The Washington times., 1915-05-01
THE BEST
Photopldy Department in
WASHINGTON
Griffith Thin ks the
Producers Are in
Too Much of
a Hurry

Is the motion picture drama to
make the theaters Of this age like
the Chinese pIayhouses, where It re-
quircs several days to produce a
show?
That Is the idea that David w.
Griffith, the best known of the direc-
tors. Is accused of advancing. 1t Is
probable that Mr.. Griffith did not
mean 1t would require two or three
days to show a complete picture, but
that the patrons of the show would
take two or three days to see It.
And this brings up a very interesting
prase of the photoplay.
Much has been said and much has
been printed regarding the purely
literary value OF the film--or rather
the opportunity offered to give II
literary value. There isn't the slight
est doubt but that motion pictures
are the means by which literary pro-
ductions can be placed entertainingly
and instructively before more people
than any other medium. II does not
cost the effort to see that II does to
read. Likewise. while 1t is only
those afflicted with physical blind
ness who cannot see, there are
number OF people who cannot read.
to put the fancies OF the literary
geniuses before the people seems to
be without limit. And II Is just as
reasonable to suppose that man
may treat film production as he
does book-see a bit OF II today.
lay it aside. and go at II again to-
morrow. A production like The
Birth of Nation" should be ap-
preached In this way to get all tho
value of its lesson. 1t Is too big a
thing to take in at one sitting.
1t is this that Mr.. Griffith probably
meant when he said people would
take two or three days to see a film
production. There are many things
Of interest in this particular state
mcnt of Mr.. Griffith. however.
They are all contained in his con-
tribution to the highly interesting
symposium Tho Motion Picture News
is publishing on the weak spots in the
film business. 1t Is the great direc-
tors opinion that the failure OF pro-
ducers TO realize the possibilities of
their business that is the weakest
spot.
1.-THE trouble with producers" said
MIR Griffith. "is that they fail 10
grasp the immensity OF the art with
which they are dealing. Anything
pictures. The drama has its limita-
tiOns but the scope of the motion pic
ture Is absolutely boundless.
II noticed an article recently which
said that plants show emotions. Veg
ctable life is capable OF likes and dis
likes just as animal life feels those
emotions, according to this article.
Now. that could never be shown on
the stage, but 1t can be in motion
pictures. The motion picture can
show anything from tbe feelings OF
lettuce up to the growth and fall
of great empire.
Every newcomer to the business
finds to his surprise that he never
before realized the scope Of the mo-
ton picture. The same holds true
even for many who have studied mo-
ton photography. They. fail to GRASP
its enormous scope. The stage Is not
rival to be feared by the motion
picture. for the picture has a field In.
finitcly greater.
much of hurry. They feel that the
demands OF business make 1t impos-
sible for them to take the time. So
they produce old. hackneyed stories
and impossible melodramas. in which
the players act as no human beings
ever acted and grind them out at top
speed
"Often a director who can not
make good on the one and two reel
pictures which must be turned out
10 meet the demands Of filling re.
lease dates, is set to making feature
pictures So really his ineff1ciency
earns him promotion to a larger
field.
"One great trouble with the pic
lures produced under these conditions
is that they lack a big, vital thought
or lesson. Every motion picture
should teach something People like
TO think, and the pictures which they
remember are the ones which make
them think The pictures which dc
good arc the ones which teach les