We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
302 TALKING PICTURES these serials are advertised through the offer of some prize for tlie best solution or the suggestion for a sequel. Before the student wastes time and energy in the pursuit of million dollar prizes he is recommended to read Chapter LXXI very carefully. (10.XXIV:9) (13.11:3) (15.XXXII:7 LVIII :21) (16.111:11 XXX :9) (17.XXIX:3). CHAPTER LXI TALKING PICTURES ALTHOUGH it is not to be supposed that the talking pictures will ever replace the silent drama, since it merely gives .back a poor travesty on the speaking stage and the injection of dia- logue defeats the end of the motion picture, it is only a question of time when the perfection of the device will bring it forward as a form of entertainment. A brief discussion may not be amiss. 2. .As soon as the first novelty of the talking pictures was exhausted, efforts were made to add a phonograph to the projection machine. The photoplay had not then been brought to notice and the fifty to one hundred foot comedy subjects were supposed to be enlivened by speech. The numerous mechanical difficulties discouraged the in- ventors, who got no further than songs illustrated by picture mo- tions, and it was not until 1913 that the talking pictures again came to the fore, when the Edison device was followed by a number of other machines all of which were essentially a phonograph, a pro- jection machine and some timing device. Generally the phonograph ran at normal speed and the projection machine was turned by hand to keep pace. For part of a season the novelty of the idea carried some small success, but interest did not hold. The scheme may be revived at any time. 3. It may be predicted that the talking picture will never replace the photoplay. It may become an established form of amusement, but in this connection the motion camera will merely support the talking machine and supply appropriate action to the song or speech re- corded. The phonograph is unlikely to be used as a device to heighten the effect of photoplay. The chief value of the talking pic- ture will lie in its ability to reproduce the action that supports the phonograph record. It will be possible to both see and hear the operatic or dramatic star. It will also be possible to produce a form of vaudeville specialty. It is in this latter use that the talking picture will interest the writer of photoplays who may wish to write these sketches. To this end it would be better to study some book on vaudeville writing such as Brett Page's "Writing for Vaudeville," where the entire subject is exhaustively and most intelligently treated. 4. It is not possible to foretell the precise form that talking pic-