In support of Tuesday’s post which blew the horn for in-camera effects, here’s an example from Karl Struss, ASC, co-winner (with Charles Rosher, ASC) of the first Academy Award for cinematography.
Prior to the invention of the optical printer, the instant-of-exposure method was the most common way to create movie magic. Like all great ideas, this one is un-complex. It relies on basic photographic principles and is easy enough for anyone to do at home. I’ll let Struss describe it in his own words, as drawn from Walter Blanchard’s article, Aces of the Camera VI, in the June 1941 issue of American Cinematographer.
He explains the technique for changing facial tones, something which was regularly called for in the horror films, fantasies and musicals of the day.
“The trick, once you know of it, is simplicity itself: use a long, graduated filter shading from red in one end to an absolutely complementary green at the other. Then make up your actors’ faces with cosmetics which when viewed through one end of the filter-say the red end, photograph white, while through the complementary-colored green filter, they will photograph black. The amazing change is made with no more effort on the part of the camera-crew than sliding the long filter across the lens!”
Isn’t that cool?
Used that technic in Tide commercials to remove the black shirt collar ring stain, in amatter of a few seconds. I did work as a assistant cameraman for Carl on Great Wester commercials with spoksman Dennis Weaver. Another story on how I got the job when we talk. Be well and continue to have a good shoot. Jack