International photographer (Feb-Dec 1929)

December, 1929 The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER Seven Russian Studio Builds Top left — General view of Sovkino studio lot. Top right — Main stages. Center — Buildings under construction. Front elevation of stages When Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks visited Soviet Russia a few years ago they were shown, while there, a splendid view of Moscow from one of the hills some four versts outside of that city. These hills, a group called Vorobiovy Gory or more popularily known as Lenin's Hills, were then just part of the beautiful country where the people would come and spend a quiet holiday by the Moscow river while now they are the center of great activity. This change is being made in picturesque Lenin's Hills to provide Soviet Russia with one of the finest motion picture plants in the most perfect location possible. One hundred and fifty acres on and about Lenin's Hills are now under construction. The buildings being erected are: The main studio, the carpenter and machine shops, the administration building, two laboratories (one for negatives and dailies, the other for production only) four buildings containing cutting rooms with vaults in each for negatives and positive film, a water station and a garage for forty cars and power trucks. A power station for 25,000 amperes D. C. is being built while an additional 25,000 amperes A. C. will be received direct from the city line. All equipment will be of the latest up to date order. The main studio covers approximately 175,000 cubic meters and has a clear floor of 4800 square meters with the offices for the working staff, such as the directors, art directors and cameramen, the dressing rooms, rooms for lighting apparatus, the wardrobe, make up shops, etc., encircling it. The clear floor of this main studio can be divided into five stages by four movable walls thus allowing five different companies to work at the same time without interfering with each other. Then there is a plunge 200 square meters in size and 3 meters deep for water scenes and also a revolving stage 18 meters in diameter. The height of the studio is, partly, 17 meters and, partly, 23 meters to the ceiling. This studio is now ready for equipment. The erection of all these buildings is being hastened by the use of three shifts of workmen working day and night. Most of the main studio and many of the other buildings will be entirely complete, equipped and ready for use by late fall of this year, while the rest will not be finished until next summer. At present plans are being worked upon for another studio which will be built in the near future and will be for sound pictures only. The handsome Viking who looks at you from the accompanying picture is none else than Henry Kruse. Mitt him. Brother Kruse is one of those who believes in Local 659 and also in the Local's magazine, The International Photographer. "By serving well we fit ourselves to govern," is the rule of conduct of Henry Kruse, and his war cry is: "If you want 'em, go get 'em," and so, like his worldfamous forekin, Lief Ericson, Eric the Red, Knute, Hengist and Horsa and a lot of those other sea kings of days gone by who fared forth and got what they wanted, our Henry hoists The International Photographer as his banner and goes forth to get subscribers. Does he get them? You'd be surprised. His first shot on a dull day was fiftysigned, sealed and paid in cash. Henry has a style peculiarly his own. When his duties are not pressing he takes his magazine and just casually meets Smith, Jones and Brown. "Just a minute," says Henry. "Before the panic in the stock market goes any further you'll want to be sure of having a supply of reading matter. This is it. Sorry I've kept you waiting. I intended to see you last week. I've got the change right here and here's my fountain pen. Thanks. Don't forget to renew next year!" And on to the next propect; and to Henry everybody is a prospect. He's a great boy, is Henry Kruse and the Board of Executives and the editors are proud of him and herewith formally congratulate and thank him. And Henry's just getting started. He is out to clean up the industry. Also he is not alone. Many other boys are taking an active interest in building up the circulation of The International Photographer and our objective of 30,000 will some day be attained when our affiliated organizations get into action in full swing. Hurrah for the Vikings!