Page 4 - RD_2000-12

KIDDIE KINEMATOGRAPHS

by Charles Slater

Part 1
Cine-Ducks and Dux-Cines

Visualise a youthful projectionist setting up his 'Junior Cinematograph Picture Outfit'. He loads
a film, not much over three feet in length, then cautiously lights the wick of the kerosene illuminant.
Meanwhile an audience consisting of relatives and neighbours settle back in mute anticipation of
the performance to come. Finally the room light is extinguished and there, on a suspended bed
sheet, can be observed the faint image of a roadway.

After brief discussion the assembled
audience agree that there appears to be
several ducks in one corner. All eyes are
now accustomed to the gloomy image and
our budding entrepreneur begins cranking
the handle attached to his tinplate wonder.
Miraculously the ducks begin to move.
Indeed, they appear to be crossing the
road. LOOK OUT! Here comes an
automobile. Fortunately it just misses our
feathered friends. A courteous chuckle is
heard from patronising relatives at the
climax of this five-second epic.

To compensate for the brevity of
approximately 65 frames of animation it
was customary to join these short strips
of 35 mm film head-to-tail to create a
continuous loop. Consequentially,
narrowly missing disaster once was not
sufficient for these foolhardy fowl; they
dash forward again and escape death a
second time. Then for a third, fourth and
fifth time as the loop traverses gate and A Typical Child’s Cinematograph Outfit
sprocket.
By this time hopefully Junior is showman enough to realise that one can have too much of a good
thing and a full minute of any one subject, even if as thrilling as these dare devil ducks, is usually
sufficient. Room lights go on to enable a fresh subject to be laced up. What will it be next?
'Crashing waves' 'Boxing Match' or that sure-fire hit- 'Approaching Train’.

Motion picture repertoire exhausted, versatility of the apparatus is demonstrated by using it to
screen 'stereopticon views' (translation:- 'glass slides') in full lithographic colour, concluding with
some from the 'Comic Faces' series, each guaranteed for a good laugh.

4