American Cinematographer - September 1968 - 43

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XIX Olympiad in Mexico City
will be immortalized by 70
Techniscope camera crews
composed of Mexico's top
technicians, plus cinematographers
from a host of other countries

THE OLYMPIC SPORTS PALACE. Designed by Felix Candela, the Mexican architect internationally
famous for his development of "skin concrete," the "Palacio de los Deportes" consists of copper
sheets held together in diamond pattern. It is one of several striking new structures built espe¬
cially for the Olympic Games.

MEXICO PLANS MASSIVE FILMING
PROJECT FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES
By

HERB

LIGHTMAN

In what is probably the most exten¬
sive single filming operation ever at¬
tempted, Mexico will utilize 70 sep¬
arate film crews for motion picture
coverage of the 19th Olympiad, to be
held in Mexico City from October 1 2th
through October 27th.
The resultant comprehensive 35mm
documentary of the Games will cost a
total of $4,000,000, which will make
it the most expensive feature ever
produced by the Mexican film indus¬
try. 1,000,000 feet of Eastman Color
Negative will be exposed in the Tech¬

Mexican technical officials report that
successful tests have been made in
which the 5254 Negative was exposed
at 400 ASA, using forced develop¬
ment, with negligible loss of quality.
Mexico has marshalled its most
highly skilled technicians to film every
facet of the Olympic Games and affili¬
ated events. Alberto Isaac, one of the
foremost directors in the country is in
charge of the project and will super¬
vise a staff which includes most of
Mexico's film directors.
Functioning as Chief Cinematogra¬

niscope format-which would be the
equivalent of 2,000,000 feet of film
exposed in a 4-sprocket 35mm format.
It is hoped that by the time filming
is scheduled to begin Eastman Kodak
will have accelerated production of
its new 5254 emulsion to the point
where a sizable portion of the raw
stock will be in the form of this ex¬
traordinary "double speed" color film.
It is felt that the 5254 emulsion will
prove very advantageous for the film¬
ing of night events, as well as those
daytime events which will be photo¬
graphed with high-speed cameras.

pher will be the legendary Gabriel
Figueroa, one of the world's greatest
cameramen. The camera crews will be
predominantly Mexican, but will in¬
clude technicians from many other
countries, including the United States.
During a recent visit to Hollywood
for consultation with Technicolor lab¬
oratory experts, Antonio Reynoso,
Technical Director of the Cinemato¬
graphy Section, stated that among the
cameras to be used will be six Mitch¬
ells, 55 Arriflexes and two Cameflexes
-all adapted for Techniscope. Lens
equipment will include 25 Angenieux

AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER, SEPTEMBER 1968

zoom lenses, 1000mm mirror lenses
and an array of special lenses from
Samuelson Ltd. in telephoto focallengths
of 600mm, 800mm
and
1000mm.

Sixteen Nagra recorders, equipped
with both standard and rifle type mi¬
crophones will be used for recording
sound. In addition, the bearer of the
Mexican flag in parade ceremonies
will wear a wireless microphone to
collect atmospheric background sound
in the Stadium during his circuit of the
area.

The various Olympic events will take
place in more than twenty locations,
some of which will have special in¬
stallations in the form of camera plat¬
forms that can accommodate a fourman crew plus equipment. In the Olym
pic Stadium several of these platforms
will be located up high, above the
light towers, while other cameras will
be set up at ground level on highhats. In this stadium and also in the
Velodrome, there will be additional
platforms approximately 25 feet high.
A special camera truck has been
Continued on Page 692

673

American Cinematographer - September 1968

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