American cinematographer (Feb-Dec 1922)

March 1, 1922 Give Us Something 'Different Why Not a Prize for the Best and Most Original Story, Photography and Direction of the Year "'J'HE Theatre of the Bat," an organization of Russian vaudeville artists, has taken New York by storm because it is offering to the jaded Gothamites something not only artistic but different. And these same Gothamites are standing up on their seats and shouting their delight more because of the novelty or difference than of the superb artistry of the players and their offerings. These Russians seem able to teach us a lot of things and if we be wise we will sit at their feet long enough to appropriate some of their thunder. And their thunder is good. Pavlowa has certainly shown us a new world in the dance; the Russian opera company gives us something different in grand opera; a young Russian stage technician has amazed us with his new methods of set building and lighting; and now come the Bats and with artistry, novelty and surprise make us scream our heads off at vaudeville, every act of which is simple and unpretentious. And the lesson is not to the stage alone. Nay, more, it is to the screen, for the screen of late has seemed to be falling into ruts from which it should be saved before the ruts become too deeply worn. Are not writers too diligently searching after a hard and fast technique or too hard driven by the commercialism of producers to seek novelty and originality in their shadowgraph material? While the great pictures are and perhaps always will be of American production it is well to keep in mind that the way to hold an audience is to keep it guessing and there is no surer way to do that than to get it into the habit of expecting new things occasionally and never failing to produce the new things. The producers can get new things by encouraging the screen writers to write them. A sort of Nobel prize amounting to enough thousands to be worth striving for should be offered annually to the screen writer producing the original story with the greatest element of novelty — a story, of course, screenable and of constructive values, the proof of which should be its reception by the public. And, while they are doing it, they might add other prizes for direction and photography. What do you say, Mr. Producer? cR<ummydum. If you want one of those charming RUMMYDUMS, the "God of Successful Days," you will have to file your subscription to The Cinematographer before April 1, 1922. The price is $3.10 for one's year's subscription including the Rummydum. LITTLE | COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER j Still Cameras for rent I 5874 Hollywood Boulevard Phone 597-602 f 11 Look What Edison Did 'pOM EDISON started it and he will have to take the consequences. The chief indoor and outdoor sport in all the world now and for years to come will be writing questionaires so we might as well get ours off our chest now. "Ours" is a composite questionaire resulting from a symposium of the members of the A. S. C. Right off the reel, answer these: What is a quick lap dissolve? Who first used the "cut back" in filming motion pictures? What is the technical value of the close-up? Explain the term, "bicycling the film." Who employed the first iris in photographing motion pictures and what was it? What are Kleigl eyes? What do motion picture actors use tea leaves for? What is "X Back?" What was the title of the first five reel feature? What was the first scene ever filmed for commercial showing? Who is Mary Pickford? What is a "buffer" set, in motion picture parlance? How is scenario pronounced? What was the title of the first motion picture to draw $2 admission. What is Thomas Edison's greatest invention? Cameras For Sale H. LYMAN BROENING 1416 Detroit Street, Hollywood Bell & Howell GEORGES BENOIT 6462 Sherwood Avenue, Hollywood Pathe EDGAR LYONS 4623 Kingswell Avenue, Hollywood Bell & Howell and Still Camera C. A. MARSHALL 6077 Selma Avenue, Hollywood DeBrie THE AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER