Putting Clouds into Exterior Scenes

A landscape that includes a cloud-flecked sky is far more attractive than the same scene without the clouds, particularly in photographic landscapes, where, without the benefit of color, the cloudless sky area is rendered as an uninteresting expanse of monotone. It has long been a major problem of the studios to be assured of obtaining attractive exterior scenes, for a great deal of equipment and personnel are involved when moving a unit out of the studio. It is not possible to decide suddenly to move out to an exterior location; exterior scenes must be planned well and at least twenty-four hours in advance. During the long California summer, weeks on end follow without clouds of any description, and the cameraman is often faced with the problem of having to photograph scenes with little or no pictorial embellishment. Heretofore, in the major productions, it has often been necessary to “dupe” in clouds after the scenes have been made, and sometimes locations at a distance have been chosen where conditions indicated that chances of obtaining real clouds were reasonably favorable. The budget for the average production does not permit the great expense of either of these alternatives, so a process had to be developed by means of which clouds could be produced with dependability and economy.

Print ISSN

0097-5834

Published

1942-08

Content type

Original Research

DOI

10.5594/J09868