International photographer (Feb-Dec 1929)

Two The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER May, 1929 Announcement THIS, the May Issue of The International Photograph er, official bulletin and magazine of The International Photographers, Local No. 659, presents to our readers and to the membership a new Editor, Silas Edgar Snyder, until recently Editor-in-Chief of the American Cinematographer and general manager of the A. S. C. Mr. Snyder needs no introduction either to the industry, to the Cameramen or to the leading men of the industries allied to motion pictures, he having a background of fourteen years' honorable service as a motion picture publicist and editor and he probably is able to call more cameramen by their first names than any man in the industry. With a fine record as a newspaper and advertising man as well as motion picture press agent, Mr. Snyder came to the cameramen some seven years ago with the task before him of building their house organ, a small four-page paper, into a magazine. This he did in a comparatively short time, resigning its editorial management to join the Rockett-Lincoln Film Company as director of publicity. A connection with First National followed this and, in 1927, he was called again to take over the editorial management of the American Cinematographer, succeeding Mr. Foster Goss, resigned. Under Mr. Snyder's direction that publication won international recognition as a technical magazine and he comes to The International Photographer with the good will not only of his former employers, but of the large clientele who have followed his work and who will wish him a notable career in his new and larger field. Our new Editor was chief-of-exploitation and director of publicity of the Jamestown Ter-Centennial Exposition where he was awarded a gold medal for valuable services rendered, but Hollywood as a community and the motion picture industry in general will best remember and be grateful to him for the book "Can Anything Good Come Out of Hollywood," of which he was the originator and also co-author with Director of Publicity Laurence L. Hill of the Security Trust and Savings Bank. This book was the first serious attempt ever made to combat that campaign of vilification against Hollywood and the motion picture industry which was loosed by the press in the earlv twenties and the book was pronounced to be one of the finest bits of community service ever performed by private individuals in Southern California. Mr. Snyder is an Honorary Member of the International Photographers ; a charter member of the Wampas and of the Hollywood Lions Club and a Fellow of the Theosophical Society of India. Brothers Ira Hoke and Arthur Reeves who, in their respective positions as Editor and Advertising Manager, organized and so successfulv launched The International Photographer, will remain to assist the Editor during their hours of leisure from the duties of their professional work. Mr. Hal Hall, late of the Hearst newspapers, succeeds Mr. Snyder as editor of the A. S. C. magazine and general manger of the Society. Howard E. Hurd. Readjustment THE biggest story in the history of motion pictures remains untold. The biggest thing in the way of industrial readjustment since the beginning of the industry is all but consummated, and it has been accomplished with less flourish of trumpets than that which attends the inauguration of the baseball season — far less. It is the industrial miracle of the ages and will probably remain the wonder of wonders for many years — this switch-over of the motion picture industry from silent to sound photoplays. For this tremendous achievement has directly affected every interest, every individual, every element, every department in any way whatever associated with the production, distribution, exhibition of motion pictures throughout the world; but the initial work of re-adjustment was done in America with its major activities centering right here in Hollywood. Everybody has had a part in this amazing transmogrification, from the Wall Street magnate to the fan in the box-office queue and yet how few people really have appreciated the true import of the overturning they saw going on around them. Here was one of the largest, most important and most vital industries in the world, involving directly and indirectly billions of dollars, changing its methods of doing things almost completely within the lapse of a few months and without any very serious interruption of the operation of its machinery while it sold its new product to the public. And the greater miracle is that we have the spectacle of thousands of artists and operatives — cameramen, engineers, designers and builders, writers, editors, technicians of all grades, equipment manufacturers, exhibitors, etc., literally making themselves over to meet the new conditions and, be it to the everlasting credit of the cinema, most of them succeeded in educating themselves to conform with the new conditions and requirements. It has been a revelation to all engaged in the fabrication of motion pictures. Everything was new — financing, story-telling, the editing of film, the designing of sets, the building and arrangement of stages, lighting equipment, quality of film, lenses, production methods, direction, dramatic action, exploit