IN A LOS ANGELES STUDIO

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 80, 4 April 1923, Page 12

IN A LOS ANGELES STUDIO

"SNUB" POLLAED INTERVIEWED. Although the pablio has read a good deal about how moving pictures are made, there has so far been no opportunity of hearing a famous .film artist relate his own experiences. Mr. "Snub" Pollard, who ranks among the most popular film comedians, is now on a visit to Melbourne (writes "Cinema" in "The Argus"), his native city, and during his stay hare, which, owing to hi? being obliged to return to Lob Angeles very shortly, will necesarilv be limited, intends to take the public into his confidence on the stage about studio life. Mr. Pollard's experiences have been mainly confined to making comic pic tures, the most difficult branch of the industry. He explains that outside scenarios are never used for his pictures. His most highly paid assistant is his director, -who is also responsible for the outline of the story. "After my director," Mr. Pollard stated, "has outlined the story we consult, and I make whatever suggestions I think neceSßary. Then! after further consultation, we begin rehearsing. Unlike the scenario for a drama, which is detailed in length in the script, a comic scenario rarely covers more than two pages. In fact, the .story develops as we proceed, and the final ending is frequently a surprise to all of us." "Another difference between a drama and a, comic picture," Mr. Pollard proceeded, "is that while in the former a long cast is necessary, in my. comic productions joy company, in addition to myself, is limited to my director, a leaddng woman, a leading man, and in many of my pictures to a clever youngBter. Everybody knows the coloured youngster who has so often appeared with me (Sunshine Sammy). He draws £50 a week, and although only nine years old, is now producing with his own company. But I have a call on his services when I want him. It is wonderful what a clever youngster can earn, but, of course, there are very few who earn big money." "I am under contract," Mr. Pollard went on, "to produce for some years still for Pathe. That firm takes all my pictures. _ In connection with one a very funny thing happened. The scene was laid in a church. Pathe refused the picture, so I set to work and made the church a court-house. This made all the difference, and the picture was accepted without demur. We know juat what the public wants, at least we thinl' we do, and we are always careful to put nothing of an offensive nature in a story. The American public is becoming very particular, and my pictures, it must be borne in mind, circulate through the t whole world. The cleaner the picture is in every respect the greater is its success." Asked how the producers in Los Angeles always manage to obtain tha loan of beautiful homes for outside scenes, _ Mr. Pollard replied naively, "That is an easy matter; we just knock at the door of some splendid mansion and ask permission ? to use the grounds. Sometimes it is given, sometimes it is not. In the latter case we go next door, and so on, till we get what we want." "Los Angeles," he went on, "is a j wonderful place. ■ For some of my pictures I need 250 'extras.' Tha studio is besiegod. Bis woman, small womou, > m mcii, fat man, lean men, on«.ftrowd

and one-legged men, some men without either arms or legs, in fact every description of man or woman imaginable applies for a job. The usual pay is five dollars, or 25s a day. Among the crowd are many Australians, and I often employ both Australian men and women."

Asked if these "extras" often developed into well-paid performers, Mr. Pollard replied that, as a rule, they remain in the "extra" ranks. "If I want a lion, an elephant, or a giraffe for a picture, all I have to do," Mr. Pollrd said, "is to apply to a hiring firm. You can get everything in Los Angeles. There are immense warehouses full of ' all kinds of costumes and weapons. If I want cowboys, I can hire them by the score. In fact, there is nothing wanted for making a picture.that cannot be hired, but this does not obviate the necessity of spending a lot of money on dressing a picture. I have a warehouse full of costumes and properties, and the expense the dramatic studio goes to is incredible."

Mr. Pollard spoke in enthusiastic terms of many of the leading picture artists, Chaplin, Harold Lkiyd, Larry Semon, Clyde Cook, and Douglas Fairbanks were all his intimate friends. Their earnings were, he said, enormous, and they were all saving money. When they were not working picture artists, Mr. Pollard remarked, were constant visitors at picture theatres. He himself was what was called in America a "picture fan," and so, he added, were the majority of his fellow-artists. While the climate in Australia was in his opinion admirably adapted to picture-making, the chief obstacle to success was, he thought, the limited market. A' capable director might be obtained, but it would, take a long time for any country to compete successfully with the United States, where huge 'capital was always available.