The Washington times., 1915-10-16
THE BEST
Photoplay Department In
WASHINGTON
Wdshinetonian Has a
Plan To Help the
Late Corners in
The Thedter.

One Of the best known Of the pho
toplav patrons Of Washington, who
has the distinction OF being person.
ally known by. and very popular
with. more photoplay producers and
actors than any other individual
patron we know. has Just devised
a very interesting system for, keep
Ing In touch with the sceneI OF II
multi-reel feature photoplay. which
is to be sumbitted to some of the
producers.
This man Is Thomas w. Gilmer,
and IL he wasn't quite SO In love
with Washington as a place of resi-
as q place to work. he would prob
ably be showing producers Of pic
lures throughout the country how
photoplays should really be pro-
duced. MIR. Gilmer probably knows
more about the technique Of photo
plays and the methods of produc-
tion than hoy outsider In the coun-
ton should be given on the film
OF multi-reel productions as to Just
what portion Of the film is being
shown. SO that people coming into
atheater late might know just how
far the story has progressed. This Is
an interesting question that has
been discussed by photopiay patrons
many times but apparently has
never been given much attention
by the producers.
It frequently happens that the
lack OF knowledge OF what has
really transpired has spoiled the en-
Joyment of a well-acted drama. Mr..
Gilmer's idea Is to give everybody
notice Of lust how much OF the rilm
haa haan hon, d.
iun. etc. In every caption or sub
title. If anyone can improve upon II
both Mr.. Gilmer and the photoplay
editor Of The Times would like to
hear from them.
Each scene In a photoplay should
film for convenience of reference"
he explains. Numbers should be
used in such a way as to indicate
= the reel to which each scene and
each leader belongs. the whole num-
Der of scenes and leaders In each
reel and In the production. This
may be accomplished by using num-
bers as they are used In numbering
the rooms In an office building, floor
number corresponding to reel num-
ber and room number to scene num-
Der. For example: loS-So-2+O Van
ity fair Is reels).
with an understanding as to the
hyFteHl OF nuHlUcTuik, tuo ops'i WI
seeing the above flashed on the
screen would know that he Is look
ing at the sixth scene Of the firss
reel OF Vanity Fair that there are
thirty scenes In the first reel ard
2lO sceneo In all: and that the entire
photoplay consists OF ave reels.
"4S L-i5-2io-Vanity Fair IS reels)
would mean the leader following the
twenty-eighth scene OF reel four and
that there are forty-five scenes in
the fourth reel. Then the observer
would know that about half an hour
would be required for showing tho
balance Of the photoplay. This In
ciated by all concerned.
For cut -ba cks the old number
should be used. adding the letters A.
p, etc. thus: 40s would mean cut
back to scene No. OF the fourth
reel. The numbers could he shown
on tho leaders only. That would
necessitate skipping numbers en- the
film. but even that would be a big
Improvement on the present practice.
THE title OF the play. the reel
number then showing. and the whole
number OF reels should go on every
information greatly aids persons
coming in after the tirst part of the
play has been shown"
The organization Of the Congress
Film Company. In which many local
people are interested. has been COM
pleted. and the company Is aoout to
enter upon a wide range OF activi-
ties In which motion pictures play
part The films that were made dur
Ing the @. A. r. encampment. which
are to be presented TO the G.. a. r..
will be exhibited before an audience
OF invited guests shortly.
sk~ ~
lust been chosen, include Walter c.
Jordan. Of the Arm OF Sanger & Jor-
dan, one OF the best-kno~n Arms OF
play brokers In the country. Sanger
4 Jordan control the rights for hum
dreds Of plays that are being pro-
duced in stock companies and by
motion picture concerns. The entire
list Of their plays will be t'<-ned over
to the Congress company. Robert
Campbell, a son Of the late BARLEY
Campbell. the famous playwright. Is
another OF the directors. Fred Jack