The Moving picture world (January 1920-February 1920)

February 7, 1920 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 867 Goldwyn Has Controlling Interest in the Bray Pictures Corporation GOLDWYN PICTURES CORPORATION now holds a controlling interest in the Bray Pictures Corpo'. ation whose product it has been distributing since September 1919. It is stated that the scope of the Bray Corporation's production will be substantially increased along entertainment, educational and industrial lines. The first move will be the introduction of a Samuel Goldwyn. werkly release under the title of Goldwyn-Bray Comics, in addition to the Goldwyn-Bray Pictograph. At a meeting recently held the following officers and directors were elected. J. R. Bray, president; Francis A. Gi'dger, vice president; J. F. Le^renthal, vice president; Moritz Hilder. treasurer; Gabriel L. Hess, secretary; Erich Sc'iay, assistant secretary, assistant tret surer; Watson B. Robinson, assistant secretary. Executive committee: Francis A. Gudger, chairman ; J. R. Bray, Samuel Goldwyn. Board of Directors: J. R Bray, Francis A. Grudger, E Dean Pa/melee, Duncan A. Holmes, J F. Leventhal, F. J. Godsol, Max Fleischer, Mortiz Hilder, Watson B. Robinson, Gabriel L. Hess. Leslie's and Judge Represented. In making the Goldwyn-Bray Comics the producers will have the backing of the extensive resources of the Leslie Judge Co., publishers of Leslie's Weekly, Judge and other magazines. The Comics will contain one of Bray's animated cartoon subjects and a compilation of paragraphs selected and edited by Leslie's and going under the general head of Penpoints. Mr. Bray declares there is a steadily imreasing demand for instructive subjects coming from schools and other institutions. The Bray company controls pa'ents that make it possible for instructive drawings to be perfected to th; highest point, and the same pro cesses may be utilized in conjunction wiih straight photograph in making induf trial films. Another important step in the progress of the organization is the sending of cameramen to all parts of the world to secure travel and scenic subjects in far-away countries never before visited by photographers. Several expeditions already have been sent out and others ar-i planning to leave soon. Bray Among Cartoon Pioneers. The growth of the Bray organization forms one of the interesting chapters of motion picture history. Back in the early days of the screen, Mr. Bray then a newspaper cartoonist contributing to the leading' comic weeklies and various newspaper syndicates, conceived the idea of putting humorous cartoons into motion pictures. During 1912 he perfected a process whereby animated pictures could be produced at a profit. Under these processes the number of drawings necessary was reduced from thousands to hundreds, the time from months to days, and the quality and artistic finish were greatly improved. Patents were obtained on the process. The first cartoons were distributed under a contract calling for six cartoons within six months and a try-out, the negative being sold outright. The initial subjects met with such success that a large increase in production was demanded, and Mr. Bray trained a staff of assistants until he had a force of twenty-five artists in his employ. Joined Goldwin Last September. In 1914 Bray Studios, Inc., was formed with a capital of $10,000. In 1915 the company decided to retain ownership of its own negatives, having arranged for the distribution of the prints throughout the United States. Business relations with Goldwyn date from last September. Finding that cartoons went best in lengths of 500 to 600 feet, the Bray company decided to put educational split reels on with the cartoons to balance the release and complete the 1,000 feet. Thus Bray became a pioneer in the educational subjects because of the funny cartoons attached to the releases, in spite of a strong prejudice against educational at that time. In this way educational pictures were introduced into many theatres, until now programs are not considered complete without an educational subject as a part of it. Helped Greatly in War Training. During the war the Bray company discovered that the processes used in producing cartoons were adaptable for making animated technical drawings for educational purposes, and films of this type were produced and circulated with great success. Early in the war Bray went to West Point and produced six reels on the training of a soldier. The War College accepted Bray's idea, appropriated money for motion pictures for fhe training camps and the Bray company was commissioned to make the films. These pictures show the operation of the mechanism of the Lewis and Browning machine guns, rifle grenades, trench mortars and all the various ordnance pieces, as well as how to read military maps, harness cavalry horses, etc. As a result of the success of this type of picture in the war, a great demand for these films has developed among industrial concerns for the training of their men, exploiting their goods, and in other ways increasing the efficiency of their business. Educational institutions are calling for pictures of the kind, because it has been found that many of the scientific courses can best be explained by the animated technical drawing. Films on botany, astronomy, chemistry, physics, biology, geology, history, geography and other sciences have already been produced by the Bray company. The latest development of this concern is the cartoon in color, which has just been perfected. It will doubtless be of great value commercially because of the new artistic possibilities it opens. The company's steady development resulted in recently increasing its capitalization from $10,000 to $1,500,000 to provide for the expansion of its business. Bray Pictures Corporation will now be able to develop further the educational and industrial fields. J. R. Bray and Two Members of His Board of Directors. The president of Bray Pictures has on his right Max Fleischer, of "Out of the Ink Well" fame, and on his left J. P. Leventhal, technical expert