Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1949)

286 AUGUST 1949 YOU can make SNAPSHOTS from your MOVIE FILMS, : FEDERAL © Enlarging Cameras for 8mm or 16mm movie film Exclusive magnifying SELECTA -FRAME Built-in illumination for rapid exposure ■ "^ Capture the big moments of your favorite movie reels ~\J\\ «n exciting snapshots. The ' —•>--. baby's first step, a happy Graduation Day, a gay vacation party, now easily become big, clear, wallet-size pictures. Album memories! Keepsakes for your friends! EASY AS I 1. Insert movie film. TAKING A i 2. Select best frame. SNAPSHOT! J 3. Push button! NO DARKROOM NEEDED! NO SPLICING OR CUTTING! Use #127 roll film (black-and-white or Kodacolor). Your photo-finisher will develop apd print in the usual way. You get eight full-size pictures {\V%"x2Vi"), jumbo prints (2iA"x4") , or greater enlargements can be made! Write for literature Model 8A (or 8mm or $1Q.95 Model 16* for 18mm I J COMPLETE INCL. FED. EXCISE TAX FEDERAL MANUFACTURING I ENGINEERING CORP. 203 Steuben Street Brooklyn 5, N. Y. This department has been added to Movie Makers because you, the reader, want it. We welcome it to our columns. This is your place to sound off. Send us your comments, complaints or compliments. Address: The Reader Writes, Movie Makers, 420 Lexington Ave., New York 17, N. Y. SCARED OUT Dear Movie Makers: As a small-time Midwestern filmer who has been plodding along making 16mm. movies for about fifteen years. I have never entered the Ten Best competition because I have been, frankly, "Scared Out" — feeling that any effort I might submit would never get to first base against the SuperDuper. Colossal productions which seem to place. This feeling was alleviated somewhat when a comparative newcomer won the Maxim Award for 1948 with a true home movie ... I think perhaps the whole issue has been overglamorized and overpublicized to the extent of "scaring out" many worth while contenders. John C. Sherard President The 8-16 Home Movie Makers Kansas City, Mo. There is no need for any amateur to be "scared out" of competing in the Ten Best. For more on this subject see page 314. A GREAT HELP Gentlemen: I have been reading your very fine magazine for the past year and think it is a great help to the amateur movie maker. I have been buying the magazine in Cleveland, which is about 18 miles from where I live, so I will really enjoy receiving it by mail now as part of my ACL membership. E. L. Davison. ACL Euclid, Ohio THE IMPRESSION GAINED Gentlemen: I can only say, after viewing the treatment my comments on Mr. Gunnell's article received, that you have bounced one below my cinematic credo. The impression gained from both your immediate retort on page 247. and later in greater detail as the subject for brutal punishment in your editorial of the month, is that / feel "machines." not "men," are responsible for fine movie making! It just so happens — and I am convinced my letter in full conveyed this — that I am decidedly opposed to any idea that machines not men make for good motion pictures. You expressed my sentiments beautifully in the editorial on page 278. I only regret the misinterpretation of my motives for comment. Warren Doremds Rochester. N. Y. Movie Makers, well aware of member Doremus's belief in imagination over machinery, had no intention of creating an opposite impression. If, indeed, such an impression was gained by any other reader, we regret it. CRAWLING OR SITTING? Dear Sirs: I am afraid I find myself moved to comment on the comments by Mr. Doremus in this column for July. I find no confusing elements in Mr. G."s article. It is only common sense that as one pursues a hobby, his proficiency will increase with the years: and naturally one will procure more complicated equipment to permit him to exploit this proficiency. Remembering the axiom about crawling before walking, the average filmer (myself included) is crawling. As such, he probably couldn't even begin to employ all of the possibilities of a CineKodak Special II. even if he had one. His pictures would still be at a level dictated by his own ability. It seems to me that too many "average filmers" are not even crawling, but are sitting on their respective hunkers. Yours for fewer hunkers, more crawlers. Fran Michaelsen Ann Arbor. Mich. PARTIALLY CORRECT Dear Reader Writes: I have just read the letters by Messrs. Goldman and Levett in July Movie Makers. Mr. Levett's reply seems to me to require a few additional comments. Mr. Goldman is partially correct. I