Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-02-23
MOVING PICTURES.
Amusing Experiences Of the Men Who
Produce Them.

Produce nom.
Did you ever think how many, many
feet of flm pass through the machine
that produces the moving pictures used
nowadays In the vaudeville housesf
OF course this depends entirely on the
length Of the entertainment but usu-
ally about 1000 feet Of film are used
In every performance.
This film costs 8 to II cents a foot
an Item of expense so large that the
many sets Of pictures are sent over the
whole circuit OF houses, just as the
actors and actresses, the dancers, the
comedians and other entertainers are
sent.
There's an interesting story In the
way these pictures are procured, espe-
cially those that depict chase after
an escaping convict, the pictures you
see while the orchestra plays the quick,
exciting music and some one back OF
the stage is doing things that make IL
seem sure enough, when shots are
heard-also back Of the stage-and you
see little puffs Of smoke In the picture
while the convict gallops along over
hill and valley, splashes through
stream. falls Off bridges, climbs fences
and finally drops exhausted and Is re-
captured and led back to prison, head
hung low, his face wearing look or
detection. Life would never seem
quite the same II Mike should change
the chase music. 1t has become part
of the show business that people have
q right to demand.
The firms that produce moving pic
lures have regularly organized theat-
rlcal companies. There are rehearsals,
inst rs in theater. The men and wom-
en- really speak the words of the play
or scene. and when the performance Is
perfect the photographing machine
takes the pictures. Where some one
falls off a house or bridge or down the
side of canyon n dummy figure Is
used. and the section OF film that would
betray that fact Is cut out. Once In a
very great while these trick changes
are awkwardly done, and then the au'
dlences laugh. When chase Is to be
photographed the men or women ano
the crowd-and the dog-actually &c
over the course that you see In the
! picture.
It is all arranged beforehand, so that
the law abiding inhabitants don't be-
come nervous and interfere. Some
times the arrangements are imperfect
| It was so one day recently. A New
York company was making series OF
| chase pictures In which a man was
dressed in prison stripes and was try
Inc to escape. A policeman who hac
not been notified Joined In and made
things interesting with regulation po
lice revolver. 1t was due only to th'
proverbial poor craftsmanship that thu
pictures were procured without INT
Convict being killed.
One Of the peculiar features aDou
moving pictures Is that a blustery
windy day usually is selected for max
Ing the pictures. Trees may be seel
swaying. skirts huttering and hats roll
ING down the street. It's the actor
they want, and the wind produces 1t.
In "The Escape From Sing Sing
which is one Of the popular chases pro
duced by the moving picture machine
a number OF the pictures were take
on the roofs IN New York city. This
one Of the most exciting chases. Th
criminal may be seen leaping from roo
to roof, while people lean from VIII
dows and shoot at the fleeing man. L
getting the proper effects the promo
ers were compelled to resort to man
schemes. Revolver shots in the dowr
town portion Of New York would hav
, caused no end of trouble. AS subst
tute the men In the windows who wer
supposed to do the shooting three
4 handfuls of -four. This produced III
effect of smoke, and the picture was
success.-Kansas City Star.