Evening star., 1926-08-25
DAY OF AMATEUR
MOVIES ARRIVES
Home Motion Picture Maga-
zine to Be Published in
Near Future.
BY j. G. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK. August 25.-The day
Of the amateur movie maker has ar
rived, and this is held by many men
closely allied with the motion picture
business to account In some measure
for the remarkable pubic interest
shown in Rudolph Valentines illness
and death.
There are now moro than 10000
amateur operators Of motion picture
cameras scattered throughout the
world, and the Amateur Cinema
League has been organized to co-ordi-
nate their activities.
Under the auspices OF the league,
which owes it's existence largely to
the initiative Of Hiram Percy Maxim,
the inventor. a home movie magazine
will be published, an amateur MIN
exchange established and local motion
picture study clubs organized to help
amateurs generally in having more
fun in their own movies.
Increasing 100 q Day.
The increase in the number OF anna
teurs, which Mr.. Maxim estimates is
going on at the rate of 100 a day, mas
had distinct effect on a dozen diff
ferent lines Of business, but the
league is entirely independent of any
of these interests. according to It's dl'
rectors.
Tremendous progress in the max
ing Of amateur movies has been maoe
since the writer on July %. 1923. re-
ported that home movies would seem
to have been brought to complete re-
alization." Amateurs have made mov-
les OF everything from the Swiss
Alps to the old swimmin' hole, and
from babies 18 hours old to grand
opera stars. In San Diego, Mother
Goose has been filmed by amateurs.
The first amateur play has been writ
ten, filmed and produced successfully
by the motion picture club OF the
Oranges, n. j.
Turn to Movies.
Professionals in other fields have
turned to the movies for relaxation.
Among the members Of the new
league are Amelita Galli-Curci. grand
opera star; Charles NJ. Schwab. George
Ade. James r. Rand. jr.: VIII Hays,
Walter a. Strong and Arthur Rris-
hane. while Mr.. Maxim is president
of the league and Nine. Galli-Curci
is one of the pioneer directors.
Professional producers and distrib'
utors have been watching the anna,
teur movement closely. Carl Laem
nile, president of the Universal Pictures
Corporation, said just before his de-
parture for Europe that the interest
shown by amateurs in all branches
of the motion picture business cannot
help rejecting itself in motion picture
theater attendance.
THAT. as everybody knows he
added, lis the life of the business"
Jesse l.. Lasky. vice president OF
Famous Players-Lasky Corporation
said:
This amateur interest is likely to
become more and more an influence In
the practical motion picture world as
time goes on.
Encourages Amateurs.
Our sincere wish to encourage eligi
bic young people to think seriously OF
took definite shape last Fall when we
established the Paramount School
Anything that will foster or increase
interest among young people in tech
nical work of making motion pictures
is bound to be of ultimate benefit to
the industry as whole.
The amateur movie maker Is going
into a multiplicity of lines. In New
York Stephen F. Voorhees,. architect
and builder of skyscrapers, takes mo-
tion pictures Of his workmen. both for
their amusement and as a means of
developing worker efficiency. The
New York Fire Department has a
photographer take scenes Of firemen
fighting the flames, which are shown
on the walls of the engine houses for
the amusement and instruction Of the
men. In Philadelphia the Police De
partment Is using small motion pic
ture cameras to take pictures of traf
fic congestion so traffic tie-ups may be
! avoided.