Movie Makers (Jun-Dec 1928)

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markable. Above all, he is a thoroughly fine fellow." So much for the man who heads the Amateur Cinema League. "The desire to take my own motion pictures goes back into remote antiquity," was Mr. Maxim's reply to a question. "I fancy the old nickleodeon poisoned me. I waited a lifetime — nearly — for George Eastman to develop a film that would be within the financial reach of the amateur. And when he announced the 16mm reversible film and a camera and projector to go with it I bit — taking bait, hook, sinker, line, and most of the rod. "Bell & Howell also nicked me immediately thereafter. Then all the trick screen builders lured me on and the accessory people followed them. I was hard hit, all right, and today I am keeping the Eastman Kodak plant at Rochester working day and night making film and processing it for me, and making titles. 'The Cotter's Saturday Night' is a joke compared to my nights. I'm cutting and splicing and making a mess in our library every night, until Mrs. Maxim has given up remonstrating." Undeniably Mr. Maxim has a keen sense of humor and is not averse to slight exaggeration. But he is, as he himself states, "a hopeless amateur movie addict" — that is, hopeless as far as relinquishing his interest is concerned, but very hopeful as to what he, as part of a banded organization of interested experimenters, can accomplish. And fortunate it is for the organization that Mr. Maxim feels as he does and works as he does in the interest of the movie amateur. He has been very successful in his movie making, and has in his large library of films some very beautiful scenic studies of New England country. He likes to depict nature and thinks it well for the amateur photographer to pick some similar field and to devote himself to it, rather than to encroach on the well-developed field of the better-prepared professional producer. In other words, a really clever cameraman might better concentrate on filming scenery, or animals, or some scientific study, none of which are dependent upon human actors. These fields are equally open to all. The value of the finished film will depend upon the skill of the cameraman, but a tragedy or comedy will depend more upon the skill of the actors, and in this field the amateur cannot hope to compete with the professional producer. "I am most interested in working out pictures that depict the drama of natural things: the stupendous power of nature and the struggle of intelligence to successfully battle against it; the sea — and the struggles of phys ically weak but mentally powerful man in overcoming its fury; Winter, with its death-dealing cold and mysterious silence, deep snows and invigorating hardships. I really like to depict the struggle of man and beast against nature. Some day I'm going to make a film with some good, vigorous drama in it, with all the rules of the game observed strictly, but in which the hackneyed man-and-woman plot will be absent altogether." Here Mr. Maxim sets a new standard for movie makers to strive for. What possibilities such an idea offers! But you'll have to hurry up if you want to be first in the field, and so will Mr. Maxim, for already the professionals are reaching out for new worlds to conquer, for new ideas to interest the jaded movie-goer. Only the other day at a New York theatre the writer saw a picture which was the story of two days in the lives of a couple of puppies. The picture had no titles; humans appeared only as they affected the destinies of the two dogs and were shown only up to the waist. No human face appeared throughout the picture, and yet the interest and applause of the audience exceeded by far that given the feature picture, which was the vehicle of a popular star. THE CLOSE-UP. By Clarence E. Flynn. There are many angel faces, Viewed from, places far away, Which, upon a near vision, Very quickly turn to clay. There are many matchless heroes Who can hold us in their spell, But who fade away to weakness When we really know them well. There are many hissing villians Who, on closer view, are found To possess a kindly spirit And an honor quite profound. So it runs throughout the picture, As it probably is best, That the close-up tells the story Whether one can meet the test. The man-and-woman plot is not absolutely essential to a photoplay, but drama is essential. Therefore your story must be carefully conceived and developed. In the old days, before the invention of the 16mm film had given Mr. Maxim a chance to try his hand at making movies, he turned his attention to writing them. Even then his interest was in humans versus nature. Here is his own account of a successful early effort: "You know, I once wrote a professional movie, Fox produced it, with Pearl White as the star. It was billed under the awful name of 'The Virgin Paradise.' (I disclaim all responsibility for the name! ) It really was a big success — played a week at the Capitol on Broadway and ran for a couple of years. It started out to be an example of the tremendous amount one must learn in order to keep one's place in modern civilization. A young woman of the best ancestry grows up in savagery and has to learn everything." In direct contrast, Mr. Maxim has written another tale in which he depicts a young woman brought up in the lap of luxury, where it is bad form to know the practical things of life. She is thrust into the wilderness and must either do everything for herself or die. She comes of good stock — and she survives. "And," exclaims her enthusiastic creator, "her struggle against nature makes a peach of a drama!" Last June Mr. Maxim sent a message to radio fans throughout the world through the medium of "Radio Broadcast," and in closing his message he said : "Our amateur transmitting brotherhood is organized on a world-wide basis, and is fast building up national and international friendships that are of very great value, indeed." He might send out at this time a similar message in regard to amateur cinematographers, for the scope of the Amateur Cinema League is international, and common interest makes for friendships. Mr. Maxim is an internationalist and fully believes in the free exchange of ideas among all interested peoples. His own personal bigness, his foresight, his devotion to his hobbies, and his tremendous enthusiasm as to the progress and possibilities of amateur cinematography, make Hiram Percy Maxim a particularly happy choice for the presidency of the League. What does he really think the League can accomplish? Let him answer: "Our American Cinema League, by systematically organizing cinematography, can hasten the day when all the wonderful possibilities of the motion picture can be made available to mankind. The professional screen can never do it. Its workers have that awful spectre, the Box Office, chained around their necks. We amateurs do not have to consider the box office. We are free to do anything — everything that brains, money and enthusiasm can produce — and these three things can turn the world upside down." 397