Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1950)

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411 directors, in deciding. From each we asked for a synopsis •of the material that should be included in such a teaching film. Pooling all of the points submitted gave us our first real working start. Then, at joint meetings with these same directors, we patiently molded this huge agglomerate into a film treatment outline which was approved by all. Now, with the one reel picture a plan of the past, the money bogey raised its hideous head. A project of this apparent size would probably run into five or six reels. The enthusiasts felt also that color was a "must." Obviously, the budget would have to be increased. By this time, though, enthusiasm for the film had so mounted as to bring with it increased funds. We could not. however, entertain any frills or extravagances. TWELVE DAYS IN PRODUCTION At long last our new venture was ready for actual production. Mrs. W illiam Hogg consented to be the director. This choice was logical. Aside from her outstanding abilities as a drama director, she had previously worked with me on a lesser project. Also, she had just completed the LLT stage production of As You Like It. With the players, scenery, costumes and props of this drama still available. we decided to use its production as our teaching example. By the first of June, Mrs. Hogg started the adaptation of our approved treatment outline into a filming script. The final scenario contained 228 scenes, of which the majority were shot on our Grand Theatre stage. But available theatre dates allowed us onlv twelve davs before summer stock moved in. That meant shooting an average of sixteen scenes each evening ! And it is well to remember that all members of this amateur organization have, perhaps regrettably, to work daytimes for their living. Although we were fortunate in having ample voltage and experienced stage lighting men, we soon found that backstage lighting equipment is not ideal for cinematography. Thus, we had to design and build what became our basic lighting unit. Using 1 by 3 inch pine boards, we made a frame 4 by 12 feet in size. Porcelain sockets were screwed to the frame and filled with RFL-2 photofloods. This supplied 20,000 watts of illumination — and quite a strain on our fuses. But. by suspending it over the stage from the fly lines, we could adjust it to nearlv any place or angle. Fill and back lighting were supplied by an assortment of borrowed Xo. 2 and Xo. 4 reflectors, plus some photoflood adaptations of stage lighting units. Harry MacKellar Photographs by National Film Board of Canada CHECKING COSTUMES is one of the countless activities shown in drama film. Here Rosalind gets a going-over from Florrie Oddliefson, center, and Mrs. MacKenzie, as director Isard waits. CASTING CONFERENCE, shot from theatre balcony, gives general view of production area. Overhead lighting unit was homemade. STAGE MANAGER giving final instructions at a dress rehearsal keys another sequence in teaching film, Prelude to Performance. On the production side, the director had a small group of assistants, while I, as cameraman, had a similar group assisting with camera setups and the necessary grip work. In fact, most everyone doubled in brass to speed up the many elaborate scenes. Intuition, common sense and established movie practice called for the safety of covering shots on most of the scenes. But even if our budget had permitted it. our time limit did not. Our average film consumption was at a ratio of one-and-a-half shot to one used. This percentage increased later to almost two for one. due to experimenting with title problems. AT LAST THE EDITING In early Julv we received our entire 1800 feet of processed Kodachrome. Hand viewing the results dispelled our fears. Only about a half dozen of the smaller scenes had to be retaken: and. as they required only limited settings, we were able to simulate the original and now unobtainable sets. With these remade, an edge-numbered, black and white work print was ordered, and to Mrs. Florence Smith was assigned the long and tedious job of editing. And. as we movie makers know full well, this important and creative task can truly make or break a picture. [Continued on page 429]