The Alaska daily empire., 1923-02-16
PRODUCTION OF
 ALASKA PICTURE
 TO START SOON
Manager Lewis Will Bring Company North March 7
 Big Scenes Be Filmed

To film tde first motion picture evor produced in Alaska, for which five directors will be used. and which will cost $250.000 George E. Lewis, production manager for the Alaska Motion Pictures Cooperation, will leave Seattle March ', on the steamer Alameda, with a company of 16 actors, for the north The picture is xncwn under the shooting title, The Great White Silence" IL is the story of AlaGka from the time of the first gold rush Up to the present day. Scenes will be taken un the coast and in the Interior and nearly all the large towns will be photcgrG phed in the picture. Six great sets, spectacular and true to the period they will represent, will be featured, in which over 1000 Alaskans will take part.
 This is according to MT. Lewis, who parsed through Juneau on the steamer Alameda, from the Westward and lnterior, where he has been on a hurried business trip in the interest of the picture. He will go 10 Holly we'd and other motion picture cen ters on business connected with his company.
 Hugc Studio.
 The construction of the studio at ! Anchorage is practically completed. the last equipment being shipped north on the last trip of the Ala meda. The studio building is 150x 50 feet, making the largest floor set in the motion picture business and will be lighted by 1,250,000 candle power. Mr. Lewis said The most perfected system of lighting will be nced, which does away with all shadows. G. w. Hayes, superin- tendent of construction and w. II. Engberg, stage carpenter are now at Anchorage. Mrs. Hayes. assistant eostumer is also at that place. The ccatumer who will come from New York has been hired for 10 weeks. The leads have been hired for IA weeks.
 Lewis II. Moomaw will be director general for the production. He is well known in the motion picture business and wrcte and directed the picture, "The Golden Trail"
 The reason the production of the picture will cost only $250, ,000 is be- cause of the assistance and dona- tions which have been promised by individuals in Alaska, private in-I terests, transportation companies and the government, according to Mr Lewis. The cost of the production to outside interests would amount to S500,000, he said
 Cover Large Field
 We plan to take the company direct to Mckinley Park, with dog teams and paraphernalia. to secure necessary snow sets" said MT. Lewis. The company will then be taken to Seward where a big gold rush scene will be filmed. Following this scene the interior sets will be filmed at the studio in Anchorage, among which will be the famous dance hall set, in which 50 famous old time Alaskans and 200 other Alaskans will appear. The gamblers and other characters of the early north will be played by real Alaskans, with every attention to detail The scene will be decorated with several famous big game collections, including that of Nellie Neal of Curry, and the gam bling tables and other equipment will be donated by oldtimers in the country. who have kept them from tho early days.
 Spectacular Scenes.
 Prom Anchorage the company will go to Nensna where a scene featuring the big breakup on the Panama will be taken. The next move will be to Goldstream, ten miles out of Fairbanks. where min- ing scenes will be portrayed, show ing the auriferous metal being wash ed from the earth by old sourdoughs. The company will then return to The coast and big spectacular ship wreck scene will be filmed on the beach near Seward. From Seward a jump will be taken to Valdez and sets Will be made in the famous keytsone canyon. A boat will be chartered to take the company to Columbia Glacier. where other scenes 4rl h(s