Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1911-09-06
MOVING PICTURES
ingenious Methods of Producing
Startling Effects.
TRICKS OF THE CAMERA MEN.
Expedients by Which Pulling Situa-
tions and Incidents That Seem to
Contradict the Laws of Nature Are
Recorded on tho Finished Film.

Contradict the Laws of Nature Are
Recorded on tho Finished Film.
The ingenuity of man Is exercised
10 wonderful degree In the creation
OF novel and seemingly Impossible
situations and episodes for production
in the moving picture shows. and audi
ences are often bewildered in trying
TO decide how the curious effects.
which ut times seem to contradict the
laws of nature. are secured. let. like
the conjurer'S tricks, il Is all very sim
pie when the veil is lifted.
There are some scenes Denoted
which. while amazing enough in their
way. do not puzzle the critical be-
holder In solving the ways and means
OF their making. There are the railroad
accident. obtained 10y means of chill
dren's toys; the warships and the
aeroplanes. which are also photo
graphs of playthings: the burglar in
his unheard Of performance of climb
ing the front OF 4 house. and-laSt. hut
not least-the man clinging TO the cell.
ing OF room. The pictures explain
themselves.
But when we see a man jumping
out of fourth story window, see him
fall fifty feet to the ground and then
get up and run away unhurt. we ask,
How Is this possible? The origin of
the picture is very simple. The fuel.
tive Jumps out OF low window I'm
the studio. which IS fitted up in the
style of the desired room. Then the
photographinS process Is interrupted.
The next picture is taken In the street
in front OF real house \ life sized
puppet is dropped from one of the
windows. When It has reached the
ground the machine stops, the actor
puts himself in the place OF the figure.
the reel is started again. the man gets
up and runs away.
In like manner auto accidents and
similar episodes are arranged
Another impossibIllty-a man swmS
through a river and on the other sid,
be climbs ten foot wall without dif
ficulty. Origin OF the pictures: The
man is photographed sliding from the
wall into the water, but in taking the
picture the reel is turned wrong way
picture is rceIcd Off in the right dire
ton.
The last obstacle In representing the
seemingly impossible was cleared
away when some clever mind conceiv-
ed the idea OF stopping the Photograph
ing process. not after series OF pic
lures. but after each single picture
or after each two or three of them
The work involved was enormous. as
eighteen pictures are taken every sec.
Ond-that is to say. about 5OWOO pic
lures are required for reel which is
to amusc the public only ten minutes.
But hannah perseverance has accom-
plished the task. and the results oh
tanned are extraordinary The follow
ing examples will prove Il:
pile OF small stones is put on a
black table, and the apparatus Is fas-
tened vertically above the stones
Then short turn Of the crank. and q
few identical pictures of the stone pile
are taken. One OF the stones Is then
removed from the pile; another short
turn. which gives two or three pictures
showing the first stones separate from
the pile. The process is repeated un-
I'll the stones laid aside by hand show
the writing. Good Night The fin
ished film does not show the hand
that removed one stone after another.
but creates the Impression that the
stones arrange themselves In the form
OF magic writing.
Instead of the stones. lump Of clay
may be placed on the table and some
kind of figure is gradually modelled
from ii by hand: but. this hand being
invisible. II seems as II the figure
formed itself
In the same way herring can grad
ually be sent back into the tin can
/ from which 1t was taken. 49, Garten
| laube, Leipzig.