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THE STILL PICTURE'S PART IN MOTION PICTURES
Fred Archer, A. S. C.
THE still picture plays a very important part in the Motion Picture Industry, although, with the exception of a few who come into daily contact with it, its importance and its uses are but slightly known. To be sure, one says, almost immediately, "Why of course they are used to advertise the picture." This is correct— but there are equally important minor roles to be played by the still pictures before they are used for advertising purposes.
The main objectives of the still picture may be classified as follows: Ad vertising the Production; Marketing the Production; Production reference work and Trick Photography. It is in the latter three uses where the value of the still picture is but little known.
In the advertising field the still picture is used to illustrate and help plant the articles broadcast by the publicity department throughout the periodical world and it is used for lobby displays. In this field the necessity for good stills can be seen. The public of today is an apt pupil of the arts and their minds keep pace to the ever growing artistry of the world. A good still will attract and hold attention where many poor ones will receive but a passing glance.
In order to have these stills of the very best quality it is necessary to have good still men, men who understand composition and have a thorough knowledge of photography. No longer is the still man just a bulb squeezer, and many of the leading photographic pictorialists are being recruited into the picture industry to take care of these jobs.
In order to have a Motion Picture in a theatre for the public to view, it is necessary to sell that production to the theatre. There has long been a saying that "The Stills Sell the Movies." This is very true and many theatre managers, especially in these hurried times, have not time to view every picture produced in order to choose his program and the portfolio of stills carried by the salesman from the exchanges, telling quickly the story and quality of the movie is an essential need of the sales force. As this portfolio is to tell the story and shows the quality of the movie, it is very important that we have good still pictures to show to the theatre managers.
In order to have a good production for these salesmen to sell to these managers, it is necessary to make this good production. In production work the still picture is again invaluable. Even before a production starts there is a great deal of preliminary still photographic work to be done. Pictures gleaned from many sources, by the research department, showing costumes, buildings, properties and characters must be copied for the various allied artisans of the studio to refer to for their various needs.
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