Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-10

There are over 1000 moving picture
theaters IN the United states, besides 1900
other places where motion pictures are
shown. over 200 miles of films are I'M
rolled on the screens Of these places every
day, ana more than 4.OCOOO people are in
daily attendance at these performances Of
the canned drama 1t is estimated that
Of the entire theater-going public in the
United States fully 10 per cent belong to
the moving picture class. on Sunday alone
New York entertains 100000 people in its
more than 800 theaters.
When the motion picture was first intro
auoed the spectators were satisfied with
the simple Views to be secured In almost
any city, and what was considered the best
treat Of all, a street parade. This, how
ever, no longer satisfies the Unsuitable
thirst Of the nickelodeon patrons. Today
q COHERENT story must be unfolded before
their vision, which means that the up-to-
date maker OF films must v plays writ
ten and acted before the camera Y
The studio OF the modern film manu-
featuring company is equipped with all the
adjuncts Of the regular playhouse. 1t has
a stageland scenery as elaborate az that of
the ordinary stock company, and an equal
array Of costumes and make-ups. The peo-
pie employed In the making of these silent
plays number anywhere from a handful to
several hundred. while for special films
outside people are called in to give local
color" as in a certain battle scene where
both Indians and United states troops were
used, not to mention the gatling gun.
In the effort to retain public approval, the
film manufacturers have had to resort to
innumerable "tricks' in order to find some
thing new. In this way many films are
seen which for staggering effects and
thrilling incidents are far beyond the pos
sibilitles Of the ordinary playhouse. 1t is
a common sight to see objects appear and
disappear in the twinkling of an eye, to
see men and automobiles scale what
appears to be an impossible wall or slide
down an incline warranted to kill the
strongest, or to witness the antics of a tiny
fairy no bigger than a human thumb and
yet too real to be a dummy.
These films are for the most part made
in France, where the highest perfection has
been reached in their development. The
explanation Of the various devices is usually
ridlculously- simple. Objects come and go
by the simple process or stopping the
camera while the object is either removed
or placed within range. A cloth, bearing
the painted resemblance Of a wall, stretched
on the floor Of the stage. while a man or
automobile moves over its surface, gives
the desired effect when photographed from
the wings" The substitution of a dummy
at the top of the hill is the answer to the
miraculous tumbles which are so frequently
seen. The explanation Of the fairy is
slightly more difficult, that result being
obtained by the use. of a mirror so placed
as to reflect the desired object within
range of the camera.
While these dramatic miracles are very
popular, the reproduction OF some really
notable event is also well received. In
this work the principal advantage to be
gained is in being in the proper place al
the proper time. An instance of this oc-
cured in Messina at the time of the great
earthquake there. The picture mar was
Just on the point of leaving when the
quake started. but he quickly unpacked his
machine and secured pictures which were
unique. IF III iatf
In the enacting Of these silent dramas
1t is not always in the tstudip' alone thai
all the work is done. Many scenes are
|, taken direct from nature, in the parks, IL
the streets, and II the occasion demand
on the roof. In Consequence a photog
rapher often has to make several films OF
account OF the mterIerehce OIL PoAeem
who believe the scene to be real, or from
the efforts Of passers-by and children t.
see what is going on, thereby gettinl
within range of the camera While movini
pictures are in reality silent dramas, the!
, are not silent at the time OF making. Thos
taking part talk quite as loudly as whel
ordinarily acting. This is done in oTde
that the movemen OF the mouth and ex
preston of the face win be natural.
Still another type of film is that in while
= inanimate objects perform apparently hu
S man antics, as a bowl running around tn
e table, lead figures coming TO life or ella
moulding itself into a bust. The creates
/, requirement for this is patience. The bow
8 or other object is photographed in one pc
sition, the camera stopped, the bowl moved