Movies for TV - Early Television Foundation

TITLES AND SPECIAL EFFECTS 217
are obtained if the complete line is shot first as a smooth presenta-
tion. If letters are added one at a time jumpy lines of letters
due to slight differences in letter positioning often result whereas
the reverse is true if a complete line is first shown and then wiped
off in fast or slow action.
The possibilities are unlimited for trick work, and almost any-
thing that the reader can imagine can be done with the exercise
of a little ingenuity. For television film production there is one
point to watch and that is the need to keep scenes and titles simple.
The limitations of the television film chain have already been men-
tioned, but it cannot be stressed too highly that the temptation to
dress things up and make them over-elaborate must be resisted.
Otherwise one of two things will occur: either the effect will be
too light to show, or the screen will be filled with a mass of lines
which only confuse the viewer. Simple, straight-forward titles and
effects are best, such as well-built and well-outlined objects.
Fire is always an attraction and it can be brought into titles
very easily as the following examples show (the actual application
depends on the subject). Smoking letters can be made of felt,
soaked in impure sulphuric acid, placed above a dish of strong
ammonia. For flames, they can be soaked in gasoline and ignited
when required. A variation of the old horse racing parlor trick
is to make a solution of saturated potassium nitrate in water in
which a very small amount of gum has been added. If the words
are drawn with a thick line on thin paper and allowed to dry,
they will be invisible. If now the camera is focussed and started
and a glowing cigarette applied to the commencement, a rapid
spark of fire will follow along the line and trace out the letters.
For best results, care should be taken to ensure that closed letters
are not completely closed; otherwise the centers may
fall out.
Water, too, is fascinating and can be used for many interesting
and pretty effects. A fishing film could be introduced by the
wording placed on a stream bed where the water is not too deep
or swift. If the camera is inverted and the title filmed the stream
can be stirred up, or ink poured in above the title. This darker
water will flow over the title and obscure it. On projection the