Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1935)

The clinic FREDERICK G. BEACH, ACL 430 Nature "faker" ■ In movie making, as in other pursuits, short cuts are being found every day, and after a while it will not take much ingenuity to make unusual movies. The latest stunt that goes nature one better involves synthetic dew. While movie makers often are urged to take beautiful pictures of dew on flowers and spider webs, few seem to be able to get up early enough to catch real dew. All is not lost, however, for the ten cent store will supply a sprayer such as those used for killing insects. This device filled with water and plied with a willing hand will produce the finest dew available for pictorial purposes. Although the spider web shown in the illustration was a real one and the dew is bona fide, both easily might have been "faked." The gossamer spinning can be produced by pouring a few drops of glue or rubber cement between two blocks of wood, rubbing them together and finally drawing them apart. The long, thin strings of glue give the effect of a spider's strands. After they are strung in place, the atomizer will cover them with dew or, in the case of haunted house pictures, a bit of dust can be sprinkled on them. Lighting, too, helps a great deal, and the popular friend, back lighting, is the best ally. Kodachrome Splices ■ In splicing Kodachrome. it is not necessary to remove the bluish green coating which is left on the film base after the emulsion has been scraped away. A perfect splice can be made without removing this coating and, in fact, its presence is advantageous, since, if by accident a trifle too much emulsion is scraped off. it is an insurance against a light flash on the screen when a splice passes the projector gate. An effort to remove this bluish green coating will accomplish nothing and is likely to weaken the resultant splice. Film note ■ H. L. Hanson, ACL, whose postal filming activities were reported in last month's Movie Makers, has written us to call our attention to the section of the postal laws and Dew on the spider web can be created with an atomizer regulations that pertains to sending a letter with a parcel post package. The rules are particularly worth knowing for use in connection with sending Technical comment and timely topics for the amateur instructions to the laboratory along with a roll of film. The regulations, quoting, follow: "When it is desired to send a communication with a parcel on which postage at the fourth class rate has been fully prepaid, the communication may be placed in an envelope fully prepaid at the first class rate and addressed to correspond with the address on the parcel and then be tied to or otherwise securely attached to the outside of the parcel in such manner as to prevent its separation therefrom and not to interfere with the address on the parcel. The stamps to cover the postage on the parcel must be affixed to the wrapper of the parcel, and those to pay the postage on the communication must be affixed to the envelope of the communication. Parcels to which such communications are attached are treated as fourth class matter." It must be pointed out that it is against the law to enclose any letter or individual communication within a parcel post package. Editing safeguard Some careful movie makers use gloves when editing or handling film. This is an excellent precaution and is especially valuable when splicing Kodachrome, for, if this film is held firmly, the moisture on the fingers is likely to cause permanent marks on the surface of the film. When the print of a finger has once been impressed on the emulsion, it is very difficult to remove with any film cleaner, and the effect on the screen is a wavering distortion of the picture. While it is only momentary, it is very unpleasant. A pair of cheap cotton gloves should be part of every editing kit, but if gloves do not happen to be available, before splicing Kodachrome, wash and dry your hands carefully. Filter factors ■ It is a popular fallacy that the speed of the film bears some relation to the filter factor for that film. This is not always the case, however. The idea has come from the fact that certain supersensitive panchromatic films have a color sensitivity that allows a lower factor for a given filter than does regular panchromatic for the same filter. Thus a filter which has a factor of 4x with regular panchromatic might have a factor of only 2x with supersensitive panchromatic. However, a new type of inexpensive panchromatic film (generally thought to be an orthochromatic film) has the same factors as supersensitive, although it is said to have the same speed as regular panchromatic. It is highly desirable to find out exactly what factors to use with your filters when they are employed with various makes of film. The League's Service Department can supply this data in so far as they can be obtained. Scrap book ■ The cameraman of a movie club that is interested in producing photoplays could very well improve his knowledge of lighting treatments by keeping a scrap book collection of photographs from various "fan" movie magazines. These pictures present a wide assortment of diversified angles and styles of lighting. Ghost image ■ Not infrequently, a roll of film is sent to the League with the question. "Why is this film covered with light streaks when none of my others shows this condition?" Upon ex [Continued on page 444]