A not-so-special effect

WHILE reading the article by Paul Lieberman on Ken Burns’ “The War” [“Sifting Through Ashes,” Sept. 9], I couldn’t help but be amused by Mr. Burns’ accepting (graciously it seems) the referral to “The Ken Burns Effect.” This applies, of course to his technique of moving the camera across, around and zooming in and out on a still photo.

While serving as senior director of television, Armed Forces Korea Network 1967-68, we showed a documentary titled “Expedition Colorado” that featured this technique exclusively. After watching this lovely program, my head cameraman, Rich Bergen, started using it as often as possible to make up for the sometimes dull newscasts we were handed. Little is new in show business, and our “dynamic use of stills,” as we called it then, made the inane interesting.

F. William Parker

Lake Balboa