Motion Picture News (Oct 1913 - Jan 1914)

18 THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS Spectacular Pictures His Long Suit "Tom" Ince, of New York Motion Picture Corporation, Stands Preeminent in This Field ' I ^HIS is the era of the high-salaried producer of drama in motion picture form. This is only natural. At present the producer, or director, is to a production what a keystone is to an arch. Without him the structure would become a chance collection of disconnected units shaped by chance. At the present the whole burden of production, in the average studio, rests upon the shoulders of the director. First, he is the scenario expert. Scenario departments fill their place, and it is an important one, but their province ends when that of the director begins, and when a director doesn't want to produce a script he very seldom does. Then he usually revises the script to suit himself, introduces his own style of "business" and eliminates or adds "stunts" until it is stamped with his own personality or way of doing things. Then he looks over the stage setting. That, too, comes in his precinct. When the players come on ready to rehearse he is to constitute himself the "makeup" expert. He passes on not only details and suitability of dress, but also as to the use of the "makeup box," with proper regard for how the players will photograph and appear on the screen. Then, when the rehearsing begins, the director ofttimes plays over every part in the picture himself, possibly several times, that he may imbue his players with the spirit or motif which he wishes to have appear on the screen. With a need for such versatility in a director, it is no wonder that the demand is for a very capable man. Hence it is the competent man — the man who has been all things to all pictures produced under his care — that has won a reputation for himself during the past few years. Of a Theatrical Family The time is coming when the director will only direct. The New York Motion Picture Company even now has a system whereby the director only directs. That is to say, he only supervises the dramatic work of the players. He enters the studio to find his sets all ready, his act players all made up, and his script fit to use. So all he has to do is to rehearse and take a scene. That is a director's idea of heaven. From the ranks of the same firm, the New York Motion Picture Corporation, there has also risen one man who has lived a strenuous life as a director. He is Thomas H. Ince, scion of a wellknown theatrical family, an actor from his boyhood days, who entered the mo tion picture business about three years ago and now enjoys a reputation as a producer of spectacular military and battle pictures which is absolutely second to none. It was some three years ago that this man saw the possibilities of the motion picture art. He started as an actor, and in three weeks was made a director. Now he is famous in the industry. In 1911 he joined Kessel and Baumann and the New York Motion Picture Corporation. Since then he has received a stock interest in several of the brands produced by that big con j s THOMAS H. INCE Head producer of Kay-Bee, Broncho and Domino films. cern. These interests, together with his salary, make his total income from his work as a director about $1,200 a week, or a yearly income of more than $62,000. "The Battle of Gettysburg" is perhaps his most famous single production. Making this single picture burnt up more than $20,000 worth of powder and gave employment for several weeks to armies of "supes" large enough to amply represent on the screen the great warring forces of the Blue and the Gray. In addition, he has had charge of all Kay-Bee, Broncho and Domino productions, and it is largely through him that these brands have achieved their reputation as spectacular productions. So interesting a man and of such creative ability naturally has had an interesting career. In the year of 1911 Mr. Ince joined the New York Motion Picture Corporation and immediately left for the coast to take charge of productions. After producing several single-reel Western productions at the Los Angeles studios of the company, Mr. Baumann entered into negotiations with Miller Bros., owners of the famous "101" Wild West Show, then wintering in Los Angeles, and wrested from several competitors a contract for the use of the entire "101" show for a series of spectacular Western films. The feature productions that followed made Mr. Ince's name famous. His original lead has been followed by other companies, who immediately followed in his footsteps to make two-reel productions. Mr. Ince's rise in the picture business from then on has been phenomenal. He made the original name of "Bison 101" famous throughout the world, and after the New York Motion Picture Corporation lost the title through litigation, Mr. Ince established the prestige of the Kay-Bee, Broncho and Domino trade-marks here and abroad. Mr. Ince is one of the associate owners of the New York Motion Picture Corporation, and holds the positions of vice-president, general Western manager and chief director. His Fads and Hobbies Few Personally, Mr. Ince is beloved by every member of the companies he directs. He is an indefatigable worker, and is on the go night and day. In other words, he is the main-spring in the watch of the New York Motion Picture Corporation. Mr. Ince is perfectly familiar with every angle of the producing end of the business. In addition to his marvelous skill as a director, he is the photoplay dramatist par excellence, and without a rival in this difficult branch of the profession. As to his fads and hobbies, they are. very few. When opportunity offers, there is nothing that he likes better than to take his gun and go deer-hunting. Last season he bagged one of the biggest bucks taken in the Malibu Mountains with a clean score through the heart. The mounted head of the five-point deer now adorns his library. He also has one of the choicest collections of Indian wearing apparel, headdresses and bead-work to be found in America, and is constantly adding to this valuable collection. Mr. Ince is still a comparatively young man, being on the sunny side of forty. He is married and the father of two lusty sons. Mr. Ince has two brothers, also in the picture business. Ralph has been with the Vitagraph Company for six years as leading man and director. John is one of the leading men with Lubin.