Motography (Jul - Dec 1915)

October 9. 1915. MOTOGRAPHY 723 also includes Alfred Hemming, who has just been selected by the Shuberts to play the leading part in the musical comedy production "Tonight's the Night." The leading part of "Pearl" is taken by Miss Tessie de Cordova, who makes her initial appearance upon the screen and is a native of the island of Jamaica, child of nature, fearless, graceful and beautiful. The picture will be released by the Picture Playhouse Film Company. MIRROR FILMS ORGANIZED Captain Harry Lambart, Well-Known Director of Vitagraph Staff, Organizes Company to Produce Feature Stories A new motion picture concern recently organized is announced this week in the shape of the Mirror Films, Incorporated, headed by Captain Harry Lambart, for some years one of the chief producers for the Vitagraph Company of America. It is rumored that there is a good solid foundation of a financial nature back of the corporation. Captain Harry Lambart is a man of long and varied experience in pictures and one who has had the force of character and ability to carry out the ideas which have come to him as a result of his years in photoplay productions. A stage producer for many years, a world traveled man and a thorough student of motion pictures from the standpoint of photography as well as direction, Captain Lambart holds a unique position in the field. He has gone forth from his studio to study the finances of the business, the needs of the exhibitor, the problem of distribution and other details of the industry concerning which the average director of films knows next to nothing. A representative of Motography had a talk with Captain Lambart at the new offices of the corporation at 16 East Forty-second street. New York, and found his host deep in the process of getting his force organized. The captain cleared his desk of a few things and then turned to his visitor. "We are getting ready to make pictures," he said. "I am not bothering about the finances. That is taken care of and I am only interested in seeing that we produce worth-while pictures. We are not starting out to make better pictures than anyone else, as I have seen announced by some new companies. If we make pictures as good as any other are making right now, I shall be satisfied. We are going to produce the best of which our talent and facilities will permit. The public may judge of the pictures after they are thrown on the screen. "We may have some revolutionary ideas here," Capta the captain continued, "but I have seen a great many revolutionary ideas spring up and accomplish good for the trade in the twelve years of my experience in this business. For one thing, we are driving straight away from the false notion that the motion picture industry is a theatrical enterprise. It is not. It is a commercial enterprise, the marketing of a canned product to a certain, definite class of retailer — the exhibi1 tor. "I realize that there are certain big features films which are to be played in opposition to legitimate theatrical attractions which must be handled in the way which smacks of the theatrical, but even then, I maintain that a highly specialized organization is necessary to get the most out of them, an organization such as is not known in the theatrical business. "Another highly important phase of the business which has been considered and worked over from time to time but for which there have been no real precedents laid down is the treatment accorded to the exhibitor. Why, if the manufacturer in any other line of trade had treated his retailers as the exhibitor in this business is treated, the business would go to smash. It is quite true that efforts have been made to render him service, but there has been a hitch some where along the line. "We propose to give the exhibitor a square deal. Our policy is and will be dead against such practices as permitting a competitor to over bid and take away service, from any exhibitor without, at least, giving him opportunity also to make a bid for it and we shall use our best efforts toward the best sort of treat; ment on the part of those through whom our pictures reach the exhibitor. We want to build for the future and not reach an anxious hand toward the immediate dollar." It was twelve years ago that he first entered the Gaumont studio in Paris. Since that time he has been making pictures almost continuously with the exception of an occasional return to stage productions. His first experience in pictures in this country came in 1912 after he had been producing for Werbans Leuscher at the Globe theater. He met Commodore Blackton and was invited down to see if he would not like a place on the staff of the Vitagraph Company of America. Under Commodore Blackton, whom Captain Lambart considers one of the cleverest men in the technique of making pictures in the world, he played parts while studying Vitagraph methods. Then he got a script called, "The Test," out of which he made a two-reel subject which was most successful. That was his beginning as a director for the Vitagraph and he remained with Mr. Blackton until the formation of his own company this summer. When the officials of the City of New York decided to exhibit a film at the Panama exposition to show the workings of various departments of the city government. Captain Lambart was chosen to produce the film. He spent ten weeks with the heads of the department of police, docks and ferries, and bridges and with the Public Service Commission, making pictures and took in addition many scenes of an historical nature in and around buildings and places concerning which there are stories in American history. With such a man of world travel and knowledge as Captain Lambart at the head of it and with such men on the board of directors as we have heard are there, the Mirror Films, Incorporated, will loom large as a potential factor in the film business.