Flash Photography Set-Up and Demonstrations: Film Takes
HEE-FV-215

Date:
1957
Location:
MIT campus, Cambridge MA
Image(s):
Color
Sound(s):
Silent
Maker:
Harold E. Edgerton
Film type:
16mm, Kodachrome.
Run time:
09:48
People:
Harold E. Edgerton
In the summer of 1957 Harold E. Edgerton sets up strobe photography equipment on a rooftop on the MIT campus with an assistant to demonstrate some methodologies involved in high-speed photography. Multiple takes show Edgerton presenting step-by-step explanations of the camera equipment, film and strobe lights. Scenes show variations of the strobe bulb speed, details of small explosions, views of the cap before and after the explosion, and close-ups of the camera equipment and strobe bulbs (and possibly the set-up for shadow photography?).

Tagged: high speed photography, MIT campus, shadow photography, strobe

TIME CODEDESCRIPTION
00:00:01 Introductory information: film title, synopsis, date, run time.
00:00:08 Film begins.
00:00:12 Clapperboard: “Scene A Take 1, Producer: Edgerton, Camera: Bolex, Date 7/15/57, Ext[erior]”: woman in red dress on MIT building rooftop.
00:00:14 MIT building rooftop: Harold Edgerton emerges from building onto rooftop and joins young man (student assistant?) with photographic equipment set-up. He assists student in deploying cable towards large black screen.
00:00:43 Clapperboard: “Scene A Take 2” = MIT building rooftop: Harold Edgerton emerges from building onto rooftop and joins assistant with photographic equipment set-up. He assists student in deploying cable towards large black screen.
00:01:03 Clapperboard: “Scene B Take 1” = Student takes several steps and deploys electric cable.
00:01:12 Clapperboard: “Scene B Take 2” = Student takes several steps and deploys electric cable.
00:01:35 Clapperboard: “Scene C Take 1” = Close-up of student twisting or splicing wires.
00:01:51 Rooftop view of student and Edgerton arranging camera equipment. Student moves large black board next to Edgerton’s camera set-up.
00:02:06 Clapperboard: “Scene D Take 2” = Rooftop view of student and Edgerton arranging camera equipment. Student moves large black board next to Edgerton’s camera set-up.
00:02:19 Clapperboard: “Scene E Take 1” = Edgerton adjusts camera equipment while student brings large black board next to him.
00:02:33 Clapperboard: “Scene E Take 2” = Edgerton adjusts camera equipment and inserts negative plate while student brings over a large black board next to him.
00:02:47 Clapperboard: “Scene E Take 3” = Edgerton adjusts camera equipment and inserts negative plate while student brings over a large black board next to him.
00:02:54 Woman in red dress holds clapperboard: “Scene F Take 1” = Edgerton removes plate from camera while student holds black screen board; Edgerton triggers device and puff of smoke appears near white screen in front.
00:03:08 Clapperboard: “Scene G Take 1” = Close-up of pole with 2 wires looped over & together ending in cylindrical capsule
00:03:16 Clapperboard: “Scene G Take 2” = pole with 2 wires looped over & together ending in cylindrical capsule
00:03:23 Sideways view of pole with 2 wires looped over & together ending in cylindrical capsule
00:03:30 Clapperboard: “Scene G Take 4” = pole tip with 2 wires looped over & together ending in cylindrical capsule
00:03:39 Clapperboard: “Scene H Take 1” = pole tip with 2 wires looped over & together ending in cylindrical capsule – device has bent over
00:03:46 Clapperboard: “Scene H Take 2” = pole tip with 2 wires looped over & together ending in cylindrical capsule – device has bent over
00:03:55 View of tripod set up with black screen board facing white screen; after some moment a puff of smoke appears.
00:04:07 Clapperboard: “Scene J Take 1” = Close-up of Edgerton as he removes film plate (?) from camera and adjusts things.
00:04:13 Clapperboard: “Scene J Take 2” = Close-up of Edgerton as he removes film plate (?) from camera and adjusts things.
00:04:26 Clapperboard: “Scene J Take 3” = Close-up of Edgerton as he removes film plate/shield (?) from camera and adjusts things.
00:04:38 Clapperboard: “Scene K Take 1” = Edgerton behind the camera pulls out film plate/shield, pulls the remote trigger, and replaces film plate.
00:04:50 Clapperboard: “Scene K Take 2” = Edgerton behind the camera pulls out film plate/shield, pulls the remote trigger, and replaces film plate.
00:05:00 Clapperboard: “Scene L Take 1” = Shot of flash and camera equipment set-up, showing strobe light going off at slower and faster intervals
00:05:18 Clapperboard: “Scene L Take 2” = Shot of flash and camera equipment set-up, showing strobe light going off at slower and faster intervals
00:06:08 Woman in red dress holds clapperboard ion front of Edgerton: “Scene M Take 1” = Shot of white screen behind pole device with wire loops described above. Edgerton approaches and holds large lamp near the device and manually turns the lamp on and off.
00:06:24 [Take 2] = Shot of white screen behind pole device with wire loops described above. Edgerton approaches and holds large lamp near the device and manually turns the lamp on and off more rapidly, then moves off camera.
00:06:42 [Take 3] = Shot of white screen behind pole device with wire loops described above. Edgerton approaches and holds large lamp near the device and manually turns the lamp on and off.
00:07:00 Man holds clapperboard: “Scene N Take 1” = Wire loop device and white screen behind it are illuminated intermittently by very bright light.
00:07:20 Man holds clapperboard: “Scene N Take 2” = Wire loop device and white screen behind it are illuminated intermittently by very bright light.
00:07:40 Man holds clapperboard: “Scene N Take 3” = Wire loop device and white screen behind it are illuminated intermittently by very bright light.
00:08:00 Clapperboard: “Scene N Take 4” = In much darkened area, wire loop device and white screen behind it are illuminated intermittently by very bright light.
00:08:14 Clapperboard in front of Edgerton: “Scene 0 Take 1” = View of camera equipment set-up in front of wire loop device. Student approaches and adjusts plugs and equipment.
00:08:35 Assistant holds flash lamp and turns it on and off in front of person filming.
00:08:42 Assistant flashes light towards wire loop device and white screen, and pans light back and forth across the screen.
00:08:54 White screen is illuminated and then Edgerton walks in front of it, holds up his hand, giving instructions to turn bright light on and off. He then walks off camera.
00:09:13 White screen is illuminated and then assistant appears, stands in front and slowly waves one had up and down in front of light.
00:09:27 Assistant laughs at person filming.
00:09:33 White screen is illuminated as lamp is moved across in front of it.
00:09:41 FILM ENDS.
00:09:48 2010 MIT credits.

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