Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-14
FILMING OF BYRD
CAMP DIFFICULT
Record of Antarctic Activities
Complete Despite Many
BaCkSetS.
BY JOSEPH FUCKER AND WILLARD
VANDERVEER,

Moving Picture Photographers for the BYRD
Antarctic Expedition.
BY Radio to The Star and the New York
Times
LITTLE AMERIVA, Antarctic, Sep
TENDER 14.-The moving pictures are
one of the most valuable parts OF
the permanent record of the Byrd eX-
petition. They will preserve graph
ically the story of the first American
expedition to spend q year in the Ant
arctic and portray as nothing else can
an idea of the hazards of the work and
the conditions under which the men
have lived.
From the day the ships left Dunedin
this record has been made until 1t now
covers more than 100000 good feet
of film. There is hardly an episode
worth recording or process Of construc-
the cold which is not found somewhere
in the little red boxes piled in the
tunnel.
It is largely for this reason that the
pictures have been made in such detail,
for 1t is obvious that no public showing
could contain all the record that has
been so carefully made, and much of 1t
would be of interest only to other ex-
plorers or scientists.
Difficulties Are Met.
Our greatest problems have been to
make pictures during the Antarctic
night, which now happily is past, al
though it is still too cold for much out
door activity, averaging more than so
below zero. We have had problems Of
lighting also, both outside and inside,
but have been able, with the co-opera-
ton of Comdr. Byrd and the other men
who are interested in the work, to sur
mount them and secure good results.
u N~Nr. H.
have done most of our work in studios
or in warmer climates to be down here
more than 1000 miles from civilization
photgoraphing interior scenes Of daily
activities by means of a portable studio
arc light or clambering around on the
ice shooting" by the light of flares.
While we are working inside, the
hut somewhat resembles a small studio
set, the camera clicking rythmically
and the men doing their required
action"
We have even had q case or two OF
Kleig eyes, caused by the glare of the
lamps, but most of the men seem to
enjoy their warmth. The small porta-
BILE arc lights are necessary, OF course
because of the confined quarters and
the relatively small amount Of current
available.
The maximum light available here is
from two generators, each supplying
20 amperes at ITO volts. This equip
ment is used primarily for radio trans
mission and machine shop power and
for charging batteries.
Interior Filming Slow.
Photographing interiors is sometimes
a slow process because we can work
only between radio schedules and when
the machine shop men or others who
use power are not at their tasks. This
considerably restricts our activities. The
illumination obtained from the arc
lights in the mess hall Is much greater
than that in the headquarters, but
200 yards away. because of power loss.
The only electrical connection between
the two huts Is over five PAGES of tele-
phone lines.
To get light in the administration
hut it was necessary to tie two lines
Of telephone wires in parallel to feed
one arc light and even then it was
found that there was a loss of ap-
proximately 80 volts and that the
amperage dropped to 10, with a conSe-
quent reduction of the actfnic value of
the light.
1t is often necessary to run a cable
across the snow from the generator to
an outlying shop or tunnel from so to
100 feet away. We brought with us 200
feet of stage cable, which is SUFFICIENT
for ordinary work and would have been
enough if it had been possible to carry
out the original housing plan.
So when we have to run a wire for
more than 200 feet we use every kind
of wire we can lay our hands on, from
antenna wire to utility extension cord,
with a variety of spices and connec-
tons thrown in for good luck. Natural
ly.. this does not help keep up the
voltage.
Temperature Cracks Rubber.
When cable is laid over the snow
and remains in place for some time
SO we can continue shooting" a Sc
Quence later on, the cable often be-
comes drifted over and can be pulled up
only when the temperature is higher
than 40 below zero, for under that
temperature the rubber insulation
cracks and often the wire itself will
break. The most pliable cables become
rod-like in their rigidity.
There are many amusing as well as
annoying interruptions in the work
which would not be encountered at
home. One day, while photographing
Christopher Braathen, working on his
model of the bark City of New York in
the little hut he and Arthur Walden
built, the lights went out in the middle
of a scene. When we checked up we
found the generator still going and
traced the failure to a connection
which had been pulled apart. We
started work again and the lights went
out the second time. When we ran
out into the passage-way leading from
the house, two puppies were found hav-
ing tug of war and using the cable
for that purpose. They were driven
away two or three times. but it was
- I1n~ - rpak liza
end of the cable in their mouths and
got a good shock that they learned cleo
tricity was not to be played with by
little dogs.
Another time, while we were shooting
q hut entrance during a blizzard, an
arc light was placed just within the
entrance. It worked well at first, but
a few moments later 1t refused to light.
This time it was found that snow
froze, holding the carbons In an icy
grip that prevented the proper gravity
feed.
Fog and Interference.
In photographing the dog tunnels,
trying photograph and atmosphere
conditions were encountered because OF
fog. The condensation of breath from
men and dogs rapidly coated the
lenses with ice. And as soon as the
lights were turned on, the additional
heat caused the atmosphere to cloud
no so that visibility was limited to
few feet. ~.
The necessary congestion and close
quarters make 1t difficult to handle the
lamps. Sometimes, when number OF
men are sitting around or gear Is scat
Tered about, there is hardly room to
mt a light. and the cord Is continually
being caught on something or tripped
over by some one who does not know
it is there.
Many times we have been forced to
hang lamps from beams overhead be-