Motion Picture News (Jul-Oct 1915)

July 31, 1915. MOTION PICTURE NEWS 55 William N. Selig Perfects Strong Organization President of Polyscope Company Feels That He May Take a Rest from the Exacting Requirements of His Large Enterprises Whenever He May Desire With Assurance of Everything Running Smoothly — Berst Accomplishes Gratifying Results With Inauguration of New Policies WILLIAM N. SELIG, president of the Selig Polyscope Company, one fine day took an inventory of the company which he founded and which he upbuilded to its present state of achievement. Along about that time the preliminary plans for the V-L-S-E, Inc., were being formulated. "Here," said Colonel Selig to himself, "the burden of administrative affairs are becoming too heavy for me to carry; when the V-L-S-E is started there will be altogether, too much business for one individual to transact. We must have new producers and additional actors, in order to carry along our feature pro gram, as well as to keep our regular program up to its present high standard. "I need a man to look after all these things; I need someone deep in the knowledge of the film business; a man who also knows the technical side of motion picture making; a man in whom I can .repose trust and who will carry along the large business enterprises of the Selig Company whenever I should feel that I need a complete rest." The names and the faces are here shown of the producers now engaged in filming the Red Seal plays, the Selig Diamond Specials in three reels and the one and two reel comedies and dramas and jungle-zoo wild animal picture plays that are making movieland sit up and take notice. New Producers Well Known There is Colin Campbell, dean of the producing corps, whose production of "The Spoilers'' set a new standard; Edward J. LeSaint; Thomas Santschi, producer and star; Guy Oliver and Tom Mix, who produces and stars in Selig western dramas and whose dare-devil feats of horsemanship have thrilled the multitudes. These directors are producing worthy productions. The new producers signed by the Selig company within a few weeks are all men of high standing in the ranks of their difficult profession and the list of names is one of which any motion picture company could well be proud. There i s Marshall Then it was that Colonel. Selig put across another of his sudden surprises. He engaged J. A. Berst as vice-president and general manager. He gave Mr. Berst carte blanch ; told him to go ahead, and Mr. Berst has gone ahead. He has rejuvenated where rejuvenation was deemed necessary because of the important changes in the film manufacturing company, but he has also retained those artists in various lines of the film industry who in the past have proven themselves worthy of the confidence of the Selig company. Accomplish Big Results When two such men as Messrs. Selig and Berst co-operate there are certain to be decisive and beneficial results. Working shoulder to shoulder, they have indeed accomplished wonders, and, in the few brief weeks of their collaboration, many and important changes have occurred in the ranks of the Selig company and the new blood injected is making its presence felt in all lines of the film world. Others are keeping an eye on the rapid succession of accomplishments being registered by the "Diamond S" outfit not the least of these being the releases which for strength of story, careful production, clear photography, and artistic acting are not surpassed right now in Filmland. When the administrative shifts were being made the Selig company started on a still hunt for the best directors and stage stars that money could supply. Many such have been engaged within the past few weeks and these together with the directors and artists retained by the Selig company are given every convenience in order to enable them to do noteworthy work. Gratifying results are already beginning to manifest themselves. NWiU Neilan, producer and actor; T. N. Heffron, in charge of production at the Chicago studios, who i-s specializing in Red Seal plays ; Louis W. Chaudet; Frank Beal, and George O. Nichols. All are hard at work producing Selig films of quality. And it was not only in the producing end where the stimulus to the hardest kind of artistic work is being felt. Both Messrs. Selig and Berst believe that the story, the plot of the picture play is the foundation for the entire structure. In other words, they agree that if the story or plot is weak, then no matter how beautiful the acting or how artistic the direction of the picture play, there will be something sadly lacking. So it is that the best editors and authors in the film world are regularly engaged by the Selig company. Gilson Willets, for example, writes exclusively for the Selig Company. He has world wide fame as a novelist and short story writer. Other Producers Lanier Bartlett is another veteran author and editor long exclusively engaged by the Selig Polyscope Company. He wrote "Ebb Tide," that noteworthy Selig Diamond Special in three reels, adapted "The Ne'er-DoWell," for the screen, and accompanied Colonel Selig and a company of players to the Canal Zone where the scenes in Rex Beach's novel were taken. Wallace C. Clifton is Pacific coast editor for the Selig company, has written hundreds of picture play stories, and is particularly happy in the writing of wild animal comedies and dramas. Emma Bellis, another versatile editor and author, is employed in the Selig Pacific coast editorial department. In Chicago Clarence A. Frambers, successful as a writer, is engaged as Eastern Scenario reader, and C. H. Lippert, another versatile writer, is at work at the Selig Chicago studios.