The Washington times., 1915-03-02
lPHOTOPLAYS AND
. PHOTOPLAYERS
By GARDNER MACK.
What Length of Film
Do You Like Best,
Mr.. and Mrs.
Public

There has been quite a lot Of ink
utilised In printing what the exhib-
itors and producers Of motion pic
lures think about the single-reel
and multi-reel photoplays during the
past few months. The manner in
which the feature play has run riot
lately has suggested that neither the
exhibitor nor the producer has con-
stdered the public in the matter
ct all.
Which do you like best. Mr.. and
Mrs. Public?
And why?
The Times desires to know, and
wants you to write out your ideas.
Address them to the f'notoplay Edi-
tor. Such letters as the writer's give
Us permission to print we will use.
20 far as space will permit. Just
to tell US what it wanted in iilm,
20 we want to find out today what
they like best In film length and
why they like It.
There is a most interesting discus.
sion OF this matter in the current
less q person than Horace plympton.
who is n charge Of all things con-
nected go the film for Thomas A.
Edison. Inc. Mr.. Plympton Is one
OF the most conservative and artis-
tic producers, and one Of the broad
gentlemen in the business. His opin-
ions are. therefore. worth consid-
erably more than q casual glance.
For this reason we are reproducing
some OF the things he Is quoted as
saying in the Mirror. There might
be suggestion In them for the letters
the patrons will write us.
with the exhibitor complaining at
the decrease Of profits though busi-
ness may be as good as ever from the
standpoint OF attendance" say, Mr..
Plimpton. both the manufacturer
and exhibitor are apparently In di-
JENNA Of not being certain what the
public wants.
"As a matter OF fact. the lengths
Of films imposed by custom or trade
necessities are unfortunate. Pres
exceeding about 60O feet In length
must be made 1000 feet. II It ex-
ceeds 1000 feet. 1t must be made
5000 feet. and 80 on.
Naturally this does not conducc
to: the best rendition of stories.
There are stories worth 800 feet but
not worth 1000 feet. There are many
worth loo to 1.So0 feet but not 1000
feet. But at present the stories must
be Eut cut down to 600 feet or 1000
feet. respectively. or stretched to
5000 feet-perhaps at the risk OF
padding.
This condition does not prevail In
England. There they do not know
the split reel Subjects are released
individually, and may be any length
irrespective Of complete reels. How
ever. under our present system Of
standing orders in this country, the
condition is not likely to change. and
We must adapt ourselves to 1t.
Of the single reel as opposed to the
two. three real. or longer. Which do
the public prefer? Here we have
somewhat aslomalous condition. Al
most every one of my friends that l
talk to-fr!ends not in the business
tells me that he prefers the short
subjects and the varied program.
"He does not mind a good two or
three reel. but he does object to sit
ting through a film that takes an
hour and half or two hours TO
show. and he particularly objects to
the latter II he happens to come in
during its running so that ne ia
forced to sit through some thousand
feet Of film which cannot interest
him because he does not understand
And yet the theaters. generally
speaking. have got the feature
craze pretty badly. They advertise
them literally and generally get
good houses besides which we shall
have to admit--they attract a class
Of patrons formerly absent from pic
ture theaters.
"Generally speaking. suppose
that the th"aters in residential sec
tions are more likely to do better
with long films because families are
able. or more ant to make an even
ing's entertainment out Of their visit,
whereas those catering to transient
trade are better of with more and
shorter subjects"