“TALKIE” PICTURES

Hokitika Guardian, 6 January 1930, Page 7

“TALKIE” PICTURES

TO BE MADE IN NEW ZEALAND

EQUIPMENT ARRIVING IN TWO

WEEKS

Fox Movietone pictures are known tlie world over. They have in the past years become the sign manual of one of the largest and most enterprising organisations associated with moving pictures. There is scarcely a theatre showing “talkies”, which does not commence its programme with the “FoxMovietone News,” bits and pieces of people, places, and events wjth the natural sound accompaniments. Fox has been operating with sound equipment for some months past in Australia and those who attend theatres regularly now know these by the “Kookaburra” sign which heralds the Australian section of the “Fox News.” It is the desire of the management to include New Zealand in the world series of “Fox Movietone News,” and to that end Mr Stanley S. Crick, chiei Fox representative for Australia, arrived in Wellington from Sydney on Tuesday. OPERATIONS IN AUSTRALIA.

“We have been at work on talkie snapshot subjects for some time in Australia,” said Mr CTick. “Naturally we commenced with the easiest and most obvious subjects. AVe have taken the races here and there. Doubtless, you saw the picture of the Melbourne Cup ”

“Yes, and heard somebody shout, ‘Good old New Zealand’ when Nightmarch won!”

“Well, that was our contact man, Harold Guinness, a New Zealander. That was not ‘arranged’ either. He was so elated to see a New Zealand horse win the great event that he had to express himself.” “Then we have done the wool sales, a wine-testing demonstration, the great radio-telephonic event when Colonel Angwin (in London) and Air Fisk (in Sydney) carried on a communication, which was faithfully recorded from the screen. You have also heard Australia’s new Prime Alinister (Air Soullin) speak, so that you were able at once and the same time to see the fine type of man-he is, and how he speaks. Incidentally, he spoke on immigration and its value to- the nation, but remarked that the time was not opportune for immigration from England to Australia owing to the prevalence of unemployment. In the case of a Prime Minister we "'usually make three records—one for local consumption, one for England, and one for the rest of we world—as the various peoples have to be interested from different angles.” OPERATIONS IN NEW ZEALAND. “AVe are going to exploit New Zealand. AVe hope to take sound or speaking pictures of your leading statesmen. W@ will certainly take new p.etures of your famous resorts, such as Rotorua, AVairakei, TaupP, Tongariro, the Waitomo Caves, and the glaciers of the south, and weave into them natural sounds that will give them a human note. For example, when we are taking some of the pictures at Rotorua and Oliinemutu we will arrange for the Aiaori girls to sing some of their songs, and do their graceful poi dances, so that the public will not only be able to see the rhythmical grace of the girls, but will hear the swish of the piu piu and the tapping of the pois. fcuch pictures have a universal nppeaL They will be appreciated as much in Aielbourne as in Moscow, and will be enjoyed as greatly in Calcuta as in 'lojuo, New York, or Oshkosh. The songs and the dances of a people—any people—are always in demand. “Then our talkie truck will probably go to Ngaruawahia in Alarc-h for the big maori canoe racing carnival—in fact, wherever there is something of interest occuring we hope to be on hand to see and hear it.” APPA RAT'U S EXPLAINED.

Air Crick explained that the talkie equipment takes the form of a truck, mounted on a motor chassis'. It consists of a camera of the portable order, attached to which, is what is called the A.E.O. light for sound-record-ing, which is acted upon by vibrations registered by the microphone. - The variation in the vibrations made by sound, cause this light to nutter almost imperceptibly, yet it is those 11 litterings of light that are recorded on the side of the film opposite the photogralipic image. There are at present developed in our Sydney laboratory, edited, printed, and distributed to the theatres. As for the film for overseas, we do not attempt to edit it at all, but send it on to headquarters at New York for preparation lor exhibition.

“You will be able to judge from this that a great deal of expert knowledge is required in his latest form of film activity. Attached to the truck is the staff, consising of Air Rav Vaughan, camera, man; Air Paul Hance, sound engineer; and Air H. G. Guinness, contact man. Air Guinness is the man who arranges everything ahead as far as is possible. As it takes between £250 and £3OO a week to run the truck there has to be proper organisation ahead, so as to keep the plant employed as much as possible.” Air Crick said lie hoped to get a reiord of the departing Governorgeneral (Sir Charles Fergusson) before lie left for England, and such other notable people who are in the public eye. He is relying to some extent on the co-operation of Air A. Alessenger, of the Publi.itv Department, for a workable itinerarv.