Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1952)

346 DECEMBER 1952 YOU MAY FIRE WHEN READY, FILMERS! THE selection of the Ten Best Amateur Films for 1952 is now officially over. Announced in this issue are the selections of the six ACL judges who, although as mortal and fallible as any others, are now pinned down to their opinions by thin, strong lines of black type on white paper. They have seen all the pictures and for them, at least, there can be no second guesses. These two facts, of course, put our judges in a unique — and not altogether enviable — position. For with all other filmers that juicy and enjoyable period of second-guessing the solons is only now opening. Unimportant in this operation will be the fact that these amateur umpires have seen but few (if, sometimes, any) of the films they prate of. To examine the evidence serves only to becloud the mind with doubt and to bestir the heart with unwonted sympa thies. Confidence is what is needed — clear, strong and unquestioning. And confidence is what we get. Among competitors and (especially!) among non-competitors alike, only each year's Maxim Award winner finds any difficulty in questioning the decisions set before him. To the Maxim Award winner, of course, our judges will be incomparable solons, with the acute and ineffable wisdom of a Solomon. To the majority of other movie makers they will be blind, bigotted and bums beyond all belief. Okay! So be it, then. The 19 52 season for secondguessing the judges is hereby declared open. Annually, it lets off a lot of steam. And the fun, if not always clean, is at least cathartic. If we may paraphrase another earlier one who found himself in a hot spot . . . "You may fire when ready, filmers!" THE AMATEUR CINEMA LEAGUE, INC. Founded in 1926 by Hiram Percy Maxim Joseph J. Harley, President Walter Bergmann, Treasurer Arthur H. Elliott Fred Evans John V. Hansen DIRECTORS 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. Eight dollars a year. AMATEUR CINEMA LEAGUE. Inc.. 420 LEXINGTON AVE., NEW YORK 17. N. Y.. U. S. A. Frank E. Gunnell, Vicepresidenl James W. Moore, Managing Director George Merz Stephen F. Voorhees Roy C. Wilcox for example, to compensate for the lighter or darker than normal subjects only if they fill most of the picture area, or if it is important to reproduce them properly. Obviously, an intelligent cameraman would not overexpose an otherwise normal scene simply because a black dog happened to be running about or if one of the actors were wearing a dark green coat. It is only essential details in closeup which must be considered. WATCH YOUR SKIN TONES Another important fact must be considered before deviation is made from the exposure setting which is indicated by an incident light exposure meter. All such meters are calibrated to indicate an exposure setting which will reproduce skin tones accurately. If there is anything which outrages the human eye, it is skin tones which appear either too light or too dark. For this reason, if a person is prominent in the scene, do not make compensations for abnormally toned subjects, or the skin tones will suffer. Fair skinned blondes, and persons with swarthy skin are exceptions, and these require % stop less and % stop more exposure, respectively. Up to this point, we have pictured the filmer in the role of an obedient servant of the meter. But more ad vanced cameramen decide in advance the lens stop at which the picture is to be made and then use the meter to determine the distance at which the lights must be placed to achieve that aperture. This approach is especially advisable in amateur filming because it controls a tendency toward the use of maximum lens openings which provide scant depth of field. When smaller stops are used, objects nearer and farther away will be sharp and an improved screen picture will result. Suggestions along these lines and a discussion of balancing the contrast ratio between the main light and the fill light will be included in the second and final installment of this series. Winter on the high iron [Continued from page 335] down to the "hold tracks" or switching yards of the big city. Try to spot an overpass or some long viaduct over the rail line. Then, as always, set up that tripod. Now you are ready for shooting down on the scene of contemplated action. As you sight through your finder, keep this in mind: you are out to capture all the train action and smoke possible. So, you may choose to swing that wide-angle lens into position on your turret. On this location, your patience will bear you out more than ever, because switching movements on the railroad are never scheduled. But when that old, shrill whistle does ring out below, you can rest assured that it's time for you to go into action. Have your camera set with about a 10 to 12 foot spring wind. This should give you the desired picture length. For, as the diminutive eight-wheel switcher starts to tug away at a string of thirty to forty mixed freight cars, you will behold smoke belching from its stout little stack in such frenzied haste that it seems as if the whole engine is going up in an atomic explosion. But before we become too enthused over filming the steam train this winter, let's consider for a moment the real prospects for such picture making. It is generally conceded that the steam locomotive is in the "passing parade" of our time. Perhaps this is true in many parts of our country today — particularly in the eastern seaboard area. However, there is still much steam bellowing along the high iron. So when you do spot it, don't hesitate to shoot. For, in a few more years, when the Diesel trains do take over completely, you'll prize those never-to-be-forgotten movies of the mighty steam hogs that once thundered, with flaunting plumes, across our vast country.