The Detroit times., 1915-04-26
SEEING AMERICA FIRST.
BY FRED c. KELLY
tCovyright. 1915. by Fred c. Keilyl
From Diary:

There are two distinct schools OF thought 10
the motion picture industry so far as publicity
- concerned One class OF men ia the business
believes that the more the public knows ABOUT
the WAYS and means OF producing the pictures
the more interest the public VIII take IN soine
10 see them or this theory, one OF the e's Loe
Angeles movie concerns Is planning 10 nave q
studio with big plate glass windows tnat VIII
permit anybody 20 walk up and see the actors
az work
about how the thing Is done viii spoil the pub
lies Iast for the film drama Many producers
fear TO take a chance on blasting the illusion
They feel that while the public may De Wen
aware that the storming OF DIG stone ior Or =
too far TO show the public that the fort Is noia
ing but painted canvas
aBut- YOU contend doesn't the regular hu-
man being drama consist mostly OF Illusions !.
and doesn't the audience KNOWS that "hAe
sees is not real-
yes" comes back the movie producer. and
when you 20 70 see a magician you KNOW tnat
the things he does are just tricks, but II you
knew how be did them you wou' soon lose
interest"
AT that juncture the movie man seems to
have the better OF the argument For many
of the more sensational film e made In a
way that amounts almost INT OF nsnd
Al one OF the biggest studi' os Angeles
saw them photographing D. ering Inc tent
Of beautiful young girl who was camping la
the wilds OF Africa In the picture as II will be
shown in the theatres the girl Is asleep on cot
and Mr. Lion comes romping in with an EXPIRES
sion OF homicidal glee on his features IL opens
is mouth for q roar that awakens the giri, who
gives several carefully planned screams OF ter
ror.
Those who see this picture will say that the
lion must in reality be toothless old drone
who never does anything more serious than
carry on a well simulated bluff. But that Is not
the idea AT all The answer IL that when the
lion Is roaming about the tent roaring and seek
ing q toothsome girl 10 eat up. the girl Is not
there, Just half the lens Is exposed while the
lion IL in the scene In place OF the girl Is JUS,
a pillow stuffed under the bedclothes. The
head of the bed does not show in the picture
Neither do the runways that fence In the lion
and prevent him from roaming beyond ths
range Of the exposed half OF the lens
/ II took a lot Of patience and long strip 81
films TO get the lion In the savage attitudes de
sired Out OF perhaps $50 or 400 feet OF films
In this instance. not more than about Is feet
After the lion had shown his real nature foi
a while they shooed him back 20 his cage. Then
the operator shifted the cover 10 the other halt
Of the lens turned back bis film to the starting
point and photographed charming young WON
an named Marie who lay on her cot McHae
who produces the animal pictures, had Kept
track OF the number Of turns OF the crank On
the camera Each turn of the crank was pic.
ture. From his note book McRae could tell
&C Just what turn the lion had been at his best
or worst. When they reached the bits OF good
stuff on the second half OF the exposures. the
director babe Marie to look especially terror
ized. Thus are the spine-chilling animal pic
lures co-ordinated TO give the movie fans their
figurative pound Of flesh
Director McRae offered TO prepare me neat
little souvenir Of my visit He said he would
have his men take picture OF me with tame
leopard in my lap. The leopard. he explained.
was the only tame Wild animal they had. In
proof that IL was perfectly tame and harmless.
~. - Il ri Ma Of
the movies. with the leopard in her arms. /
would have posed for the souvenir portrait ex-
cept for one thing The trouble IL have never
been much OF a hand with leopsrds. Even a
tame leopard IL not thing that I ordinarily
banker TO caress. So thanked McRae for his
courtesy and explained TO him that II II was all
the same TO him ! would little rather pose
with dog a Belgian hare.
had caught the spirit OF wild animal movie
photography. however. and submitted to McRae
little scenario for one reel picture that ought
| TO get the money The scene Is in the heart Of
| an African Jungle A handsome blonde girl FROM
some place In New Jersey, who IL visiting rela-
lives IN Africa. is lying under a crabapple tree
| reading a novel IL II a nice. balmy day in the
late spring and she falls asleep. Then a tiger
| comes along and sees her. IL walks up and
places one paw on her chest with proprietary
air and looks about, licking It's chin, a. II trying
| 10 make up It's mind whether 20 eat her now o,
walt until luncheon time. Just then a nattily-
! dressed young New York society man comes
| strolling along looking az a newspaper He Is
| spending some time in Africa with the native
! tribes, getting ideas for new dance steps TO IN.
troduce Into the exclusive set Just as he n
lighting cigarette. something causes him 20
glance over bis shoulder in the direction OF the
PROSTATE girl and the tiger He squints at the
| tiger In considerable surprise for a moment,
after which he walks over and Indignantly
| kicks the animal on the shins-first one shin
| and then another. With yelp of annoyance
| and disappointment. the tiger limps off into the
jungle. licking It's shins as IL goes The hero.
with polite nod. picks up the girls novel for
her. then introduces himself takes her In his
/ arms. and clalms her for his own