Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1914-01-01
REALISM IN HE
MOTION PICTURE
DRAMA OF TOD Az
HOW SOME Or THE GREAT FILM
MAKERS PRODUCE THE MOST
THRILLING SCENES.
BALLOONS LASHED TOGETHER
5000 EEET ABOVE EARTH
If q shipWreck 10 70 be Shown on the
Screen, a ship Is Actually
Sunk at Sea.

~ y >
Screen, Ship Is Actually
Sunk At Sea.
Hanging by one hand from the has
ket of a balloon several hundred feet
above the earth, jumping from NOV
ing aeroplane 5000 feet in the air
with nothing between the actor and
a frightful death but slender rope,
leaping overheard from a sinking ship
these are a few of the thrilling
-.stunts" which motion-picture actors
have lately been doing. and which
Others are being trained to do.
Frank Parker Stockbridge, in the
January number Of the Popular Me.
chanics Magazine. opens a discussion
of Realism in the Motion Picture
Drama In the words used in the
opening paragraph of this article.
The development Of the moving pic
ture industry has been marvellous,
and the extent to which the makers
Of the films are now going. in the way
Of expense and effort, is attracting
worldwide attention
Few OF those who nightly visit the
moving picture theatres realize the
vast amount of capital involved In the
making of films, nor do they appre-
ciate the energy expended to make
the scenes realistic. The pictures, be
it remembered, are photographs Of
actual events, either in their original
aspect or in reproduction.
Through the Clouds. 4,
The training of actoneand actresses
for the production Of film dramas,
says Mr.. stockbridge in the magazine
mentioned, is carried on at Hendofi,
England, where a number of captive
balloons are employed for the pre-
liminary instruction.
In the production of the film drama
Through the Clouds the 17-year1old
actress who played the principal role,
nearly lost her hold on the rope when
the balloon was 5000 feet above the
earth, and was only saved by the
quickness Of wit and presence of mind
of one Of the actors who was not sup
posed to be visible In that particular
scene. AS a result, the drama had to
be rewritten to tit the scene as it was
actually photographed.
The theme of the play is the attempt
of courageous young girl to rescue
her father from a band of criminals,
who have captured him and are en-
deavoring to force him by torture to
reveal the hiding place of his wealth.
Holly pressed by their pursuers the
criminals drag their victim into the
basket of captive balloon which
happens to be anchored conveniently
near their line of flight, cut the an
chor rope and fly away with him
But the brave daughter is not to be
foiled so easily. Her plight and her
youthful beauty appeal to a daring
young airman, who volunteers to take
her in his aeroplane in pursuit of the
fleeing balloon,
Two Balloons Lashed Together
In the staging of this play two bal
looms were used, dashed together, and
in the basket of one the motion picture
camera man placed his machine. The
field Of his camera lens thus took in
the lower part and the basket of the
other balloon, and the aeroplane as
1t came close below. AS originally
planned, the girl was first to shoot
the villain as he peeked over the
edge OF the basket to watch the ap-
aeroplane, and then climb
the rope into the car OF the balloon,
where she would release her father
from the bonds with which he was
tied.
The whole action had to be carried
on actually in mid-air. The balloons
hae ' to be high enough above theI
ground SO that no buildings or trees
would appear in the picture in such
way as to lessen the thrill, while,
# course, an aeroplane is much safer
At a considerable height than it is |
close to the earth. The first part Of
he action went off according to pro-
gram After three hours Of maneu.
Continued on Page 81