THE PICTURE WORLD

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 55, 2 September 1916, Page 11

THE PICTURE WORLD

HOW FILM IS DISTRIBUTED.

A picture theatre's »programme is conducted on the hiring principle, and it is interesting to visit a film exchange on Monday mornings (says "Kinema" in Melbourne Argus)T. The various city and suburban theatres send in the programmes used in the preceding week, and take away with them the current week's supplies. This naturally entails careful organisation on the part of the exchangers, ana as practically all the films are imported, the failure of the arrival of vessels from Home and from American ports on the accustomed dates plays havoc with distribution generally.

Special representatives are employed by the film exchanges, both in England and America, whose duty it is to keep the head offices closely in touch with all important occurrences in the film world. Formerly, with few exceptions, there was an open market in America for pictures produced in that country, whilst London was the clearing-house for not only English, but also for Continental productions. But of late the open market has almost entirely disappeaixjd, most of the leading producers now entering into contracts for the sole rights of their pictures for the various countries. Consequently the Australian film exchanges know a month beforehand what pictures they are likely to receive, and they make their distributing arrangements accordingly. In almost every case all the film imported is paid for before it is shipped, and this is in addition to the large sums that are paid on signing contracts in consideration of the acquisition of the sole exhibiting rights for Australia.

The programmes vary from 8000 ft to 10,000 ft, and approximately 300,000 ft of new film are required every week to supply the Australian consumption. Tins, however, only represents a small' proportion of, the film which is actually exhibited, as the life of a film may be approximately put at six months. If, therefore, there had been no film to begin with in the course of six months there would be nearly eight million feet of films in more or less daily use in the various exchanges. But as the business is constantly extending, it is impossible to compute the actual quantities that are available.

Rental rates vary considerably, these being graduated according to the length of time pictures have been on the rir: ket. In city houses first-week's programmes are required, and these command the highest rental. Less i 3 charged for second-week's programmes, third week's pay still less, and so it goes on at diminishing rates, until the rates for one or two nights' exhibition in distant country districts become very small in comparison with the original charges. If the first and second week's programmes were only exhibited at one city house, the charges would necessarily be very'high. A system of "switching," or exchanging films between theatre and theatre, has therefore been established, and the same picture is often exhibited at two or three, houses situated in different localities. Messengers on motorbicycles are employed to carry the films from theatre to theatre.

What becomes of the old films? Exposed film has been used over again, but the results are somewhat unsatisfactory. A small proportion of the film imported into Australia is returned to the makers, and there is also a limited market in the Straits Settlements arid the Pacific Islands. A demand has grown up since; the war for celluloid for use in manufacturing' munitions, and large quantities of old films have been worked off in this manner. In spite of all this the accumulations are very great, and they increase from week to week. Perhaps some day a satisfactory way of using the celluloid again may be discovered.

The Annette Kellerman photoplay, "Neptune's Daughter," will make its second tour of Australia, starting next month. This spectacular fantasy of the sea is one of four photoplays that have gained so strong a hold on public favour in America that they are able to make regular annual tours, in the same manner as the big dramatic successes. "Neptune's Daughter" is now in its third annual tour of the United States and Canada.

What does. Charlie Chaplin do. with himself after he has finished work at the studio? What are his amusements, what 'are his hobbies? *. They are many, but what would the average man. on the street say if he could drop into Chaplin's home out in Los Angeles almost any evening and find the little comedian playing a selection from Rigoletto, la Boheme, or Carmen on his violin? He is about the busiest man in Los Angeles, once he has left the studios. He is what may be classed as a systematic liver. Tho day begins promptly at 6.30 a.m., and every night at 10 o'clock the edeetric light goes out. After'his studio work he leaves for a spin in his car, and winds up at the LO3 Angeles Athletic Club, where he is domiciled during his stay in Los AnjjeJ.es. During .the evening he spends an hour in the. "gymn.," and follows this by a plunge into the pool. Unless he has an engagement with friends for the theatre, Chajles spends the remainder of the evening in his rooms with his violin.

Infant prodigies of the stage or screen so seldom retain their popularity that producers aim at a child making, a sudden hit, and then retiring for some time before coming into the limelight again. This is what has happened in the case of Willie Collier, jun., a son of William 'Collier, the comedian, who toured Australia some years ago, and who is now appearing in comic. films at the Keystone Studio in America. The boy was watching his father act, and suddenly decided that he, too, would like to be in a picture. Without asking the director's permission, he jumped into the scene, and commenced on a little humorous work of his own. The father, perceiving: the boy's object, immediately played to him, whilst the camera man continued to turn tho handle. The advent of the youngster put a new phase on the picture, but he refused to appear in any more comedies. Thomas H. Ince then took him in hand, and starred him in the "Bugle Call," an outpost story. In spite of the war a French Parliamentary Committee has found time to enquire into the possible use of the cinematograph for. educational purposes, and it has practically decided that cinematograph pictures are to be shown in all the principal schools. Sub-committees have been formed to study the best methods of adapting moving pictures to the tise of students. The first section •will deal with primary education, the second with history and geography, the third with science, the fourth with industrial education and with fa.rming, the fifth with the line arts, and the sixth ■with medicine, surgery, and hygiene. A novel form of submarine picture is introduced into a Triangle production "The Primal Lure." The principal role was taken by ■William S. Hart, who, according to the scenarios, had to fight an Indian in the water a few feet from the bank of a very clear river outside Los Angeles. The light commenced, however, in deeper water than was intended, and the two men sunk. The operator on the bank saw a big opportunity, tilted his camera, slightly, and secured, a clear view of the struggle which the actors bad the presence of mind to continue for the few seconds their breath lasted beneath the water The incident took place in the middle of winter, and Hart- and his Indian colleague were almost frozen. by iihe tijn.e they jf.er.c pjiUed out. ~