photographs of the moon taken through the big Princeton telescope, one of the largest on the Atlantic seaboard. The first reel shows the observatory being opened up. The astronomers then go about their tasks adjusting the telescope and taking observations. The observations are recorded and are shown in the process of reduction and computation through the use of calculating machines by the staff. The final results of the work are briefly presented. The 16mm. camera used in filming Sunrise On The Moon is next introduced, together with the designer of its special equipment, R. F. Arnott of Montclair, N. J. It is then put on the big telescope, explained and operated by the observers. Finally, the world's bigg e s t telephoto lens comes into action. Through it, sunrise on the moon is watched as the shadows cast by the great mountain walls of the lunar crater, Copernicus, slowly contract. The educational value of the film, which is conceived and executed in a most workmanlike manner, is considerable and a great deal of interest in it has been expressed at showings before a number of scientific institutes and astronomical societies. Navy films ■ Reduction to 16mm. of the film library of the Recruiting Bureau of the United States Navy makes available for large group projection a number of highly interesting and instructive subjects. The great demand for 16mm. versions of the films by schools, Boy Scout groups, civic clubs and other organizations , _ . has brought about the ot Princeton savants issue of the films in this width, according to the officer in charge of the U. S. Navy Recruiting Bureau. At present eleven subjects are ready for distribution, one of which will be reviewed each month in the Free Films How the heavens look to the movie camera School, medical, art, cuolumn («* page 105) ' ' ' beginning with this is ;__ J. ._«._r_.| ..,^.lf^„^ sue of Movie Makers. industrial, welfare, T, fi, , . , t t Ihe films, which are ' ' I i largely scenic and trav CIVIC and Other USeS el in nature, present a comprehensive picture of the various activities, cruises and equipment of the United States Navy. The photography is in many instances exceptional and animated sequences and air shots, coupled with the interesting story each film relates, make the subjects an unusual contribution to the available free 16mm. offerings. Many of the 35mm. subjects in this group of films have disc accompaniment. Issue of discs for sound reproduction of the 16mm. films is being contemplated and will come about as soon as the demand warrants. Civic history ■ The History Of Ware, 1200 feet, produced by the Social Science Club of Ware, Massachusetts, as part of a program celebrating the tercentennial anniversary of the city, was recently completed, according to Mrs. David L. Washburn, pub1 i c i t y chairman for the Club. Featuring important events of the three hundred years since the founding of the city, the film constitutes a historical record which is both complete and authentic. Revolutionary War incidents are portrayed, a sale at auction of the town poor, the visit of Lafayette to Ware, soldiers leaving to fight in the Civil War, an 1850 tea party, activities in an early cotton mill which foreran the present industrial interests in Ware, a World War scene and views of Main Street today are among the sequences included in the elaborately conceived film. Costumes and other historical objects for use in the film were gathered from local residents, 250 of whom were included in the cast. Fulton Rindge acted as cameraman on the project and supervised a screening for the [Continued on page 104] Princeton Observatory