Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1929)

IMO-V^KE l»ai«.M^ERS EDITORIAL IF m-jvic amateurs have taken for granted the industry behind our activity they may well be pardoned because that industry has done its vital work without friction, self-glorification or insistence. The Amateur Cinema League has, fortunately, been given a more intimate opportunity to estimate the amateur movie industry at its real value. CL League founders faced the basic problem of expense common to all new enterprises. The amateur movie industry of 1926 — vastly smaller than now — provided our founders with two great necessities, a method of telling amateur movie makers of the League and advertising contracts for Movie Makers which insured its safe launching. Otherwise the League v.'ould have found hard going, indeed. C A proper expression of gratitude to the industry for Its support both early and late is, with real pleasure, attempted here. The amateur movie industry has the full confidence of the Amateur Cinema League and we believe that confidence is reciprocal. C[.An analysis of all the factors which go to make the amateur movie industry an exceptional thing is not possible here. Some of them may be listed with a brief comment. The Eastman Kodak Company, with its fine reputation not alone as a great industrial concern but as a significant service body to science, brought into the new amateur movie field an unexcelled dependability and probity. Its service to amateurs in this new field has continued on the same high plane. The Bell and Howell Company turned its fine mechanical capacity, established through many years of service in the professional field, to the new task of supplying amateur cinematographers with high-grade equipment. The DeVry Corporation brought Its excellent products to the amateur and Alexander Victor made Ws valuable contribution to our equipment. The QRS Company initiated the low-priced offering and later broadened its field by combination with DeVry. Companies that had long been serving professionals came into our field and new companies of all kinds were organized. <[_ Their products have been marketed by the manuiacturer-to-dealer method, eliminating the unhappiness that is too often found in the jobbing fields of other industries. Dealers have long been trained in selling high-class products and are skilled in servicing. Price competitions of the virulent sort that sometimes disrupt an entire industry have been found unwelcome to the consumer who prefers quality of product and service to price reductions. Film development has been adequately safeguarded by Eastman, Agfa-Ansco and Dupont-Pathe. The film-prints and the accessories offered by many old and new companies have been found acceptable and pleasing by amateur buyers. d. Industrial inventiveness has kept pace easily with consumer demand and the leaders of the amateur movie industry continue their scientific research in the amateur's behalf as a part of their selfassumed obligation. We may be assured of more and better products as time goes on if invention and research can supply them. From raw product to dealer distribution the amateur movie industry is clean and responsible. It has not pushed this wonderful human activity and recreation beyond the natural limits of normal public demand. The remarkable growth has been healthy and automatic. For this dignified and highly satisfying performance the Amateur Cinema League extends to our industry the thanks of all movie amateurs. A Word About the Amateur Cinema League THE Amateur Cinema League is the international urbanization of movie amateurs founded, in 1926, to serve the amateurs of the world and to render effective the amateurs' contribution to cinematography as an art and as a human recreation. The League spreads o\'er fift\' countries of the world. It offers a technical consult ing service; it offers a photoplay consulting service; it offers a club consulting and organizing service; it conduets a film exchange for amateur clubs. Movie Makers is its official publication and is owned by the League. The directors listed below are a sufficient warrant of the high t\pe of our association, ^'our membership is invited. Amateur Cinema League, Inc., Directors HIRAM PERCY MAXIM Hartford, Conn. EARLE C. ANTHONY Director of the National Association of Broadcasters ROY D. CHAPIN Chairman. Board of Directors Hudson Motor Car Compa.n Vice-President STEPHEN F. VOORHEES Architect, of New York City W. E. COTTER 30 E. 42nd St.. Ne« York Cit C. R. UOOLE'^' Personnel Manager Standard Oil Co. of N. Y. Manasinn Director ROY W. WINTON, Ne A. A. HEBERT 1711 Park St., Hartford, Conn. LEE F. HANMER Director of Recreation, Russell Safe Foundation FLOYD L. VANDERPOEL Scientist of Litchfield. Conn. York City Add:!Ess inquiries to .4MATEUR CINEMA LEAGUE. Inc., 105 West 40th Street, New York. New York 503