The Film Daily (1928)

]>ound Film Clause Drafted for Free Lance Players ^\ i^/'FILMDOM ULTHE MEWS ALLTHE TIME OL. XLV No. 39 Wednesday, August 15, 1928 Price 5 Cents Scarlet Lady" 'T looks like a good box-office. "The Scarlet Lady" deals with the Russian revojjtion against which background e usual story of love, hatred id intrigue are developed in te usual manner. Alan Crosnd directed for Columbia and ok no chances. The sure-fire luff was stuck in and whatever oked dubious left out. Lya de Putti played the lead I spotty fashion ; her appeal as hurt because she was pho[igraphed poorly. Don Alvarlo was splendid and Warner jland satisfactory. Otto Matie!)n did very nice work as the ilet. Production values O. K. II told a satisfactory enter.inment. When? The small theater — the breaci and itter house — is facing a terrific oblem. When will sound equipcnt become available? While other anufacturers promise, Western Jlectric's is the only system in acal use today. That organization is lead of schedule, but so heavily ive producer-affiliated houses gone j for sound that W. E. finds itself bpelessly behind deliveries with no ;lief in sight. The unaffiliated house will follow later, but how much later? And hat is to be done in the meantime? ery shortly now de luxe operators erywhere will be playing sound pic ires regularly for the production ills are snapping it up on output. jut when the Class A houses finish iieir runs, who else can show them? I The full seriousness of the situa jOn will not assert itself into late jinter and spring. Then the yelps 'e destined to ring out from all ■ pints of the compass at one time. A Formula Use sound. Certainly. But build sou7id around the picture. Don't build the picture around sound. First published in the little old fiiper on August 1. Reprinted here ad there throughout the country id about which Chester B. Bahn, icture critic of the "Syracuse Her Id," is moved to remark: f. "Truer words were never penned." ■ KANN KENNEDY AND SARNOFF SPLIT OVER RCA PHOTOPHONE PLANS Home Television Held Far Off Television sets for homes are a long way off, leaders in the field of radio manufacture believe, and accordingly, the Radio Manufacturing Ass'n has named a committee to keep the public informed about television development, so people will not be misled into believing radio pictures are imminent. Television will come about, leaders say, only when sets can be made within reach of financial means of the average home. REVOKES LICENSES FOR QUEBEC LAW VIOLATION Quebec — The threat of the Quebec Provincial Gov't that exhibitors who continued to violate the new law forbidding the admission of all children under 16 years of age would be punished by cancellation of their licenses has been carried into efifect. Judge Lachance has abrogated the operating license of the Arlequin and (.Continued on Page 2) Gottesman Plans Program of Expansion in N. E. Expansion in New England is planned by Alfred E. Gottesman, who intends to dispose of his five Newark theaters to devote all his time to the expansion program. He (.Continued on Page 6) TELEVISION PICTORLS SEEN AS FAR AWAY West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Los Angeles — Universal distribution of pictures by television will be brought about in the next five years in the opinion of John W. Considine, Jr., president of Feature Prod., and head of production for United Artists. His views are contained in an interview printed in (Continued on Page 6) Gotham Practically Set on Sound Film Plans Negotiations have been practically completed by Gotham for synchronizing pictures on its 1928-29 program, Sam Sax, president, stated yesterday prior to leaving New York (Continued on Page 6) Academy to Vote on Sound Clause; Poor Projection Hit U'at Coast Bu.cau of THd FILM D/dLY Los Angeles — Providing that players who work in dialogue scenes should work under the same conditions prevailing for retakes, that is, being paid only on days actuallj employed, an an.endment to the sl,injard contract for free lancers has been drafted and is to be voted upon by tlie Academy of M. P. Arts and Sciences. Under retake conditions, playeis are not hampered in accepting other engagements, but are asked to cooperate with producers. »■«.' Coast Bureau of THE FILM DULY Los Angeles — "Destructive projection," declared existing in nine-tenths of the nation's theaters was denounced at a meetmg of the Academy of M. P. Arts and Sciences, and blamed for contributing to the reported slump in theater patronage. Producers and distributors seem unaware of the manner in which their product is exhibited in second and subsequent run houses, while Arthur Miller called attention to "the vicious practice of projecting (Continued on Page 7) Different Ideas on Sound Development the Reason Differences of opinion over business policies regarding the participation of RCA Photophone in the picture field are understood have resulted in a split between Joseph P. Kennedy and David Sarnoff. It is expected Kennedy will withdraw entirely from Photophone activities and that Robert T. Kane, who has been representing the former in Photophone, will resign his post of contact between radio officials and the Kennedy interests. This will mean that Photophone will seek to make affiliations elsewhere and may enter production on its own or in conjunction with an existing pro (Continued on Page 2) HUMAN ORCHESTRAS ARE LOSING OUTATBALTIMORE Baltimore — This city is gradually weaning away from human orchestras. When the Metropolitan reopens Aug. 25, it will mean five first runs and one second run will be operating as sound houses. The (Continued on Page 6) AUCMENTEMJESTRATO FIGHT SOUND AT DALLAS Dallas — A 21-piece orchestra is to be used at the Capitol by Ray Stinnett, in a move to fight sound competition. The Melba, recently disposed of its orchestra and organ music when sound equipment was (Contimted on Page 6) Fox Seeks Gershwin; No Contract Signed While no contract has been signed, George Gershwin, jazz composer, yesterday stated he had been offered a contract to write a musical comedy for Fox Movietone, for which he was to receive $100,000. He says he has a contract awaiting his signature.