The Production GuideScript To Screen: The Full Circle
by Martin Willey
The Production GuideThis is draft of a humorous letter Landau composed to director Bob Kellett.
Bob Kellett (right, in white) directing The Last Enemy, scenes 120-121, 13th November 1974. He's using a crane to film actors running up and down stairs, as Landau notes he likes to do. But in normal dramatic scenes, his camera is static, avoiding use of panning or tracking with a camera dolly.
Dear Mr Kellett
Having seen the rushes on the recent episode you directed, I would like to call your attention to one innovative and scientific principle which has been already successfully applied to the making of motion pictures.
I will not mention those instruments + principles of which you are already aware of.
Such as the clock, which I know you are more than especially conscious of. The crane which functions on a complicated hydraulic principal which you may have employed at great expense to the company to follow people climbing up and down stairs - and the window pane and the binocular -
However, this other device which you have not used + which I feel feel be of great assistance to you.
It is called "the wheel" - it and others of a like design and size can be used to great advantage - by placing a motion picture camera atop them, thus enabling the camera to be moved around quite easily and fluidly giving great flexibility, changing shapes + giving variety to the objects + forms being filmed.
I suggest you look into this latter invention as it might prove beneficial to you - other film-makers are using it already with great success.
Sincerely, M Landau
Copyright Martin Willey