STAR FILMS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9657, 14 July 1919, Page 8

STAR FILMS.

LARGE OUTGOINGS

The cinema has been aptly called "the poor man's picture gallery," though few people realise the vast sums that are enenfc in providing an entertainment that is within the reach of any child with a few pennies at his disposal.

To givu «n idea of the lavish methods of the great trans-Atlantic studios, let us consider the so-called "big picture," which forms the chief item of an average three hoars' cinema bill.

The first person responsible for the production is the author. An original scenario will net anything from £20 to £100. Scripts adapted from books a^nd plays are, curiously enough, more expensive than original screen work.

Alary Piekford paid over £30,000 for ■ the film rights of "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm/ and the Vitagraph Company orer £10,000 for "Within the •Law." Dr. Dixon, author of "The f Clansman," probably holds an unbeaten record as a harvester of film royaltie^.. His profits *on "The Birth of a Natk.li,.' 'which D. W. Griffith adapted | from the story -of "The Clansman," are j estimated at £100,000, his share being I 25- per cent of the net receipts. The Film Editor is the person entrusted with the reading of the scenarios. His salary averages £80 to £200 per week and he earns every penny of it. Anything from ten to two hundred scripts are submitted 'everyday to his department, and he estimates that exactly 1 per cent has any i'ehanee of acceptance. ; Having, found-a' suitable story, the Tihn Editor passes it on to the Continuity man,, whose task it is to re,write it for screen purposes, the Director reserving.- for himself the right to make any alterations he may think fit. And frequently, when the Continuity man and the Director are through with their job, the author does not even recognise hisstory when he sees it on the !'screen.

' The Director is the Big Brass Hat of the film industry. It is he who .visualises the story as it will finally appear on the siLversheet, and who is the great suggestive power responsible for -most of the credit that goes to the Star. His weekly pay-envelope may contain anything from from £40 to ■£•200, audi). W. Griffith's saflary averages about £22,000 per annum.

The Director's most capable assistant is the cameraman,, another great and a thorough artist in his branch, whose, salary runs into well over £20 per week. The Star is the- next consideration. It is a well known fact that the salar.ies of such. super-Stars as Charlie Chaplin and Mary >Pickford run into ,fivf- figures, but it must be .remembered that those are •exceptions and not the rule. Both these young people enjoy so colossal, a popularity that the companies exploiting them can well afford to-pay such.huge-sums and make a comfortable profit into the bargain... ■ "Sots" and properties naturally mean •the outlay of huge sums, and there is a growing demand for photoplays _ entailing lavish and gorgeous production. Most of the people who frequent picture theatres' cannot afford Luxury 'themselves, but they like to see it on the screen.

Almost every- scene that is "shot" is taken several' times to ensure perfection and allow for defects. Chaplin is reckoned to be the most expensive and fastidums worker in this respect. He jjuses some 00,000 feet of celluloid -to get 'a 20.000 foot comedy, the surplus being consigned ruthlessly as so much ■.waste junk to the studio scrap-heap.. {Reckoning raw film negative' at £6 per .{thousand- feet, it will be seen that )Mr Chapman's account with, the East'jman Company is no small it<*m hi the ijstudio expenses.