Putnam patriot., 1921-08-12

CHAPTER II
What the lohs Are


Most people seem 20 think there are
concerned IN the making Of notion
pictures Just four ciasses II people
actors. scenario writers. directors and
eamcramen. Il all seems very simple.
The scenario writer SITS down n the
morning and works ou; a scene; he
wakes up the director. VINO packs
some actors and a eameyamau N N
automobile. together with q picnic
lunch and goes out 10 make the ple-
ture on some lovely hillside Then.
having finished the pHo,oplay. they
take sc around TO your local theatre
ae1 exhibit IL # twenty-five cents .
seat
Is a matter Of fact, tie motion PIC
ture business, now the tith national
industry in the United States. has as
many phases, and as many complex
ities as any other industry IN the
world.
Made Up of Alliances
Broadly speaking. the motion pic
ture industry IS made up ot alliances
between producing companies aud dis
iributing companies. For example
the Constance Talmadge Corporation
produces the photoplays IN which Miss
Talmadge IS starred, and tins COM
pany is allied with Associated First
National Pictures, Inc. which takes
the completed film and distributes it TO
theatre managers in every part OF the
world. The Constance falmadge Cor
pordtion's duty Is to make a photo
play and deliver II to Associated First
National; the latter company dupli-
CATS the film in hundreds OF prints
adveriises II. rents It to exhibitors,
and sees TO tie delivery Of the film In
the same way, Mary Piekiord makes
pictures and releases them through her
distributor
The great distributing companies
employ the statesmen. advertising ex-
perts, business men. and 50 forth All
the technical work concerned with the
making OF the picture. however. IS in
the hands of the producing company.
and since we are engaged in such work
ourselves. It IS about these posts that
we must talk.
Ii we are TO take the studio jobs
in their natural order. the first % be-
GIN work on a picture IS OF course.
the author. Each studio employs a
scenario editor, who is on the look
ont Tor good magazine stories OF PLAYS
or original scripts. lie himself IS not
50 much writer as an analyst who
knows what kind OF stories ms public
wants generally he Is an old news
paperman or an eN-magazlne editor.
Having bought the story. the turns it
over 10 a scenariolst-the continuity
writer" This type OF specialist is
much in demand. since no story can
survive a badly constructed scenario.
The scenario writer puts the story
into picture form exactly as a drama
list may put a novel into play form
for the stage. Il is the seenarioist or
continuity writer. who really gives TO
the story It's screen value. Hence
the very large prices paid for this
work when II IS well done Next in
line is the director. who takes the
scenario and sets out TO make the pic
ture.
Shortage OF Directors
There is a shortage of directors al
present. and for that reason salaries
are particularly high in this line. but
OF course, direction IS a profession
which takes many years OF study.
In beginning work on his picture.
the director first consults the studio
manager. who is really the head oi
the employment office The studio
manager eonsults with him as to the
expenses Of the scenery and the length
OF time to be spent IN making the pic
ture and then summons the technical
staff
The technical staff Of studio Is a
rather large assembly. There is the
art director. who plans the scenery.
the technical man who directs the
building. the casting director. who
selects the actors the electrician. who
assists in working out the lighting
effects. the laboratory superintendent
who must supervise the developing OF
the film the cutters, who assemble the
completed film, and last. but not least
the cameraman. OF course, there are
hundreds OF minor posts-assistant
director, assistant eameraman. prop
erty man. research experts, location
seekers. and so forth.
The casting director Immediately
sends out 4 call for the types" de-
handed in the scenario. II possible.