The talkies (1930)

THE TALKIES 189 we are looking at pictures. The backgrounds and composition must appeal to the eye. All of us see a lot better than we hear ; in fact, we actually see before we hear. Why did we, as children, always want to look at the pictures when mother read from a story book? Because what we see makes a big impression on us. I do not think any talking picture that completely sacrifices pictorial quality will be successful. There are a number of reasons why our sets for talking pictures are not as elaborate as they should be at the present time. Building sets of proper acoustic material, for instance, costs about twice as much as building ordinary sets. Another difference is that in a sound-picture no two walls may be constructed facing each other on account of the echo. The medium itself, however, offers great possibilities for future development." Lastly, we come to the cinematographer. This highly specialized technician saw in the conditions imposed by the talking picture his own province being restricted to allow for the sound-engineer to come in, and the knowledge and camera tricks which he had accumulated over a period of fifteen years thrown to the winds, and his own technique made subservient to that of the radio man. Being a combination of artist and scientist,