by Fred Young, FRPS
During the many years I have been a reader of American Cinematographer, I have from time to time enjoyed articles in which outstanding members of the ASC have discussed their experiences of making pictures in England. Knowing these men, often from working in the same studio with them as they made their productions in my country, I have been impressed by the fair-mindedness shown in their descriptions of British studios and conditions.
Today I find myself in a similar position, as I have been asked to write something about my impressions, as a representative of Britain's camera profession, of making a picture in Hollywood.
The production is by no means completed at this time, but I feel that it has been a privilege and a pleasure to be able to take part in the making of a Hollywood production, and especially to be associated with Joseph August, ASC in photographing Anna Neagle in the Herbert Wilcox-RKO picture Nurse Edith Cavell.
The friendship and cooperation that everyone has extended to me could not have been bettered had I been working at home in an English studio. This friendliness will be remembered long after much of the rest of my Hollywood visit is forgotten.
From a less personal viewpoint, the dominant impression that a British visitor gets as he works in Hollywood is the — to us — incredible abundance of Hollywood's technical resources.
By this, I do not wholly mean equipment or physical facilities, for in England we now have, as the ASC members who have worked there have pointed out, quite a number of studios as well-equipped and nearly as large as those in Hollywood.
We have many excellent directors of photography, sound engineers, art directors, and the like. But we are not so fortunate in our supply of operative camera crews, electricians, studio carpenters, property men, "grips" and the like to back up the efforts of our key technicians.
We have them, but none too abundantly; and as a rule few of them have behind them the long experience of their Hollywood counterparts.
This is in great measure due to the way our industry in England has developed. For a long time, as is well known, it struggled along with little or no encouragement. Then, a few years ago, it suddenly expanded.
The expansion was so rapid that it could quite truthfully be called a "boom," and, like most overly rapid booms, it was followed by a near panic while the industry consolidated its gains.
As a result, we have not been able to offer really consistent employment even to our more experienced technicians, still less to the many less experienced ones.
| [ continued on page 2 ] | © 1999 ASC |