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APPENDIX IV NINE VISUAL REFERENCE POINTS COMMON TO THE HUGHES, TOWNER, DORMAN, BELL, AND MARTIN FILMS CONFIRM THE VALIDITY OF SYNCHRONIZING HUGHES FRAME H648 TO ZAPRUDER FRAME Z150 An examination of five of the amateur films used in this study resulted in the location of nine visual reference points common to the Hughes, Towner, Dorman, Bell, and Martin films. When the nine visual reference points are aligned, they produce a continuous and overlapping motion picture record of the presidential limousine’s progression through the turn at Elm and Houston. This multi-camera motion picture record provides a visual link between the Hughes and Zapruder films and offers additional corroboration for the validity of the synchronization of Hughes frame H648 to Zapruder frame Z150 (+/- one frame). It also validates and confirms the camera running speeds of the Hughes, Towner, Dorman, Bell, and Martin cameras (relative to the Zapruder camera) as deduced in this analysis. Preparation and Results Each of the above named films was stabilized and enlarged using digital techniques previously discussed. (see Stabilization Techniques) An examination was conducted to determine if the films contained any common visual elements. Particular attention was paid to crowd movements in the background of each film. Nine visual reference points (VRP) common to two or more films were subsequently discovered and are described as follows [Note: QuickTime video versions of all nine exhibits in this appendix are available online here]: (VRP-1) A woman standing on the southwest corner of Elm and Houston provides a synchronization point between Hughes and Dorman – H535/D210 to H543/D217. In the Dorman film, a woman wearing a dark coat and a red and white patterned babushka [see Exhibit 98, No.1] can be seen standing in the crowd on the southwest corner of Elm and Houston and waving at the passing presidential limousine. Between frames D210 and D217, she drops her arm and steps or leans forward into the street. This same action can be seen in the Hughes film between frames H535 and H543. (VRP-2) A Dallas police officer stationed at the intersection of Elm and Houston provides a synchronization point between Hughes and Towner – H559/T043 to H582/T071. In the Towner film, a Dallas police officer [see Exhibit 99, No.1] can be seen standing in the middle of the intersection of Elm and Houston as the presidential limousine passes. Between frames T043 and T071, he steps or leans toward frame right, then back to the left. This same action can be seen in the Hughes film between frames H559 and H582. (VRP-3) A boy and woman standing on the southwest corner of Elm and Houston provides a synchronization point between Dorman and Bell – D259/B005 to D280/B029. In the Dorman film, a boy [see Exhibit 100, No.1] and a woman [No.2] can be seen standing on the southwest corner of Elm and Houston and waving at the passing presidential limousine. Between frames D259 and D263, the woman lowers her arm. Between frames D268 and D277, the boy lowers his arm. These same actions can be seen in the Bell film between frames B005 and B009, and B015 and B025 respectively. (VRP-4) Three women standing just east of the southeast corner of the Texas School Book Depository provides a synchronization point between Hughes, Towner and Bell – H585/T075/B001 to H593/T084/B008. In the Towner film, a woman wearing a white coat [see Exhibit 101, No.1], a woman with sunglasses in a white coat [No.2], and a woman in a dark coat [No.3] can be seen standing on Houston, just east of the southeast corner of the Texas School Book Depository, watching the passing presidential limousine. Between frames T081 and T084 of the Towner film, the woman wearing a white coat [No.1] begins to lower her arm (before a film splice after T084 interrupts the motion). This same action can be seen in the Bell film between frames B006 and B014. Although the woman is visible in the corresponding frames of the Hughes film – H590 to H598 – the movement of her arm is not as readily apparent due to the distance between the Hughes camera and the subject. Between frames T075 and T081 of the Towner film, the woman with sunglasses in a white coat [No.2] lowers her arm. This same action can be seen in the Hughes film between frames H585 and H590. The woman is not visible in the corresponding frames of the Bell film – B001 to B006 – due to another spectator standing between the Bell camera and the subject. Between frames T075 and T084 of the Towner film, the woman in a dark coat [No.3] turns to her left as the limousine passes. This same action can be seen in the Hughes film between frames H585 and H593 and in the Bell film between frames B001 and B008. (VRP-5) A man standing just east of the southeast corner of the Texas School Book Depository provides a synchronization point between Towner and Bell – T085/B015 to T090/B019. In the Towner film, a heavyset man wearing a brown sport jacket and gray slacks [see Exhibit 102, No.1] can be seen standing on Houston, just east of the southeast corner of the Texas School Book Depository, watching the passing presidential limousine. Between frames T085 and T090, he pulls his right hand out of his pocket and lifts it to wave. This same action can be seen in the Bell film between frames B015 and B019. (VRP-6) A man standing just south of the southeast corner of the Texas School Book Depository provides a synchronization point between Towner and Bell – T094/B022 to T100/B028. In the Towner film, a man wearing light-colored clothing and a cowboy hat [see Exhibit 103, No.1] can be seen standing just south of the southeast corner of the Texas School Book Depository waving at the passing presidential limousine. Between frames T094 and T100, he lowers his right arm. This same action can be seen in the Bell film between frames B022 and B028. (VRP-7) A woman standing on the north curb of Elm Street in front of the main entrance to the Texas School Book Depository provides a synchronization point between Towner and Bell – T110/B035 to T114/B039. In the Towner film, a woman wearing a brown coat [see Exhibit 104, No.1] can be seen standing on the north curb of Elm Street, in front of the main entrance to the Texas School Book Depository, waving at the passing presidential limousine. Between frames T110 and T114, she lowers her right arm. This same action can be seen in the Bell film between frames B035 and B039. (VRP-8) A man and woman descending the stairs near the reflecting pool on the southwest corner of Elm and Houston provides a synchronization point between Dorman, Martin, and Bell – D304/MN224/B056 to D308/MN229/B060. In the Dorman film, a man [see Exhibit 105, No.1] and woman [No.2] can be seen descending the stairs near the reflecting pool on the southwest corner of Elm and Houston between frames D304 and D319. This same action can be seen in the Martin film between frames MN224 and MN245. A portion of this action can also be seen in the Bell film between frames B056 and B060, when Bell stops filming. The three sequences can be synchronized by aligning the gait of the man as he takes each step. In particular, the man can be seen planting his right foot at Dorman/Martin frame D303/MN223 and his left foot at Dorman/Martin frame D310/MN232. (VRP-9) Three individuals – a woman and two men – stationed along the north side of Elm Street near the west end of the Texas School Book Depository provides a synchronization point between Towner and Martin – T117/MN207 to T160/MN250. In the Towner film, a woman [see Exhibit 106, No.1] standing along the north side of Elm Street can be seen raising her hand and waving vigorously between frames T130 and T160. This same action can be seen in the Martin film between frames MN220 and MN250. The Towner film also shows a man wearing a dark coat and hat [no.2] raise his right hand and make a single snapping wave motion between frames T144 and T160. This same action can be seen in the Martin film between frames MN234 and MN250. The Towner film further shows another man wearing a dark coat and hat [No.3] raise his left arm in salute between frames T130 and T137. This same action can be seen in the Martin film between frames MN220 and MN227. A timeline chart was assembled to show the relationship between the nine visual reference points described above and how those reference points provide synchronicity between the Hughes and Zapruder films. [Film Synchronization – Visual Reference Points] Alignment and Camera Frame Rates In order to keep the nine visual reference points described above aligned and in synchronization relative to each other and to the Zapruder film (+/- one frame), the following average per second frame rates were necessary: Zapruder Hughes Towner Dorman Martin Bell 18.3 18.3 22.8 16.8 22.8 19.0 Amateur cameras of this era typically had standard running speeds of 16, 18, or 24 fps (16 and 18 fps being the most common) and operated within speed variations of 3 to 5% (or 0.5 to 1.0 frames). Two of the average camera frame rates necessary to maintain synchronization are considerably outside of the variation expected for cameras operating at 16 or 18 fps – Martin and Towner. The Martin camera was an 8mm DeJur, exact model unknown. [149] Some of the DeJur 8mm camera models allowed operating speeds of 12, 16, 24, 32, 48, and 64 frames-per-second. While the camera playback speed deduced from this analysis is outside of the variation expected for a DeJur camera model operating at 16 or 18 fps it would be within the expected variation associated with a DeJur camera model operating at 24 frames-per-second. The Towner camera was a Sears-brand Tower Varizoom 8mm movie camera, model number 584.91250. [150] The Tower camera employed a three-way variable switch (labeled ‘Animation – Stop – Run – Slow Motion’) which allowed the operator to shoot a single frame of film (Animation), shoot film at a standard speed of 18 frames per second (Run), then change to a rate of 48 frames per second (Slow Motion) on the fly by simply pressing the run switch further down. While the run switch was designed to allow the camera operator to film at standard and slow-motion speeds without stopping the camera, a slight amount of pressure downward on the variable speed switch will cause the film to shuttle faster through the film gate, increasing the frame rate in incremental amounts between 18 and 48 frames per second. [151] This may explain why the frame rate is outside of the expected variation (+/- one frame) associated with the standard running rate of 18 frames-per-second. Adjusting Camera Frame Rates Adjusting any one camera’s frame rate would of necessity alter the frame rates of all amateur films used in this study in order to maintain synchronicity. FBI tests of Zapruder’s Bell & Howell Zoomatic camera show a variation of about 3% from the standard run speed of 18 frames per second across a 60 second run time. If the variations in the Zapruder camera speed are taken into account, the following frame rates would be needed to maintain synchronicity between all films: The results show that even when variations in the Zapruder camera frame rate are taken into account all films in this study (with the exception of Towner and Martin) are within the variations expected for cameras operating at 16 or 18 fps. If the Towner and Martin cameras were operating at a standard 18 fps (a 21% decrease from the calculated rate), the following camera rates would be needed to maintain synchronicity between all films: The results show that when the Towner and Martin camera frame rates are set to a standard 18 fps all other films in this study (with the exception of Bell) would need to operate considerably below their expected variations in order to maintain synchronicity. Since all nine of the visual reference points described above maintain synchronicity at the calculated frame rates relative to the Zapruder camera (+/- one frame), and since seven of the nine visual reference points involve the Towner and/or Martin films, then the relative frame rates of the Towner and Martin cameras must also be correct. The higher than expected frames rates for the Towner and Martin cameras could be attributed to the initial camera speed settings or mechanical issues specific to the camera used. |
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