Cinematography 



however affecting them very adversely.* Some of my best 

 animal films I obtained in the wonderful game country of 

 Lake Edward. On the SemUki River I found the elephant 

 so tame that it was possible to get pictures of them at very 

 close quarters ; the grass being short, conditions were 

 ideal there. 



My method of approaching dangerous game to film them 

 was with the camera and tripod ready fixed, mounted on my 

 shoulder. Having previously tested the light with the meter 

 and stopped the lens^ it was only necessary to focus it. 

 Taking advantage of all cover, I went forward in short runs, 

 followed by one native with my rifle, and on getting as close 

 as possible I set down the camera and tripod and started the 

 handle, after adjusting the view-finder and focusing if 

 necessary. It is usual for the animal cinematographer to 

 have lenses up to twelve-inch focus and even over, but I 

 am not in favour of them as being unwieldy, hard of focus, 

 and giving a shaky image ; I rather prefer to have a lens of 

 medium focus and get nearer the object. On the plains of 

 Lake Edward I have approached to within twenty-five 

 paces of elephants, buffaloes, and hippo'. As is usual where 

 quickness is essential, I had my lens mount marked for 

 various distances, so that it was only necessary to set the 

 lens on the mark without looking through the focusing tube. 



Originality is the high-road to success, and no less so 

 with wild life cinematography than with any other branch 

 of art. In my efforts I climbed equatorial Alps, peered 

 into active craters, crawled after elephants, buffaloes, 



*A good plan to ensure exposed negative stock reaching its destination 

 in good condition is to take plenty of fine adhesive tape and to wind it round the 

 sides of the tins, afterwards wrapping them in several coverings of special 

 absorbent paper, which should be gummed down. 



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