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flicks the side catches closed and inserts the
crank handle through the hole in the back of
the box. Two turns to make sure there's no film
jam and we' re all set to go, and not a moment
too soon.

A sharp order and the Guard of Honour springs
to attention. The band starts to play the National
Anthem and a distant clatter of hooves on
cobblestones heralds the arrival of the
Governor and party. Fred looks a little tense-
a quick glance at the sky, no clouds near the sun.
This is where Fred's judgment is critical. He has
50 seconds of film in the camera. If he starts too
soon he will run out of film before the
Governor leaves the carriage: if he starts too late
he will miss the entry of the cavalry escort. He
starts cranking, two revolutions a second. A
small scruffy dog comes prancing into
the forecourt leading the vice-regal procession, a
ripple of laughter is quickly muffled. Decorum
returns, but the little mutt is still the focus
of attention.
The Governor’s party arrive. Lumiere film (1899)
As the cavalry move through the forecourt they
perfect the next". Fred said he liked pass close to the camera, almost too close. The
that, thought it would make a good Governor's carriage slows and stops.
slogan. Back to the sunshine – because without More shouted orders and the Guard of
it you can't take moving pictures – not with Honour makes the salute: "God save the Queen"
this lens anyway. reached its crescendo. 35 seconds gone. The
Governor sits, and sits, and sits. Fred stops
Fred completes the threading of the camera by cranking. He's got no footage counter but there's
pushing the film into a small black take-up at least 40 seconds of film gone, perhaps more.
The Governor stands, Fred springs into action,
magazine. The film passes through the 'S' two turns per second. The Governor alights and
shaped light-trap and emerges ready to be moves out of picture and as a large politician
attached to the take-up spindle by two small swaggers into scene the film tightens in the
hooked pins. Daylight loading and unloading,
camera and an irregular "click, click,
I'm impressed. clack" indicates the film has just run out.
He closes the magazine and attaches it to the Fred Wills has just recorded the first of 30 one
back of the gate by means of two minute rolls of living history. Thanks to his
dovetail blocks just below the picture aperture. excellent processing they have survived
Pushing the magazine flat against the gate 100 years and today represent the
brings the take-up drive into operation, a small largest collection of Australian Colonial
fabric-tyred wheel on the main drive shaft film history in existence.
driving at right angles a large spring loaded
flange attached to the take-up spindle in the In the next issue we will pursue the story of Fred
magazine ... it works! Wills a little further, with adventures in the
Closing the back door of the camera box holds darkroom and the big picture . .. on the screen of
course. �
the internal magazine firmly in place. Fred
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