Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1949)

145 Pictures, plans and ideas to solve your filming problems SAVING STAINED FILM During the wartime film shortage, I used some black and white film which was improperly processed by the seller. As a result, the highlights gradually began to change to an orange-brown color; after several months the effect was quite noticeable and unpleasant. A test showed that soaking in hypo would not remove the stain. I then had the film duplicated and found that the duplicate looked much better than the original. In place of the light brown stains there was now only some loss of contrast and occasional slight solarization. It occurs to me that the same system of duplication might be used to advantage in salvaging a satisfactory projection print — in black and white, of course — from color film that has faded. Paul R. Stout, ACL Chicago, 111. Although there have been no reports of fading in motion picture color stock since 1936, League member Stout is correct in his suggestion. Excellent monochrome duplicates can be obtained from color films thus affected. PROJECTOR FOCUSING To achieve critical focusing of the projector lens with easy accessibility, I have found it helpful to engage a short handle with the projector lens barrel so that it serves as a lever. This can be done easily with a rubber-hose clamp and a lightweight screwdriver. The type of clamp needed consists of a band of metal which passes under a screw so arranged that the threads act as a worm gear. Specifically, I am using the QS Aero Seal clamp, which can be seen connecting the pump hose to the tank of a Thor washing machine. In use on the projector lens, the thumbscrew wings are filed off the clamp and the tip of the screwdriver is welded to the unit. Applying equal pressure to the entire circumference of the lens barrel, the clamp does not subject the lens units to any lo calized pressure which might result in a cracked element. The gadget is immediately removable and completely adjustable. Alan Probert, ACL Fairbanks, Alaska. STREAMLINED CASE Owners of comparatively large movie cameras, such as the Bolex H-8, probably have found as I have that their ready made cases usually add unnecessary bulk to an already sizable camera. The Bolex H-8 (with viewfinder on the side) measures SYz inches from top to bottom, 4% inches thick and 8 inches from the eyepiece of the viewfinder to the tip of the lens shade of the 1^2 inch Wollensak telephoto. By arranging two 100 foot film boxes above the viewfinder and two 25 foot film boxes below the viewfinder, and by locating the Weston meter at the top (crank side), HOMEMADE camera ease for Bolex H-8 carries camera, film, meter and accessories compactly. I was able to build a case measuring 9% by 5V4 by 9 inches. These figures are to be compared to the 13% by 6% by 11 inches of the regular Bolex case or the 9% by 4% by 11 inches of the light Bolex case. I used Y^ inch sole leather for the case, with two inner compartments made of balsa wood. The inside was padded first with sponge rubber at all points where the camera touches the case and then covered with corduroy velvet. Two extra 25 foot rolls of film can be placed in the case above the critical focuser, and there is room below the turret for either two more 25 foot rolls of film or (as in my case) an extra 50 foot takeup spool (packed in an empty Scotch tape can) and my Weston Invercone. By using % inch plywood instead of sole leather, it is possible to make the case % inch smaller in each dimension. Godfrey Cohen, ACL Jersey City, N. J. REVERSE ACTION ON 8 Reverse action by the inverted camera method is not usually attempted on 8mm. film. Yet good results are quite possible. The difficulty is that when the film length is turned end for end, the single line of perforations will be found to be on the wrong side. But turning the film strip over to realign the perforations has only two effects, neither really troublesome. The most annoying result is that the scene is reversed from left to right. In many instances that is not important. Where it is, as in the case of lettering, the entire scene can be shot in a mirror, thus beginning with a left-to-right reversed image in the first place. The second effect is that the emulsion of the turned strip will now be on the opposite side of the film from the emulsion of the rest of the reel, thus being slightly out of focus with it. However, reverse action shots are usually so short and so full of action that nobody ever notices. Neal Du Brey, ACL Durban, South Africa