Exhibitors Herald (Oct-Dec 1920)

140 EXHIBITORS HERALD December 25, 1920 Blazing the Trail in Canada First Efforts of Producer Were Discouraged Because of Failure of Mushroom Concerns By ERNEST SHIPMAN IX THE making of pictures in Canada in the past, reports have been decidedly unpromising. When I first thought of visualizing the vast natural resources of the Dominion of Canada in big outdoor nature stories, I was greatly discouraged. Investigation showed that over thirty stock selling enterprises and mushroom picture concerns had undertaken to do things in Canada, and had gone down to failure. Three things are necessary for success: First, the story; second, the producing organization, and third, the market. In no previous instance had any of these Canadian companies provided all three of thc-e requirements, and in most cases, they had neglected to provide even one or two of them. "Back to God's Country," financed by Canadians, made under Canadian management, with a big Canadian story to commence with, was the first picture ever to make money for its investors. This has been followed in turn with "Nomads of the North, " "The Foreigner," "Corporal Cameron of the Royal Mounted" and others now finished and awaiting their turn at the world's market. » * * While in the beginning I found capital very shy, there was nevertheless plenty of money in the country awaiting investment, but having been bitten so many times no one would listen to a proposition with any considerable amount of money involved. After giving the matter careful consideration, I finally submitted a proposition which approximately included a personal supervision of all productions, coupled with a guarantee of exploitation on a money making basis that would first return the original investment to the \ A Gennme J Special 1 In the ihadow of the Dom^ stockholders, and with a most inviting profit-sharing proposition in addition. It was on this arrangement that all the Canadian pictures now made or in the making have been manufactured and the profits that have accrued have been such that I could organize six new producing units in Canada per year on this basis if I had the capacity to give them my personal supervision and could find sure fire stories. I was opposed to any extensive stock selling campaign, remarking to the prospective investors, "We do not want to go down into any man's dinner pail for our support, and the only way in which the business can be operated is by a combining of a sufficient number of men with investments from $5,000 to $20,000 apiece to finance the picture." Under these circumstances, if the proposition should prove to be a failure— the best of us have failures sometimes — they would be able to kiss their moncv goodbye without any real hurt from "its loss-. » * * This was the spirit in which these various enterprises have been financed and while, as yet, we have never had a failure to report, yet should one come our way, the investors are prepared in advance to be good losers, and come up to the scratch, smiling. Canada is vast in its natural resources for picture making— untapped scenic effects, tremendous backgrounds, characters, types and smatterings of races, almost the transplanting of entire villages irom Continential Europe, backed up by authors whose literature is now being freely translated into many languages" The sentimental connection between Canada, Great Britain and the Dominions permits Canadian exports an assured reception and an open market in all Anglicized countries. There are many difficulties to be combated in the making of pictures in Canada—such as long distances to travel, severe weather conditions, which delav progress, and a slower response to our moving picture needs, but if these are anticipated, they can be met, and they are far overbalanced by the freshness of scenes, diversity of backgrounds and settings, a general air of wholesomeness and immense distances which are all so necessary to the making' of these nature stories. Canada's future in the film industry is assured. I am proud to have been the pioneer in bringing this state of affairs about, and look forward to the day when Canada will export pictures to the amount of millions of dollars annuallv to the markets of the world. A David G. Fischer Production Thomas F. Fallon A Prolific Writer THOMAS F. FALLON, one of the A screen's most prolific and capable writers, and whose reputation as a scenarioist ranks with the highest, is now busy working in collaboration on a new feature for Pearl White, as yet unnamed. Fallon provided the original stories for BH \ I » i M \ \ George Walsh's successes, among them "The Shark," "The Plunger" and "Dynamite Alien." He wrote "While New York Sleeps," that giant special of New York life, in collaboration. "Bride 13" is another collaboration of this versatile writer. The very words, motion pictures, give Fallon a nucleus for his themes. To succeed, he believes they must be literally and figuratively a natural and logical process, basically propelled by the underlying psychology of the life within them. Action and situation, otherwise, is merely a "catch penny" physicality, without the soul which invigorates, sustains and humanizes it. Baker Stands for Public Censoring rP HE public is the best censor of motion pictures," stated Reginald Barker, director and supervisor of special productions, in an interview given at the Goldwyn studio before leaving with his company for Banff, Canada. » * * "I am opposed to censorship — that is, local censorship — because too often are its standards narrow, its prohibitions petty," said Barker. "Locally the public is the best censor. The public desires decency. Dirt disgusts it. "So far as official censorship is concerned, it is only tolerable to public and to producer if it is of national scope. If a scene is immoral in one community, assuredly it is immoral in every other community and should be stricken out once for all. * * * "The public as a whole has ideals of decency and cleanliness. When a film with a lesson comes along the public appreciates it and flocks to view it without unusual advertising urge. When the harmful film is shown the public will shun it. While the public has sense it has no need of censors." Barker declared himself in favor of such supervision as the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures exercises He characterized its work as thorough and its attitude as broadminded.