.. David Janssen, Joan O'Brien, Miiko Taka, Richard Eyer, John Larch. B'll Williams, Richard Gardner and Nicky Blair. To direct the photography, Levin chose Burnett Guffey, ASC, who won an Academy Award in 1954 for the photography of the similarly-titled "From Here To Eternity." The first scenes photographed on the Okinawa location were made at the Army's Ishikawa Recreation Beach, re­ dressed to serve as a camp in Hawaii. But after two days of near perfect weather, the company moved to Kin­ waki beach to film the massive amphib­ ious invasions scenes. One afternoon at Kin-waki I watched Director of Photography Guffey pre­ paring to photograph Marines storming engaging ON RUGGED ISLAND loca!ion, o single camera is used to film Japanese ashore from landing craft and surrender scene . Behind Mitchell camera is operator Andy McIntyre the Japanese defenders in fie rce fight­ and assistant Jock Deerso n. ing. It was a difficult and complicated scene to make. Great care had to be taken to make certain that the explo­ sive charges, flame throwers and me­ chanical devices used to produce the simulated artillery fire were set off on proper cue. Guffey had carefully lined up three Mitchell NC cameras at stra­ tegic points to catch the action from several different angles. One camera scene for Alli ed Artists' "Hell To Eternity" on location in Okinawa. CINEMATOGRAPHER Burnett Guffey cash appra1s1ng eye toward sun on the beach and two others before giving the "okay" signal lo his camera crew waiting to shoot Here, constantly varying light was a problem. was placed were located inside a huge amphibious tractor. The front ramp of the amphib was lowered so these cameras could effectively cover the set. The cameras were ready. Guffey and his crew waited patiently for the Ma­ rine explosive experts, working in con­ Multiple Cameras Cul Shooting Time Of "Hell To Eternity" junc_tion with the film company's special effects team, to complete their work. Suddenly and with unpredictable swift­ FORK LIFT, mounted on truck served as improvise d camera crane. Nate Pan-Cinar ness, heavy tides came in from the Phil­ zoom lens mounted on camera of right. Crew is standing by while cinematographer review script. Burnett Guffey, ASC, used two or more cameras to record principal ippine Sea and almost washed a,;,ay Guffey and directory Karlson one of the cameras. Waves dashed for story of Saipan invasion, filmed in Okinawa. against the sides of the amphibious TWO MITCHELL cameras ore used to simultaneously film closeup ond medium action scenes shots of dramatic bottle scene for " Hell lo Eternity. " tractor, wallowing partially in the surf, the two cameras and MITCHELL and drenched By GEORGE J. their crews inside. All of the camera Major, USARYIS/IX Corps, Okinawa. positions had to be moved. "That's the story of my life," Guffey ·~. .. WHEN I LEARNED THAT Allied Artists nawa. The result of my labors is an story. Jeffrey Hunter, nsrng yo ung said to me when I remarked on his bad intended to shoot most of " Hell to 800-foot Kodachrome film with mag­ star, was selected to play Gabaldon. Old luck. "We had a good set-up but in this Eternity" on Okinawa, I decided to netic sound showing the picturization time silent star Sessue Hayakawa por­ business you have to be ready for the photograph a personal documentary of some of the mo3t impressive battle trays Lt. Gen. Matsui, commander of unexpected." film of the company and the Marines scenes ever put on film. the Japanese forces on Saipan. His wife, It was late afternoon and the sun­ at work, using my 16mm equipment. " Hell to Eternity," produced by Tsuru Aoki, making her first American light was fading fast. Time was of the It struck me that "behind-the-camera" Irving H. Levin, is the true story of film in 35 years, plays Gabaldon's essence. It would have been expensive provide interesting ma­ Marine Sergeant Guy Gabaldon who Japanese foster mother. Mrs. Hayakawa activity would and time consuming to postpone the - ·.:. ... terial for an amateur film . Producer persuaded over 1,000 Japanese soldiers was also an important Hollywood star scene until the following day. >~ lo during the battle for Sai­ whose popularity ri­ Irving H. Levin was kind enough to surrender of the s ilent era But Burnett Guffey has been dealing assembled 's. Also allow me to photograph the unit at pan in 1944. Producer Levin valed her famous husband with similar crises during the many wo rk during the 30 days spent on Oki- an outstanding cast to tell Gabaldon's prominent in the cast are Vic Damone, Continued On Next Page , ., _.. ~ ,..; 412 AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHEP JULY • 1960 _. - "':,~~,. the Marines were attacking. This tech­ nique enabled Director Karlson to se­ cure a number of various angles of the BEHIND THE SCENES ... same scene in one continuous take. Moreover, it created a greater sense of realism. In addition to the three Mitchell NC cameras, a 35mm Arriflex was fre­ quently employed.;~ a han~ camera to capture close-m vignettes and sub­ jectively photograph bits of action. Sun reflectors plus lOK and 20K incandes­ cent lamps augmented the sometimes illusive Okinawa sun, which often frustrated the camera crew by alter­ nating from extremely bright to very dull. But as a general rule, the weather was excellent-almost made to order for the daily call sheets. All of the camera equipment was brought from Hollywood. This included three Mitchell NC cameras and one Arriflex. Barneys were main)y used for camera silencing; howev~r, a Raby blimp was on hand and used when BECAUSE SUN played hide-and-seek almost constantly on the Okinawa locations, cinematographer camera noise had to be kept at a mini­ Burnett Guffey maintaine d a vigilant check on light inte nsities, using a Norwood incident light meter. mum. Although some grip equipment was shipped out from Hollywood, "Chuck" Hanawalt and his grips made most of their equipment after the com­ pany reached Okinawa. Lighting equip­ years he has been behind motion pic­ palm logs, bits of barbed wire and ment was rented from Japan, but Gaffer ture cameras. Within minutes he quick­ pieces of military equipment were lit­ Dave Curtis brought along his own ly, skillfully and with authority born of tered about. Hundreds of Marines to­ diffusers. The Marines furnished and years of experience, selected new set­ gether with their heavy trucks, tanks ups, lined up each camera for composi­ and equipment milled around. In the Continued On Page 434 tion, checked lighting and exposure middle of this ·apparent confusion Guf­ and was ready to roll when Director fey was calmly;;making ready for the Karlson called for "Action!" next series Of~cenes. These were to In front of Guffey's cameras, the show the Ma4'es slowly advancing Marines slowly waded ashore amidst over the beach agai.pst bitter Japanese tremendous artillery explosions and the resistance capturing ·a series of pill box­ You'll find CHARLES ROSSI es located on the bluff. It was to take chatter of machine guns and crack of There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes rifles. For. many of us on the sidelines Director Karlson's film unit nearly who were combat veterans of World three days to achieve this objective-­ that never shows on the screen ... important RENTALS SALES SERVICE War II and the Korean War, it was a possibly longer than it had taken the things, that require the very best in·equip­ bit too realistic for comfort. Karlson Marines in the real;life battle of Saipan. Send for a schedule of rental rotes. was calmly directing the make-believe But, o( course, although the results ment. That's why producers who "get things carnage from the turret of an armored looked as realistic as the actuality, it done" call Charles Ross . They choose from amphibious tractor in much the same was much safer for everyone concerned. manner as a combat commander. When To photograph these scenes with one of the largest inventories of lighting and he finally said "Print that one!", the more dramatic effectiveness, Guffey em­ grip equipment in the east - anything from a sun had almost disappeared behind ployed multiple cameras. As many as sleek, powerful DC Generator Truck a Baby the nearby Ishikawa mountains. At three Mitchells were sometimes used to to ~!~LIGHTS I GRIP llQUIPMllNT Assistant Director Clark Palow's com­ photograph different fields of action Spot. There's service too! The kind of service mand, "dead" Marines and Japanese simultaneously in the same scene. For soldiers slowly rose from the beach in example two cameras, each employing that, within minutes after your order is the eerie light of the gathering dusk. different focal length lenses, would received, has the equipment on its way to your t-n~~~. -=- -=--- . .- -· Guffey tilted back his ten-gallon cow­ cover the advancing Marines as they location. You'll find it's great doing business boy hat and smiled, satisfied. Another crawled across the fire-swept beach, 000~:,ll~:1:,,R:,,,":.';':,! important scene was "in the can." using shell holes and debris for cover. with Charles Ross. ~~ ~ 100 50 Jo 20 Amp AC USING A BOLEX H~16 camera with full complement When I visited the set the next day, A third camera, mounting either a of lenses, the author photographed much of the pro~ ------------------ the beach looked as if a real invasion telephoto or a Som Berthiot "zoom" duction action from behind or alongside the big Mitchell cameras for a personal documentary film of Lighting the Motion Picture Industry Since 1921 had taken place.