ABOVE WILD WATERS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 25 March 1926, Page 7

ABOVE WILD WATERS.

FILM OF VICTORIA FALLS. A CAMERA MAN’S NERVE. CAPETOWN, Feb. 12. Hoveling with a spluttering and spitting engine in the spray of the Vie tori a Fads :200ft above the greatest maelstrom ol surging water in the world, Air. G. \V‘. Eminott, the camera man alio is accompanying Mr. AJan Coijham on his great flight through Africa, went on '•turning the handle,” as is the tradition of his profession, and tints lias secured a unique picture of the cataracts and shifting spray at close range. In an interview this week, Air. Eminott revealed some of the secrets of the great 20,000 ft. film of the air journey through Africa that he is making, and the conditions under which it is taken. Naturally the most exciting moment Mr. Eminott has so far experienced was the time when the engine cut over the falls. It is the camera man’s job to go on turning the handle whatever happens, and until his last breath —if he stops in a dangerous situation he may miss the picture of his life —-and this is what Mr. Eminott did. It has been stated that he did not realise wliat was happening, but this was far from being the case. He says that he knew all about it, and that was why lie went on turning the handle and seemed not to.

The result is that, after distant views of the falls from a height, those who view the film will see the water pouring over the brink only 2(X>it. below the machine. Then they will see the picture fading into a dead white spray, and then again the spray will pass and the falls appear nearer still. Then the engine “popped” and more clouds lofi ispiray appear across the screen. At this moment Mr. Cobliam had to take every advantage lie could get from the engine during its intermittent firing. He soared up whenever there was power, striving to gain height. Here on the picture the view of the falls will rock and sway wi.th the motion of the ’plane. Still “Turning the Handle.” /

Air. Cobliam managed to gain enough height to clear the spray and lie was so pleased' that the engine was nui.ning perfectly again, and probably also wished to race it so as to clear- the carburetter of water, that lie dived again and then “zoomed” up in a magnificent soar. Still Mr. Emmott was turning the handle,, and when this part of the film is shown the people will almost Jfeel the whole theatre sway as they view the falls and the gorge rocks beneath. The section picturing the fall is 1500 ft. long, of which about 900 ft were taken from the air.

Air. Enimott works with the camera, pointing out of one of the small windows at an angle of about 4odeg. Consequently Mr. Cobh am has always to assist him when objects are to lie filmed by manoeuvring the machine into a suitable position. For instance, the Pyramids were filmed and photographed during a longysideslin. Steep banks round the temples of Ivarnack enable close-up pictures to be taken from the air. The confluence of the Blue Nile and the White Nile was one of the most interesting geographical features passed on the trip, and Air. Emmott was anxious to secure a good film of the place where these two great rivers join. Conditions were perfect, and the machine was flying along in wonderful weather and perfectly steady. All at once, while Mr. Emmott was taking his picture, they flew into the most violent bumps, which rocked the machine and threw it up and down at alarming speed. Air. Emmott. as usual, went on turning the handle, and the result should be another seasick moment for sensitive cinemagoers, Later they heard from the Air Force that pilots were warned to avoid this spot. Natives’ Grand AVar Dance.

At Malakal Mr. Eminott was anxious to get a good native scene. There is a village at the edge of the aerodrome, the same village, if memory serves, which Sir Pierrie van Ryneveld blew down with his giant propellers during the Silver Queen flight. Air. Emmott bad the machine wheeled into the central open space of the village, and the natives did a magnificent war dance round it. The film of this scene is pile of the star portions of the picture.

Of course, on the more prosaic side of his 'work. Air. Emmott has taken a great deal of film on the ground of the various places at which the machine has landed, characteristic peoples lie has seen and places such as Oecir Rhodes’ grave, .the Pyramids, and so on, which will lie fitted into their proper place with the air pictures' of the same objects, making a really striking production.