The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-11-07
English officer Tells How Pic
ture Makers Find Choice
Spots and Are Driven OFF.
ARE ALWAYS IN THE WAY
But Soldiers Treat Them Well
as Headquarters Wants
Them Protected and Guided.

Motion picture cameramen are al
most as much a nuisance as the
enemy on the European battle front,
according to one OF the officers who
has Just been detailed on duty with
the picture makers. And. also. ac-
cording to this officer. the camera
people have been a lot of help in To-
eating places from which to shoot.
The idea being that with the cam
era mans trained faculty for pick
ing out locations that sweep the
enemy's lines. he naturally picks out
good locations for guns also and that
no sooner Ia a camera man hrmly
planted In such a location than some
artillery officer comes along and
shunts out the camera so that gun
might take It's place: - , ~.
Gently given a leave Of absence from
the British army after serving two
years at the front, Is In this coun-
try on a lecturing tour.
The camera man Is horrible
nuisance to the busy officer the
captain declares with much feeling.
'He has a permit from headquar-
tiers and we are ordered to look out
for him. The scene isn't staged for
a film story at all. The major In
charge has to detail some one to act
the camera Is set up In some con-
venient place the major needs 1t for
n gun and orders the camera out,
so we have to take It where 1t will
quickly be in the way Of some one
else.
Officers Must Help.
III we don't help the camera man
he'll complain to headquarters and
a sharply worded note of inquiry IN
pretty sure to come from It. while
II we do our best. the higher officer
in charge Is more than apt to say
something sharp. But. of course.
that's part Of the job.
II was detailed to look after n
fighting at Verdun. He came to us
as we were starting out from the
base toward the front and was car
ryinR his apparatus; II looked pretty
heavy. Things went well till we be-
gan TO get up close. then a shell.
side of us. II shook us up pretty
we'll and we found that the camera
had suffered: a couple of its lenses
had been broken by the cameras
fall. The camera man had to go
back for new supplies.
Camera Replaced Gun.
1T was fairly lively around that
front trench that day; but the CAM
eraman was back again before long.
had to find place for the camera
and we put It up on a machine gun
embrasure. II Is seldom that a cam
era can get SO advantageous position
as that. Most OF the battle scenes
are taken through n periscope. with
the camera fastened to the glass.
The major ordered II OF the en-
brasure to give another gun room.
and we could not find any good place
for II for a while.
when our side gets ready TO
charge. the cameraman has to go to
the rear. Another thing you often
see In war films is a picture OF the
guns firing and then a cut-in show
ing the effect of the explosion. 1t is
quite impossible for the cameraman
even to see the explosions. They may
be from Ave to eight miles off.
What he does do Is to take the
explosions while he is near the front
and then. when he goes back take a
couple OF shots at the big guns In
action and cut in the scenes to make
the picture effective"