Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1916)

October 21, 1916 MOTION PICTURE NEWS 2523 In and Out of West Coast Studios |i|ll||IW!IIIIIHHW' pmp By J. C. Jessen special to Motion Picture News. Los Angeles, Oct. 8. THE first negative developing and film printing was done at the new factory at the Ince-Culver City studios last week, and to duly celebrate the opening of this department at the mammoth producing plant. Business Manager E. H. Allen and Laboratory Superintendent Alfred Brandt, personally did the work. Heretofore the developing and printing has been done at the old laboratory of the New York Motion Picture Corporation, adjoining the Kej'stone studio in Los Angeles. It is the intention to make only the first sample print of Ince-Triangle productions and Ince features at the new laboratories. The other prints will be made at the eastern laboratories of the company. The new laboratories are models for efficiency patterned after the plans of the Eastman studios at Rochester. The main building is 60 by 120 feet, and a few feet distant is a power plant and boiler room, housed in a separate building 30 by 30. Both are of fireproof construction, being of steel and concrete. The laboratory is fitted with Angelus printer, Pacific Tank and Pipe Company tanks ; has an ice making machine ; air and water filtering system, and the building throughout is fitted with fire shutters. The laboratory contains twenty-four mammoth drums, which make possible the finishing of a sufficient quantity of film for all the prints needed, should it be found advisable to make the prints at the studio factory. At one end of the laboratory is a storage vault with two foot walls on all sides. In the building is a theatre for the use of the laboratory men, fitted with a Baird projection machine. This gives the fourth theatre for the Ince Culver City studies. An emergency concrete tank with a capacity of fifty thousand gallons has been built a short distance from the laboratories, and water will be obtained here for use in cas? of accident to the municipal plant at Culver Cit}'. Minimum of Fire Hazard Business Manager Allen has paid particular attention to the construction of this in order to secure a factory that has the mirimum fire hazard, and representatives of insurance companies have assured him that this building is superior with respect to fire protection to any on the west coast. Stars of the Ince Culver City studios, heads of several departments and Los Angeles trade paper representatives, were the guests of John Ringling, general manager of Barnum and Bailey's circus, one afternoon and evening during the visit of t'.ie circus to Los Angeles last week. The party began at five o'clock, when all were ushered into the mess tent and ate " dinner " with the freaks, the menu being the regular one for the circus folks. Two hours were spent visiting the many departments of interest behind the scenes, and taking pictures of players in the side show and menagerie. The forty odd viewed the evening performance from a pile of straw placed immediately in front of the box seats. Many features of circus life were explained or shown to the guests, and when the circus left town, all Ince players were satisfied to continue before the camera. Besides Business Manager Allen, who was chaperone of the party, Mr. Ringling's guests were Dorothy Dalton, Clara Williams, Enid Markey, Margery Wilson, Margaret Thompson, Louise Glaum, \Vm. S. Hart, Howard Hickman, Frank Keenan. Charles Ray, Charles Gunn ; Directors Raymond B. West, Reginald Barker, Charles Miller, Walter Edwards, Art Director Robert Brunton, Production Superintendent Dave Hartford, Director of Publicity K. Anthony O'Hara, H. A. Keeler; E. V. Durling, Telegraph; C. W. Post, Triangle publicity writer ; Mabel Condon, Dramatic Mirror, and J. C. Jessen, Motion Picture News. On the following day the principals of the executive staff, many of the leading artists, in all numbering about fifty, and including John Ringling, owner of the Barnum and Bailey circus, were entertained at the Ince studios by Business Manager E. H. Allen and principals. The sawdust ring people saw a number of scenes made, and renewed acquaintance with a number of the Ince staff, who w'ere formerly connected with the theatrical or circus world. John Ringling stated this was his first visit to a motion picture studio, and he was amazed at the scope and permanancy of the plant. Director Reginald Barker was back at the Ince studio this week, after spending ten days in the Yosemite Valley on a vacation. He could not forget the worries of picture-craft, and while in the country's greatest national park and adjoining territory, located many spots of picturesque beauty which he hopes to use for scenes. The artistic director acquired a great coat of tan, and will ■ shortly be ready to resume work with more vigor than formerly. Bennett Arrives in Culver City Enid Bennett, recently engaged by Thomas H. Ince in New York, arrived at the Culver City studios Friday, and after a number of film tests were made, the scenario department selected her first story, which is now beina: altered to suit. The Two Interesting Scenes from Lasky's " Witchcraft," in Which Is Featured Fannie Ward