The Washington times., 1916-01-25
PHOTOPLAYS AND
PHOTOPLA YERS
Bv GARDNER MACK
the Creates S I
Factor in Making
Artistic Motto n
Picture Scenes
By GARDINER MACK.

Casual photoplay patrons-that Is.
patrons of the photoplay who are
enthusiastic. but who simply accept
the photoplay as 1t Is given them
seldom realize what a big part light
plays in the making Of pictures and
how much there is yet TO be done
in the MANAGEMENT of light in inn
proving pictures. 1t is interesting
70 know that since the making OF
0otion pictures commenced lighting
IN general has undergone a revolu-
ton.
The use of masses of the most
powerful electric lights to take the
place of the sun on cloudy days and
to supply light for the studios in
picture making. has caused the in
Vention of many new forms of light
and use of these lights has been
made in n number of industries and
in the lighting of homes and public
places. In fact. the coming of mo-
ton pictures into such prominence
has many improvements in indus
tries in no way related to them or in
no way concerned with them.
The management of light Is a tre-
mendous factor in the production of
startling picture effects and in get
ting just the proper tone to q photo
play. Cecil b. DeMille. the director
general of the Lasky forces. has
made an intomate OF lighting with
the idea OF utilizing it for the i'm
Droxement of pictures.
When INST CulLICd the photo
dramatic field" said Mr.. DeMille,
II was greatly Interested III So called
artistic Photography, Du. was not
h n II. t4z..g
tlon picture Work. II was possible
TO secure certain effects OH u highly
sensitive plate, ali conditions being
favorable, but / was very much in
doubt IL the same result could be
obtained on the inflnitesimal mega
1--WE OF the motion picture camera.
l began experimenting, however.
My desire was TO create certain
psychological impressions by the use
OF what 1 now call artistic photog-
raphy. l felt that it must be possible
10 photograph an adtistic back
ground with the background moving
instead of motionless. Finally, l pro-
duced The Rose of the Rancho
using the Impressionistic School of
Art in many of the scenes.
II made this production with much
m!sgiVing, because l knew that an
erect gone wrong was worse than
no effect at all. When the negatives
OF this production reached the COM
mercial firm that did our printing
they were at a loss what to do. They
were accustomed to printing so that
every detail would show, and when
they saw only half a mans face they
did not know how to set their lights
to get the proper effects, and conse-
quently, some of the prints were
quite mess.
Kitty Gordon, stage star and one
OF the newest recruits to the film,
has insured her famous back in the
sum of $4,000. Miss Gordon declares
that her back is her principal asset.
and that as pianists insure their
fingers and comedians their grim
acinG faces, 1t Is perfectly proper for
her to insure her back Miss Gordon
Is shortly to appear in the World
Film production of "As In a Looking
Glass"
Roy Clements has just completed
one-reel comedy entitled afford
ing a Ford" which has some of the
best comedy punches of recent re-
leases. Victor Potel and Eileen
Sedgwick appear in the leading
roles.
Al e. Christie is at work on the
production of another of his one-reel
Nestor comedies entitled "Her
Friend. the Doctor" Christie himself
Is the author OF the play. and i'm :ts
production Lee Moran, Eddie Lyons,
Betty Compson and Ethel Lynn ap-
pear in the leading roles.
Lloyd Carleton. producer of Bos-
worth features. this week began the
production of another five-reel fea-
ture, starring Hobart Bosworth. The
story was written by Agnes Hayes
under the title. "Dr. Samson"
G. NJ.