The Washington times., 1914-05-06
THE BEST
Photoplay Department in
WASHINGTON
Reels Of Pictures Are
Displdcing the
Old Family
Album,

There is every indication that 1t
will not be long before the moving
picture machine will replace the
old plush family album that for
years has divided the place Of honor
on the center" table with the
wreath of wax flowers or the stu
dent lamp. 1t is q bit early to
speak of the machine as invading
every home-although the advertis-
ing men for the home projection
machines do not hesitate to use that
term. But it is fact that the newest
and best way Of preserving the like
nesses Of the entire family lies in the
ovinapicture reel. And 1t Is a further
fact that there are a large number
Of families that are making sets of
family records In this way.
The European people have gone a
little ahead Of the Americans in this
regard. In London there Is q photo
graphic studio that makes q spe-
ciaIty of children's pictures-moving
strips Of flm that vary in length IN
accordance with the price paid. and
to take them at regular intervals
during the life Of the child subject.
Contracts are made with this firm
BY families by the year. and the
children are photographed every
month or every two months. Just a
small strip OF flm Is maae ma eaod eaod
idea Of the child's appearance,
character and favorite pursuits. Ana
IL in far more than the stn. WOODEN
iibels on human likeness that found
their way into the old FAMILY al
buns. A..
nQrrtAd
even further than to have smaIi
strips of film made OF the children
at intervals for reference. In some
homes little family plays and scenes
are being photographed. Loving
grandfathers and grandmothers are
being furnished with four or hVe
hundred feet Of celluloid film instead
OF q letter to show how little Wine
or Annie enjoyed themselves at
picnic or in swimming. or doing any
one of the hundred-odd things grand
parents consider most interesting.
In Chicago. there is magazine art
ist who has practically turned his
home into a studio, and when he Is
not at work at his business. spends
most Of his time photographing his
children and his wife. This artist
Elliott by name. has recently been
making some pretty family plays for
his own private use. One OF the
advantages Of the Elliott private pro-
duction arrangement Is that there
are no technicalities to be observed.
no copyrights, no State rights to be
sold. and no distributing agencies to
be consulted. And, II may be added,
the parlor Of the Elliott home has
nothing but ''first-run" pictures to
show.
when the Elliott family produce
one of their playlets the screen -
erected in the parlor. the actors
and actresses-count them. four-
seat themselves in the front row
and enjoy the rare privilege OF
seeing themselves as others see
them Willie. the fire horse. COM
pares himself with tho horses that
attend ell real CONTRIBUTIONS In
Norman realizes that
he has all the city's firemen beaten
a city block and Mamma Elliott
knows that she has far outdis-
stanced anv mother in Chicago in
the quality of her offspring.
IT'S Just a little fad of mine.
taking these pictures" said Pro-
ducer Elliott when he was backed
into n corner in his homo few
camera and. in seeking for an
other. happened to think Of the
moving nictUre, proposition. or
course. these pictures will be
worth much more to us In after
years than any rosed picture we
could take in the regular way.
Jrst imagine the pleasure my
childrer's children will find in
watching their father. as a bow.
learning to walk. to p1av with his
toys and go through all the antics
that are n mart of child life. I
know that in fifteen or twenty
years these nictures are going to
be worth n lot ~ money tn me-"