ANIMAL LOCOMOTION
Dr
E.J.
Marey: Chronophotographic plate showing phases
in
the
movement
of a flexible cane.
The
figure
seems to be ^Aa^ey himself.
aperture and tonus an image on the moving hhii, which has previously been brought into focus. The tilni unrolls itsdt by a scries ot intermittent movements, by means ot a special mechanical arrangement, which enables it to pass trom one bobbin
Marey 's 'Chronophotographic
to another
last
this
.
.
.
A crank placed behind the chronophotographic apparatus turns as the circular this it
all
of the instrument,
the wheels
diaphragms.
must necessarily
be,
would be impossible,
is
as
well
A movement, so rapid as
bound
to be continuous, tor
as in the case
of the photographic
movement of such heavy itself comes to rest at the moment ot
mainly
as
I49
Projector'
which he
sees
an "analysing apparatus', an aid to physio-
logical studies.
human and
A whole era ot scientific investigation into
animal locomotion seems to draw to a close
with the end of the book; a
new one
to begin. Marey's
words, the matter-of-fact deliberations of a
scientist
totally preoccupied with his experiment, seem blissfully unaware of the significance ot his chronophotographic
machines, and ot the great changes likely to come in a cinema conscious world. For him chronophotography was a means of analysing, not simulating, movement:
gun, to remit or continue the bodies.
The film
exposure, arrested by a special mechanism which allows It
to continue
been taken
When
.
.
its
movement as soon as
the
image has
movements ot which are
the wheels arc put in
is
pointed
to be studied,
motion by turning a crank, the uniform speed, but tlie tilm
different parts acquire a
remains stationary until the
phenomenon
moment when the observed
takes place. At this juncture the operator
presses the trigger, the film begins to
move, and
the
photographs arc taken as long as the pressure is maintained on the trigger as soon as the pressure is remitted the progress of the film is arrested. The employment of this ;
trigger
makes
until the
Marey
it
bobbin
possible to continue taking photographs is
finishes his
The
text
The illumination, which either
of the
these figures
book with
a
amounts
to a
do not appear
as
itself,
consists
projects
it is
noisy, and the projected
absolutely motionless' as one
Having arrived
at this
point in our researches,
we
learned that our mechanic had discovered an immediate solution of this problem, and by quite a different
method wc ;
shall therefore desist
from our present
account pending further investigations.
Move-
description ot a
few pre-cinematic techniques, precursors ot his own inventions. The chapter ends with a briet description ot
sun
could wish.
chapter entitled 'Synthetic
summary
from behind, and
upon a screen. This instrument produces
very bright images, but figures
is
electric light or the
exhausted.
Reconstruction of the Elements of an Analysed ment'.
which an endless length (loop) of film containing torty is allowed to pass without
or sixty figures, or even more,
cessation under the field of the objective [the lens].
.
the chronophotographic apparatus
at the object the
We have therefore constructed a special apparatus, in
the iVjincs flR-ker. hci