Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1931)

262 MAY 1931 Facts on film W. STERLING SUTFIN A survey of the film stocks which amateurs may use THE amateur cameraman is now afforded the same opportunities in his choice of film as is his professional big brother. And the amateur is provided with a color process simpler than any used in the professional field. But, of the two noncolor films available, which is the better? First to be considered is the orthochromatic film which is by far the most popular because it costs less and may be used for all ordinary purposes. This film is almost the same as that used in still cameras and it will give the same fine results. For years this was the only film available and all the great professional motion pictures of the past were made upon it. It is remarkably sensitive to color variations and will give a film with well balanced "value s" which means that most colors will photograph in shades and tints of black somewhat approaching the way the eye sees them. But orthochromatic film is not completely sensitive to yellows, oranges and reds. For instance, a girl wearing a red dress will photograph as though she were wearing a black dress. For this reason, it is noticeable that motion pictures in the theatre have taken on a new "brilliancy" during recent years. They have become startlingly beautiful and sometimes almost three dimensional. This is due to the development of a film called panchromatic which is more completely sensitive to all colors. Almost as soon as professional cameramen were given this new film, it was also supplied to amateurs and its use is growing rapidly in spite of the slightly increased cost — about twenty percent more than orthochromatic or ordinary film. Panchromatic film is best for landscapes, mountain scenes, wood scenes, airplane pictures, water scenes, in short, all those where beauty is of importance. It is safe to say that John H. Ahern once "pan,'" as it is popularly called, is used it will henceforward be preferred to ordinary film. "Pan" should, in most cases, be used with a special filter which slips over the lens. This brings out the utmost beauty and gives superb cloud effects. An accompanying article on page 255 tells the how and why of these filters for those who are interested. Then there is Kodacolor. This is the only amateur film at present which will give pictures in natural colors and, since its introduction in 1928, it has greatly enriched the possibilities of personal movie making. To make Kodacolor pictures, a camera with a fast lens in focusing mount must be used. A special filter, combined with the uniquely designed Kodacolor film, is all there is to the process — simplicity itself. Of course, all pictures will not be wanted in color. Kodacolor is primarily an out of door film and must be used only in brilliant sunlight or unusually intense artificial light. With increased popularity since its introduction, the price has been reduced and it now costs only about fifty percent more than ordinary orthochromatic film. In all the films mentioned above, the identical film which was exposed in the camera is the one finally run through the projector. These films are developed by the "reversal" process which chemically changes a negative into a positive and does away with the necessity and added cost of making a print. And the fact that there is no negative makes no difference since film manufacturers and laboratories today make excellent duplicates from "reversed" films which are almost indistinguishable from the original. The complete finishing of the reversal film is included in its purchase price. There is also available straight negative and straight positive film in which the film exposed in the camera is used for making a print, just as an ordinary snapshot negative is used to print a picture on a sheet of sensitized paper. In the case of motion pictures the print, of course, is made on film. Negative film may be had in "ortho" or "pan," just as in reversal. Positive film also has [Continued on page 284] Cinematic shadows are not Mm ited to the motion picture screen