Amateur Movie Makers (Dec 1926-Dec 1927)

the club — Miss Eleanor Fox, Ralph V. Child and Grafton Bernard — collaborated in writing it. Mr. Bernard suggested the title "Love By Proxy." It sounded catchy and "professional". The plot had to be woven around the title. It was serious business. Like Penrod, they had high ideals. They must do everything just like they do it at Hollywood — only better. They went to the "regular" movies to get ideas on make-up, settings, exposures, lighting. They came back with renewed eagerness to carry on with their own production. Finally, after many gabblef ests, suggestions and counter-suggestions, the scenario was completed. The whole plot — with love tangles, misunderstandings, a villainous butler, thugs and all — had been worked out in minutest detail. But they were not yet ready to shoot the actual scenes. They had heard about "screen tests" at Hollywood. They had to have screen tests. The prospective leading lady, although indisputably pretty, might not film well. "Cameraman" Ragsdale made the film tests. That took time. The films had to be developed. But when the test films were finished they chose the cast, with Alfred Fontana as the hero and Miss Mildred Sachse as leading lady. Dorothy Sachse, Mildred's sister, was also given a star part, and Marshall Schueler was assigned to play opposite her. Other "heavy" parts were played by Eleanor Fox, coauthor, Ralph Child, Elwood Emmons and George Clark. They later remembered that the scenario called for a mother, so they persuaded Mrs. Mildred Sachse, mother of the two leading ladies, to play the part. The time had now come to choose a director. Eugene McLaughlin, whom the "film tests" had ruled out of the cast, thus got the responsible position of director — and was supplied with knickers and a megaphone almost as tall as himself. Many obstacles were not anticipated, as will be shown later. But the scenario writers did anticipate their scenery — most of it was outdoors because of lirfit MMm . Marshall Schueler, Our Hero, was so interested in seeing that Cameraman Ragsdale made a good picture THAT HE FORGOT TO GIVE THE "love scene" its proper verisimilitude. Not so Miss Mildred Sachse, the Leading Lady ! Her motto is : Cling to the neck, let pictures fall where they may. ing difficulties. Since the scenario called for a houseparty at the leading lady's country estate, permission was obtained to use the grounds of Mr. and Mrs. Everet Colby's estate Llewellan Park, West Orange, for filming these scenes. Many scenes also were taken at the Braidburn Country Club, it being necessary, according to the scenario, to depict the life of effete suburbanites. Deep snow covered the ground of the Braidburn Country Club when the movie fans were ready to begin making their scenes. Consequently the story was to take place in winter. Thev would adapt their natural scenery to the needs of the plot. They would include winter sports in the social activities of their characters. But alas ! snows melt, and camera work could be pursued only on Saturdays and Sundays. They had to go to school other days or work. So before they were fairly started on the plot Spring had burst upon them. All their winter sports film had to be discarded. The scenario had to be revised to adapt the production to summer scenery. But that was fairly easy, although it took time. They simply substituted swimming for tobogganing, and garden and flower scenes for snowshoeing. Interiors were the most puzzling. They had no Klieg lights, and they were determined to do the production without buying any. Various make-shifts were resorted to. They set large mirrors outside of windows and reflected the sunlight into their improvised "studios". Extrastrong electric light bulbs supplemented. Since the scenes thus photographed were still somewhat less brilliant than the outdoor scenes, they adapted the plot so that most of the interiors portrayed "night scenes". After all, love-making and suchlike indoor sports usually took place at night. Throughout the preparation of the production Cameraman Ragsdale, the moving spirit of the movie, spared no expense in time and patience to attain a Hollywood verisimilitude. Closeups were freely indulged in when Director McLaughlin wanted to reveal some special emotion. When the hero was trying to persuade his best friend to impersonate him at the house party he couldn't attend on account of business, a close-up was shown of the two friends in earnest, cigarette-smoking conversation over their coffee at lunch. When he wanted to indicate that the house party guests were dancing to phonograph music a closeup was flashed of a rapidly-revolving record. The scenario called also for train scenes. Heroes must always be shown speeding away on a train or whiling away dull hours in Pullman seats while awaiting arrival at yearned-for destination. The scenario writers had not anticipated the difficulties of amateurs getting train scenes. But, since they were in the plot, they must be photographed. The influence and "pull" of fathers was brought to bear. In this way, arrangements were made for the Chicago Limited, of the Lackawanna Railroad, to make a special stop at a local station in order that the required train scenes might be filmed. Close{continucd on page 30) Eleven