CORONATION FILMS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 136, 1 August 1911, Page 8

CORONATION FILMS.

o HOW THEY WERE SECURED. A STORY OF ENTERPRISE AND 81'LEJL Mr. A. J. Heighway, an Australian journalist, who uas m Lonuon during cue Coronation ceremonies, remarks in a letter that if, at a very liberal estimate, live million people, by crusning, crowding, and heroic discomfort, saw the Coronation procession in .bOiidon on June 32, 11 tty million's—nay, ono hundred millions—will see it w.ch comfort, ease, and pleasure, and in every case with the smallest possible sacrifice of time, by moans of the cinematograph film, jjy the same mail tnat carries the newspaper descriptions of the event to every corner of the globe, there will, speaking generally, u6’ made available to the people of those parts, a living representation cf tlie great scene with all its vivacious throb, its glitter, and its pomp. Lot me tell you the story of die work of the cinematograph men, by whose elforts these results will be achieved.

In that quarter back of Theatreland, London, you will find the visii.lo emblems of the magnitude to which tais buiriuess of cinematography has grown, for whole streets are nero devoted to tiic production, representation, and buying for distribution, of films ol every 'class. Into tins quarter I was taken by my friendly guide, and placed in the hands of the biggest man in London for handling topical events by cinematography, Mr. \\. Cl. Darker, of the “Topical Pictures.” Ho is a little grey man, full of nerve, dash, and brains, and 1 can never wish to meet a better subject for an interview.

“Mr. Barker,” I said, “I am an oversea pressman, and 1 know the appreciation with which the people, in the Antipodes will niect this great film. I have an idea also that there is an uncommonly good story attaching to your methods of securing it complete in every detail. Will you let me tell thorn how you do itf!”

“Come right inside,” he said. “I know exactly what you want—an uncommon story*—aiid I can give it you. What's the matter?”

“On, nothing,” I answered, as 1 paused at tne door ot his private room. “But, excuse me asking, do you sleep in all tnese yourself at once?” And 1 waved my hand towards the eignt beds ranged incongruously around.

“-No,' ' lie replied. “That’s Part I. of your story. J Hat’s the way wo are going to get these one hundred copies or this Coronation film off by F riday’s mail to Australia and New Zealand. My men are going to sleep hero in batches—six hours’ sleep, eight hours’ work. Eleven camera men will arrive hero on Wednesday—the day before the Coronation—and will bo hero till the night of the 28th inst., practically a full week; for, after they nave got their pictures, they must turn to and assist here. <sno darkroom men will be in the same position. Eor myself, 1 don’t expect any sleep till about Monday.” “The procession starts in the morning from the Palace, and proceeds to Westminster, where the Coronation ceremony takes place, after which the procession is continued on the return to the Palace. Very good.” Ho leaned forward; his voice became impressive, and his words fell slowly and with weight. “The film of the procession to Westminster will be shown in Birmingham, 120 miles away, Leicester, and Bristol before the King is back at Buckingham Palace.” 1 stormed writing. “By aeroplane,” came the answer to my unspoken question. “The film goes from liero to Hendon, in Middlesex, by motor-car; Craharno White thero takes charge and Hies to Birmingham ; an assistant takes a duplicate to Leicester, another assistant proceeds with two more to Bristol. In addition to those aeroplanes wo are distributing films all over England by moans of twenty-one special trains. The outcome of this expeditious distribution on our part, and that of other linns, will bo that the complete film will lie shown practically all over England on the evening of the Coronation Day itself. It will be shown from Manchester to Land’s End, and,from Cardiff to Yarmouth. Time beats ns for Scotland and Ireland, but the picture will bo in Paris on Thursday night. It will bo in the New York theatres by moans of tiio Mauretania exactly one week after the event; in Winnopeg two days later, in Vancouver two days later still. And, of course, some of the Australian public will have soon it before the newspapers can get your articles into typo.” “That is all very well,” 1 rejoined. “But, tell me—how are you going to boat those crowds ? "With the streets packed to extinction, barriers up, and the police refusing to let anyone pass in or out—how can you get the negative from the various operators in xhe street here in time to allow of these wonders being done.?.” “Liston; 1 will toll you. This is how it will l)o done. Take the case of Northumberland Avenue-—one great mass of people tight-wedged between two barriers and linos of police. Problem—to got the negative of the procession passing to the Abbey up to Soho Square within half an hour, crush and all given in. Behind and' under-, neatli the position, secured for my man will he a messenger. Ho will see nothing. It is not his business to see, but to wait for one tiling—to do one act only. In his pocket he has a whistle of a very peculiar shriek. Now for the procedure. The instant the procession has gone by the operator takes his negative from the camera in a light-tight box, puts it into a stuffhag, much like that used by the barrister for his wig and gown ,aud lowers it to the messenger by a piece of string. Instantly at the back of the crowd this man makes his way to the harrier and blows his whistle. On receiving a reply he throws the bag over, but by moans of the string keeps it at such a height that no one caxi roach it. On hearing a further whistle he lets all go, as tljat indicates that the- right man is beneath. This man then passes down a back street to a motor-car, which makes a speedy detour of-the whole processional route, and lands the valuable Him safely at headquarters. As a matter of fact there will he two films—an extra one for purposes of safety. Expedition and Organisation. “Good. Now how long will it take you to send that negative out as a complete positive ?” “Well, in just over an hour it can ho put through every stage of development, drying, cutting, and packing. But that is done only for the purposes of a record. If you wish to treat your negative lovingly, as every negative ought to be treated, you will take from ot HO minutes for its development alone, and not rush it through in live minutes. To get good work you must take time.” “Exaetlv,” 1 agreed. “It is the whole difference between the .artist and the mere workman.” “Non - , let me lake you upstairs,” said Mr. Barker, “ami show you how

all this is done and our special preparations.”

8o upstairs we wont. Wo penetrated into great dark-rooms, where in tne red gloom an evil, sibilant buzz and grasping roar told of the activity of tne penoratmg machine; into rooms wnerc huge auvoinaticvdevolopingjjund washing oaths of overyard square s.vishou slowly to and fro ; into rooms where stood groat skeleton drums, by wnich tlie films are dried while revolving at the rate of 44 miles in the hour; into the printing-room, where, with half a dozen machines producing an infernal, deafening click, click, clicking, the men have to sit in the darkness and drear monotony and watcli one little red speck. Eacn machine clicks 400,000 times an hour, and it is a loud, harsh click, too. There are six machines, and, in addition, the buzz of the electric motors. And yet there in that room for over, a week there will bo men incessantly watching, watching, watching that little red speck, which shows where the positive is printing correctly from the negative. Two clicks mean one photograph. With six machines, that gives you 1,200,000 ' separate photographs printed in sixty minutes. Over one million feet ot film, or about 200 miles, will lie used in producing the 300 copies of the event that this one house is to send to various parts. And there arc at least eleven British firms which took the Coronation procession, besides a number of amateurs. You can easily 1 seo, therefore, that there is the material at hand lor an appalling statistical array concerning the dimensions of cinematography.” A Living Journalism.

Cinematography is simply another species of journalism. It calls forth tne same qualities and gives the opportunity for the same ability. There is an individuality in the picture as in the article. There is art in knowing what to leave out, what to retain. There is skill in securing your “scoop” and misleading your competitors. The necessity has arisen before now for a dummy camera, to be used while the genuine operator is in and better oosition. There is room for skill, daring, and pertinacity in every direction. 5 ;

Upon the basis of the facts that I have given you let your imagination build up for you some conception of the magnificence of this now growth, and form for you some idea of the part it is capable' of playing in the spread of Empire knowledge and enthusiasm. As I walked along by the side of this little grey man of the indomitable energy—he is one typical of many—and became aware of all that ha was doing to commemorate and perpetuate for those oversea this great event, my mind turned back to those days in New Zealand and Australia when I sat in crowded audiences and gazed transfixed at the" depiction of some striking scene here in Loudon, such as, for instance, the funoral of the late King; and I realised then more and more clearly what a debt was owed to this supreme invention—the moving picture.