The Moving picture world (November 1920)

November 13, 1920' MOVING PICTURE WORLD 181 Review of Canadian Picture Activities Discloses Increasing Production Work CONSIDERABLE activity has been noticed in the moving picture industry of Canada during the past few months. As a result ~>{ this movement it can truly be said that Canada does possess a moving picture manufacturing business, regardless of statements to the contrary and despite an alleged short "outdoor" season. Raymond S. Peck, chief of the Exhibits and Publicity Bureau of the Canadian Department of Trade and Commerce, Ottawa, has had no less than ten cameramen and still photographers on the jump for many weeks, with the result that the Canadian government's model laboratory has a considerable stock of unfinished material on which to work during the coming winter. Bert J. Bach and E. M. Finn have been busy taking pictures of the fishing industry and the shipbuilding and other plants in the maritime provinces. W. S. Carter has been shooting all kinds of scenes in the prairie provinces, while Charles Ross has been getting an eyeful in Ontario. Trade Subjects William Fox has also secured a great assortment of negative in British Columbia, taking pictures of Vancouver, Prince Rupert and along the line of the Grand Trunk Pacific to lasper Park, where he obtained beautiful mountain views. Other field men who have been busy under the direction of Mr. Peck have included J. Ware, William Grayston, E. R. Brodie, E. Wilson and Mr. Yates. The Canadian Department of Trade and Commerce entered upon a regular bi-monthly release schedule starting October 4 and the scenic-industrial reel to be released on that date was "Where Nature Smiles," a picture of the fruit industry in the Niagara peninsular of Ontario. The department has released no less than forty-nine subjects for regular distribution and presentation, and in addition many special reels have been prepared for other departments of the Canadian government. The government is said to have been the first to establish its own moving picture laboratory. This has been the third year for the venture and at the present moment forty-nine releases have been screened in theatres and otherwise. Other Active Companies These pictures are issued as a "Seeing Canada" series through the Canadian Universal Film Company in the Dominion, by Jury's Imperial Pictures, Ltd., for Great Britain and Europe, through the Bureau of Commercial Economics and the Ford Company in the United States and through Canadian Trade Commissioners in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and other countries. Upwards of twenty-five prints are made of each release, the number varying slightly according to the nature of the subject depicted. Others in Canada who are regularly producing scenic, educational, industrial and news pictures include the Specialty Film Import, Ltd., of Montreal, Canadian Pathe distributor, this company releasing the Canadian Pathe News Weekly, Canadian Aero Film Company of Toronto, which has been releasing Nature Classics, stunt and news reels; the Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd., releasing Ford educationals ; the Pathescope of Canada, Ltd., Toronto, which has issued scores of industrial, agricultural and news reels, including the Canadian Pictorial News, and the Asso ciated Screen News, Ltd., of Montreal, which prepares Canadian Kinograms, Gaumont Weekly, Gaumont News and other current pictures. Two Large Organizations It is quite readily admitted on all sides that the Canadian film market is rather limited in comparison with the great field in the United States, although Canada has two organizations which claim to be among the largest of their kind in the whole world. One of these is the Allen Theatres, Ltd., of Toronto, which operates fifty-two picture theatres in Canada, the United States and England. Another "largest" in Canada is Regal Films, Ltd., Toronto, which is rated as one of the largest film distributing corporations on the globe. At the same time, the manufacture of photoplays in the dominion has not been very extensive. One concern, the Canadian Photoplays, Ltd., of Calgary, made one real picture, "Back to God's Country," which was financed by Canadian capital and was backed by prominent westerners of the Dominion. Another similar organization is the Adanac Film Company of Montreal and Trenton, which has produced "The Great Shadow." Both of these features have had wide distribution. Government Makes One-Reelers Otherwise Canadian production of real Canadian pictures has been somewhat negligible. A company has been organized in Winnipeg under the guidance of Ernest Shipman to produce Ralph Connor stories, hut the first of these has not yet made its appearance. Incidentally, the Fox Film Corporation in Canada regularly issues its Fox Canadian News which is made up largely of Canadian news happenings. Various provincial governments of Can ada have made considerable headway with moving pictures. This applies particularly to Ontario, where the government has made scores of one-reel releases. The Ontario government's film library is one of the most interesting to be found anywhere and the official films comprise a wide variety of subjects. The Pathescope of Canada, Ltd., has made many subjects for the Ontario government. The authorities of Manitoba have also established a film library while the government of British Columbia has been releasing official scenics and educationals for presentation in British Columbia theatres where the exhibitors are compelled by law to include at least one Canadian scenic, industrial or educational reel on every program. According to a recent newspaper report, however, the film turned out by the British Columbia government lac' s quality. Film Library In many cities of the Dominion there are enterprises which engage in the production of special local films on the order of clubs, commercial organizations or private citizens, but these film manufacturers hold no national reputation while their productions are seldom of national interest. Lanada ha ; al = o had its experiences with stock promoters who have scoured communities for money with which to build studios. In the meantime, American-made pictures continue to flow into Canada in great quantity while a considerable number of English features are also being handled in the Dominion. The people accept the U. S. A. productions with kindness and appreciation because it is realized that Canada cannot hope to compete with the American producers. The English pictures have also made good headway. HERE ARE THE PRINCIPALS SIGNING THE LEASE The agreement states that Gore Brothers and Sol Lesser are to take over the lease for the unique Ambassador Hotel Theatre in Los Angeles. Shown here are, standing— left to right: Abe Gore and Sol Lesser. Seated: Michael Gore, Vernon Goodwin, vice-president of Ambassador Hotel Corporation, and Grover A. Sholem, secretary and treasurer of the same corporation