Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-08

~ IrOm f1OllyWOou aCSoAotAIe
~ the making of talking pic,
4 a lures. It is quite natural
that. the sound film being new
actors and directors We're very
nervous with their first tests
There was much discussion as 10
whether certain voices were suit
able for reproduction, and some
of this apprehension was un-
necessary. It has been dlscov-
cred that any person who speaks
in a natural tone, speaking IRON
the chest up" and who enunclates
clearly and does not humble MS
or her words, has good record
ing voice, But there are instances
where voices do not fit the CHAR
acters portrayed, notably IN
"heavy" parts.
But there is one thing which
no sound expert can tell, even
when he hears an actor sing or
talk. Until the record is played
back, there is no knowing just
how a voice will reproduce. Near
~ all stage-trained persons nave
good recording voices.
The studio workers are fast
overcoming little difficulties. For
instance. there is the case OF re-
SOLVER shots. When these were
frat tried in the sound pictures
it was found that they caused the
needle of the recording machine
to Jump. Now, the gunpoWder Is
mixed differently and the SHOTS
have a higher tone, although
sounding natural In making
scenes for one picture a jazz or
chestra was used, and one par
ticular scene had to be made over
several times because a saxa-
phcne player persisted in tapping
his foot in time to the music
The low tones of that tap sounded
like a cannon shot in the midst
of the music. In another case
the director heard low buzzlne
throughout a record. A search
behind the studio set revealed an
actor asleep and snoring away
behind the working stage:
Of course, these are only lew
of the troubles of the directors
and their assistants. The SOUND
pictures, coming into being witt
a lump, found the studios unpre-
pared. but great strides have beer
made within the past few months
and it will not be long until every
thing is running along smoothly
x
UNIVERSITIES and medical So
cietieS are taking up Sounc
pictures for lecture work, and the
first product of this sort was
turned cut during the past Sum
mer at Teachers College of Co.
lumbia University. The picture
will be used before gatherings Of
public school teachers and admin
iStratorS.
FILM DAILY, which seems tc
n "see all and tell all that goes
on in the movie world. has issued
its Directors Annual and Pro-
duction Guide" heavy volume
concerning the men who really
tVrn out your photoplays. The
book is colorful work, and II
tells everything about the direc-
tors. For instance, II any one
should care to know where anc
when Cecil B. De Mile was born
the Annual gives him all the in
formation. If you should desire
to know something regarding the
past life of Ernst Lubitsch, al
you have to do is to turn to page
Soandso, and there you are. The
Annual is complete, well Illus
trated and eXcellently printed.
THE reopening of the Little
= Theater reveals splendid cour-
age of a business order when one
considers events of the past year
or so in the movie game. To an
nounce a Fall and Winter pro-
gram of silent films in the face
Of the remarkable popularity OF
the sound pictures, certainly can
be tagged courage, in the opinion
Of this writer. OF course, one
must consider that the Little The
alter does not have great seat
ing capacity, that it will draw
from certain group Of photoplay
patrons and that it makes a Spe-
cial appeal. But it may be the
last stand of the silent film in
downtown Washington. However,
the Film Guild deserves credit for
taking a chance
X X X X
THE writer of this column has
been asked on numerous oc-
casions concerning the where
abouts of Charles Ray, who was
once a leading light of the cinema.
Also, what is Ray doing? And
why did he drop so completely
from the Kleig lights?
Ray is now registering a distinct
success as a vaudeville performer
DANCING.