Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1945)

167 FACTS, NOT GUESSES WE HAVE been asked why Movie Makers does not make forecasts about new movie equipment to be offered after the war. The inquiry is reasonable and merits a clear reply. This magazine tries to find facts — not an easy goal to try for in these days of propaganda. There are no solid facts to report about postwar equipment. A moment's reflection will show why there is none. Manufacturers are competitive, and each wishes to bring out any new item with as much surprise as he can manage. Therefore, he does not announce that he will, after the war, present this or that much wanted piece of cine goods, described in great detail; such an announcement, of course, would let his competitors know what he has in mind, and they could imitate it, if they wished to do so. Manufacturers, quite rightly, tell the cine world that they will bring out new things after peace comes; but they must necessarily be vague about them. This vague speech is very thin material from which to construct an important sounding prophecy, although those prophecies come from some centers of prediction and rumor. Movie Makers prefers not to resort to the crystal ball. Neither do we try to assemble the scattered desires of individual filmers into the framework of a "dream camera" or "ideal projector." Every competent de signer of movie equipment has investigated these desires and has either found the answers to them — favorable or otherwise — or is at work on the search. Obviously, 8mm. sound on film would please a great many persons, just as would less expensive movie raw stock. The research departments of our industry are not asleep, nor do they require to have needles stuck into them by editors in order to be spurred to greater effort to provide what their customers would like. Editorial adventures in prophecy may attract casual readers, but they do not serve the fellow who wants to know how to make better movies. If it is a definite fact that a new piece of cine equipment will be offered, he will perhaps want to wait for the new item before he undertakes a specific bit of filming which that item would facilitate. If there is no fact, whispered rumors and grandiose predictions will not help him. When a manufacturer offers his own forecast, there is an element of news in it. When he has new goods, that is a solid fact. Movie Makers prefers to deal with facts, rather than to assemble rumors and guesses. If there are facts in such assemblies, they came to publishers in confidence which should have been protected. If these are mere shots in the dark, they only exhibit a publisher's irresponsibility. On either score, such prophecies are outside our editorial field. ACL Founded in 1926, the Amateur Cinema League, Inc., publisher of Movie Makers, is an international organization of filmers. The League offers its members help in planning and making movies. It aids movie clubs and maintains for them a film exchange. It has various special services and publications for members. The League completely owns and operates Movie Makers. Your membership is invited. Five dollars a year. Address all inquiries to AMATEUR CINEMA LEAGUE, INC. 420 LEXINGTON AVE., NEW YORK 1 7. N.Y.. U.S.A Amateur Cinema League offices are open from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Mondays through Fridays The AMATEUR CINEMA LEAGUE, INC. Hiram Percy Maxim, Founder DIRECTORS STEPHEN F. VOORHEES. President JOHN V. HANSEN, Vice President . ETHELBERT WARFIELD, Treasurer C. R. DOOLEY MRS. L. S. GALVIN H. EARL HOOVER HAROLD E. B. SPEIGHT PHILIP N. THEVENET FLOYD L. VANDERPOEL ROY W. WINTON, Managing Director New York City Washington, D. C. New York City New York City Lima, Ohio Chicago, Itl. . Canton, N. Y. . Dallas, Texas Litchfield, Conn. New York City