FLYING CAMERA “ACE”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20222, 7 October 1927, Page 6

FLYING CAMERA “ACE”

YOUNG DUNEDIN MAN’S SUCCESS THRILLING EXPERIENCES RECOUNTED. FILMLAND—THROUGH THE LENS. After five years In the United States, which were spent mainly in establishing a reputation as one of the most daring and successful cameramen in the film industry, Mr Frank M’Kechnie, a young Dunedin man, is paying a return visit to his native city. Mr M’Kechnic, who arrived in New Zealand a few months ago to take a position with the Government Publicity Department, left Dunedin in 1921 and joined Paramount’s staff of news cameramen in Australia. His training there equipped him for work in the United States, where, despite the, disadvantage of being a stranger in a strange land, and the only British cameraman in the news-reel business, he rose quickly to the top of the tree in his particular line. His admission to the ranks of the Government Publicity camermen has given to New Zealand the services of one who is accepted in the home of the motion picture as being at the top in his craft and an expert in aerial photography. His stay in Dunedin is associated with the making of a publicity film of the New Zealand railways, and he has recently completed a tour with Zane Grey. He was also at Russell with the Duke and Duchess of A ork. Mr M'Kechr.ie is a difficult man to interview. Although he is little more than a youth, his experiences during the comparatively short while he has worked in the United States have been so varied and interesting that each in itself would make an absorbing narrative. During a chat with a Daily Times reporter yesterday he skimmed over a few of his most exciting adventures, refreshing his memory with the aid of several packed photograph albums. “ I like the news-reel work because it is so interesting and varied,’’ he said. “ I was with the International most of the time, but I have also tried motion picture making, and have been cameraman with Marion Davies, Milton Sills. Hope Hampton, and Richard Dix. The worst of the studio motion picture work is that one is called upon to work all hours of the night—whenever some crazy director gets an idea into His head for a new scene.” Then he began to recall, with modest casualness, his life as a news photographer Most of his work was done in the eastern parts of the United States, but the various trips he was called upon to taka enabled him to see practically every part of the country. He has spent months on "Rum Bow" filming the chasing of rum-runners, and watching, patrols in fast speed boats firing with machine guns on the retreating boats of the rum-runners. In this type of work,. he stated, the American police are not always anxious for publicity. On one occasion, after securing an exclusive film of a street battle during a strike,' he was chased over buildings bv policemen intent on seizing and destroying his camera. The machine he carried at the time was of the latest "machine gun ’’ type, which was adopted by the Pat he Company for such work. So extensive was the campaign of the police to put a stop to the screening of riot scenes that the company suffered the loss of 5000 dollars’ worth of cameras which were confiscated and destroyed. Mr M'Kechnie, according to an American motion picture paper, is regarded as the ‘‘ ace ” of flying cameramen in the news-reel business. He flaw from Albany to New York in the race between the Twentieth Century and the Garwood speedboat. The Twentieth Century, Ltd., is the fastest train in the world, and travels at 110 miles an hour. The Garwood boat is regarded as one of the fastest racing motor boats in America. He was the first civilian to ride in the giant German-made dirigible “ Los Angeles," which made one of the longest non-stop flights attempted at that time. Starting from Lakehurst (New Jersey), the ship flew to Porto Rico and back, the trip lasting five days. He spent four nights in the air, and stated that he enjoyed the sensation of awaking in the morning and having his meals 1500 ft above earth. Aeroplane flying was an everyday task, and in the course of his work he made several parachute descents, receiving 400 dollars for each. He has filmed New York from the air at night, and has spent some time with his camera on the frozen surface of the Hudson River and under Niagara Falls. While filming the falls from the air during a trip on behalf of the International News-reel, he requested the pilot to fly as low as possible in order that a really good view of the falling waters might be obtained. When the aeroplane swooped towards the falls it was found that the pocket of air caused by the falls insufficient resistance for the the pilot was unable to rise. Taking their lives in their hands the two men decided to attempt a glide through the arches of the bridge below the falls. ■ This was accomplished safely, but with hair-raising uncertainty. According to Mr M’Kechnie, it takes a year for a cameraman to learn the proper method of cranking his machine. Two handles must be operated simultaneously —one for the mechanism of the film and the Jens ; the other to move the camera up and down or from side to side,-The speeds at which the handles must be turned are by no means relative, and the action must become mechanical, as the cameraman is forced to give his undivided attention to the subject.