early movies from pioneer cameramen.

[skypuppy 1]

There was an interesting discussion in the 'first vidiot' thread about a film shot at Jacques Istel/s place that was nominated for an Oscar in the early 60's.

Any other early films out there?

Canadian Bill Cole also shot a movie, 'The Silent Sky' which was entered in a Canadian festival. From his email to me....
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Rob: The Silent Sky was submitted to the Canadian Film Awarda, and placed second to a film done by CBC with their million dollar budget.


In 1965 I filmed a cigarette commercial for a production house in Toronto, and pulled all the ligaments in my left ankle on the first jump.. Darryl Hanry D-3, Mari-Lou MacDonald D-13 and I went to Florida, and in order to supply my gun cameras, the production house had to buy 50 cassettes of 50 ft each. I used exactly 9 on the commercial, and managed to get to keep the other 41, which came in handy for the filming freefall for the Silent Sky. Our last jump was from 22,120 ft, with Paul Poppenhager as pilot, and we shared oxygen from a small walkaround bottle.

I also had a 16 mm Bolex with a great zoom lense, for hand held shot, in the aircraft, and on the ground.

When Darryl and Mari-Lou and I got back to Toronto, we went to see the film that I had shot for the commercial, and I almost swallowed my heart.

A can in the camera was not in its right place, and allowed all the free fall to be filmed so when shown, it was speeded up. The funny thing was, the tobacco company and Ad Agency liked it. The exposure was perfect, and the jumpers wearing white suits trimmed with green stood out beautifully against the green fields below.

Win some...loose some, I guess_____________________________________

So Bill had a bunch of free film to use. He shot 'The Silednt Sky' between 1962 and 1967, filmed at Burnaby, Baldwin, St. Thomas, Lemon, and Welland Ontario, as well as Parkman Ohio.

In the film were at least 3 of the guys who drowned in Lake Erie when that bomber load went astray (Aug. '67).

Daryl Henry did some of the voiceover.

While the rw in the movie is probably not as good as the California stuff at the time, it is comparable to some of Boenish's early stuff. More aimed at whuffos than experienced jumpers, I think.

I do have a copy I made from an old vhs copy, minus the credits.

If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone

[howardwhite 5]

There's another Canadian film, "Another World," which was made sometime in the mid-sixties, I think. I have searched the National Film Board of Canada, as I think it was made for/distributed by the NFB, but have never been able to find out more.
I have recently gotten a 16mm copy of it but haven't projected it yet because I want to make sure I don't damage it. When I get some time, I'll probably pay some big bucks to have it professionally transferred to DVD.
I remember it as hauntingly beautiful. If anyone else -- especially Canadians -- remember it, I'd love to hear if it got any distribution.
I'll also ask Daryl Henry if he remembers Bill Cole's film -- I'm sure he does -- and if he has a copy of it.

HW