Moving Picture World (Aug 1919)

1304 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD August 30, 1919 More and Larger Studio Opportunities For Metro's Fewer and Better Films A SECOND "dark" stage has been completed at Screen Classics, Inc., studios in Hollywood, and is already occupied by settings in which Viola Dana is making scenes of "Please Get Married," and Bert Lytell is busy on "Lombardi, Ltd.," both picturizations of stage successes to be distributed by Metro. The new studio building is 150 feet long, and is placed south of the first dark stage built by Metro in the West. It exceeds the earlier building in area by 6,000 square feet. The first building (finished six months ago) is in active use by Nazimova with scenes for "The Hermit Doctor of Gaya" and by May Allison with settings for "Fair and Warmer." The 90-foot span of the roof of the newest photoplay workshop is bridged by thirteen enormous trusses that weigh two tons apiece. The trusses in themselves are one of the most interesting details of studio construction. They are of the Howe model, standard rightangle construction, and designed to carry the entire load on the upper beam. Tons of Weight Provided For. The architect who designed the trusses based his figures upon the maximum weight the roof would be called upon to support. The weight includes 89 banks of Cooper-Hewitt lights aggregating a downward pull of twenty-six tons, to say nothing of ten heavy switch^ boards installed under the roof, the hundreds of "hard" lights suspended from beams, and the swarms of electricians and other workers active over the actors' heads. With the designs for a beam that would suspend this maximum weight in their hands, Metro studio officials multiplied each requirement by two before actually building the big spans. The thirteen beams were constructed by a force of seventy men at various places on the lot. A special derrick was constructed on the stage floor itself to lift the trusses into place. Metro Men Fast Workers. The 90-foot width of the big stage building is augmented by 20-foot wings running the entire length on either side. While taking much of the strain from the roof, these wings make the total floor area 20,000 square feet, available for working use. The stage building has a clearance under the beams of six inches over 30 feet. The value of this height was demonstrated when it was necessary to construct an elevator shaft and four floors of an apartment house for scenes in May Allison's "Fair and Warmer." The floors were the regulation distance apart, and by utilizing one of the six concrete "cellars" on the stage, the full set was constructed without skimping on measurements. Has Overhead Trolley System. Another feature of the big stage building is the overhead trolley system by which the heavy banks of Cooper-Hewitt mercury vapor lights are swung to any desired position. Eight lines of steel tracks extend the length of the building, side by side, and numerous switches permit the banks to be shifted and concentrated at any point. The idea of the tracks, and the elaboration of the switching device was perfected by three Metro men — Clifford Butler, business manager; Walter Grams, chief electrician, and John Fisher. The estimated value of the big stage building is $43,000. The frame work is of Oregon pine, sealed inside and painted with fire-retarding paint. On the exterior four coats of rough plaster finished in Belgium green have been shot on with guns. The entire building, in spite of its size and the scientific care used in its design and construction, was finished by a working force that varied from forty to seventy men in twenty-six days. The first dark stage is 195 feet long, but only 70 feet in width. It has been proven sufficiently spacious to permit six companies working on roomy sets to play at once without interference, but with the greater scenic and setting effects called for by Metro's "fewer, bigger and better" pictures policy a greatly increased indoor floorage was necessary. A $10,000 dressing room unit of building adjoins the building, and additional dressing rooms are under construction. A new "light" stage, 110 by 150 feet, has also been erected on the Metro lot in preparation for the new Screen Classics feature pictures being made. The stage was constructed in twelve working days by a large force of carpenters. Many Hands Make Quick Job. "We work on the principle that three men will do more work in one day than one man will do in three days," said a Metro official in sending out this announcement. "We've proven that principle all the way through in the construction of this entire institution for picture-making. "If it were necessary or desirable to build a stage in one day, we could and would do it — by using a large enough force of men. That sounds like the story of Aladdin and his geni-built palaces, but perhaps some day we'll make it come true. "As a matter of fact, this new outdoor stage has been so constructed— with 490 cement piers in the foundation, for example — that if it is ever necessary a third dark stage 90 by 150 feet can be erected in nine days." Paramount Magazine Starts First Issue in September BEGINNING September 7 the first four numbers of the new Paramount Magazine will be released weekly during September, it is announced by the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. The first release will contain a short subject entitled "On with the Dance," in which Mile. Albertina Rasch, premiere danseuse of the Metropolitan Opera House, gives a beautiful and entertaining exposition of the evolution of the dance, from the ancient dance movements down to the present day. Mile. Rasch shows the favorite dances of each country that has a national dance. Carries Smart Set "Niftys." This will be followed by "Three Minutes of Wit and Wisdom," a selection of the best epigrams that have appeared in the Smart Set Magazine. The epigrams will be followed by "Riders of the Sand Hills," an interesting picturization of the famous Peruvian cavalry going through evolutions on the slopes of their native mountains. Some of the most thrilling rough riding ever shown on the screen is claimed to be pictured in these views of the Peruvian horsemen. Besides these three features the first number of Paramount Magazine will also carry an animated cartoon of Bud and Susie in "The Jam Makers," by Frank Moser. "Kiss Me, You Brute, Kiss Me." jys the modish maid in moonlight Bryant Washburn in his Paramount, "Love Insurance." Goldwyn Makes Its Start on Advertising Campaign C> OLDWYN'S first move in the nay tional advertising campaign designed for the benefit of exhibitors showing Goldwyn Pictures is the placing of billboards in all parts of the country. By August 15 hundreds of Goldwyn billboards will be in position ; contracts call for a large addition to the number by September 15 and ensuing months will bring a steady increase in the display that is planned to cover the United States as it never before has been covered by a producing organization. Elaborate Billboard Paper. Each billboard will show the likeness of one of the seven Eminent Authors — Rex Beach, Gertrude Atherton, Rupert Hughes, Mary Roberts Rinehart, Gouveneur Morris, Basil King and Leroy Scott — and one Goldwyn star, Geraldine Farrar, Madge Kennedy, Tom Moore, Mabel Normand, or Will Rogers. Care has been taken in securing advantageous locations in every neighborhood, and the press and service men of each of the twenty-two Goldwyn exchanges will make a special point of showing exhibitors how to tie-up with the billboard publicity. As the billboards are increased in number, local conditions will be studied so that they may be placed where they are most needed.