Evening star., 1918-06-02

well. I dunno as I've got any
real strong objections" said Mr..
Bunker.
q And so he went to Now Jersey.
with Mr.. Biddle.
To tell the truth. the experience
was one of the most interesting Mr..
Bunker had ever undergone. While
the studio was not as large as some.
it was very complete. An hour was
to pass before Mr.. Biddle could see
his pictures. and the director showed
Mr.. Bunker and Mr.. Biddle through
the place. The small stages where
the pictures were enacted. the COM
plicated systems Of lights needed. the
dressing rooms, the wardrobas and
property rooms were all interesting.
but far more interesting was the
part Of the studio devoted to the
making of the reels of film. The
were. indeed. probably thousand
feet in length.
All of this Mr.. Bunker observed
through his gold-rimmed spectac1es
with intense interest The machine
for printing the positive films from
the negative film particularly fasci-
mated him. and he stood before 1t as
If hypnotized by the little flashes of
light that transformed the blank
strip Of film into a story that would
thrill some audience. or many audi
ences. in no one knew what parts
of the world. He was standing thus
when Mr.. Biddle touched him on the
shoulder
Come on" said Mr. Biddle. "wack-
er is going to show me the Daughter
Of Despard in the demonstration
ROOM"
Mr.. Wacker was waiting for them
In the nffica and had nnAor- -hiS
arm the five reels of the Daughter
of Despard." each reel a skeleton
steel spool on which the Aim was
wound.
Mr.. Wacker was a big. good-natur-
ed man.
Bib" he said-for he was the sort
Of man who instinctively seeks a
nickname and uses it-"we've got a
hummer in this five-reeler of yours
a Jim ]. Hummer! I broke my poor
neck giving it the best tnat was in
little me. Wait till you see Mabel
But I've got to cut out about 800
feet-2.O0O would be better. l like a
0O0-foot reel. and I've got $500 feet
here"
II hope you don't have to cut out
anything important" said Bibble.
nervously.
"Oh. no! I always film more than
much and then cut than to have too
little and have to rig up the sets
again and make more finn after the
whole thing is over. / know my biz.
Bib Ready. Bill?"
Bill was the projector-man. who
ran the machine that threw the pic
lures on the screen. He was ready.
and the four men entered the small.
hot demonstration room. The room
was a box with metal walls and cell
ing. longer than broad. A white
screen covered the entire farther end
of the room. Near the door by which
the men entered was a bench and
two chairs. Behind the bench and
well above it was hole. and out of
the hole extended the lens of the
protector.
"AlI right. Bill~ said Mr.. wacker
when he was seated. Let her go!"
The title and the picture of the
author appeared. Mr.. Bibble was
himself seated in an elegant library
such as he had lite hope of ever
hand and thought. and then grasped
a pencil and wrote feverishly 1t is
the way authors always do in the
movies.
Good. hey?" said Wacker. and he
continued his observations all through
the five reels sometimes to Bibble.
sometimes to Bnl and sometimes to
there. Bill" he would say-or: Have
to take that leader again. Bill-got
finish spelled with two n's.% Many
of the scenes ran a few feet longer
than need be. I'VE can cut that
where she opens the door," Wacker
would say. The day was damp and
muggy. and the film did not run of
the reels well. and there were stops.
while Bill swore in a low but earnest
tone. "It won't do that when the
film seasons" Wacker said: we're
running it pretty fresh"
well. what do you think of it,"
Wacker asked while Bill was taking
the first real from the protector and
preparing the second Bibble said he
liked it.
That's a lot for an author to say"
said Wacker. '"They generally howl
like a bee-stung steer. Hurry up
there. Bill: it's hot
Jaw, shut up! You amt got no
kick. You ought to be up here for
a WHILE" said Bill with that sweet
informality that obtains around
photoplay studios.
"Now. right here" said Wacker
when the second reel began to show
on the screen. "is something you
hadn't ought to have written in and
that l had ought to have cut out
when 1 doped up the action. I'm
going to cut out four full scenes
here it is. right here!"
There was utter silence in the room,
except for the clicking of the projec-
tor, as the four scenes were thrown
on the screen.
stop" said Wacker. and the fleet
inc pictures StOpDed Wacker Turned