Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1940)

467 Catch the fruits of fall as well as scenic sequences RECORDING AUTUMN HAVE you ever seen, on your own movie screen, one of those top notch fall color scenes, filled with the brilliant reds and yellows of autumn against bright blue sky? If you have ever seen that crystal clear and gemlike color effect of a fall scene, that was correctly exposed on a sunny day, you will want to make an autumn scenic reel. It is the most popular seasonal scenic subject, and every movie maker who lives in country where the leaves turn with the first frost should try his skill on it. Even fall scenics must have continuity, and, therefore, a preliminary idea will be necessary. Perhaps it is as simple as a theme based on a stroll in the woods; perhaps it is a plan of shots, to fit -musical selections; perhaps it is nothing more than a comparison of fall in the city and fall in the country. Maybe you are closing a farm or a country place, preparatory to spending winter in the city — then make a reel of your farewell to the country — take scenes of turning off the water, putting up storm shutters, packing the car and then show what you are leaving — the colors of fall. A prime consideration in making a fall scenic is color emphasis. People have varying tastes in color, and you will notice that some like bold, strong hues, while others prefer softer pastel shades. Neither type of person should be given a full dose of his favorite material. Include both for variety. In so far as possible, plan a variation of color emphasis when you plan the movie. You can select subjects with strong colors, and you can find others with pastel shades; in addition, there are technical methods of securing color variation. First and simplest of these is exposure control. In general, the old rule holds true — slight underexposure produces strong, vivid colors, and slight overexposure makes them soft. Use this exposure manipulation, to help with your scheme. Be careful, for a half stop either way from correct ex Rich colors of fall scenes yield brilliant dividend FREDERICK G. BEACH, ACL posure is pretty nearly all that the film will stand without giving unpleasant results. Above all, avoid making the shots look as if they were underexposed or overexposed. Another method of varying the color is the use of a polarizing filter. The polarizer is best known for its ability to darken the blue sky under certain light conditions. It is most effective when the sun is directly to the right or left of the camera, but its usable range is wider, for, if the sun is somewhat to the front of the direct side position, you will still get an effect. Properly used, the polarizer will darken the blue sky without affecting, in either exposure or color rendition, the rest of the scene. It has another function, which is not fully appreciated. It will darken the color of leaves in many instances, because it cuts out the reflected high lights on the leaves and, as a result, it decreases the exposure or amount of light reaching the film from their surfaces. This method of deepening the color of fall foliage works best in the case of trees or bushes which have rather shiny leaves. By examining the scene through the polarizer, while slowly rotating the filter, one may see the effect as it will appear on the finished film. Very often, this procedure will enable you to cut down a bright patch of leaves without affecting the exposure on the surrounding parts of the scene. Blue sky will be lightest in color when you are shooting toward the horizon. As you move the camera upward, it will appear as a deeper blue. This is es [Continued on page 485]