Crossing of the Sea

Annotated photograph used in the production process for the `Parting of the Red Sea' sequence from the film THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 1955: Crossing of the Sea, unused composite, no. piece #188.

An unfinished composite, the black holes in the sea bed were superimposed on the negative by the optical department at Paramount Pictures to allow the printing in of painted rocks. Miniature sky effects and distant tornado have not yet been added. The hard matte line around the plaster location rocks indicate the need for corrective optical line up of elements. Here the three sections of each sea wall can be discerned. Superimposition of cloud/tornado effects would later disguise these demarcation points. This shot did not make the final film because the water walls did not look high enough for DeMille's approval.

The parting of the Read Sea sequence is one of the most impressive in The Ten Commandments. It was created thorugh a combination of rear projection and optical photography. The sequence took 6 months to create, with scenes shot on the banks of the Red Sea and at the Paramount backlot.

The wall of water was created at Paramount on 1/5th scale using a tilted ramp approximately 32 feet high and 80 feet long. The water was supplied by an elevated tank through 15 manually controlled hydraulically operated valves allowing the 360,000 gallons of water to cascade down in a thin sheet. Along the ramp were long wooden batons which caused the water to break up into choppy tides and undertow. This shot was then used in reverse to give the impression of the water going up and the sea parting. All elements were combined in an optical printer and matte paintings of rocks concealed the matte lines between the 'real' location shots and the special effects.