The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-05-29

nutHta. uoht tApcCk fuuHhs 10
can't be very hard hit II everything
doesnt turn out as happily as one
might WISH
III that spirit won't win for us.
nothing WILL" Lontaine declared.
Now for a tentative program 4.
Our first step. naturally. viii BE- 10
incorporate. And since Il seems 20
be tho fashion on this side. and our
corporate name will serve ms trade.
mark. venture TO suggest Linda.
Lee. Inc.'"
'One name n as good M another,
don't you Think
Good. Call that settled Then as
10 finances My study OF American,
studio conditions has satisfied me
that production costs THE side are
normally excessive. The average
cost OF a welimade picture today Ia
between eighty and a hundred and
twenty thouAand--too much b.
half"
Mr.. culp's secretary told me Al.
ma Daiey's pictures cost between a
hundred and flfty and two hundred
thousand each"
III 30. hen cuip II throwing
money awny thru ignorance or bad
management or Indifference.
'sisut say picture costs Us fifty
thousand ita gross earnlngs. tho
first year. should be two hundred
and nifty thousand. We ought TO
turn out not icss than four pictures
year. which VIII mean at ieas,
four hundred and fifty thousand
clear profit to be split M between
the star, the executive. and The cap
ltaliNta.s
-It sounds IKE fairy tale
1T n a fairy taic--come true In
rial life. Nothing else could nc.
count for the pres.nt-day tribe OF
motion picture millionaircs. They
have Imagination enough 20 So
cheap amusement for the masses In
what most intelligent people. n dor.
en- years ago. considered merely a
mechanical curiosity So they In.
vested their small savings. these pet.
" tpdesmen and transforming &C.
tors. IN the venture that high ii.
nance scorned. and the boom found
them securely In the saddle. That's
why the public gets 80 much per
functory and stupid stuff thrown al
Il today"
but our pictures aren't going 90
be In that clsss--are thcy7"
Rather not, Were going 10 20 AZ
this thing IN an Intelligent way.
Wen pick a good staff. select our
stories with care. get the best men
20 write cur scenarios. and gather
round US a group OF actors. like
those who have made the Cont
mental cinema VIVA; II II today. more
interested In their work than In
Themselves. willing 90 take their
chances OF scoring in fine ensemble
acting instead Of insistent that every
picture shall be distorted 20 throw
so-called star into prominence.
I Even In America such sincere art
lists exist. and wen find and bring
them together and prove that cine.
ma production can be an art az well
as rnoney-grabbing scheme"
"Bravo, bravoT' Fanny interpo-
lated ''fIark TO the dear mani Now
II only he'll perform one-haif as
bravely as he promises--r'
LontaIne flushed a little but paid
no other heed. ITO get back 20 the
question OF capitalization . Ar
bitrarily setting fifty thousand as a
fair production cost. wen want AZ
least a hundred and fifty thousand
TO begin with
"But surely we won't need hun
dred thousand margin for safcty7"
mot for safety--for economy.
When we finish CIR first picture II
will be n matter OF six months at
least before II can be exhibited.
Meantime. we can't afford either 10
disband our company or hold II 10.
ge,her in idieness. We ought TO
start our second picture the day
after we finish the first. Thus we
will waste no gestures. And allow
Ing three months TO each. we should
have our second and third ready by
the time the first il released. DO
you follow me. Mrs. Drucc7"
Il think you're quite right. You
said yesterday you had some people
ready to furnish the necessary CAPT.
ta1?"
"In half an hour can find half n
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