Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1917)

1840 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD SAWYER COMPANY ACTIVE. This week's bulletin from Sawyer, Inc., shows that they are already handling fourteen features with eight more booked for releases during the next four weeks. These features are the productions of several different companies. In an interview, Mr. Sawyer, president of the company, said: "We have given a great deal of consideration to the feature film market. We find that the conditions are very uncertain and that state rights buyers are not paying the high prices that they formerly did. While this company has only been in operation about a month, we have ready for the market fourteen features and, by the first of July, will be ready to offer not less than forty-five good features from three to six reels each. Bearing in mind the fact that the middleman or the state rights buyer has had to have considerable profit on his investment, we have decided that in case we do not receive what we consider a fair price for the selling of state rights for any of our features, we will offer our films direct to the exhibitor. We have started booking our films on this basis. "Mr. Rudolph, vice-president and general manager of the Sawyer Company, has just returned from a flying trip through the Middle West. On this trip he arranged to open several distributing offices for this company. The first office will be in Chicago, with others to follow in large cities. "With the large variety of features we have on hand and with our new productions, we will be as well equipped for subjects as any of the distributing offices now in operation. We are already booking a number of our patriotic subjects, such as 'Saved by the Boys in Blue' and 'In the Mexican's Power,' for the Fourth of July. We have been informed on several occasions that the exhibitors would not pay prices that would enable the state rights buyers to live. We have disproved this statement to our satisfaction, as during the first week we have attempted to book films we have been receiving as high prices as were ever paid for feature films rental. "In addition to handling the output of other manufacturers, it is our intention to start producing within the next few weeks. We are already organizing companies — in fact, have made our first picture, which is along original lines. Now that we have decided to enter the booking field it is our intention to furnish to the exhibitor his complete program, giving him a diversified program consisting of a feature and single reel subjects. "Our new tabloid company will provide two one-reel comedies per week. With their one-reel comedies which we are arranging to market we will be able to give the exhibitor many chances of providing his entire program at one place. As you know, at the present time, the exhibitor running feature films must go to other exchanges to secure the balance of his program. "We are giving special attention to our lithographing and other advertising matter, employing a high priced artist to make all sketches for our lithographing. At the present time we have several men on the road booking our pictures, and the returns from them are very gratifying. We have just closed an interesting contract whereby we are to book a series of interesting pictures of the king and queen of Bulgaria. This picture is to be taken at Sofia, their majesties specially posing for it. As the queen is planning to visit this country in the early Fall, we feel that this picture will be tremendously interesting to the public. The series will be four or five reels in length and will show many incidents connected with the royal household which have heretofore been absolutely unknown to the general public." DALY-BRUNETTE. At Fort Lee, N. J., June 17, William Robert Daly, the extremely popular actor and director was married to .\Ii-s Freda Samuels, professionally known as Fritzi Brunette. Mr. Leo Delaney, until recently with the Vitagraph Company, acted as best man; the bride was attended by Mrs. Frederick Watson. The wedding was private, only a few friends and relatives being present. Those who know Mr. Daly as 4 loyal Bostonian will observe a remarkable coincidence in the fact that his wedding took place on Bunker Hill day, which makes it a day of double importance. Mr. Daly and Miss Brunette met while with the Universal Film Company, she working as leading woman under his direction. After a briel honeymoon trip Mr. and Mrs. Daly will return to active work before the camera. SARGENT RETURNS FROM FLORIDA. If a wire received at press time from Jacksonville is correct, the redoubtable Epes W. Sargent will have walked down the gangplank of an ocean-going vessel at its New York wharfage by the time this notice is read. Mr. Sargent has been sojourning in Jacksonville with one of the big Lubin companies by way of getting a line on their requirements and limitations in the scenario line. ELAINE STERNE, SUN-VITAGRAPH WINNER. ELAINE STERXE, who has captured the thousand-dollar photoplay prize offered by the Evening Sun and the Vitagraph Company, before the very eyes of older and more experienced writers, deserves a word or two of credit for her success. She is very young and full of enthusiasm, but she has very positive views about the technique of writing. She has been complim e n t e d time and again for the "underlying thoughts" in her dramas — the real message that she endeavors to send her audience. "I am so afraid that my plays may not grip people," she confesses, "that I cannot take enough trouble to make them seem vivid and true to life. It is often such a little thing — a little action that counts: 1 hand relaxed — suddenly, tensely clenched — a smile half formed remaining frozen on a woman's face." You see she takes her work seriously. She has been able to appreciate the bigger things in motion picture writing and to attract unusual he has portrayed life on Elaine Sterne. attention by the skill with the screen. ,'hich (Lin* ^ttitnd 3&* ycrctf^c^-J^JLa. J-Sfj Jly HZ. je/n'-i'iJ./ Ccuntersiffned as. Fac-simile of check paid Miss Elaine Sterne, winner of first prize in the Vitagraph-Sun Scenario Contest.