The Washington times., 1914-10-23
THE BEST
photopldy Department in
WASHINGTON
yhibitOrS Should
study the Taste Of
Their Regular
Patrons

he excuse was offered us long
e. auo that the reason tn" best
Is of photoplayS were not eA-
ted in Washington all tie time
that the producers were not
ning them. The exhibitor tLus
sing himself admitted that What
have defined as the best klnos o.
.ropiays drew the largest aual-
es and Noted him the most suo-
.utiaf financial returns. But, nc
a. he could not get them. The
.,ducers will not produce them be-
use. ne declared, they find 4 read
market for the plays of poorer
, 'ue hut more fiashy presentation.
% suggested to the exhibitor at the
me that this seemed to be mat
for his organization to take up
4 that if some definite, organized
ort was maue to correct the evil
producers would be COM
lied TO change their ways. We did
1 think then. and do not think
". tnat it is impossible TO obtain a
2 supply of good, clean film. There
~ be an occasional play that viii
n bad. but on the whole the quail
v Is improving steadily, where the
ibitor wants it to improve.
These views. it would seem, are
&C the views of Louis Reeves Har-
son. the expert in photoplay pro-
% rtion Snd exhibition, who has CIV
the matter considerable thought.
r. Harrison believes that the eA-
.bitor should make a very careful
udy of his audience, because his
s~ticular audience is different from
..r~v other audienCe-it is his! And
. believes tnat this stu1y should be
lied to the preparation OF pro-
ms. lie says:
Who studies the audience? Look
.und YOU at an exhibition of mov-
pictur, S. Attention is fastened
or the screen. An occasional eX-
,itor seeks an expression of opin-
v among those who Oatronize his
.ce. or he may judge Of what
ases by the noise of the unthinh-
and easily pleased, but there are
ger ways of getting at public
te. The uneXampled prosperity of
wing pictures has made many Of
Indifferent to what sttrs univer-
feeling. We must get close to
life, literature, and varied eX-
ssion Of sentiment among the mil
us who attend the picture show 10
,-mulatc any generalization about
.~mes for the picture play. What
70. our people reading about, think
about. and talking about? What
the themes universal as distin-
shed from those provincial or
rely SECTIONAL
An exhibitor should make a study
his business. should get at the
nressicns of his audience in a gen.
IL sort Of way. apart from what he
O SHOWN them. Cur present forms
nd methods are FAR from perfect,
our present themes may be re-
Dte from the ideals IF m audience.
Z US closely examine a play. Why
as il produced? Is Il cheap prod
. made at a minimum cost, to sell
a large Trofit irrespective of the
neral rrsplt? Is il a mere corpse
.vival? Do we feel sense Of puri-
>ation or Of satisfa ,tio1 after il has
zen shown on the screen? Is there
TUnch in il that justifies a concen-
atiCn Of energy in its making? 10
o. get ANYTHING out of 1t besides
itching a lot Of actors move
-ough varied situations? Is the
sis interesting enough to warrant
elaboration of incident leading Cp
II? Does II excite curiosity. and
AIKEN suspense during the period
preparation? Watching the screen
after day, studying mis- audience
often. considering all that goes
make photodrama worth while.
Nv shoUld not the exhibitor b" a
irlv good Judge Of quality himself?
e Is when una ffnCted by prejudices.
The exhibitor WHO makes a Seri-
rs effort to give his patrons the
st he can find in the market IS W
rainst only one obstacle to large
recess and that is a lack Of such
as people really care TO
re. That he cannot obtain these in
lfficient numbers at reasonable
Tices IS cue to the Indifference of
-oducers. an Indifference foStcred
y those exhibitors who howl for red
PAPER" and explosions. Ora wing
trEer and better audiences, there
Jre. appears to be up to the or
It is now so strongly
Mt as TO demand and get such i'm
-ovements in quality as will on
ar moving pictures to an audience
all humankind"