Amateur Movie Makers (Dec 1926-Dec 1927)

&£%. Announce the establishment of a FILM RENTAL and MOVIE LIBRARY SERVICE Owners of 16 mm. home movie projectors can now secure, on a rental basis, movie films of the highest quality — drama, comedies, etc., for home exhibition. The 28 year reputation of WILLOUGHBY'S is a guarantee that each of these releases is new and first class with regard to quality. SHOW-AT-HOME MOVIE LIBRARY (featuring Universal Pictures Stars) have released the first ten pictures of this series. Each picture contains two 400 ft. reels — a half hour's show. KODAK CINEGRAPHS WORLD WAR SERIES Released by U. S. Government 5 -Reel Super Production: "America Goes Over" On Sale or Rental Basis. We also have for sale — in 100 foot Reels: Burton Holmes Library Pathegrams Ganz's Highlights of the News To assist you in making your own movies, we have an expert service man in charge of the department, to instruct in splicing, titling, repairs, etc. Send for illustrated circular explaining the rental proposition on the Shoivat Home Movie Library. U/lUOCJGHByS ▼▼110 West 32*St..Newyork.N.y.*w A CHALLENGE and AN OPPORTUNITY For Every Amateur Movie Maker DO the members of the Amateur Cinema League want a composite study of the best amateur films of the world? Do the members of the Amateur Cinema League want to discover those universal elements that go to make up the best amateur films? Will the members of the Amateur Cinema League cooperate to make this possible? These questions to our membership have come from Frederick James Smith, editor of Photoplay Magazine, and, after I listened to Mr. Smith's exposition of them, I told him it was my belief that our members would answer all three inquiries affirmatively. I wonder how many of our members have sensed the great value to amateur development in the Amateur Movie Contest of Photoplay Magazine? This contest is referred to in the advertising pages of this month's Amateur Movie Makers. No doubt many of us have said, "I am not personally interested in a prize. I do not care to compete. I hope the contest encourages less advanced amateurs than myself." How many of us have seen the tremendous possibilities of this contest as a means of analysis of what makes our films worth while? I had not — I confess it — until Mr. Smith gave me the full thought behind the Amateur Movie Contest. Photoplay Magazine has a large purpose behind this contest. It wants the best amateur films of the world submitted. The contest winners will be amply repaid for their personal efforts as the prizes are high grade. After the contest it is the intention of Photoplay Magazine to submit all films received to a committee of experts to use them as the basis for a careful study of what makes an amateur film great. From this study can come a yardstick to measure amateur effort. Each one of us can have be fore him a sort of Amateur Standard by which he can judge his own films. If this Amateur Standard can once be set up it can be revised from time to time. It has never been set up because amateur films have never been got together in sufficient numbers to make this possible. When we have this standard we can all undertake studies to find out how best we can meet and surpass it in the various things that go to make it up. Here is the first great opportunity, in Photoplay Magazine's Amateur Movie Contest, for us to get at the fundamentals of our new hobby and this new art of amateur motion pictures. "We want the best amateurs of the world to send us a sample of their best work, prize or no prize," said Mr. Smith. "The Amateur Cinema League represents these best amateurs. You are the organized body of them. We want you to see this contest as we see it, as a wonderful opportunity to get at the standards of amateur excellence. Will Amateur Cinema League members help us by sending us your best?" Will every League member cooperate to make this study a reality? Do you want the published results of such a study as one of your cinematic textbooks? It is for you and it is up to you to accept the challenge of Photoplay Magazine. Answer Mr. Smith with a YES and eend him a reel of your best work Roy W. Winton. Eight