Technicolor News & Views (December 1952)

"Technicolor" is a trade-mark FI FJ VIEW VOLUME XIV NO. 4 DECEMBER, 1952 HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA WARNER MEMORIAL AWARD TO DR. KALMUS Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus, President j and General® Manager o fl technicolor, is the if recipient of the 1952 * Samuel L. Warner Memorial Award of Lhe Society of Motion Picture and Television Engi- neers. The award is made “for meritorious achievement in sound motion picture engi- neering.” “No man, over the past 20 years, has so consistently contributed to the technical quality of motion pictures as Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus, President and General Manager of TECHNICOLOR MOTION PICTURE CORPORA- TION,” the citation said. “Almost without exception, the biggest grossers (‘Gone With The Wind’) have been pictures made in Color by technicolor ... It is today the standard by which other color processes are judged. “Dr. Kalmus, over the years, has main- tained the highest practicable color stand- ards and has always recognized the value of research and engineering toward this end. While maintaining the standards of quality, the cost of not only release prints but set lighting costs have been reduced step by step . . . “During the last war, technicolor’s ability to ‘blow up’ the 16mm Kodachrome footage of the Armed Forces to 35mm film for showing to the public in theatres was a great aid to morale and public information in those critical times. “technicolor’s production in the last few years of the imbibition process of making top quality 16mm color prints in quantity at reasonable cost is a distinct con- tribution to the 16mm field.” Presentation of the Warner Award, a gold medal, was made by Peter Mole, President of the SMPTE, at the conference banquet at the Statler Hotel, Washington, D. C., on October 8. In the unavoidable absence of Dr. Kalmus, the medal was accepted for him by Wadsworth E. Pohl, Technical Director of technicolor motion picture corpora- tion. Dr. Kalmus, in 1938, received the Prog- ress Award of the Society for his work in developing color motion pictures, and in 1939 the Journal Award for his paper, “Technicolor Adventures in Cinemaland.” Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus TECHNICOLOR PLANS FOR EXPANSION ABROAD With a technicolor expansion cam- paign already in progress in Hollywood, prospects for expansion abroad are being studied by Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus, Presi- dent and General Manager of technicolor MOTION PICTURE CORPORATION. “Pressure is being put on technicolor to establish centers in France, Italy and Germany similar to that in England,” Dr. Kalmus stated on his return from a trip to England and the Continent of Europe. “Those negotiations were my primary business on the Continent this trip,” Dr. Kalmus continued. “Centers in the European capitals, such as Paris, Rome and Berlin, would have a number of advantages for the European motion picture industry. They would make possible more prompt service and reduce costs. “As it is now, cameras and crews to operate them have to be brought in from Hollywood or from England. Rush prints would be available at the end of each day’s work, instead of after appreciable delay. “Financial exchange problems would be minimized and payments of duty would be eliminated, and, of course, employment opportunity would be afforded citizens of the country. “In this connection, the demand for Color by technicolor is so great that it is logical for us to expand, and the question i CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO SEEKING LOCATIONS FOR COLOR BY TECHNICOLOR There is in motion pictures a group of men which, in the words of Rudyard Kip- ling, “is breaking the road for the rest.” Some of their assignments do not carry them beyond the borders of Hollywood. ■ Others may carry them to tropical jungle and polar floe, to all parts of earth’s six continents and seven seas. They are the location men. With the great increase in the use of color on the screen, their work has grown in importance, and much more exercise of judgment is required. Backgrounds are given life by Color by technicolor. Their color and character- istics may sharpen mood and give increased impetus to action. On the other hand, if not carefully chosen, they may overshadow the players and their activities. ABROAD As an example of location work abroad 20th Century-Fox’s “Treasure of the Golden Condor” may be cited. The picture deals with a search for treasure in Guate- mala, and it was decided to send a unit to that country to film authentic backgrounds in Color by TECHNICOLOR. The unit remained in Guatemala only three weeks. The shortness of time required is ascribed to the thoroughness with which the expedition was mapped, planned and conducted. Headquarters were established at Guate- mala City, the capital. The first trip for shooting purposes was made to nearby Antigua, the ancient seat of government. CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO