Canadian Moving Picture Digest (May-Oct 1922)

CANADA’S FIRSTBORN” The CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST RAY LEWIS Managing Editor -o Subscription $2.00 eN United States $3.00 Foreign $3.50 VOL. 14, No. II TORONTO, CANADA The CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST Published Weeklp bp 27 JARVIS STREET, TORONTO (Ea HARRY J. MANHEIM Business Manager JULY 15th, 1922 The Canadian Film Industry OME, time ago Canada was challenged for its statement, that having no production activities, Canada could not claim a Moving Picture Industry. The fact that Canadians built theatres, with Canadian capital, operated these theatres, bought pictures from exchanges, which had taken out Canadian operating licenses, did not appear to be of sufficient weight to carry the Moving Picture Industry premise. However, our claim to this dignity must now remain unchallenged. From all parts of Canada the information comes of production activities. The publicity bureau of the Board of Trade & Commerce at Ottawa have been producing and are producing pictures in various parts of the Dominion. The Filmcraft product, with the co-operation of Canadian Educational and the Star, introduced “Camera Classics” and registered picture production in the province of Ontario. The Maritime Film Company is starting operations on its second picture. A company has been formed in Vancouver, B.C., to film Mr. R. G. MacBeth’s popular book “Policing the Plains.” The company “The Canadian Historic Features, Ltd.” under the personal supervision of Forrest B. Cornish. ‘The Man From Glengarry” has finished so successfully at Ottawa, that Ottawa Film Productions has voted to continue right on with the present organization, making “Glengarry School Days.” Henry MacRae is the director and Wilham Colvin production manager for Ernest Shipman who controls the rights to all of the Ralph Connor stories, mar keting them throughout the:world. The company selected to produce Alan Sullivan’s much-discussed book, “The Rapids” passed through Toronto on the 10th of this month en route to Sault Ste. Marie where this stirring romance will be filmed under the direction of David M. Hartford. Kenneth ©’Hara is company manager for Mr. Shipman. Leading citizens of Vancouver have voted in favour of producing “The Chivalry of Keith Leicester,” by Allison Hood. This is a story of Vancouver and the Frazer River Canyon, and a world “market” has already been secured, it is said, for this production. A committee has been formed at St. John’s, Newfoundland, to make a series of feature productions which will be enhanced by all the picturesque and quaint locations with which Newfoundland’s fishing industry abounds. ‘She rights to Frederick Wallace's stories of sea life, “Viking Blood” and “Blue Waters” have been secured as the first of the series. And to cap the climax of Canada’s part in producing, we are to have a series Google of pictures made in Toronto. The first stirring story of Toronto’s political life, the action of which takes place in Toronto, locations Hanlon’s point and the Harhor. The story by Hopkins Moorhouse. The rights to this story has been secured by Ernest Shipman and he promises that this is but the first of a series of feature productions which we are to have produced here. Other information revedls that many other productions will be made in Canada ‘under the already mentioned Trademarks; and that offshoots of these organizations will branch into their own producing centres. We must not forget to mention the producing activities of Winnipeg, “God’s Crucible” and “Back To God’s Country,” “Camcron of the Royal Mounted” registering a success. Canadian authors are getting their opportunity in Canada’s picture production, so are the many independent Canadian Exchanges. which are springing up without L. S. affiliations, and concentrating on the idea of handling Canadian productions. We must not neglect to mention the formation of various Canadian syndicates, which have brought pictures into Canada to market; and this idea appears to be one which will be very much repeated and elaborated on. Canadian investors look upon the finished picture as a buy for Canada, a safe investment and conducive of satisfactory returns. Canadian Screen News Reels have been adopted by the majority of the leading producers who handle this kind of reel. This year saw the formation of the Canadian Cinema Arts Society, The Laval Photoplays Corporation with Mr. L. Ernest Ouimet as president and managing director. The purpose to produce stories in California with a special Canadian. interest and appeal. ‘The Crescent Films Ltd. was also organized at Montreal and_ will handle, “Talking Moving Pictures.” The Lellan Film Syndicate of Montreal plans to erect a studio in that city for the production of Canadian scenarios. Several U. S. producing companies have travelled to Canada to “shoot” scenes on particularly desirable locations. Ottawa reports a real ‘“‘film.colony”; and if production activities continue to be as active the coming year as the past. we will have film colonies throughout the Dominion. ' an ee Being madest we leave The Canadian Moving Picture Digest to'the last. Canada’s first and only Moving Picture Trade paper, which has “passed through the valley of the shadow of death” but remained strong enough to cry lustily, “A Canadian Film Industry” for Canada. —RAY LEWIS