Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1953)

118 MAY 1953 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. MOVIE MAKING TOUR Dear Movie Makers: Last month's article, Off the Beaten Track, suggested that the traveling photographer avoid an "ordinary tour." Knowing this to be sound advice, I have designed a tour to Italy this July with the special needs of the movie maker in mind. We shall be a small group, traveling by chartered, de luxe motor coach and stopping for every good shot along the road. This time there are two other reasons for traveling by bus: (1) lectures and instruction in photography en route, and (2) travel in congenial company with people who share and can enrich one's interest in photographic techniques. Charles H. Coles, APSA Richmond Hill, N. Y. No ordinary tour indeed is this cameraminded caravan first announced by Mr. Coles in April Movie Makers. As former chief photographer of the American Museum of Natural History, in New York City, Mr. C. is well equipped to lead such a safari. ENJOYABLE VISITS Dear ACL: We have just returned from a two month trip by air to South and East Africa, as well as the Belgian Congo, during which time we shot several thousand feet of 16mm. Kodachrome. As you know, I secured from ACL headquarters before leaving the addresses of a few League members in these parts of the world. Thus, I think you will be interested to know that we looked them up in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Leopoldsville, where in each instance we had most enjoyable visits. I certainly appreciate this opportunity which membership in the League provides of making friends with movie makers in other parts of the world. Arthur M. Dewey, ACL Willoughby, Ohio FRATERNAL FEELING Dear Sirs: One thing that has struck me in reading Movie Makers has been the unusual fraternal feeling that prevails in the magazine. I am now no longer surprised. For when I wrote you that I had received this year again a 16mm. ACL leader instead of the 8mm., and that I had received a 16mm. leader the year before but (for reasons given) had not returned it, the most I expected was to receive one 8mm. replacement for this year's 16. But to my delight I find that you have generously sent me two 8mm. replacements. Now, since their receipt, I have been hunting high and low for last year's 16mm. leader, which I am determined shall be returned to you — come hell or high waters! Many thanks for the trust you reposed in me. Eric S. Cohen, ACL Johannesburg, South Africa COLOR AT F/16 Dear Movie Makers: I hardly agree with many of the folks, including FACL Horovitz, about not using an //16 setting for color. For instance, when we made Southwestern Wonderland, we found many scenes at Bryce Canyon and in the desert areas that called for //22! We shot them at //16 and got simply beautiful color, sky included. Further, the U.S. Ranger photographers in these areas agreed with us. Our friends, shooting the same stuff at //ll, were overexposed. ... I still say "Follow your meter!" Haven Trecker, ACL Kankakee, 111. FILMING FOLLIES Dear Mr. Moore: I have just returned from my annual trip to Boston to take the seventeenth edition of Shipstad & Johnson's Ice Follies. While there I looked up skater Les Hamilton, ACL (about whom you had a Closeups note in February), and we sat up to 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning looking at his 16mm. color films on Puerto Rico and Mexico. Both are well taken and I have urged Les to enter them in the Ten Best contest this year. Being an ACL member sure promotes good fellowship, for Les and I enjoyed immensely comparing notes on our filming methods. Samuel R. Fass, ACL Brooklyn, N. Y. SAFETY OUTLETS Dear Movie Makers: Douglas A. Johnston, ACL, is correct in saying that the installation of the Twist-Tite outlet in one's home is somewhat simpler than making the safety plug fitting which I designed. (See Perfect Your Projection Parties, November 1952— Ed.) But where (as with the writer) one gives several dozen public shows in the course of a year, my little gimmick is a mighty valuable adjunct. It was, actually, at an auditorium screening before several hundred people that my power line was accidentally pulled out of the receptacle. And my brain child was born forthwith. George Merz, ACL Hollywood, Florida ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT Dear ACL: We want to thank you very much for sending us The Will and The Way from the League's Club Film Library. Our members are getting a great deal from studying these pictures, especially a consciousness that there is room for improvement in their own filming. For we use the League picture each meeting as the climactic close of a program of members' films. R. C. Hardcastle, ACL Program Chairman Movie Makers Club, ACL Oklahoma City, Okla. PLEASURE AND IMPATIENCE Dear ACL: Allow me to express my congratulations on the excellence of your magazine Movie Makers. It is with pleasure and some impatience, I must admit, that I look forward to its arrival each month. My only criticism would be that it is not big enough. Robert F. Tucman, ACL Major, Armor 2nd Armored Division APO, New York City WORLD-WIDE FRIENDS Dear ACL: What a wonderful surprise to receive your letter stating that I may continue my membership in the League through the generosity of one of your members — who asks to be unnamed! I shall think it an honor to be of help to members of the ACL who visit our city this summer. In this manner I hope to aid ACL in continuing to be the great "world-wide association of movie amateurs," in which we find friends all over the world! Karel Van Rijsinge, ACL Sinaasappelstraat 155 The Hague, Holland. TTB-SRO Dear Mr. Dibble: Well, our Top of the Ten Best show is over — and it was a complete success! Every seat in the auditorium was taken, and we ransacked the school rooms for extra chairs. I'm sure that there were well over 350 people present. And, needless to say. Duck Soup stole the show! As you know, we charged no admission this year. Since most people around here think of amateur movies as a hodgepodge of most anything, we figured that very few of them would pay to see such a program. So the club bore