American cinematographer (Feb-Dec 1922)

March 1,1922 THE AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER 9 per print. But is the artist justified in taking less than he thinks his product is worth? There is, to our mind, but one answer. He is not. It may be well to consider at this time one or two conclusions we have arrived at concerning the producer. The pictures he exhibits give us a good idea of what he demands in photography, and it varies considerably. Most producers get what they want in stories, directors, actors and photographers so, if a producer employs an artist to photograph his productions, it must be because he wants that kind of photography. What other conclusion can we come to? The producers represent the open market in which the artist-photographer offers his services. There are not so many producers as there were at one time, but that is no reason why the photographer should take less for his labor than he thinks it is worth. Loyalty is a good word so far as words go, but there must be some difference of opinion as to what the word means, in the motion picture industry in any event. To my way of thinking loyalty begets loyalty, or should, but try as hard as I may I am unable to recall even one instance when loyalty ever got the best of a dollar. You may know of cases where it has. I hope you do, but I don't. Loyalty for loyalty's sake is a wonderful virtue, but extremely rare. Reports indicate that the industry has grown wonderfully in the past ten years. What caused it? Stories, acting, directing? It would be very discouraging indeed to think that there had been no improvement in these three important departments, but the quiet, unassuming, conscientious artist-photographer is in the main most responsible for the high plane of usefulness the motion picture has reached. But have you heard him making any noise about it? You could not, even with the most sensitive receiving apparatus the wireless expert has yet devised. What is the most important thing about any structure? The foundation, of course. What is the foundation of this business? Photography! On the whole, I should say that the photographer bears a rather important relation to the industry, but what compensation has he had? Usually the more important or responsible a position the greater the compensation. The following ratio is a fair example of real conditions. Directors' salary, 600.00; Star, 1,000.00; Photographer, 250.00. No matter what the conditions, the ratio remains the same. The motion picture photographer, as well as any IT'S AU I IN THE LENS The Ultrastigmat F;1.9 ,4 perfect lens for high speed photography. Prices 40 m/m focal length $ 75.00 50 m/m focal length 75.00 75 m/m focal length 100.00 In barrel with iris diaphragm Gundlach -Manhattan Optical Co. Rochester, N. Y. Be Fair to Hollywood From the Christian Science Monitor, February 14, 1922 J^URKE'S ignorance of "the method of drawing up an indictment against a whole people" seems not to be shared by a large section of the American press. Condemning a nation for the faults of a few, putting a peaceful rural town into the class of Sodom and Gomorrah, because a small, but socially notorious section of its residents enliven the columns of those newspapers which specialize in scandal and crime, is a too common editorial practice. Just at present the victim is Hollywood, a garden suburb of Los Angeles, nestling at the foot of the mountains, and sending shoots of trim white villas and brilliant semi-tropical gardens up into the deep and winding canons. Nature did about all in her power for Hollywood, and man, by the exercise of skill in architecture and gardening, has charmingly diversified the countryside. Every prospect there pleases, and, despite the clamor of an excited press, only a few men are vile. The other day an Illinois hamlet, in a fit of selfrighteous reprobation, demanded of the Post Office Department that its name of Hollywood be changed. Clinging to the outskirts of Chicago, it felt that its atmosphere of sweetness and light might suffer in the esteem of the world if it became confused with the suburb of Los Angeles. The Illinoisans are over squeamish. Towns are not so easily confused. Paris, Ky., pursues its placid course unvexed by the things which occur in the capital of France, while London, Ont., never gives the casual visitor the sense of being in the modern Babylon. The fact is that the California Hollywood is one of the garden spots of the world, with a climate comparable to that of the Riviera, and lacking only age in development to make it rival that French pleasure ground. * * * Indeed, nowhere in the world are youth and happy family life better served than in this California town where the artfully designed courts of bungalows, the palmshaded streets, and the brilliant hues of the flowers on every hand seem intended for the setting of beautiful and well-ordered lives. Hollywood's only failings have been thrust upon her by Broadway. The Job Will Chase the Man J^ET the cameraman be of good cheer. The job will be chasing the man before many more moons have slipped into the eternal night. Russia, Siberia, Egypt, China and India are rapidly awakening to the lure of the films and they will be calling the American cameraman to photograph their pictures for them. They will want to make pictures "on their own" and to produce in their own countries for their own people. There's a reason why they will want cameramen educated in American studios — they are the camera-masters of the world and their photography is in a class by itself. other artist, must decide what he will ask for his labor. If he can not get it or, in other words, if the law of supply and demand does not operate to his advantage, he can take up something else until such time as he may conscientiously work as an artist again. So far as we know there may be rag pickers who cannot afford to paint pictures.