Well I finally started to do a full history on Cinetron. The new website address (Http://charlesvaughn.com) is in my profile.
It's still under construction but I am adding to it frequently. I hope that you will check it out soon.
Charlie
This blog combines a personal blog as well as a Photography and Digital Photography blog and tips. Cinematography, Photography, Macro Photography tips and tricks. Also covered are articles on early Computer Animation and the Cinetron Animation System.
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Cinetron 1100-B User's Manual
A Cinetron system originally sold to George Eastman at Kinetics in Chicago was sold to the Massachusetts College of Art and Design a few years back and has been use in their Animation Department since.
George Eastman first encountered Cinetron when he used a Cinetron system about 1977 at Eskay, an optical and effects company in Chicago. Eskay purchased a '500' system that was later upgraded to an '800' system.
After using the Eskay system for a while, George purchased the first 1100 sold by Cinetron for his company, Kinetics, and later upgraded it to an 1100B system. That is the system now is at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
Since George and Kinetics were the first to receive delivery on an 1100, the User's Manual given to him was a copy of the draft of the final manual. Not a big problem for George since he was trained by Cinetron and a bright guy anyway. George and Kinetics never got an updated 1100 manual and I didn't have a copy of one either.
The college was in need of a better copy of the book so Adam Savje, Manager of the Animation Department, had a transcript made and sent the electronic version to me. I took that version and corrected quite a few typos and outright errors, added hyperlinks and some new illustrations and made a PDF copy for them and posted one on my website here: http://www.charlesvaughn.com/1100b_Manual.html .
Anyone interested in a bit of nostalgia can check it out and any users still out there can make use of it as well if they like . Much of the general information portion of the manual applies to every system made by Cinetron carrying a model name designation below 2000.
Another item of possible interest is that Adam and I were able to move the Cinetron PC DOS applications, loader and files to a Windows 7 PC by using Oracle Virtual Box, some tweaking and some luck.
Charlie
George Eastman first encountered Cinetron when he used a Cinetron system about 1977 at Eskay, an optical and effects company in Chicago. Eskay purchased a '500' system that was later upgraded to an '800' system.
After using the Eskay system for a while, George purchased the first 1100 sold by Cinetron for his company, Kinetics, and later upgraded it to an 1100B system. That is the system now is at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
Since George and Kinetics were the first to receive delivery on an 1100, the User's Manual given to him was a copy of the draft of the final manual. Not a big problem for George since he was trained by Cinetron and a bright guy anyway. George and Kinetics never got an updated 1100 manual and I didn't have a copy of one either.
The college was in need of a better copy of the book so Adam Savje, Manager of the Animation Department, had a transcript made and sent the electronic version to me. I took that version and corrected quite a few typos and outright errors, added hyperlinks and some new illustrations and made a PDF copy for them and posted one on my website here: http://www.charlesvaughn.com/1100b_Manual.html .
Anyone interested in a bit of nostalgia can check it out and any users still out there can make use of it as well if they like . Much of the general information portion of the manual applies to every system made by Cinetron carrying a model name designation below 2000.
Another item of possible interest is that Adam and I were able to move the Cinetron PC DOS applications, loader and files to a Windows 7 PC by using Oracle Virtual Box, some tweaking and some luck.
Charlie
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
New Look!!!
A New Year and a New Look to the blog. I think that this new header design more closely represents the content of the blog nowadays. At least I hope so. The 2 guys in the picture (taken on Cinetron's 16 foot tall Oxberry animation stand) are L-R, Steve Walker and Karl Bradendieck. Steve was the operator of that camera and Karl was the Chief Technician at Cinetron.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Don Hudgins Funeral-More
Naturally, Carolyn and I attended Don's funeral services in Atlanta on December 23rd. A large group of Don's family and friends were in attendance despite a steady rainfall throughout the day.
Don brother Jim presided at the services and there were tributes from Don's brother Jim, Don's son-in-law Drew and myself.
An honor guard accompanied Don's ashes to the cemetery and taps were sounded in honor of Don's military service in Vietnam.
I am attaching the text of my remarks below, we have all lost a great friend in Don Hudgins.
Eulogy:
Words can’t express the loss of a great friend like Don Hudgins but I’ll try.
When Betty told me that she and Don wanted me to speak today I was honored but at a loss as how to say what Don has meant in my life and the lives of those who knew him.
Betty said that perhaps I could recount some of the good times and funny stories about the time when we were working together.
As I tried to recall them, I was stumped to come up with a way to do justice to the twinkle in Don’s eye , the suppressed grin when he discovered that he had pulled off one of his harmless practical jokes , or even when he realized that he had somehow wound up the victim of his own plot.
Don’s dry wit, his great interpersonal skills and self-depreciating style made me feel like I was working with Bob Newhart.
There’s no way I can do justice to those recollections
But there is one event that comes to mind that underscores his fanatical attention to detail and desire for perfection:
We were shooting a commercial for Gulf Heating Oil and a particular scene required us to shoot a single drop of heating oil in extreme slow motion. We had rented a camera that exposed 3000 frames per second instead of the normal 24 so that meant that a 400 foot roll of film ran out in about 5 seconds…
Only enough time for 1 drop of oil per roll of film. That high speed also meant that we needed 125 times as much light as would ordinarily be required.
Well, everything was set up in the studio… We had about 20 1000watt spot lights focused on the target dish of oil only inches away from the bulbs.
The client insisted that we use the real Gulf oil so we couldn’t keep the lights on for more than 10 or 15 seconds at a time because heat from the lights would cause the oil in the dish to smoke and catch fire.
Don had carefully pre-calculated the exposure and located each light just so…Then, just as we were going to roll the first take, Don just had to take one more light reading before we started.
He switched the lights on, shoved his light meter into the glow and it promptly shriveled the plastic dome on the light meter like a prune.
Don pulled it out of the light, looked at the mostly-melted meter and said “That’ll do”
Always there, always improving, always in a good mood, Don made work a pleasure for all of us.
Almost fifty years ago, when I was a wet behind the ears kid trying to look like I knew what I was doing, Bob Storer and I opened a brand-new motion picture studio here in Atlanta.
We thought that we were jumping over a puddle together but soon discovered that it was really the ocean and we were in way over our heads.
We needed help, and then, just like in the movies,
Mighty Mouse…in the person of Don Hudgins arrived on our doorstep.
He was back fresh from Vietnam and looking for a job as a Cinematographer … and he was our life preserver.
But Don was more than that,
he was the spark plug that lit our gas, the Klieg light lighting the way and the best friend that I ever had or will have.
We know that Don was a bit vertically challenged…you would always see Don’s home-made apple crate nearby so he could hop up and peek through the viewfinder or adjust a light…
but even without the DON BOX as we called it, he was head and shoulders above most men.
Don’s constant energy and our partnership with our great friends and partners Gene Nottingham and Hal Pearson allowed us to build a company that rose to the top of our industry and stayed there for twenty-eight years after Storer studios closed.
===================
Now Don has checked off the last entry in his ever-present to-do list:
He presented his resume for application into heaven
I know that it was a resume that all of would like to have to present and fortunately for him, Don didn’t have to say a word on his own behalf.
(We all remember how befuddled he would get when asked to appear in public or talk about himself)
But in this resume, his lifetime loudly speaks in all the entries for him.
It lists accomplishments like Humility, Honesty, Loyalty, and an unstoppable work ethic.
It speaks of a great sense of humor and his sometimes child-like mirth.
Items are there for creativity and talent without pride or selfishness.
It touts deep experience in sensitivity and a genuine caring attitude for everyone he came in contact with.
There are also enumerated there countless examples of his accomplishments:
Not having to be the first in line, Always being first to lend a hand, Being faithful, Trustworthy, open minded and open hearted.
Don led his life as directed in Proverbs 27:2: “LET ANOTHER MAN PRAISE YOU, AND NOT YOUR OWN MOUTH”
Don loved his family. He loved his work, whether working on a job, working around the house or helping a friend or neighbor he put 100% of himself into it.
Don brother Jim presided at the services and there were tributes from Don's brother Jim, Don's son-in-law Drew and myself.
An honor guard accompanied Don's ashes to the cemetery and taps were sounded in honor of Don's military service in Vietnam.
I am attaching the text of my remarks below, we have all lost a great friend in Don Hudgins.
Eulogy:
Words can’t express the loss of a great friend like Don Hudgins but I’ll try.
When Betty told me that she and Don wanted me to speak today I was honored but at a loss as how to say what Don has meant in my life and the lives of those who knew him.
Betty said that perhaps I could recount some of the good times and funny stories about the time when we were working together.
As I tried to recall them, I was stumped to come up with a way to do justice to the twinkle in Don’s eye , the suppressed grin when he discovered that he had pulled off one of his harmless practical jokes , or even when he realized that he had somehow wound up the victim of his own plot.
Don’s dry wit, his great interpersonal skills and self-depreciating style made me feel like I was working with Bob Newhart.
There’s no way I can do justice to those recollections
But there is one event that comes to mind that underscores his fanatical attention to detail and desire for perfection:
We were shooting a commercial for Gulf Heating Oil and a particular scene required us to shoot a single drop of heating oil in extreme slow motion. We had rented a camera that exposed 3000 frames per second instead of the normal 24 so that meant that a 400 foot roll of film ran out in about 5 seconds…
Only enough time for 1 drop of oil per roll of film. That high speed also meant that we needed 125 times as much light as would ordinarily be required.
Well, everything was set up in the studio… We had about 20 1000watt spot lights focused on the target dish of oil only inches away from the bulbs.
The client insisted that we use the real Gulf oil so we couldn’t keep the lights on for more than 10 or 15 seconds at a time because heat from the lights would cause the oil in the dish to smoke and catch fire.
Don had carefully pre-calculated the exposure and located each light just so…Then, just as we were going to roll the first take, Don just had to take one more light reading before we started.
He switched the lights on, shoved his light meter into the glow and it promptly shriveled the plastic dome on the light meter like a prune.
Don pulled it out of the light, looked at the mostly-melted meter and said “That’ll do”
Always there, always improving, always in a good mood, Don made work a pleasure for all of us.
Almost fifty years ago, when I was a wet behind the ears kid trying to look like I knew what I was doing, Bob Storer and I opened a brand-new motion picture studio here in Atlanta.
We thought that we were jumping over a puddle together but soon discovered that it was really the ocean and we were in way over our heads.
We needed help, and then, just like in the movies,
Mighty Mouse…in the person of Don Hudgins arrived on our doorstep.
He was back fresh from Vietnam and looking for a job as a Cinematographer … and he was our life preserver.
But Don was more than that,
he was the spark plug that lit our gas, the Klieg light lighting the way and the best friend that I ever had or will have.
We know that Don was a bit vertically challenged…you would always see Don’s home-made apple crate nearby so he could hop up and peek through the viewfinder or adjust a light…
but even without the DON BOX as we called it, he was head and shoulders above most men.
Don’s constant energy and our partnership with our great friends and partners Gene Nottingham and Hal Pearson allowed us to build a company that rose to the top of our industry and stayed there for twenty-eight years after Storer studios closed.
===================
Now Don has checked off the last entry in his ever-present to-do list:
He presented his resume for application into heaven
I know that it was a resume that all of would like to have to present and fortunately for him, Don didn’t have to say a word on his own behalf.
(We all remember how befuddled he would get when asked to appear in public or talk about himself)
But in this resume, his lifetime loudly speaks in all the entries for him.
It lists accomplishments like Humility, Honesty, Loyalty, and an unstoppable work ethic.
It speaks of a great sense of humor and his sometimes child-like mirth.
Items are there for creativity and talent without pride or selfishness.
It touts deep experience in sensitivity and a genuine caring attitude for everyone he came in contact with.
There are also enumerated there countless examples of his accomplishments:
Not having to be the first in line, Always being first to lend a hand, Being faithful, Trustworthy, open minded and open hearted.
Don led his life as directed in Proverbs 27:2: “LET ANOTHER MAN PRAISE YOU, AND NOT YOUR OWN MOUTH”
Don loved his family. He loved his work, whether working on a job, working around the house or helping a friend or neighbor he put 100% of himself into it.
I’m sure that his resume guarantees Don a place with the angels.
All of us loved Don and our lives are richer for having known him.
My heart aches to know that I will not be able to sit with him again in this lifetime, to share a cup of coffee and recall and laugh about the wonderful times together made treasures to me for having been with him on our life’s adventure.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Information on Don's Services
Here is information from the family regarding Don Hudgins' Funeral Services
TUESDAY DECEMBER 23, 2014
Visitation will be from Noon until 2PM with the Services following
Where:
H.M.Patterson & Son Arlington Chapel is located at:
173 Allen Road Ne, Sandy Springs, GA 30328 | 404-851-9900 | MAP
Interment will follow the 2PM services at:
Arlington Memorial Park Cemetery is at:
201 Mt Vernon Hwy, NW, Sandy Springs, GA 30328 | 404-255-0750 | MAP
TUESDAY DECEMBER 23, 2014
Visitation will be from Noon until 2PM with the Services following
Where:
H.M.Patterson & Son Arlington Chapel is located at:
173 Allen Road Ne, Sandy Springs, GA 30328 | 404-851-9900 | MAP
Interment will follow the 2PM services at:
Arlington Memorial Park Cemetery is at:
201 Mt Vernon Hwy, NW, Sandy Springs, GA 30328 | 404-255-0750 | MAP
Don Hudgins Passes
Don's daughter Stephanie called me this morning, December 18, and said that her father Don had passed away early this morning. As yet, there are no funeral plans announced but I will post them as soon as I find out.
Words cannot express how sad it is to hear of Don's passing but those of us who knew and loved Don will never forget his great good nature and enduring friendship. Even though he has been suffering with ALS like symptoms for a couple of years and we know that at last that suffering has ended, we nonetheless selfishly yearn for him to still be with us.
Please keep Don's family in your prayers.
Words cannot express how sad it is to hear of Don's passing but those of us who knew and loved Don will never forget his great good nature and enduring friendship. Even though he has been suffering with ALS like symptoms for a couple of years and we know that at last that suffering has ended, we nonetheless selfishly yearn for him to still be with us.
Please keep Don's family in your prayers.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Help Wanted
There’s a fellow in Massachusetts who’s using a Cinetron
1100 control system that was purchased from its original owner, Kinetics in
Chicago a few years back. I’ve also received several requests lately from
people who own and still use Cinetron systems built back in the 1980s or
earlier.
If anyone out there has any Cinetron user’s manuals for any
system built by Cinetron Computer Systems Inc. please let me know because I’m
in the process of creating a set of computer searchable files and, hopefully,
tutorials since there are still a number of people who are using these systems that
did not have the benefit of training.
As some of you might know Cinetron was purchased back in the
early 1990s by Motion Electronics and subsequently went out of business along with its new parent
company. The result of that is that all of the documentation is pretty much
gone.
Again if you have any information photographs etc. relating
to the Cinetron systems please let me know as I am also in the process of
creating a history on my website.
Thanks in advance for your help
Charlie
Friday, November 7, 2014
PES Automator
I got an email from a fellow in Montreal the other day who has acquired an Oxberry camera formerly owned by CanAm. The Oxberry had a Cinetron Stop Motion Camera Motor (SMCM) and a PES Automator axis motor control system. I couldn't help him with how to setup or operate the Automator and I hope that if anyone is watching with knowledge of the systems or CanAm will post it here for him.
Charlie
Charlie
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Rejuvenated and ready to go
Well, I finally got off my can and decided that it is high time that I start keeping this blog and my website more current, interesting and informative.
You can visit the new site here
I will admit that at the time of this posting there is very little changed save the home page and the removal of all the commercial aspects of the original site. That said, I do promise in the weeks ahead to add more pictures and copy relating to Cinetron, Photography, Animation, Fishing and even more self-aggrandizing fluff.
You can visit the new site here
I will admit that at the time of this posting there is very little changed save the home page and the removal of all the commercial aspects of the original site. That said, I do promise in the weeks ahead to add more pictures and copy relating to Cinetron, Photography, Animation, Fishing and even more self-aggrandizing fluff.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
George E Harris Passes
I recently learned that George Harris, one of the original founders of Cinetron passed away at The Villages Regional Hospital in Summerfield, Florida on December 21,2013.
George, Gene Nottingham and I were the original founders of Cinetron and although George decided to pursue other interests early in the life of the company, he returned years later and served as Sales Manager.
After retirement, he moved to his native Florida where he hosted a local television program and was active in community theater.
George was always upbeat and smiling and had a way of brightening everyone's day. All of us who knew George will miss him and our heartfelt condolences go out to his family.
George, Gene Nottingham and I were the original founders of Cinetron and although George decided to pursue other interests early in the life of the company, he returned years later and served as Sales Manager.
After retirement, he moved to his native Florida where he hosted a local television program and was active in community theater.
George was always upbeat and smiling and had a way of brightening everyone's day. All of us who knew George will miss him and our heartfelt condolences go out to his family.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Catching up
I have to admit that I have been slack about keeping this blog and my website up to date, particularly the historical piece about Cinetron. Well, in the way of an explanation ( excuse sounds too wimpy), my grandson, Jordan Shreiner is a starter on the Lees-McRae College Lacrosse team and I have been tied up photographing the games and posting them on my adjunct website: www.BobcatsLacrosse.com. Anyway, I do intend to get back with the second chapter on Cinetron soon. Until then, "GO BOBCATS"
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Cinetron Computer Systems...History
I decided to post the historical narrative about Cinetron on my website. Here's the direct address:
http://www.charles-vaughn-images.com/Cinetron.html
Or, just go to my website and click on "About Us"
http://www.charles-vaughn-images.com/Cinetron.html
Or, just go to my website and click on "About Us"
I heard from Greg Harker, an animation cameraman who operated the first commercial system at The Optical House in New York and from Dick Rauh, VP and Art Director for The Optical House.
Thanks Greg and Dick.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Gene's Obituary
Here is the notice as placed in the Atlanta papers:
Family-Placed Death Notice
NOTTINGHAM, Eugene Parris Mr. Eugene Parris "Gene" Nottingham, age 70, of Tucker died Thursday, January 14, 2010. Gene was born on July 28, 1939 in Topeka, Kansas to Ralph Parris Nottingham and Adolphina Rachel Neider Nottingham. He graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering and received a Masters degree from Georgia Tech in Electrical Engineering. Gene was one of the original founders of Cinetron Computer Systems, Inc. and served as its Vice President of Engineering for over 28 years. Cinetron was an internationally acclaimed manufacturer of computer-controlled motion picture animation and optical effects equipment company in Atlanta. Cinetron equipment became the industry standard and was used by theatrical and commercial film producers across the United States and in foreign countries. Industry giants such as The Walt Disney Company, Universal Studios, MGM, ABC, CBS and hundreds of others were all clients of Cinetron. Gene's innovative electronics and mechanical designs for Cinetron led to his being awarded the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences "Academy Award" for Technical Achievement and the Eastman Kodak Company Technical Achievement Award. Mr. Nottingham was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Charlotte Boyd Nottingham of Tucker; GA; children, Charlotte Boyd Nottingham of Charleston, SC, Rachel Nottingham Cook and her husband Benjamin Joseph Cook of Lilburn, GA; grandchild, Luke Joseph Cook of Lilburn, GA; sister, Sylvia Jean Wright; aunt Lucille V. Neider, nephews, nieces, cousins and friends. Memorial services will be held Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 2:00 P.M. in the chapel of A. S. Turner & Sons with Mr. Nottingham's nephew, Pastor John Thomas Boyd, II officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The American Cancer Society , P.O. Box 56566, Atlanta, GA 30343 in Gene's memory. The family will receive friends from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. Friday and one hour prior to the service on Saturday and a reception is to follow the service at A. S. Turner & Sons.
Family-Placed Death Notice
NOTTINGHAM, Eugene Parris Mr. Eugene Parris "Gene" Nottingham, age 70, of Tucker died Thursday, January 14, 2010. Gene was born on July 28, 1939 in Topeka, Kansas to Ralph Parris Nottingham and Adolphina Rachel Neider Nottingham. He graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering and received a Masters degree from Georgia Tech in Electrical Engineering. Gene was one of the original founders of Cinetron Computer Systems, Inc. and served as its Vice President of Engineering for over 28 years. Cinetron was an internationally acclaimed manufacturer of computer-controlled motion picture animation and optical effects equipment company in Atlanta. Cinetron equipment became the industry standard and was used by theatrical and commercial film producers across the United States and in foreign countries. Industry giants such as The Walt Disney Company, Universal Studios, MGM, ABC, CBS and hundreds of others were all clients of Cinetron. Gene's innovative electronics and mechanical designs for Cinetron led to his being awarded the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences "Academy Award" for Technical Achievement and the Eastman Kodak Company Technical Achievement Award. Mr. Nottingham was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Charlotte Boyd Nottingham of Tucker; GA; children, Charlotte Boyd Nottingham of Charleston, SC, Rachel Nottingham Cook and her husband Benjamin Joseph Cook of Lilburn, GA; grandchild, Luke Joseph Cook of Lilburn, GA; sister, Sylvia Jean Wright; aunt Lucille V. Neider, nephews, nieces, cousins and friends. Memorial services will be held Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 2:00 P.M. in the chapel of A. S. Turner & Sons with Mr. Nottingham's nephew, Pastor John Thomas Boyd, II officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The American Cancer Society , P.O. Box 56566, Atlanta, GA 30343 in Gene's memory. The family will receive friends from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. Friday and one hour prior to the service on Saturday and a reception is to follow the service at A. S. Turner & Sons.
Published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on January 15, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Gene Nottingham
I'm sorry to say that Gene Nottingham passed away quietly this morning ( January 14) at 4 AM. Funeral services will be Saturday, January 16 at 1PM at A.S. Turner Funeral home in Decatur, GA. Those of us who knew and loved Gene will miss him greatly.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Gene and Cinetron
I am in the process of generating a history of Cinetron on my website. Please check it out there if you're interested, there is a lot of detail about Cinetron, how it started and grew.
Charlie
Charlie
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
SEEING THE LITTLE PICTURE
I Transferred this post to my website where it displays bigger and is a bit easier to read.There are also more photo tips there.
Check it out at www.Charles-Vaughn-Images.com
Thanks
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Gene Nottingham, More news
Carolyn and I travelled down to Atlanta yesterday to spend a little time with Gene. He was up and around and seemed optimistic and relaxed. For all intents and purposes he seemed like the same old Gene that we all love.
It's too soon to predict how effective his treatments will be but if anyone can beat this it's Gene and we're praying that he can do it.
It's too soon to predict how effective his treatments will be but if anyone can beat this it's Gene and we're praying that he can do it.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Gene Nottingham - Cinetron
There is some really bad news for those of us who are friends of Gene & Charlotte. When we got back from Panama a few days ago, I received a call that Gene was in the hospital and had been diagnosed with Cancer. He's home with his family in Atlanta and undergoing radiation and chemo treatment in hopes of arresting the growth of the cancer.
Please keep Gene and his family in your hearts and prayers.
Please keep Gene and his family in your hearts and prayers.
Cranking Up
Hi, I'm just gettting this blog started as an adjunct to my website: Charles-Vaughn-Images.com.
Just bear with me for a while as I get things rolling.
Charlie
Just bear with me for a while as I get things rolling.
Charlie
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