Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1949)

354 SEPTEMBER 1949 ALL AMATEUR THE ACL's new full-color membership leader and trailer is now ready for distribution. Our guess is that when it first flashes across your screen you'll bet it was produced by a highpriced professional. If so, don't bet too much; you'll be wrong. For one of the nicest features about the leader, it seems to us, is the manner in which it was made. It's truly, and in the best sense, all amateur. Don't let this fool you. There is nothing bungling, inept or casual about this cine signature of ACL membership. You'll be proud to put it on your pictures. And you'll be especially proud, knowing the manner of its making. This manner, as we have said, was amateur in the best sense, amateur with the old and honored mean ing— for the love of it. Our leader was created in that spirit. Although, of necessity, there is now a modest cost price on it, neither you nor the League itself can ever adequately pay for what went into it. Our part, here, was insignificant. The real contributions were made by one man, an able amateur whose anonymity we have promised to protect. But, if his name cannot be known, his contributions can. They were compounded with unreckoning generosity of brains, skill, patience and, above all, devotion to the ACL cause. Thus, as the League's new leader moves out over the world, spreading the spirit of good-fellowship in filming, we salute this man. The epitome of that spirit, he is — in the old and honored sense — all amateur. THE amateur cinema league, inc. Founded in 1926 by Hiram Percy Maxim John V. Hansen, President Ethelbert Warfield, Treasurer C. R. Dooley Ralph E. Gray H. Earl Hoover DIRECTORS Joseph J. Harley, Vice President James W. Moore, Managing Director Harold E. B. Speight Stephen F. Voorhees Roy C. Wilcox The Amateur Cinema League, Inc., sole owner and 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. Your membership is invited. Six dollars a year. AMATEUR CINEMA LEAGUE, Inc.. 420 LEXINGTON AVE., NEW YORK 17, N. Y., U.S.A. of the project! Once the quota was met, the word spread rapidly around the town and enthusiasm mounted. To promote friendliness, the tickets were designed to be worn as identification tags, which proved an excellent idea. We also prepared a Train Trip newspaper, edited by the club and mimeographed by the Union Pacific Railroad. This was distributed through the train as soon as it started and was a popular feature of the trip. The publication contained a glossary of train lingo, a historical sketch of the region covered, suggested picture possibilities, the itinerary, safety rules of the road, personalities, contest and club news, cartoons, tips on filming trains (condensed from a previous article in Movie Makers) and a pungent ad which brought in new dues right on the train. We were fortunate, of course, in that our assistant Train Trip chairman also worked for the Union Pacific. He did an excellent job of interpreting the club's aims to the railroad officials, train crew and the station masters along the way. At each stop, interesting locomotives were placed in photographically good spots, all in spit and polish condition. Four unit Diesels were at Wallula, while Umatilla had an engine spouting steam as it slowly rotated for our cameras on the turntable. Another valuable addition to the trip was a walkie-talkie public address unit supplied by the railroad. It was operated by a club member possessing a fine sense of humor and a quick tongue. He circulated through the cars, pointing out places of interest, announcing stops with times of departure and herding the large group from place to place when off the train. Equipment provided by the Union Pacific was one of the most important factors contributing to the success of the Train Trip. Following the suggestion of the original rail-fans, we asked for a steam locomotive instead of a Diesel. Three air conditioned Challenger-type coaches and two streamliner cars gave comfortable picnic-basket and gadget-bag room to the 220 shutterbugs. A baggage coach with safety rails across the wide open doors provided space to set up titling equipment and to take pictures en route. The climax to the train's consist was a bright yellow caboose, which delighted all hands. It was well worth the persuading it took to get a caboose attached to a passenger train! The holiday mood that characterized the whole day infected the train crew after the tense first ten miles or so. Their cooperation was climaxed when they let the whole group off at a scenic bend by the river, reversed the train for a mile and then made the run forward with full steam for a prized sequence. All of the crew who were in town were guests with their wives at the next club meeting after the trip, and two have since joined the club. A popular feature of the trip was the title board set up en route. A 3 by 5 foot piece of construction board was covered with blue cloth to form a contrasting background. At each stop, 2 inch white plaster letters were pinned on the board, which gave even those with fixed focus lenses a chance to shoot their titles. An improvement on this idea would be to have two such boards, with one available for individual composition by club members. Another highlight of the trip was the result of the permission granted by the U. S. Engineers office to visit McNary Dam. The reception and accommodations furnished there were overwhelming! Special guards met the train and conducted the group to a grove of trees shading immaculate picnic tables. After lunch, a conducted tour took those interested on a ferry across the Columbia River to the active construction work. The orange "Mae West" life belts required for the ferry trip provided some of the funniest pictures of the whole day. Now, as the Walla Walla Cinema & Camera Club members think back on their 1949 Train Trip, they also look forward to the 1950 jaunt. If you're looking for a lively program plan in your own group, then look into a railfan train trip yourself.