FUTURE PICTURES

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 130, 1 June 1917, Page 2

FUTURE PICTURES

ALL "FEATURE" PRODUCTIONS

EDUCATIONAL PROSPECTS.

"One and two-reel pictures are dead, or dying. In the future the people will hot take anything'but features or super-, features*" This .was the opinion of Mr. Albert L. Grey, Australasian manager for D. W. Griffith's . attractions. Mr. Grey has watched the development of the moving-picture in England and America, and is- able to speak of it's tendency. Talking with a. Post reporter yesterday he said that cheap drama had -vanished in America/ ousted by the- moving picture) but it would return. As the people became more discerning they wduld refuse to accept cheap productions 6n the screeriy and if they wished to have cheap drama they would ask for the moving,; living players on the stag*. Good comedy would live, but it would have to be good; the taste for the "slapstick" and the ridiculous was dying fast.. The reporter mentioned problem plays, and. asked if they formed so large a part of ; the business in America as one would be led to believe from the number that "are' seen, in the Dominion. "No, I don't think there is any trend in that direction," said Mr. Grey. "Pfebably .the 1, filrii-iflakefs think they are supplying what is" wanted." What about scenic arid industrial pictures? ".Not to be charged for, I. said Mr. tfr'ey. "People who go to iheatres. refuse to be educated, unless it is done without their 1 being aware hi "it. Ad"Vferiise a picture' as educational arid y6U kill it;' There ntust be plenty of romance." Mr. Grey admitted; however, that there was a field for the, development of ttl6 iriOviiig-pletvire along lines which would both educate arid entertain, as was the case with standardworks of fictibh where history aritt local cbldur were 1 faithfully introducied arid madis accefftable, since they served a£ a setting for a, good pldt.. He 1 expected /that the movirig picture" would becoriie highly pdfvular as an. educational aid in schools' dad for Government purposes, i.n, teaching.natural history,- and illustrating th& results 6f scientific research,- it would be .invaluable.-: Fifty per..cent: better, results were bbtaine'd if the -eye could see what the mind, could not at once assimilate. This would be letdgnised, and the 1 enormous possibilities of the cinema for recording and demonstrating •. would be acknowledged. ' :

Ail illustration of the remarkable development of the moving pictures is shown in the career of Mr. Griffitliy with whom Mr: Grey was intimately associated before the former entered the picture Business. Like, many a.nother American who has risen to prominence t Mr. Griffith was not born With k silver srjoon in his nidtitlfis lie' Worked for a year as " lift-boy." iii a department store in Louisville; Kentucky; It was in a book sliop that he had the opportunities for study which laid the foundations of his future career: Following the advice of friends Tie went on the and played with Nance .Q'Nsill and Jas. K. Hackett. All the while he was on ihe .boards lid w.as studying and trying his harid as.a playwright, and success, appeared to be within his grasp.when the panic of 190T 1 made theatrical Business very^, very fiuli mi uncertain. To tide over the 1 tjrtie of depression, Mr. Griffith worked for six month's .as it labourer, iii ii Neiy Yb'rTi siibway.. Then he first became directly associated the moving pictures, being engaged by the American Bib'gtagli.CHm;-: pany to write scenarios at £4 a'week: ...From tl\js small, beginning Mr. Griffith's originality of jde-is quickly raided him to eminence. He . saw everything from a new ,p'Wn£ of View, arid other' producers and picture "stars' cjime tdi look upon him as o?ie' ' of': the recognised leaders in cinema matters: its had always' criticised the stuflio-set-tiijg for pictures, but directors did not take his criticism.seriously till lie proved the soundness of: his ideas. He introdticed the "close-up" pictures, making facial expression plain,.also the "fadingin " and " fading : out " /in photography; atid the 1 " Switch-Batik !> iri the, arranged ment of the plot. The " switch-back " enabling th& spectator to limrk tiie flevelopiiierit of the plot iii different localities was 1 used to ai certain extent iii "The.Birth of a Nation," but it is in " Ihtoleriirlhfe " that it. is bSst exeirii)li; fied, fduf separate sttiries being develops ed siiriu'ltah'ebusly i . This picture wag .with Mr. Griffith a work of art oh which he e&pe'b'ted td lbss money. The' idea, which he had woflieb! out ffar a number of yeai'S, he* wag discbvering picture "stars", and producing .two-reel and thre'e'-r'eei dramas, arcise from Ills' early expferieflfees in d soniewhat fraffaw schttal Hi thought.