Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1941)

Have you worked out any new and clever ideas, to aid in your movie making? Have you built any new "gadgets" or improved on some old ones? If you have and if they have not appeared in print, send them along to The Clinic. A usable item with pictures or sketch will bring you four dollars. Send in your ideas! Table titler 'If >011 have a din ing room table that separates in the center, you have a very serviceable titler — believe it or not," writes Tod Raper, and he proves it as you can see here. He continues. '"Merely slide the table apart far enough to support the camera, with its lens pointing toward the floor. Drop a plumb line from the center of the lens to the floor and, using the point thus obtained as a center, arrange title letters directly on the carpet or on a paper or other background placed on the carpet. To determine the limits of your camera field on the floor, make a test shot of two rulers or yardsticks placed at right angles to each other within the area. When the test strip is projected, note the outside dimensions indicated by the points where the field cuts past the rulers. "Lights may be clamped to the table or they may be used on stands. When you rest the camera on the table or clamp lamps to it, use small squares of cloth to protect the surface of the table from scratches." We might add that not all cameras will rest flat on the table, but that those which do not may be supported upon two flat pieces of wood, placed over the TABLE SPREAD APART TO ADMIT CAMERA LENS WOODEN BLOCK LETTERS A dining table that opens for extension will serve as titler opening that is made when the table top sections are separated. "High hat" for low shots In a recent letter. William W. Willock, jr., ACL, asks, "How often have you wished for a convenient, solid support for your camera when you shoot those "worm's eye' views of the baby or kitten on the floor or other low angle shots?" ""Plenty of times!" we thought to ourselves, and then we went on to read his solution of the problem. He suggests that you go to an electrical supply store and get a raised blank cover for a four inch square outlet box. Then drill a quarter inch hole in the center and make a thumbscrew 321 Raised blank cover makes a low camera support by soldering a small strip of metal into the slot of a quarter inch, twenty thread round head machine screw, as illustrated below. The screw should extend about a quarter inch through the hole in the cover. If it is not possible to secure the blank cover in the raised style, for second choice get a '"bushed" cover in the same size. This cover is similar to the other type, but it has a three eighths inch hole in the center. This hole has a raised lip, which will have to be filed off, to allow the "pan" and tilt head to be seated solidly. It will be necessary to use a washer under the head, since the hole will not be an exact fit for the screw. The lower illustration shows to what extent the camera can be tilted upward without toppling over. A full vertical shot can be made with this device, if you screw the "high hat" to a board, using the slots in the cover blank for the screws. Note that, for extreme upward tilts, the camera is mounted in the reverse position on the "pan" and tilt head, so that the handle of the head will not hit the floor. In the case of most cameras, the handle in this position will not interfere with the lens field; but, if there is any doubt on this point, shoot a few feet of film, using your widest angle lens as a test. This "high hat" also can "pinch hit" for a tripod in an emergency. Attach it directly to the camera and set it upon any convenient flat surface, such as a bench, table or low wall. If desired, a block may be placed under the front or rear edge of the cover, to tilt the camera. The square cover was used instead of the round type, because the latter would roll if it were tilted up. The "high hat" is useful in table top work and in title making. Rubber bands Dr James E. Bliss. ACL. veteran movie maker, forwards this one: "\ovt may [Continued on page 335]