Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1914)

278 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD OBSERVATIONS BY OUR MAN ABOUT TOWN ■ SEATED in a well-known cafe frequented by the theatrical fraternity on New Year's Eve were two actors of the old school, each with his favorite bottle and glass within easy reach. Apparently, they were contented and happy, but the appearances were deceiving. Their conversation attested this. One of them had just laid aside a newspaper, heaving a deep sigh. To his companion he said: "John, what are we going to do? I feel like a shipwrecked sailor on a raft in mid-ocean. Theaters all around me, and not a job in sight. Happy New Year, eh? I can't see it. How hollow the greeting sounds to me to-night. The only people in our line who can give expression to it with genuine feeling are those who are signed up with some healthy motion picture company. That's the game of the day, and I've tried to get in on it, but at every studio there is a long waiting list. There is no use denying it, the movies have put our business on the bum ; and the little they have left us seems to be gradually slipping away to the cabaret places. Take up the newspapers and see how the cabarets are crowding the theaters for advertising space. Their announcements are growing as steadily in size as the theater advertisements are shrinking. And the movies are outstripping both lines with comparatively no advertising. The vaudeville people try to convince us that the pictures must go some to get in on their box office receipts, but they can't kid me. Their own advertisements do not bear out their statements. Why, look! Here are Hammerstein's and the Keith houses putting on bills running from three and a half to four hours. Just think of it ! Hammerstein's with a bill of twentytwo acts for next week — tlie first act opening at 7 145 and the last at 11:50. Bills of that length were unheard of, outside of benefits, before motion pictures got in the running. The vaudeville people were the last to feel the jolt, and they have to go some (and more, too) to keep up with the salary list. Every week there is some kind of an anniversary at the houses. Their advertising managers are cutting out their meals to get enough time to devise something that will hold the people. And when they have been driven to this, what can we hope for in the legitimate business, with our higher prices?" ^ ^ ^ "Yes," said John, "I guess you have the right dope. A friend of mine is interested in a big picture house that is to be opened soon and he has offered me a position as manager. I think I will put away my make-up box and take the job. The worst is yet to come" for us fellows. Wait until the photoplay people ijreak in on Broadway. Many people are skeptical of the results, but I look upon the venture as a solar plexus blow for us. Why, the photoplay people have everything on the old managements in point of expense, aside from the leasing terms. For a long time I was of the opinion that the pictures would not become our actual competitors until the talking pictures reached the stage of perfection, but my mind is changed now. The people who are about to break into Broadway with the silent play know what they are doing. Make no mistake about that. The photoplay is no longer an experiment, or innovation. It has the people going, and that counts for something at the start. Then, you must understand, they are not going into this big movement solely for the box office receipts. Every success made on Broadway means big money for the photoplays throughout the country : and, believe me, the day is not. far distant when there will be a chain of such theaters extending from coast to coast. Can you realize what that means, Joe? A chain of theaters running simultaneously one photoplay produced with only the cost of one cast — the original bunch at the studio. There's a phase of combination that the Sherman anti-trust law does not reach, my boy. Take it from me. as one of the greatest managers of the day said not long ago, those moving picture people have opened the eyes of theatrical promoters to more than they ever dreamed of." * * * A third party joined in the conversation at this point and coincided in all the others had said with the reservation that, in spite of the glowing outlook furnished by the conditions, there still existed an element of failure that should be taken into account. "For instance," said he. "no matter how much care and expense may be devoted to a photoplay, it must stand the crucial public test as the regular productions do, and one cannot tell what the people will endorse before they have seen it." "Very true." said John, "yet not conclusive. If a regular play proves a failure after months of preparation and the expenditure of thousands of dollars the loss is a total one and the house goes dark. With the photoplay the element of failure differs. The play may fail on Broadway, but it doc: not go upon the shelf and there is no storage to pay for an indefinite period on scenery and costumes. The failure to get a Broadway endorsement will not kill a photoplay for circulation in the ordinary picture houses and a switch to a new production can be made in the theater on a few hours' notice by the substitution of reels. If I had the opportunity I would take a chance with the picture people in this new -venture. Past performances, as the racetrack fans say, have blazed a promising outlook for them. Get this in your head : Not a motion picture venture made in any of the large houses of this city since the first introduction of 'Paul Rainey's African Hunt' has been a failure." * * * In addressing the Authors' Club of this city on New Year's Eve, Commodore J. Stuart Blackton, of the Vitagraph Company of America, made a strong bid for cooperation on the part of well-known writers in elevating the quality of scenarios for photoplays. The Commodore always gets the right punch in his addresses. He pointed out to the authors that, besides getting good royalties from that source, they would so effectively advertise their works that the royalties from publications in book form would be vastly increased over the amount received when the works are issued in the usual manner. It can be inferred from Mr. Blackton's remarks that the time is drawing near when the works of the many freakish script writers will have practically no market in the higher spheres of the motion picture world. This will be a great relief to the manuscript departments of the higher class studios, which are flooded with contributions that consume much valuable time fruitlessly. There is a great demand for original and novel ideas, and it is with the hope of discovering them that the script reviewers go over everything that comes to hand. But there is not one contributor in a score or more who presents something new and novel. The average writer starts out with one aim in view — to find out how scenarios should be prepared. Having learned this, qualification is assumed and stories are dumped upon the hands of producers devoid of originality or novelty. As the amateur players have been displaced by the professionals, so will the amateur writers pass by. The effrontery of some of the latter is almost shocking at times. One of them recently made a personal call at a studio to express indignation over the return of his script. "Why," said he, "you people do not know a good thing when you see it. I'll prove it to you. My play is a duplicate of one of the greatest successes on the screen to-day, only I have transformed the characters and scenes. The story is exactly the same." To which the manager replied: "That is our reason for rejecting your script." * * * That is the same reason why people complain sometimes that the producers do not get away from each other in the making up of stories. An original script sold to one company is transformed for sale to a second. Many amateurs, after seeing a play on a screen, change the dates and scenes of action, transform the characters, and then submit the script as an original. Frequently, the original film has escaped the notice of the manuscript reader and he innocently adopts the lemon. This transformation business is a scheme to replace the old trick of selling the same script to more than one company. Incidentally, it may be remarked that trick authors are not alone the guilty parties. Unfortunately, there are producers who deliberately plagiarize successful productions, thus saving the expense of paying for manuscripts and maintaining a manuscript staff. In almost every case where this is done the interlopers kill the subject and hurt the business. Why not prosecute the infringers? To do this, every studio would be obliged to have a legal department, and each one would be overworked, with nothing more than a slap on the wrist imposed on the offender. FILM MEN RETURN FROM THE HUNT. Several prominent Philadelphia film men recently went into the wilds of Pike County, Pennsylvania, with the avowed object of hunting deer. The party included Mr. Harry Schwalbe. of the General Film Company: Lou Bache, of the same concern; Theodore Beck, James McCaffrey, of the Novelty Amusement Company, and John Harold O'Hannon. The nimrods were consistently silent upon the subject of their spoils when they returned to the city of Brotherly Love. It was rumored that Mr. O'Hannon had been chased for miles by an indiscreet and short-sighted bear. HANDSOME NEW PICTURE HOUSE OPENED. The Log Cabin is the name of a new motion picture theater opened recently in Nashville, Tenn. It is located at 237 Fourth Avenue. N. The theater derives its name from its rustic appearance. The house has a seating capacity of 200 persons, and is operated by the Foster Novelty Manufacturing Company. Will Waller is in active charge of the house.