The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-07-24

supply to exhibitors and storerooms were con-
verted into theaters in all parts of the country.
In less than two years more than ten thousand
picture theaters opened in the United
States. The number in New York city alone to-
tailed more than 1,200 January l. 1907. and in
Chicago there were 800 of a mushroom growth.
Many motion picture producing plants were es-
tablished in many cities, and the film supply
proved abundant for the rapidly increasing num-
Der Of theaters. But there system to the
production, the making OF prints, preparing al
vertising matter for exhibitors giving heed
to what is today considered the most important
phase Of the business-that of arranging we'll
balanced program
Manufacturers saw the necessity of not only
making the subjects, but also maintaining their
system of exchanges for the purpose Of safe
guarding their interests by controlling the
films, and merged their interests in releasing
companies Now there less than ten cor
porations composed of owners of producing COM
panies that have national releasing systems with
exchanges in all principal cities. These are capt.
talized in the millions and is reputed to have
made 1900 per cent profit, while on the other
hand others have operated continuously at a loss.
With the formation OF big releasing
pan1es and the general improvement of conditions
Of the industry, with regard to all phases, the
most important to the ten millions Of people Of
the United States who daily witness the show
ing of motion pictures is the great change for the
betterment Of production. and the realization by
the manufacturers of the possibilities of photo
plays
In the Standardization of the film the celIuIoid
strip gradually reduced in size from one hav
ing picture two inches wide and one and one
half inches deep, to uniform size of picture three
fourths of an inch deep by inch in width.
There are sixteen separate pictures to each lineaI
foot of film. 10000 to reel of 1000 feet.
which, when properly projected, is run off, in
eighteen minutes. Few motion picture lovers
know that every minute approximately one thou
sand separate pictures projected the
screen, each separated from the adjoining
one by black line Of the thickness of a aver
age calling card.
Still stranger. it may seem, is the fact that
about one-fourth of the time the pictures are
hidden from view of the audience and the screen
IS black This is caused by revolving fan wheel
shutter passing in front Of the projecting lens
each time the film is advanced from one picture
to another by the Intermittent sprocket move
ment thousand feet Of film which passes
through the projecting machine is stationary
three-fourths Of the eighteen minutes required
in projecting it. and in action but approximately
four and half minutes. This prevents bIurring
of the pictures and makes each individual picture
frame" sharp from point of focus The pic
lures magniied from two to four hundred
times their actual size by the projection accord
ing to the size of the screen, distance from the
lens and the lens itself.
The making of motion pictures is most interest
ing and all studios visited daily by hundreds
At few visitors are permitted, but at the ma
jority mo Admittance' sign hangs over the
entrance and amount of talk money will
get the stranger past the gates. The studio in
reality consists Of open-air platform. in
closed entirely by glass, hall-like building
with movable electric lights of such candle power
as will make it light day.
In all producing plants the story for the
photopIay is first written. From this is prepared
the scenario, which briefly outlines every scene.
describes the settings and action Of the players
When it is considered that each reel of pictures
requires from fifty to seVenty-f1ve scenes and
many of the photoplays of today consist of
many as five, six and seven reels, while the
larger ones, such THE Spoilers" consisted Of
nine reels, Les Miserables" eight, "Cabiria' of
twelve, and the largest photoplay yet made. The