The world film encyclopedia (1933)

422 The Amateur Cinema There is in Bntain a large group oj film enthusiasts who ate actively engaged as amateurs in the production of ambitious films. In this section their work is fully described, and a complete list of the Amateur Cinema Clubs of Great Britain is added. by Reginald Bruce Bartlett MARVELLOUS work is being performed in the realms of cinematography by that devoted army of enthusiasts who make up the Amateur Cinema. Before reviewing what is being done outside the field of professional production, let us glance briefly at the general position of cinematography in the scheme of things, with an understanding of the parallel developments of stage and screen, professional and amateur. The cinema is the most popular amusement of to-day. The " flicker photography," laughingly dismissed by theatrical wiseacres a few years ago, now draws its audiences of many millions every day, all over the world. Theatre managers are busily striving to stay the ebbing tide of public support. The brightest stars of the " legitimate " stage are blessing their fortune if they are able to get film contracts. The cinema, then, has seized the public imagination as an amusement form. Will it ever be anything else ? Just as the age-old technique of the theatre is something greater than a popular form of amusement, and always will be while Shakespeares and Shaws are produced, so the modern art of the cinema will eventually be adequately expressed by men of inspired imagination. Now what has this preamble to do with the Amateur Cinema ? Just this — that, whereas amateur dramatic companies are content to carry on their excellent work in the wake of the professionals, many amateur cincmatographers are endeavouring to work, not merely level with, but ahead of their professional brethren. Amateur cincmatographers were heard of very soon alter professional production began in earnest. There were a few isolated experimenters who worked with such standard professional equipment as they could pick up. Special sub-standard equipment was introduced for their needs as their number grew ; and individuals gravitated inevitably to production groups. In other words, they formed amateur film clubs. To-day there are well over 200,000 active enthusiasts in this country alone and scarcely a week passes without its report of the formation of a new club. Each club maintains its self-contained production unit or units and adequate film plays are regularly produced. It might be imagined that the lure of seeing themselves upon the silver screen was the chief attraction to the majority of recruits to the movement, but this is not so. JNIost of the real enthusiasts are technicians ! Amateur cincmatographers may be divided into two classes — the organized club members who produce their story films in the professional tradition ; and the lone workers who plough the solitary fuiTOw of completely individual production. A well-run film club utilizes all the resources of the cinema, and its members are not only responsible for the complete production of the film but also for its presentation. A handful of enthusiasts will transform their clubroom into a well-equipped studio for production and again into an adequate little projection cinema for presentation ; their library will be stocked with the latest books on lilmcraft ; and their general technical knowledge and artistic appreciation of things