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Handy (Jam) OrganizationSky Billboards (1935)

How skywriting works -- and the making of an aerial Chevrolet advertisement.


This movie is part of the collection: Prelinger Archives

Producer: Handy (Jam) Organization
Sponsor: Chevrolet Motor Company
Audio/Visual: Sd, B&W
Keywords: Advertising: Skywriting; Aviation: Skywriting; Automobiles: Advertising

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: Elodea - - December 21, 2009
Subject: A transition in aircraft design
Note when the aircraft taxis out, it has a tail skid (which chews u the concrete) as opposed to the later tail wheel. Tail skids were popular on very early aircraft with poor or no brakes when landing on dirt fields. The skid would help bring the aircraft to a stop. When hard surfaced runways came in in the 1930's, the skids disappeared and tail wheels were added.

Great photography from the always reliable Jam Handy technical film company.

Reviewer: Spuzz - - June 6, 2005
Subject: No heels on the wings please..
Fun little film that tells how Skywriting is done. Since there's not a lot of skywriting being done nowadays (I think.. I havent heard of the practice being done recently), this is quite a interesting time capsule. It tells all of what needs to be used ("smoke oil" and what difficulties the pilots must overcome to spell out letters in the sky. Interesting stuff.

Reviewer: 2muchtv - - May 20, 2003
Subject: Not bored by these 'boards
1935, when an enterprising fellow could buy a couple of biplanes and start his own sky writing business. Exquisite aerial photography, fascinating information, and occasionally breath-taking shots of sky writing in progress.
Who isn't awe-struck by 300-foot letters written 2 miles high - by airplanes? Very well made, quite watchable, especially for the time.

Shotlist

AN EXPLANATION OF SKYWRITING, CLIMAXED IN THE WRITING IN THE SKY OF CHEVROLET FEATURES.

01:35:16:07-01:35:20:26
LS 3 big airplanes flying towards camera leaving smoke trails. As they approach the foreground they fly up out of frame leaving smoke trails. Fade out.
01:35:21:22-01:35:25:21
Fade up on MS of woman in skirt with knit top and cap and man in pilot's jacket and cap and goggles standing in front of cockpit of small plane conversing. Aircraft / Woman Speaks With Pilot
01:35:25:22-01:35:36:14
CU man's face; he wears aviator's helmet and goggles pushed up on his head. He is talking. Aircraft / Pilot with Helmet and Goggles
01:35:36:15-01:35:42:04
Repeat of previous shot. Pilot gestures to plane and helps woman to climb up on wing. She peers into cockpit.
01:35:42:05-01:35:46:15
CU of levers and controls inside cockpit. Very simple controls. Man's hand enters frame and points to one lever.
01:35:46:16-01:36:01:28
Diagonal wipe to animated drawing of plane--cut-away to cross section shows gas tanks and fuel line. Animated drawing of plane from the front. Animation / Skywriting / Aircraft
01:36:01:29-01:36:05:03
Diagonal wipe to MS woman and pilot looking into cockpit.
01:36:05:04-01:36:08:16
CU 2 gas drums and valve
01:36:08:17-01:36:12:16
CU pilot helping woman down from wing of plane
01:36:12:17-01:36:19:09
CU pilot's face talking
01:36:19:09-01:36:25:16
MLS of pilot and woman standing next to cockpit. He climbs up into cockpit.
01:36:25:17-01:36:26:29
MS men in overalls starting propeller of small plane.
01:36:26:29-01:36:30:05
CU pilot in cockpit, adjusting chin strap of helmet.
01:36:30:06-01:36:31:23
MS from back of plane of man starting propeller.
01:36:31:23-01:36:33:04
CU pilot's hand turning on the ignition
01:36:33:05-01:36:37:11
MS man starting propeller
01:36:37:12-01:36:44:14
MS of plane shot from behind. Plan taxis away across runway and woman enters left foreground and wave at plane. Good shot.
01:36:44:14-01:36:46:10
MLS crowd of people stand behind fence in front of building. they look out at camera. Crowds / Behind Fence / Look at Camera
01:36:46:11-01:36:54:10
LS 3 bi-planes taxi across field and lift off.
01:36:54:11-01:37:00:06
MLS group of people facing away from camera. Woman in knit outfit and gloves climbs up onto roof of car and shades eyes as she looks into distance.
01:37:00:06-01:42:38:00
Various LS of 3 bi-planes in the air with vapor trails. They are shown singly and in formation. they do skywriting and various types of stunt-flying Aircraft / Skywriting (Some good shots of swoops, dives, spins, and loops).
01:37:54:14-01:37:56:13
LS woman in knit suit standing on roof of car looking up.
01:38:28:10-01:38:37:09
CU man's hand flipping pages of a pad attached to dashboard of plane. Pad reads: NO DRAFT" then same letters upside-down.
01:38:37:09-01:38:43:02
CU control panel of biplane
01:41:20:20-01:41:22:23
LS woman standing on roof of car waving. Spectators / Women Waving / Car Roof
01:41:30:02-01:41:37:07
MS group of people (men, women, and children) looking up. One man has binoculars. He hands them to little boy.





CHEVROLET ADVERTISING AUTOMOBILES TRANSPORTATION TRADEMARKS SKYWRITING AIRCRAFT AIRPLANES FLYING SMOKE SKIES SURREALISM HUMOR PILOTS STUNTS
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