American Cinematographer - November 1, 1920 - 1

LOYALTY-·-PROGRESS
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MAKE MOTION PICTURES
VOL. I.

NO.1

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA,

OUR BILLION DOLLAR
INDUSTRY

I, 1920

FILM

Motion Pictnre Making Attracts
Notable People to Los Angeles
and Southern California - Important
Developments
in Evidence in All Studios.
Los Angeles is steadily forging
ahead as the greutest of all motion
picture producing
centers of the
world. Millions of dollars are being paid out annually in salaries
and operating expenses by companies located in this city, and
prominent
writers familial' with
the subject, state that about 80
per cent of the motion pictures
made in America are made in Los
Angeles.

This means much to the cinematographers-c-tho
men who make
the motion pictures.
It means that
the reliable cameramen of executive and general business ability
who know how to correctly photograph
motion pictures have a
bright and interesting future. But
they must work and establish
their own identity throngh original photography
while co-operating at all times with their directors.
There is the reason why the

members of the American Society
of Cinematographers
are steadily
expanding with the growth and
prestige of the industry.
These
alert, tireless, energetic men of
the camera believe in progress
along educational
lines because
they realize their In ture is in the
making. As the motion picture industry grows in importance their
work is sure to win that substantial recognition that places them
on a par with the director.
The
cinematographer
is in' a large
measure responsible for the perfeet picture, and no matter what
ability the star may possess, nor
how well the director direct, unless his cameraman
knows his
husiness the picture proves a costly failure.
The cinematographer
is largely
responsible
for the
achievements
of the billion dollar
industry.
APPRECIATIVE

NOVEMBER

RECOGNITION

It, is most pleasing to representa~
tive cinematographers
to note the
feeIin g of recognition and appreciation of their efforts to aid in
producing the highest quality photographic effects in motion pictures. The representative
and in·
telligent directors and heads of
producing organizations, stars and
players, depend much upon the
cameramen.
A fittiug testimonial
to the ability of most of the camera111enis shown on the screens of
pictures of note by the appearance
thereon following the name of the
director, of the name of the camermnan photographing
the pichuE'. rl'he recognition of the cinematographer
evidences the great
mind. It 8ho·ws the director who
if' nl'oud of his o\vn achievements
wh.o is wining to share honors with
his cameraman, and it is the men
of this class who create the most
notable successes in motion pictures.

TEN CENTS A COPY
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
IDEAL FOR PICTURES

THE CAMERAMAN
The man who works the cameramust
he a thoroughly decent fellow or else he could not hold. his position, as he has much to contend
with and much is laid upon his unhappy head which should be blamed
elsewherc-c-fau lty direction, faulty chemicals, or faulty work in the
dark room.
The importance of the cameraman is par-amount.
Without him
no good picture can be taken. He must be a many-sided individual to
continue in his position successfully.
He must, first of all, be able to
take good pictures, apart hom that, he must necessarily be a br-ave
man and ready to attempt anything asked of him. lIe must be clearheaded, so that he can stand on the edge
a skyscraper, and lean over
the top of a precipice, f'or that matter. He must perch himself in almost
incredible angles, and perhaps stand waist deep in the river or ocean.
He must stand steadily by his work when some wild beast comes menacingly close, when the other members of the party can run to shelter,
and all the while he must steadily crank, and see that his camera is not
injured by fire, animals or water, and it is a matter of record that very
valiant deeds arc performed by the cameramen, deeds that few actors
or directors care to brave.
'I'he average camer-aman is a fatalist and a stoic, and he must have
the temper of a saint, for the: best of directors are irr-itable at times,
and even cameramen
are liable to mistakes, liable to start on a scene
without enough film in the box, liable at times to be out of: focus, fol'
he has many, many things to think about, and ho has to think quickly
and to be prepared £U1' emergencies.
.
'l'hc modern cameraman is for the most part a silent individual; ho
is more or less preoccupied with his work, and has not much time to mix
with the players.
lIe has to prepare his camera and magazines in the
early morning, and when he returns from the Jay's. work, he is occupied with seeing results, so that if there are any retakes, the company
may he ready to remake the scenes the following day. By the time
he is through with his work he is ready to go home and stay there.Tor
he needs all the rest and sleep he can get as a rule, as he knows he cannot afford to allow such things as nerves to attach themselves to his
system.
The cameraman leaves little things like that to the players
and the directors, and endeavor-s to go his own way serenely.
'I'he man who works the camera must necessarily be a student,
otherwise he will fall into a rut, and then-oblivion.
There is so much
excellent photography today, and so many new effects being thought
of, that '[I, conscientious man is forever th inking of some new and startling effect or innovation-something
new, of which he may be proud,
and yet he knows that his name is not likely to be mentioned when
something particularly new, even of his own creation, is shown on the
screen. He is content that it is the child of his brain, and that his fr-llows of the camera know of his feat. .
The cameraman is slowly, surely, coming into his own as screen
developments attest his worth.

CINEMATOGRAPHERS

I~ THE

FIELDS

OF ACTION

News Notes of Current Events in the StUdios Where the Films Are in
the Making-Mention
of Recent Releases.
The season of 1920-1921 with
the members of the American Society of Cinematographers
promises to be unusually active and interesting, with several remarkable
productions
in the makin g that
should establish new precedents
for the film industry.
Mr. Charles G. Rosher, cinematographer
for Mary Pickford, is
in the midst of production photographing
modern Italian
scenes:
ror Miss Pickford's
new six-reel
picture, "The Flame in the Dark,"
directed by Frances Marion.
~fr. Philip E. Rosen, who is directing Metro productions, recently finished the picture
"White
Ashes," an all-star cast being featured.
The story is by Luther
Reed, written for the Metro. Mr.
Rosen is. now directing l\ifay Allison in that remarkable story entitled. "Are Wives to Blame," a
six-re'el that promises unusually
interesting features.
Mr. King D. Gray, cinematographer with J. Grub Alexander, fea-

turing Ben VV ilson and Neva a erbel' in (, The. Crimson Lash"
a
spectacular
dramatic
scrial
of
fifteen episodes, says this picture
will rank among the modern thrillers as a ve-ry ~xciting serial. It
will be completed about Drcembcl'
15th.
:Mr. Ernest S. Depew, who is
photographing
"Slim"
Summerville and Bobby Dunn, under the
direction of Joe Bordeaux, in a big
:Manning comedy production, sayR
the laugh lovers ,vill receive full
benefits when they look upon this
film, now about ready for, release.
Mr. Fred W. Jackmml, who is
in the midst of a remarkable series
of comedy stunts for a big Mack
Sennett Comedy wherein Ben Turpin and Charlie Murray are being
starred,
describes a number of
camera- effects more than usual1y
out o,f the ordinary, covering special photography
of all arts and
angles in this nve-reel 1920 spellbinder.
(Continued on page 2)

Philip E. Rosen, president of the
American Society at Cinematographers, and a director of all-star
casts for the Metro organization,
an authority
on matters of photography in motion pictures, who
has toured most of the interesting
sections
since establishing
his
home in Los Angeles about two
years ago, is pronounced in his
praise regarding
the charming
beauty
of this wonderland
of
Southern
California for moving
pictures.
He says:
"There is every 'evidence that
the charms and alluring naturesettln gs of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Redlands, the
mountains
and foothill districts
tributary,
find famed
Catalina
Island, which are embodied in
moving
pictures,
are popular
throughout the world.
"Through the great variety of
scenery, plains, forests,
golden
fruit
orchards,
mountains
and
marine perspectives, this country
offers unusual advantages for the'
settings of moving picture scenarios, especially in the, radiant days
of the almost continuous summer
months-and
nearly all the year is
summer in the Southland.
,-,Alpine settings may be found
in the snow and declivities of Mt.
'Wilson and Old Baldy, only a few
miles away; the great sweeping
beaches of the Santa Monica Bay.
Redondo and San Pedro, with Catalina Island in the nearby distance, offer most fitting surroundings for the activities
of shipwrecked sailors, pirates, fishing
scenes, shipping and seaside romanees.
Farm life, with the old
homesteads, and t.he mystery of
the foothills,
cactus and sage
brush, all furnish the common and
uncommon needs of the scenarios.
"These great advantages have
led to a new industrialism.
in
Southern California, moving picture studios and manufacturing
plants have been erected in many
places, and what the neighborhood
has to give to the pictures in perfect surroundings will be returned
in commercial profits; the time
having' C0111(' when even the still
life of natural beauties can be a
I';our~r of profit.
"r:L'hevalue of pictures has been
enh an ced, an d while people all
over the world arc being made acquainted with the beauties of Los
Angeles [LIld the attractive regions
surrounding,
the pictures themselvrs are being improved a hun-'
dred f()ld because of the superior
and t'calnatnre of the background.
Nature and the moving picture
IOl'm a splendid and educational
pal'tilersh·ip as told by the cameras
of our cinematographers.
BUILDING IMeROVEMENTS

l\1any substantial and representativr
improvements
are being
made by the film. manufacturing
and producing
interests in and
around Los Angeles giving evidence of the growth and importance of this great industry wherein millious of dollars are invested.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - November 1, 1920