Moving Picture Age (Jan-Dec 1922)

BETTER FILMS A Department Conducted by MRS. WOODALLEN CHAPMAN Chairman, Committee of Community Service on Motion Pictures, General Federation of Women's Clubs In this department appear each month news items of activities for finer films throughout the country, lists of pictures officially approved by the Federation through its reviewing committee, and announcements by Mrs. Chapman in regard to the Federation's work for better films. Arrangement has also been made by which subscribers' questions concerning the work for finer motion pictures, when addressed to Mrs. Chapman in care of Moving Picture Age and accompanied by a stamped, selfaddressed envelope, will be answered in personal correspondence by Mrs. Chapman. RAISING PHOTOPLAY STANDARDS IT is well for those who are working to raise the standards of motion pictures in this country to consider the problem in its entirety. It is not enough for us to work to make the local exhibitor aware that the American public really does want good pictures, not poor ones. It is an important step forward for us to make them feel the pressure of public opinion along these lines, but this step alone is not sufficient to solve the problem we have before us. It is not enough to impress the producer, through the exhibitors' demands, with the fact that the American public wants what is clean and decent and inspiring. This is another important step forward and yet, when it has been accomplished, we have still not attained our ultimate end. If we are permanently and progressively to raise the standards of motion pictures we must in some way be able to raise the standards of the public demand. The law of supply and demand maintains in this industry as in all others, and if we would effect a change in the nature of the supply we must first effect a change in the causal factor, the public demand. The average individual, when leaving the motion-picture theatre, passes judgment upon the film just viewed on the basis of his own reactions. If the picture succeeded in raising pleasurable sensations within him, he proclaims it a good picture without any conscious attention to the various elements that are necessary to a genuinely good production. He probably has never stopped to analyze the elements essential to a well-balanced production of high quality. It would be a large undertaking to attempt to educate the adult public of today to the value of the various elements that enter into photoplay construction. To educate the adult public of tomorrow is an easier task because we have, in our public schools, a means of affecting the standards of judgment of minds still in the formative period of life. A number of high schools in our land are already including the study of the photoplay in their English classes, and from a number of these courses of study the outline appearing below has been prepared. Everyone who is interested in better films is urged to call the attention of all teachers of English to this suggestive outline. Each teacher will probably want to make her own modification, which she has a perfect right to do. Our only hope is that this outline will be practical enough, with the questions given and the suggested topics for discussions and written themes, to stimulate teachers everywhere to undertake this vitally important instruction. SUGGESTIVE TOPICS FOR STUDY OF THE PHOTOPLAY IN ENGLISH CLASSES CAUTIONS The teacher should be able to take a broad view of the subject and treat it with sympathetic interest. She must at all hazards guard against a shocked or superior attitude toward the vicious features, but at the same time be fearlessly ready to "hit hard" if necessity arises. She should realize that children are apt to take their cue from the teacher, and often become hypocrites by "playing up" to the teacher's standard as they understand it. Finally, if undertaken at all the subject should be considered as a part of the work in English literature, like the drama, the novel, or the short story. TOPICS OF STUDY A. Suggestive Topics for Oral Discussion I. How to judge and interpret a photoplay 1. Plot a) What was the fundamental idea of the story? b) Was it logically worked out? c) Did all the action contribute to the plot? d) Was the plot an interesting one? e) Was it original? 2. Setting a) Time-evidence (other than subtitles) b) Place-evidence (other than subtitles) : test as to correctness by standards available — geography, history, actual travel, and authoritative books using similar setting c) Scenery ( 1 ) Use — did it contribute to the story ? (2) Beauty d) Adaptation of the story to the setting, or vice versa c) Where was the picture made? (Actual scene of story, or merely place resembling it?) 3. Actors a ) Did the actors represent the characters successfully ? b) Was the acting good? c) Did it seem like real life? d) Did you notice significant motions or gestures ? c) Did these really represent thoughts or emotions? 4. Characters a) Classify the characters in the photoplay as you would in a written story b) What was the dominant trait of the hero? c) Did you admire his character? d) Would you admire him in real life? c) What are the standards by which to judge character? II. The photoplay made from a novel 1. Were you satisfied with the film version? 2. At what point in the story did the picture begin ? 3. What changes were made? Why? 4. What parts of the story were omitted? 5. Could these omitted parts have been produced? Why not? 6. What stories that you know could be used as photoplays ? III. The photoplay compared with spoken drama 1. Resources 2. Methods 3. Amusement value 4. Influence IV: The photoplay compared with the novel and the short story V. Conventions of the photoplay 1. Characters: Typical vampire, business men, etc. 2. Places : Typical frontier, dance hall, etc. VI. Use and abuse of subtitles, the closeup, the cut-back, etc. VII. Better English on the screen VIII. The photoplay I like best, and why IX. The proper function of the photoplay in twentiethcentury life X. The place of the photoplay in the life of the student (proportion of recreation, time, money) XL Reaction of the spectator upon leaving a given photoplay: more ambitious? enthusiastic? unselfish? dissatisfied? discouraged? XII. If groups can arrange to visit the various Saturdaymorning film showings they might discuss (other members of the class joining in with questions and comments) such questions as 1. Should a comedy be included in the bill? If so, should it precede or follow the feature? Why? 2. Was this particular bill as good as others I have seen ? 3. What did I learn from it? (Geography, history, natural history, current events, moral principles) 4. Would it be a good bill for my ten-year-old brother to see ? 6. Would my father and mother enjoy it? 6. Did it meet my ideals of good taste in acting? humor? settings? selection of photoplay shown? 22