Evening star., 1950-03-12

The moVlemakerS haven't been
happy with the Governments or
der to get out of the movie ex-
hibiting business, but this So
called enforcement" may be the
luckiest thing that ever happened
to Hollywood. Television is COM
peting more and more for the
leisure time OF more people. How
serious the effect has been on the
motion picture business is some
thing the movie people don't like
to talk about and something for
which every pollster seems to have
a different answer.
Television does not, however,
spell the doom of the movies. 1t
could ultimately make sad news
for owners of motion picture thea
ters, but then the studios are now
engaged in the complicated pro-
cess of getting out of that busl-
ness. The movie producer who
fears the future because of tele-
vision doesn't know golden egg
when the goose walks in and lays
it in his lap.
Indications right now are that
q move West is in the offing Tor
television, along with a move OF
many live shows to film. One eX-
ample does not make trend, OF
course, but others are expected
to follow "Silver Theater" CWOlC
Monday, pm), which Is pack
ing up to go to Hollywood for the
filming of the final 13-week series
Of the current season.
The Silver Theater" move is
being made as a result OF the
Overwhelming acceptance" which
greeted the recent experimental
filming of the program by the new
Fairbanks Multicam process. The
question of whether the film would
compare with a live performance
was answered to the complete
satisfaction of Producer-Director
Frank Telford and others con-
cerned. ..-.
There are number of advan-
tages inherent in film" Mr.. Tel
ford found. Things like quick
clothes changes, which can't be
done live on TV. Then, too.
tufts can be eliminated by re-
takes. making for better per-
formance.
From the directors viewpoint,
the abil; to edit is the highl1ght.
If a scene is too long, you can cut
1t. On live television. once you're
on the air, there's no chance to
correct or improve"
The Multicam process might
make some changes in the movie
industry, too, since 1t presents an
opportunity for considerable cost
saving. It is something Of blend
of movie and Tv techniques. In
the making Of . motion picture
only one camera is used. In film
ing two people talking. 3 long shot
Is made, then q medium shot, then
q close up, then cross shots of
each person. Each requires diff
ferent camera set UP and new
lighting, taking up time and cost
ing money.
The Multicam process, devel-
oped at the studios OF Jerry Fair
banks, producer of television films,
uses three motion picture cam
erss simultaneously. The director
can have each moved In for close
shots and out for long shots, and
can cut from one to another while
the action is taking place. In
making the first Silver Theater"
TV film, each minute of the pic
ture was produced with Is min
utes Of shooting, as against the
B movie average of one hour of
shooting for each minute of nm
ished product.
The cost compared favorsbly
with the cost of q live TV show
and the sponsor has the program
available for reshowing, to cut
the cost-per-performance below
the live figure. All the indica-
tions point toward lot more of
this sort Of thing IN your living
room