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JULY 1924
Pictures and Picfrjrepuer
21
obscurity into the dazzling light of recognition, through the medium of one film performance. But one cannot judge the pros and cons of any situation by " rare instances." Nearly all our nowfamous film actresses have given yens of their youth to the study and application of their art. And there are still, in the British studios, large numbers of really competent artistes who are always glad to play small parts for a reasonable monetary return, and who never waste any of their precious time dreaming of the day when they will become Stars. They know there is not room for them. In every film that is made hundreds of players are engaged, but only one woman and one man can be given the " star " parts, and to every star player there is a little army of lesser ones. It is the everlasting law of cause and effect — demand and supply.
TV) the girl who has a real and earnest desire to act for the screen, for acting's sake, I would offer no discouragement. I give her only the gentle advice born of experience. Information is better than ignorance, though maybe not so dream-laden. Once your feet have trodden the Road to Disillusionment there is nothing left to learn . . . only many things to remember, and then to try and forget ! But healthy-minded, sane girls might be saved Disillusionment if they would be advised by those who are in a position to help them.
The actual position of film-land, as far as the aspirant goes, is this :
She is welcomed, by the honest and ever-seeking Producer, if she has brains as well as beauty, a good wardrobe, a gxrod temper and an ability to work early or late, as requested. But she cannot, at any rate for many months, make a living at film acting. There
Below : As the xoung stepmother in "Wild Heather."
Chris sie White and
Henry Edwards in " Mr. Ernest Bliss."
are, at the most, a dozen film studios in England simultaneously turning out picture plays, and in slack times (which are frequent) there are not so many.
The new recruit, however beautiful or ambitious she may be, is of no actual use in a film. But she can, if she is fortunate, get what is known as " crowd work." Assuming that she is fortunate, and is called to appear in, say, a ballroom scene in a film which, is being made, she will get one — or at the most two-days' work out of this scene. She will need to have an up-to-date and pretty evening gown (film companies do not supply dresses for " crowds " unless
Left : Chrissie with her husband, Henry Edwards. Belozc: At the wheel of her favourite motor.
they are working on costume plays,). For her services she will probably get one guinea per day. Sometimes the pay is less than this . . . often as low as seven and sixpence.
Having once appeared in that scene, she is placed outside the ranks until that film is completed . . . for modern producers will not " double " players. There are too many critics on the lookout for tricks of this sort. And, as it takes anything from three to six months to complete a picture-play, in the studios, she may judge for herself the monetary reward of the job. Even if she be superlatively lucky, and gets into touch with all the producing companies, she still cannot hope to make more than a couple of guineas per week at " crowd work."
{Continued on page 62).