Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1936)

MOVIE MAKERS The League has a birthday party [Continued from page 529] and determination of Hiram Percy Maxim in his many efforts in civic and scientific fields and referred to Mr. Maxim's hopes for the Amateur Cinema League. "I know," he said, "that the vision of our Founder has come true. Mr. Maxim's interest in the affairs of the League never lagged. May the spirit of our Founder continue to guide us in the work of our great ACL." Dr. Mees spoke on behalf of the ten thousand persons engaged, throughout the world, in making and selling film for use in amateur cinematography and for the others in the business of supplying amateur movie equipment. He quoted a 1920 report on the possible developments in the art of photography, which said that "it is possible that amateur cinematography may be a commercial success. It will be necessary to use a small picture with reversal of negative to positive." Dr. Mees referred to the founding of the League by Mr. Maxim, quoting from a letter of Mr. Maxim to the former vicepresident of the Eastman Kodak Company, the late L. B. Jones, ACL, in which Mr. Maxim asked that somebody come to Hartford to address the amateur movie club in that Connecticut city and expressed his belief that an international amateur movie body could be established. "I think, from that first suggestion on," said Dr. Mees, "that the League has undoubtedly done more than any one organization to promote the interest of America and the world in personal motion pictures. It is useful to local clubs. It is a concentration point for information flowing two ways — from manufacturers to movie makers and from movie makers to manufacturers. It makes the products of the manufacturers and the proper use of the products familiar to the user. In the other direction, the ACL is in a position to convey to the manufacturer the attitude of the users, and it has never hesitated to do so. The League has definitely succeeded in doing a job to the benefit of anybody interested in amateur motion pictures." Mr. Dombroff referred to the small beginnings of the now extensive amateur movie industry. "In 1924," he said, "I purchased my first three amateur movie cameras for commercial sale. When I placed that order, I thought I had overstepped the bounds as a prudent buyer and had bought more equipment than I should have. Since that time, there have been put into use more than five hundred thousand pieces of amateur equipment, and amateur cinematography has become imbedded into the hearts of the people not only as a hobby, but as a means to perpetuate the past for the future." 543 Governor Milliken traced the cooperative efforts of the League and the theatrical motion picture industry in the last decade. In conclusion, he said, "I have a notion that this ACL of yours has been rendering and will increasingly render valuable social service — even more valuable because it is unconscious — because you have been fostering interest in the wholesome use of leisure time, and a use that involves definite effort on the part of the participant." Mr. Vallee reviewed the events that had led him to an interest in personal movie making, revealing that he had been, in his earlier days, a projectionist in a small movie theatre. He told of filming friends in Hollywood and then referred to his interest in the production of pictures in which he has been starred. "Some of the scenes in Sweet Music" he said, "are my suggestion, and the final one of 'Fare thee well, Annabelle' was entirely my idea." He referred to his filming in color, which brought him recognition from the Toronto Amateur Movie Club, of Toronto, Canada, as a life member. Mr. Vallee indicated his hope that he might deal with all phases of picture making in the theatrical studio world. "I would be more than happy," he said, "to go into the cutting room for a year or more (and I think that is the only way one can honestly know whether he is an amateur or a professional). "If I achieve anything out there on the Coast," he concluded, "I can thank the ACL and Movie Makers for their ideas and criticism." Miss Brown said that she had learned how to write a terse novel because of having spent time in a film cutting room. She referred to her method, familiar to readers of this magazine, of building a reel from odd shots and titles. "I use a sharp pair of shears on my own novels," she concluded. "Ever since my movie work, I have written dialog and have heard it on 'the set.' I say my speeches out loud. I cut them, I dramatize them, I give 'curtains' to chapters. This has taught me to give everything I touch, all the life and vitality I can give it." Roy W. Winton, the League's managing director, introduced the speakers. The concluding feature of the evening's program was the first showing of The Amateur Advance, a film prepared at League headquarters from footage lent by movie clubs, the Eastman Kodak Company and individual League members, running a little more than 1600 ft., 16mm., and containing both black and white and Kodachrome. Special introductory and concluding sequences were made by Kenneth F. Space, ACL, of The Harmon Foundation. This film took up its story several years before the commercial introduction of substandard film widths in the United States. It presented KODAK RETINA KODAK Retina would make a welcome gift for any of your moviemaking friends. A precisely and compactly constructed "miniature," it is easily carried along for the unusual "stills" that intrigue all home movie fans. Kodak Retina carries an/.3.5 anastigmat lens mounted in a nine-speed Compur-Rapid shutter (1 to 1/500 second) — that's lens and shutter ability to spare. Other out-of-the-ordinary features are the film-measuring mechanism, exposure counter, depth-of-focus scale, enclosed direct-view finder, and special finger-tip plunger release. Retina loads in daylight with 36cxposure magazines. Its black-andwhite negatives enlarge beautifully. Price 857.50 — at your dealer's. Uses Kodachrome Film for "Stills" in Gorgeous Full Color KODAK Retina uses Eastman's new Kodachrome for full-color "stills." Two kinds of Kodachrome are available : one for outdoor pictures in color, without a filter — the other, Type A, for indoor color pictures under Photoflood or Photoflash bulbs, without a filter. Either— K135 or K135A— is §3.50 for 18 exposures. Price includes processing at Rochester. EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY Rochester, N. Y. mmstmssm