Motion Picture News (Jul-Oct 1915)

58 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 12. No. 12. always ready and anxious to assist the directors in every way possible and evidenced as much interest as if she were staging one of her ballets. The picture is now being "cut"' and should reach New York in a couple of weeks, where it will be viewed by the Universal officials. The first exhibition will probably be held about the middle of October. Dinner Party for Anna Pavlowa A most pleasant dinner party was given by the Universal Company in compliment to Anna Pavlowa, Wednesday before last in the ballroom of the Alexandria Hotel, Los Angeles, at which Lois Weber, who has been in charge of directing the Pavlowa Universal feature, presided. During the dinner Miss Weber introduced a number who responded with appropriate toasts, and included in this list were Henry McRea, Otis Turner, Mack Sennett, Henrietta Crosman and others. Immediately following the dinner the floor was cleared and Mile. Pavlowa, accompanied by her dancing master, N. Clustine, surprised all by presenting the dance known as "The Invitation to the Dance." The remainder of the evening was spent in dancing and the event proved a very great success of the good fellowship idea where nothing was formal but the dress. Included in the list of guests were Henry McRea, H. P. Caulfield, Otis Turner, Al Christie, William Worthington, W. C. Dowlan, Joseph DeGrasse, J. P. McGowan, Herbert Rawlinson, M. G. Jonas, Wallace Kerrigan, and their wives, Hobart Henley, Robert Ross, i\dele Farrington, Laura Oakley, Marshall Stedman, Cleo Madison, and -many others of the leading players of the Universal staff, Henrietta Crosman, Mack Sennett, Mabel Normand, D. W. Griffith, Fred Mace, Margaret Loveridge, Courteney Foote, Jean Darnell, Myrtle Stedman, Ruth Roland, Frank Elliott, Harry Hamm, Herbert Standing, and many others, in all nearly one hundred. Mile. Pavlowa left for New York the latter part of last week. Keystone Laughs Itself Into a New $100,000 Studio Mack Sennett Buys a 4-Lot Plot for Administration Building Sites, the Structures of Steel and Concrete to Take the Place of Present Offices Special to Motion Picture News Los Angeles, Sept. 13. THAT the Keystone Film Company is to have a new one hundred thousand dollar studio of fireproof construction became known when it was learned that Mack Sennett, managing director, had purchased a plot of ground consisting of four lots on Aaron street, which is the first north of the original Keystone studio, and just around the corner. These four lots, which constitute the third quarter of the square, are to serve as sites for a new administration building, which will be built of concrete and steel, as soon as plans which are now being prepared are completed. This building will take the place of the present offices of the business and scenario departments, and will make it possible for the removal of the present buildings, thereby giving additional space that can be used in enlarging the recently completed mammoth stage. Following the completion of the new administration building it is the intention of the company, according to plans now being perfected under the direction of Mr. Sennett, to replace all the other buildings of the company with modern ones of steel and concrete, with sufficient additional space for enlarging the laboratories, projecting rooms and the various shops and wardrobe department. With this addition the Keystone studio will occupy three-quarters of a square of the block numbered from seventeen to eighteen hundred on the east side of Allesandro street, and all but one lot in the block across the street directly west. The added facilities will greatly aid the producing company by the much needed additional stage space, and make for the company one of the finest and best appointed studios of the West Coast film center. While the plans are being prepared for the administration building, the bungalows which heretofore have occupied the recently purchased four lots are being razed and every preparation made for early beginning of work on the .buildings. J. C. Jessen. Director Taylor Makes Record in Filming "Diamond He Handled 536 Supernumeraries in Fifty-Two Scenes in One Day — Possible Only Through Organization — Much Depends on the Technical Knowledge of the Cameraman WILLIAM D. Taylor, director of the $20,000 prize photoplay, "The Diamond from the Sky" recently handled 536 supernumeraries through fifty-two scenes of picture-making in one day. This performance is considered a record and is illustrative of the untiring energy and great directive genius of the man, also of the responsive organization with which he has surrounded himself. "Organization is the key to 'big' picture production," Director Taylor commented at the end of the tremendous day's work. "If a director organizes well he will turn out good pictures. To do so, however, he September 23 Set for Triangle Opening in New York Initial Showings of the Pictures in Philadelphia and Chicago Are Fixed for a Week Later — Will Present 4 Plays Every Seven Days DIRECTORS of the Triangle Film Corporation, which has been making great strides in its giant organization for exploiting the dramas of the Griffithville, Inceville and Keystone studios, met in New York Friday, September 10, and definitely decided on Thursday evening, September 23, as the date of opening for the first of their model theatres, the Knickerbocker, in New York City. The openings at the Studebaker, Chicago, and the Chestnut Street Opera House in Philadelphia will probably be simultaneous a week later, that is, Thursday evening, September 30. William Furst reported to the directors that he had brought back the orchestral score of two of the plays, namely, "The Iron Strain" and "The Lamb." The rest of the music has been shipped and was due to reach New York Monday. September 13. On account of the contracts that the corporation is making with exhibitors through out the country, it has been decided to present four plays the first week as well as in the succeeding weeks. That was the original plan, but the desire of Messrs. Sennett and Hitchcock to run "My Valet" as a four reeler allowed only three plays, hence the change in plan. Now the original plan has been resorted to : "My Valet," Raymond Hitchcock's medium, will be somewhat abbreviated, and a second Keystone will be added, namely, Harry Booker in the costume burlesque, "A Game Old Knight." This makes the first entertainment consist of Dustin Farnum in "The Iron Strain," Douglas Fairbanks in "The Lamb," Raymond Hitchcock in "My Valet," and Harry Booker in the screaming farce, "A Game Old Knight." The first "week," by the way, in the four model theatres will last ten days, and the second week will start Sunday matinee, October 3. must weigh well his subordinates and coworkers. The camera is a most important element and unless the director has the cooperation and confidence of his camera operator all will not go well. "In Homer Scott, 'the man behind the lens' in the production of 'The Diamond from the Sky,' I believe there is invested more technique, more knowledge, more artistry and more care than in any of the wonderful cameramen with whom I have come in contact. "Mr. Scott is abreast of every opportunity, full of ideas, and weighs every situation with" regard to both actors and background, with the result that there is intense life in the countenances of the actors and the detail of the sets are brought out with a vividness not seen frequently enough in high class productions." "It is well enough for a director to exert his skill and the actors their ability, but if the camera does not 'get' all it should the work of everyone is lost. There is no fear of that while Homer Scott turns the crank." The group of assistants to Director Taylor has been given a touch of "militarism" by their superior, each having his regular position during the day's work, each is responsible for certain activities and each is required to report progress every hour. The result is that the production of the prize photoplay has moved forward with a precision that would do credit to some foreign legion. The watchword is "organization"' and the success of this big picture confirms the wisdom of its selection. STRAND OPENING FOR ON 19TH 'GLORY" "Guarding Old Glory," F. O. Nielsen's big peace, preparedness and patriotic picture, will open at the Strand, September 19.