Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-06-05

| spectator that the whole illusion Is very
simple. although it would be just as
apparent that considerable skill was
required in arranging the scene. This
arrangement has to be calculated with
the precision Of q mathematical prob
lem. Nothing can be left to chance,
but must be worked out in the remot-
est detail in advance.
In this story is found one example
Of what Is called the 'arret," or, In
other words, the, stop This means
that the registration on the film. is
halted until the scene has been chang
ed or some substitution has taken
place. The arret and the "fondu," or
blending. are the two aids to the pro-
cess Of providing mystification or IL
lusion in moving pictures. Without
them the thing would be almost i'm
possible, and that they have been dis
covered Is due in the main to the
"magicians' or conjurors Of the stage,
who have experience in producing IL
lusory effects.
The Mystery Revealed.
In the scene where the errand girl
falls asleep and sees in her dream the
little dancers, the effect Is produced In
a perfectly easy manner. Having ex-
posed a part of the film on the open
ing scenes Of the story, where the ma
tural background was available, the
actors and operator return to the the
atre. There the street scene, where
the girl last was seen, Is reproduced
through the efforts Of the scene paint
ers, but with an important difference.
A part Of the scene, which Is what Is
called in the stage a fiat, has an open
ing which exactly in size and shape
may take the place Of the cover Of
the box. This opening Is provided
with a cover, upon which the scene Is
painted in such a way that it's pres
ence is not apparent. The girl sits
Just beneath it, and the cover Of the
box Is covered with black cloth and
so contrived that 1t may be removed.
AS she sits there, during the halt in
registration, the lid of the box Is
opened by one of the stage machinists,
who Is not shown because his action
takes place when the lens Of the cam
era is covered and the stop" is In
play. After he opens the lid, he re-
moves it, and at the same time anoth-
err stagehand removes the cover from
the opening in the fiat
|. It is Perfectly Simple.
But the question Is asked, How are
the diminutive figures produced? This,
too. is perfectly simple. They are
seen through the opening against
black cloth and are some 30 or 40 feet
further from the camera than Is the
chief actor. Seen through the open
ing. which the spectator regards as
the lid of the box, the illusion Is COM
plete. When the figures come forward
and dance with the girl, the arret again
IL called into play. While the regis
tration on the film is halted the dan
GERS are brought to the front, where,
after taking their places, the registra-
ton proceeds as before. Their retire.
ment is produced in the same man.
ner. The cover is replaced over the
opening in the fat the lid replaced on
the box and the dreamer awakens.
"The Happy Accident"
Another example Of the arret Is to
be seen exemplified in the film which
pictures the Happy Accident" The
accident" is one of the daring illu-
sions. A man is pictured falling asleep
on a highway. While he sleeps an
automobile swiftly runs over him. The
automobilist recognizing his careless
ness. alights, comes forward, and re-
turns to the legless man his two limbs,
which have been cut off. The victim
takes them, replaces them, and then,
arising, shakes the hands of the mo-
torist and walks off.
This picture has been more than
usually responsible for causing sur
prise among those who frequent the
moving picture theatres. 1t almost
makes the oldest frequenters Of the
places gasp with alarm when they see
the careless chauffeur run over the
legs Of the sleeping man. This alarm,
however, is quickly changed to feel
ing of relief and then to amusement
when they see the victim awaken, look
around for his legs and shake his fist
at the motorist.
The victim picks up one Of his am
putated. limbs and his vociferations
halt the motorist, who alights and gen.
erously places the limbs in position,
when, suddenly, the victim arises,
shakes hands. with the magical auto
ist. thanks him, and walks off.
The Amputation Trick.
Here, again, we have an illustration
of the arret. First, it should be un-
derstood that this trick caused con-
siderable difficulty to produce. What
was needed was man whose lower
limbs were missing from the knees.
1t was, of course, known or surmised
tIlaI there were SuCll llCll III ohio' bNN
the city had to be searched before a
suitable actor could be obtained, and
even the immense offer Of $50 francs
an hour-that is, in American money,
about $10-was more than once re-
fused by crippled beggars. The men
whose limbs were missing appeared to
think the risk was too great The
motorist might waver from the right
line at the critical moment, and real
accident might result However
victim" was found.
The trick consists of having the
victim and an actor whose limbs are
sound made up to look like each 9TH
er. First, the actor plays his part
then he lies down on the road. Here
the registration on the film Is stopped
while the legless actor is placed In
exactly the same position as the 9TH
er. Then registration is resumed un-
til after the accident" when another
substitution takes place, after the legs
are fitted to the victim.
While the arret, or stop, Is one or
the chief secrets Of the moving ptct-