International photographer (Feb-Dec 1929)

March, 1929 Thr INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER Five Making Money The International Photographer is pleased to quote several paragraphs from the pen of one of the most progressive observers of modern moving picture problems. We refer to Air. Welford Beaton and the article, excerpts of which are here quoted, appeared in the Spectator. Mr. Beaton says in part : "Henry Ford has his weak point. By working his employes only six or seven hours a day and only five days a week, and by paying them higher wages than other manufacturers pay their employes for longer hours and one more day a week he has made only one billion dollars. "Nothing would assist so much in making pictures better than sensible working hours in studios. There is money in regular hours. "The greatest benefit that could be derived by the producers of motion pictures would come from the inauguration of a forty-four hour week in every branch of the industry ; eight hours a day for five days and four hours on Saturday. "It is inevitable that proper hours will be inaugurated in the industry. Producers are losing money by delaying the time. The producers really think that anv suggestion of sensible hours is antagonistic to their interests. They can't see that they're wrong. They can't see that when Henry established his abbreviated week at unabbreviated pay he was not thinking of his men at all. He did it solely to make more money than he could make by not doing it. A producer who can't grasp the wisdom of it, at least can contemplate Henry's billion. It's a whale of a lot of money." Mr. Beaton goes on to say that where the movie producer works his men to complete exhaustion during a week of fifty-nine hours, Henry Ford gets as much from employes in a thirty-hour week because his men are fresh with clear brains and ready muscles. Mr. Beaton is right. One has only to put in a few days time behind the desk at any of the motion picture worker's locals to realize how completely exhausted these men become after weeks of day and night work. Flesh and blood cannot stand up under those galley-slave hours. The picture producer relies for the success of his expensive production on the eyes of his cameraman. Yet he demands that the cameraman work from ten to sixteen hours a day, long after his eyes are capable of giving anything like 100 per cent efficiency. The cameraman deals in the sensitivity of silver ; one of the most exacting trades of science. The light that passes through the lens of his camera onto the sensitive silver film is measured by one scale, and one alone ; the eyes of the cameraman. If his eves become exhausted by long hours of strain they can no longer give efficient service. Long hours; weary weeks. There is only one answer : inefficiency. The producer loses in the quality of his picture and the cameraman loses his health. We thank Mr. Beaton for his timely article and in closing quote his message to the motion picture producers. "Whoever starts it (the shorter working week) is going to find that he is getting better pictures for less money, that he has back of him a loyal organization, and that he can get the pick of screen workers of Hollywood to work for him." Make-up Artists Progress All cinematographers know of the remarkable growth of that unique organizaiton known as the Motion Picture Make-up Artists Association. On its membership rolls are found every recognized make-up artist in the Motion Picture industry. Only two years since its organization, its growth has been truly remarkable and conductive of good feeling between the boys. Beautiful headquarters are maintained in the Max Factor's Studio building at Highland avenue and Hollywood boulevard, and regular meetings are held each week. At these meetings demonstrations are given by the various members to the extent that each artist helps the other in solving the problems relating to their particular branch of the industry. Mr. George Westmore is in charge of these demonstrations, and has performed his work in a most efficient manner. The organization, itself, is ably managed by its officers : President, Phil Gastrock Vice-President — Jack Pierce Secretary — Guy Pearce Treasurer — Max Fierstein All members of the Association are members of Local No. 235, The United Scenic Artists Union. Roy Davidge Film Laboratories An exclusive "Daily Laboratory Individual Service " * 6701 Santa Monica Boulevard HOllywood 1944 Movie ind Still for Rent Cameras RICHTER PHOTO SERVICE 7764 Santa Monica Boulevard HO. 9750 HE. 1780 NORTON "Doc" TRAVIS Equipped for sound with High Speed Mitchell tiSOG Hollywood Boulevard HEmpetead M!»l BEmpstead I I US Parlor Tennis Note Fred Campbell still holds the championship on the 16 mm. tennis court at the Pathe studio. Jean Smith says this is due to the fact that he makes his own rules. Fred being the Big Shot in the camera department is able to get away with it. Brother Frank Heisler just received a post card from Brother Monroe Bennet who is in Nice, France, with Rex Ingram. The card is an ad map of the Taverne Lorraine and smacks strongly of \ in rouge, vin blanc, et al.