Show U Uncle tarns tarn's ams Own OWE War Tar Md I 1 J JI I I t 1 a t M. M Edmond of wy wythe the French Army Cinematographic Cinematographic Cinema Cinema- Department I By Karl K Kitchen HA T the moving picture camera would be bean bean II an important adjunct to our overseas forces was obvious from the widespread interest evoked in the European war films already shown in America Camera Cameramen men are already with our troops in France for not only is the War Department anxious to have a picture record of their deeds at the front but the films will help to stir millions at home to do their part in bringing bringing bring bring- ing the war to a successful conclusion It has been demonstrated in France and England t that at there is no the better way to interest the mas masses es of people in the conduct of the war than by circulating moving pictures pictures pictures pic pic- pic- pic tures of the men at the front showing their daily life their humors and hardships as well as their achievements achievements achieve achieve- ments For Fo this reason the War Department at Washington Washington Washington Wash Wash- ington is establishing a Moving Picture Department planned on the lines of the Cinematographic and Photographic Department of the French Army Edmond who is the American delegate of this department of oC the French Army recently outlined outlined outlined out out- lined the scope of the work to officials of the War Department at Washington and steps are being taken to establish a similar department here although no noname noname noname name as yet has been given to it The Signal Corps of the U. U S. S Army now in France has perfected plans for the establishment of a large plant for developing and printing the films soon to be betaken betaken betaken taken at the front At this plant the film taken by our military movie operators will be edited and censored censored censored cen cen- before being shipped to America for distribution wit Y 4 N jM L' L f wv cwt kt s N t 5 x 4 French operator making official fil films s on s the Verdun front WHEN HEN the war broke out the leading French mor motion motion mo mo- r tion picture companies sent operators to to the front and during several months they took and and distributed dis dis- distributed distributed thousands of feet of film said M M. bonne to the writer This method was fo found nd to b be r. tr Il IN na n. n p Official photo photographer filming a buratIn bursting shell at p perilously close quarters i unsatisfactory for the reasons that operators who had been called to the colors had to be ex excused from service service service ser ser- vice that these operators were under the control of their individual picture companies instead of the War WaL Office and that there was considerable duplication The War Office was not always able to get the films that it deemed most valuable and there were numerous nu other drawbacks not to mention the commercialization commercialization com of the pictures after they had bad been beeD released for distribution j i So before a year had elapsed the Cinematographic and Photographic Department of the French Army was organized by Pierre Marcel who is its chief chiefs although the department as a whole is under the direction di di of Capt Delorme This department has a dozen operators all soldiers w working under the direction di di- direction of army officers who have had experience in inthis inthis inthis this line before the war AH the film they take is sent to the War Office in Paris where it is ia assembled and andAs edited vJ As A S the present conscription in the United States will bring a considerable number of experienced motion picture men into the service it ought to be easy to organize a Cinematographic graphic Department at Washington n with half-a-dozen half good operators for the overseas forces Such an organization it seems logical to expect would profit by the experience of the French War Department and utilize plans th tha have bave taken takeD more than two wo years to be evolved |