We recently had occasion to subject a number of operators applying for positions to a little probationary observation. Good money and good positions have been offered them and yet it is surprising how few of them seem to be able to buckle to their work and give satisfaction without considerable supervision. We should take up too much space on this occasion in dilating at length on the idiosyncrasies of these men- we will, however, bear the subject in mind for future treatment. Meanwhile, we may say that it is more than ever borne in upon us that the operator is like the poet, born, not made- in other words intuition or rather natural aptitude seems to count for more than application.

There is one little point in particular that we want to emphasize just now and that is the so frequent lack of sympathy between the operator and his subject. In other words, he seldom takes the trouble to understand the timing of the picture. The result is, as we have witnessed with our own eyes, that the movement in the film is totally disregarded by the man at the crank, with distressing results to the audience. For example, we recently witnessed a military procession being shown at such a speed or rather want of speed that the soldiers seemed to be engaged in a slow race, instead of marching at a regular military rate. By the way, we wonder if any of our readers of an athletic turn of mind know what a slow race is? We do, for we have taken part in one. The particular slow race in which we engaged was a bicycle race. You gone on your bike and the object in view, was to be the last man home. Of course the contestants have the greatest difficulty in keeping their bicycles upright and just moving. And that was the fun of it all.

Operators not only sin at the slow end of matters, but also at the other extreme. Cases have been evident recently where the acting in pieces has been spoilt by the too rapid movement of the film. It is just as absurd in a tragic situation to see the figures move too quickly as in a comedy crisis to see them move too slowly. Yet these, we regret to say, are common faults of the thoughtless operator.

It should be the aim of the operator to understand his subject so as to be able to differentiate the speed of the picture when necessary. Of course this requires some degree of intelligence and it is unfortunate that so few operators seem to possess it. Nevertheless, we fee confident that by drawn attention to this matter thousands of operators throughout the country who read The Moving Picture World will give it such attention in future that we shall not hear of any more complaints of the erratic running of films.

"Regulating the Speed of Pictures," The Moving Picture World, December 4, 1909, page 792.

© 1998, David Pierce, on editing and revisions (if any)

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