Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1953)

194 JULY 1953 THE BIG SWITCH ACCORDING to market research figures which ^ we trust (but whose source it is not important to identify), the number of amateur movie makers in the United States using 8mm. equipment now outstrips those using 16 by a ratio of approximately 3 to 1. This fact, under even the most casual contemplation, should surprise no one. It certainly does not surprise us here at ACL. Making movies on 8mm. film is less expensive than making movies on 16. Therefore, more people do so. It's as simple as that. The 8mm. system has broadened the base of our hobby tremendously— and we welcome it therefore. On the other hand, our own figures (which are equally trustworthy, although probably less elaborately arrived at than those quoted) show that among ACL members the ratio of 8mm. workers to those on 16 is approximately the opposite: 65 percent of ACL's members work on 16mm. film, while 3 5 percent work on 8. This fact also does not surprise us. Nor does it elate us and make us feel that ACL is, by and large, a superior fraternity of filmers. We simply state it as a fact — and then try to find reasons for it. One of these reasons — and it is an important one — we find aptly illustrated in the biographies of those ACL members whose elections to League honors are announced in this issue. To give it a term which we can talk about, let's call it The Big Switch. To wit: Of the total of nine filmers honored — and they are able amateurs all — only four of them first took up our hobby directly on 16mm. film. The five others (more than half) began their careers in the 8mm. medium; yet now (save for a single one) they have turned to 16. There is much the same case history, incidentally, among many of ACL's Maxim Memorial Award winners. We could cite by name (but will not) three of these premier picture makers who began with 8 — and later, each for his own reasons, changed to 16. This, then, is The Big Switch. It is an important factor to keep in mind in any discussion of ACL as a predominantly "Sixteen" organization. THE AMATEUR CINEMA LEAGUE, Inc. Founded in 1926 by Hiram Percy Maxim DIRECTORS Joseph J. Harley, President Frank E. Gunnell, Vicepresident Walter Bergmann, Treasurer Arthur H. Elliott Fred Evans Harry Groedel 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. James W. Moore, Managing Director John V. Hansen Harrison F. Houghton Roy C. Wilcox exposures (see Fig. 3). The backgrounds are calibrated with small marks 1/16 of an inch apart. By pushing the background one mark between exposures, a constant motion is assured. Although his Yowie more or less "happened," Kallenberg's Mule Segarettes was as carefully planned as a Disney masterpiece, he declares. After getting his original idea, Kallenberg drew a pencil sketch of every scene that was to appear in the picture (see Fig. 4). Next, he drew all of his characters and noted their general characteristics. Now came the tedious task of creating all of the scenes, props, characters and pieces of equipment out of colored paper. He made the scenes first, so that he could then fit his props and characters to them in proper proportion. "I don't draw anything on the colored paper," Kallenberg explained. "I just start cutting. If I don't like what I cut, I throw it away and keep cutting until I am satisfied." He says his greatest problem is finding the proper colors. "I have visited every store within miles and know their entire stock. Sometimes I have to buy a whole package of assorted colors to get one particular sheet I want." The fa mous horse-blush scene in Yowie was difficult for this reason. He couldn't find a dozen different shades of pink, ranging from light pink to dark pink to red. As a result the horse blushes rather quickly, but even so it is a standout scene. Whenever Kallenberg makes a man, he must make two — a right side and a left side. "They are almost identical, except that on one side the man has a part in his hair, but not on the other side. The left side of his coat has a pocket, the right side buttons. These are minor details, but they help make for perfection," he adds. The legs and arms and often the heads of his characters and animals are hinged with small pins. This provides for ease of animation and saves lots of cutting as well as animation time. But many effects cannot be accomplished so easily. The wink of an eye, for example, cannot be hinged. This requires half a dozen different eyes, each in different stages of closing. After each exposure one is removed and another replaces it. Kallenberg soon found that an accurate filing system was a necessity. Out of context, for example, a donkey's ear could look like almost anything, so that not even Kallenberg could identify it. Thus, he now has an envelope for each character and each prop. All of the component parts of each are filed away for future use in a later sequence of the picture being made. Kallenberg achieved one effect which was new to those who saw his latest effort. This was the formation of words by the lips of one of the main characters in the silent film. For, rather than use the customary, cold titles on the screen, he decided to have a master of ceremonies tell the audience what was taking place in the story. He dressed his master of ceremonies up in full dress, silk hat and all, and showed a closeup of him when the title was to appear. As the title appears, one word at a time on the man's chest, the man's lips actually form the word he is supposed to be saying! Kallenberg worked this all out by syllables, and made the changes so perfectly that a lip reader would no doubt have little trouble in getting the message. What will his next production be? The producer knows, but he won't tell. Will it top these two? His friends don't see how it can. But knowing Kallenberg, they believe it probably will.