Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-05-25
TRICK PHOTOGRAPHY.
Production of the Moving Pictures
Which Mystify Many Persons.

found new realms to conquer in fictlon.
1t has become a juggler, or, as it
might prefer to call itself an illusion
ist" and the uncanny feats it performs
will soon put its more human COM
petitors to shame.
1t commences it's performance by
showing on the white screen two men
seated at a small table. They seem
to be carrying on an excited conver-
sation, but, after some discussion,
agree to make a wager on the cause of
the dispute. Then each takes from his
waistcoat pocket a tiny doll, dressed
like a boxer ready for championship
match. The dolls are placed on the
table, Immediately come to life" and
commence sparring in the most seien-
tific manner. The two Gullivers ap-
plaud the Lilliputian pugilists as they
fight vigorously in space that might
be covered by dinner plate, and when
at last a five-grain glove inflicts the
Knockout" blow on head that is
smaller than an early green pea the
conqueror and conquered are picked up
and ANONYMOUSLY replaced in the
waistcoat pockets of their owners.
This clever effect, the manager of
the biograph company explained is
obtained by superimposing two films,
which are exposed separately. First
the two men seated at the table act
their part of the performance in front
of the camera, and then another bio
graph photograph is taken of boxing
match, and the two rolls of films are
then skillfully placed together. The
difference in the size Of the boxers and
the onlookers is accounted for by the
fact that the latter are placed much
nearer to the camera than the for
mer.
But even more startling illusions
than this can be produced. For in
stance, the biograph throws upon the
screen picture of headless man
standing by a huge egg, from which
one might expect a healthy young roc
to emerge. The decapitated man cracks
the egg with q mallet and discloses his
missing head inside.
The face smiles recognition, and al
lows the hands to take a few hundred
ordinary sized eggs from its mouth,
for no particular reason except to
show that it is capable of further mir
acles. Then it looks longingly toward
the neck and shoulders from which
it has been exiled, and it finally lifted
into its place. The complete man then
bows to the audience and disappea
1t spoils good illusion to describe too
fully it's inner mysteries; but it may
be limited that this effect is obtained
by the judicious use of black velvet
curtains. Black velvet, in fact, is the
material from which the modern bio
graph magician shapes his invisible
cloak" and the garment is quite as eff
fective as the one the prince in Ander-
sens fairy tale wore when he set out
to discover the wicked doings of the
| witch.
The Prisoners Dream" is the name
of another piece of Geographic Jug
Cling. The prisoner is shown in his cell
, asleep. On the forbidding stone wall
mistily outlined figures appear. Grad
ually they become more and more
sharply defined, though the wall
! can still be seen through the SUBJ
| Shameless forms. One of the figures is
| recognized as that of the sleeping pris-
oner, the other is girl.
There is a quarrel the flash of q
| weapon, and the girl falls Imply to
the ground as the real" prisoner
starts from his sleep and stares wildly
at the dream picture of himself and
! his victim. The vision fades away, and
in it's place the ghostly face of the
girl floats across the wall
The subject is somewhat morbid, but
as an example of trick photography it
Is an extremely clever piece of work.
The result Is obtained as in the case
', of the boxers, by the combination of
two films.
All the scenes are acted in studio
Illuminated by what is perhaps the
| most unique electric-lighting appara-
tus in London-how effective can be
judged when it is said that each of the
thousands that compose a biograph
moving picture only receives about
one four-hundredth part of sec
ond exposure.
Actors Of some considerable ability
are required, for it is by no means an
easy matter to tell story entirely in
pantomime so that every one can
clearly catch the meaning, and care
full rehearsal is generally necessary
before the actual photograph is taken.
A really successful biograph mega
tive" however, is worth striving for,
as it may prove little gold mine, for
hundreds of films may be printed from
it, and they are sent all over the world
and exhibited before millions of people
in the course of few months. The
trick photographs are certain to be
popular, as the variety of subjects that
may be produced is endless, and the
widest dreams of the most imaginative
| conjuror may be realized. "The Arab
ian Nights stories of magic carpets
upon which they lucky owners navi-
gate the air lose their SAVIOR when
compared with the feats the biograph