Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-05
TABLOID TALKS
ON BREAKING
INTO MOVIES
BY JOHN EMERSON and
ANITA LOOS

Most Modern Stars Began at Bottom
. The authors OF this series are the
famous Emerson and Loos, toho haze
toritten some of the most successful
photopldys. They noto have full
charge of all scenarios for Constance
Tdlmddge.
MOST Of the present day screen
~ actors and actresses gained their
experience as extras, although a few
have first made their success on the
spoken stage and then stepped directly
into film stardom. Doug Fairbanks
was one Of the latter, and 80 was Mary
Pickford. Charlie Chaplin and Wallace
feld, on the other hand, have done
little of note outside of the motion pic
lures.
10th Norma Talmadge and Constance
Ialmadge rose from the ranks. They
TOOK small parts in the old Vitagraph
pictures but their extraordinary beauty
ana talent were Immediately recognized
by the directors, and they were per-
mitted to try bits, then parts and finally
leads. Norma Talmadge went in for the
more emotional roles, while Constance
developed her ability as a comedienne.
Within six years they have attained DO.
sitions Of leadership in their respective
fields.
ID. w. Griffith himself was once an
extra. Flo was a good extra, too, ac-
cording to some of his former employ
ers. who now work under him in his
great studios at Mamaroneck, N. Y.
But he had all manner Of queer ideas
as to how pictures should be acted. and
directed and photographed. For exam
pie, he thought that more effective
scenes might be made, at times, by
photographing actors "close up" cut.
ting off their legs and arms with the
frame OF the picture and showing only
their faces many times enlarged; also,
he had theory that one might heighten
the dramatic suspense by Cutting
back from one scene to another, in :
stead Of following one line of action in
monotonous sequence through an en- :
tire photoplay.
The directors and actors and camera :
men Of those days. who would no sooner
have thought of taking character 6
picture from the bust up than of tax
Ing the picture upside down. were
nevertheless interested in this eccentric
chap and even asked his advice from
time to time. Finally, the eccentric
got his chance as a director to try out
II few of these radical theories. His
Birth of a Nation" changed the en-
tire technique of the motion pictures
| MANY noted directors received their
A'1 training in directing plays for the
spoken stage, as. for example, Hugh
Ford: Others, like Marshall Neilan
or Allan Dawn, came in from outside
professions.
Without exception those who have
achieved distinction in tho film world
have been keen students of motion pic
lures. Hence the ambitious amateur
who really wants to "break in" should
store up all the knowledge he can &C.
quire, relative to the profession he con
templates taking up.
| Perhaps the best school OF instruc
| ton, next to the studios themselves
II your local notion picture theatre
| There you can study the work of tn,
| players, directors. scenario writers ant
cameramen to your hearts content, anC
you will learu much If you watch closely
with an analytical eye.
You should see as many motion pic
lures as possible, preferably the better
ones, though You can also profit by tn,
contrast which the presentation of {
poor production will give. The righ
and the wrong way Of doing things viii
then be emphasized more clearly.
Many directors and players view
picture over and over again In order /,
get the fullest benefit from their stud,
of IT. The picture is to them wha
the textbook is to the school student
Just as the college student goes ovel
an important lesson repeatedly until h,
has mastered it thoroughly, 80 does tn,
progressive professional man or woman
In motion pictures absorb every detail
OF film which conveys any learnin,
of importance. The value of this methor
Of study need not be stressed; II 4
quite obvious And we believe the anna
tcur would be well repaid by adopt
ing II.
(These Tabloid Tails" are con-
densed from the material for q book
bv Mr.. Emerson and Miss Loos to be
published BY the James A. MoCann
Conspany, Neso York; Y