U. S. Postage 2c. Paid Los Angeles, Calif. Vol. V Permit No. 941 No. 10 January, 1925 American & Cinema!oqrapher Published by the American Society of Cinematographers , Inc. 1 Announcement of New PROJECTION DEPARTMENT (See Page Four) PUBLISHED IN HOLLYWOOD CALIFORNIA Releases November 24th, 1924 to December 15th, 1924 TITLE PHOTOGRAPHED BY A Sainted Devil Harry Fischbeck, member A. S. C. The H ouse of Youth J. O. Taylor The Law and the Lady Not credited Trigger Fingers Walter Griffin, member A. S. C. Forbidden Paradise Charles Van Enger, member A. S. C. Her Night of Romance Ray Binger and Victor Milner, member A.S.C. The Siren of Seville Sol Polito, member A. S. C. Wa ges of Virtue George Webber Daughters of the Night Not credited The Mad Whirl Merritt Gerstad The White Sheep Floyd Jackman, member A. S. C. and Geo. Stevens Greed Ben Reynolds and Wm. H. Daniels Broken Laws J. R. Diamond Sundown David Thompson Smouldering Fires Jackson J. Rose, member A. S. C. North of 36 Alfred Gilks, member A. S. C. The Dark Swan David Abel, member A. S. C. The Ancient Law Not credited The Roughneck George Schneiderman, member A. S. C. Unmarried Wives Jack McKenzie The Legend of Hollywood Karl Struss Romola Roy Overbaugh, member A. S. C. Love's Wilderness Oliver Marsh The Foolish Virgin Norbert Brodin, member A. S. C. Secrets of the Night Gilbert Warrenton, member A. S. C. Idle Tongues Karl Struss Women First Allen Thompson Comin' Through the Rye Not credited Troubles of a Bride Not credited Battling Bunyan Frank Cotner On Probation Ernest Miller On the Stroke of Three Victor Milner and Paul Perry, members A.S.C. — Vol. 5 JANUARY, 1925 No. 10 American Cinematographer Foster Goss, Editor and Business Manager Board of Editors—Victor Milner, H. Lyman Broeninc, Karl Brown, Philip H. Whitman Contents Page American Cinematographer to Have Projection Depart ment as Regular Department of Each Issue . 4 36" Photographing "North of By Al Gilks, A. S. C. 5 Camera Review of Past Year . 7 In Camerafornia ....... 8 Value of Modern Laboratory Equipment Is Stressed . 9 The Editors' Lens 10 Markings on Film from Drops of Water— By J. I. Crabtree and G. E. Matthews .... 12 A. S- C. Roster NEXT MONTH <J HERFORD TYNES COWLING, A. S. C, will report on z/iotion picture production conditions in China and the Far East as he found them through first-hand study in his recent "cinemato- graphic" trip around the world. ^ BERT GLENNON , A. S. C, will write on what the cinematog- rapher expects in the way of progress in lenses. —and there will be the new projection department and other features. An educational and instructive publication, espousing progress and art in motion picture photography. Published monthly by THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS, Inc. Subscription terms: United States, $3.00 a year; Canada, $3.50 a year; foreign, $4.00 a year; single copies 25 cents. Advertising rates on application. 1219-20-21-22 Guaranty Building, Hollywood, California Telephone, GRanitc 4274 (Copyright, 1925, by the American Society of Ci/iematographers , Inc.) — Four AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER January, 1925 American Cinematographer to Have Projection Department as Regular Part of Each Issue Mutual Interests of Projec- -j. Publication of P r a c t i c a 1 tionists and Cinematograph- JJ Information to he Criterion ers Seen by the A. S. C. ^ of New Department. bert Warrenton was appointed to work in con- junction with the regular editorial staff to carry out the wishes of the A. S. C. member- ship in making the department a regular part of the American Cinematographer. This con- clusion was arrived at by the American Soc- iety of Cinematographers after long and ma- ture contemplation, by virtue of which the fact was driven home that, in order to have the perfect screen presentation, the closest possible relationship must exist between the projectionist and the cinematographer. Projection Is Decisive How to bring about this mutual bond of interest was long considered before the con- viction began to grow that the most logical way to produce the desired results was through the medium of the Society's publication it- self. A better understanding of reciprocal problems of projection and of cinematog- raphy is sure to attain the goal toward which both the cinematographer and the projection- ist are bending their efforts, and that, of course, is the perfect screen presentation. The Society believes that the establishment of this department wilj not only be of interest to the Earl J. Denison projectionist and to the cinematographer, but should prove of indirect benefit, if it cannot be seen to be direct, to every one concerned A projection department is to be made in the production of a motion picture, for the a regular part of the American Cinematog- reason that the efforts of all, in the final an- rapher. alysis, are ruled by the screen presentation This announcement, together with the at- in other words, how the public sees the tendant one that Earl J. Denison will be in picture. charge of the department, is one of the most Workable Information important to be made in the history of this It is the plan to make the new department publication, and comes as the realization of an the embodiment o£ simplicity, to avoid be- ambition that has been cherished for several ing forbiddingly technical, and, above all, years by the American Society of Cinematog- to make it practical. raphers, publishers of this journal. Denison In the fall of the closing year it was de- Headed by cided by the A. S. C. membership that the With this ideal in mind, the A. S. C. be- time had come for the establishment of a pro- lieves that it is fortunate to have the ideal jection department, and, accordingly, a spec- man to handle the department in the person ial committee of A. S. C. members comprising of Earl J. Denison. Dan Clark, George Schneiderman and Gil- (Continued on page 17) — January, 1925 AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER Five as Plains Hot Enough Photographing By Al Gilks, A. S. C. to Melt Lenses as Big "North of 36" Production is Filmed To handle the camera on taking was met by the com- "North of 36" called for pany as a whole with a forti- j» jgj something in the nature of a tude that made possible the cross between a cinematog- results that bespeak for them- rapher and a cowpuncher. As selves. is generally known this Para- A major part of "North of mount production, which was 36" relates to the drive of the directed by Irvin Willat, was long horn cattle, fractious filmed in its natural locale beasts from whom every pre- which meant pure location caution had to be taken to work under a broiling Texas conceal the cameras. But sun from the start until the we hat to be polite to the long finish of the vehicle. The ten horns, especially since they weeks of location served to were the only herd that the thoroughly ground us in the very active efforts of the Par- Al Gilks, A. S. C. fundamentals of the cow amount organization could country, not the least of our cial lights which have so rev- find in the length and breadth learning being to live "close olutionized studio cinemato- of the land. to the plains", at the same graphy. We had to have our Letter after letter and tele- time being obliged to success- own laboratory unit on the gram after telegram went to fully cope with, despite num- field, necessarily without the the stockyards and cattle-rais- erous obstacles, the difficul- facilities common to such a ers, inquiring if a herd of ties that challenged us to production center as Holly- such a breed was available. bring good camera work to wood. But the entire under- The answer in each case was the screen despite the condi- in the negative. tions that surrounded us. Just when things looked In short, we were living blackest we received word the life of the first part of the from James East, who was last quarter of the last cen- aiding us in our search, that tury—yet we were setting out after weeks of hunting to provide entertainment and through Old Mexico and education through the me- southern United States, he dium of one of the most mod- had located a herd of four ern of inventions. thousand long-horns on an "North of 36" was strictly immense ranch about thirty a location picture, so to speak. miles out of Houston, Texas, In the two and one-half By a coincidence, this herd months that we galloped over was on almost the exact lo- the Texas plains, sometimes cale of the story as Emerson shooting from a lofty plat- Hough wrote it and men form and at other times from from our location depart- the lurching floor of a float- ment immediately left for ing wagon, we were not only Houston to look over the living under primitive con- grounds and arrange the final ditions but, cinematographi- details. cally, we were photographing It was the first long-horn under like circumstances. We drive in almost thirty-five had to depend on Nature, years and according to the A triple-decked platform used to with its own light sources, to <J owner of the cattle, Bassett support cameras in filming action aid us photographically rath- centering around cattle in "North Blakeley, there will never be er than to call in the artifi- of 36." another.