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military college at Fort Riley, Kan., consistsion of actual movement. So highly desion of actual movement. So highly developed has this process become that dramatic stories, or narratives, may be MOVING PICTURES MOVING PICTURES told solely through action, with the re-opment of the invention, but in its utilsult that moving pictures have become the most popular means of this class of amusement in practically all countries.
The invention is the result of numerous experiments made by photographers, suggested to them by the old-fashioned zoetrope, which was popular before and after 1860, whereby pictures of figures in various stages of action, printed on strips of paper, whirled about in a machine, which enabled observation through ization in the field of amusements and pictorial education.
As now operated, the actual pictures are photographic positives printed on films, made of a substance resembling celluloid. The film is one and threesixteenths of an inch in width, and may be a thousand feet in length. These strips are passed before a powerful light within a machine, on the same principle as the old magic lantern, which projects 01 1 2 3 4 5 boxtlity 1. American Jumping Mouse 2. Striped African Mouse MICE 3. House Mouse 4. Egyptian Jumping Mouse 5. Kangaroo Mouse The them on a white screen, where they are enlarged to much over life size, if necessary. The film passes before the light at a rate of speed averaging from 60 to 80 feet a minute, depending on the rapidity of action desired for the figures on the screen. slits, gave the delusion of action. first experiments with photographs that gave practical results were made by an American, Muybridge, in 1877, who photographed horses in action by means of the newly developed instantaneous process.
The invention of the ribbon films, in 1880, constituted another step in advance toward the present state of perfection.
The first utilization of the invention for amusement was made by Thomas Edison, in 1894, in the kinetoscope, whereby positives on a film, about the size of postage stamps, were pass passed before a light and gave the illusion of sustained action.
The first moving pictures projected to a large size on screens, on the principle of the magic lantern, were perfected by Lumière, in France, shortly after the appearance of Edison's kinetoscope. Since then there has been continuous improvement, not only in the mechanical devel-
Were this film to pass before the light continuously, the effect on the screen, as was observed in the early experiments, would be an indistinguishable blur. Το produce the desired results, it is necessary that each picture be retained on the screen, and there held stationary, for the slightest fraction of a second. During the interval between the presentation of one picture and the succeeding one, the screen must be dark. But so slight is this interval that it is not obvious to human perception, as now operated, though formerly the action was slow enough to produce the effect of observing MOVING PICTURES a landscape from a train window passing rapidly along a picket fence. of the moving-picture machine. This has a wheel, resembling the paddle wheel of finally been accomplished by means of sults that delayed the present perfection of the moving-picture machine. This has finally been accomplished by means of a wheel, eel, resembling the the paddle wheel of a stern-wheel river boat, which catches the films along the edges by means of RECEIVING RECEIVING DRUM VIEW FINDER OPERATING CRANK 10 10, FEED DRUM LENS HANDLE FOR LATERAL MOVING-PICTURE CAMERA MOVEMENT ✓ along the margins of the film. The each picture to pause just the desired interval. Sixteen separate pictures are presented during the space of one second, The moving-picture camera is conpresented during the space of one second. The moving-picture camera is contized film on which the negatives are made being exposed during the fraction of a second required for an instantaneous photograph. which this is done may be regulated The rapidity with by the photographer, who, by turning which this is done may be regulated Where slow movement is desired, era. the mechanism is slowly turned, with quick action is involved, such as the the result that fewer pictures are taken galloping of a horse or the leaping of to represent a given motion. Where camera is turned correspondingly faster, a human figure in a dramatic scene, the may be registered on the film. so that a greater number of impressions MOVING PICTURES ment field, moving pictures represented In their first appearance in the amuseonly such minor phases of action as a passing train, a scene from a cockfight, or the passing of a marching column of troops. As such they became a feature One of the first in this country to see in the moving-picture invention the possibility of dramatic action was Lubin, of in the moving-picture invention the pos- Philadelphia, who began to take extended series of pictures of scenes involving human emotions, such as the comedy of series of pictures of scenes involving a fat man being pursued down a street by an ever-increasing mob. These short "one-reel comedies" proved immensely by an ever-increasing mob. These short popular, and proved to be the basis for more serious and complicated dramatiza tions. One of the first studios" was that established by Lubin rst "moving-picture in his back yard, in Philadelphia, where hired actors went through their "scenes" before the moving-picture camera. Gradubefore the moving-picture camera. Graduthen two and three reels were utilized in portraying one continuous drama of action. action.
France, were developing the movingpicture re drama with a perfection of artistic presentation which was not attained in this country for many years. In this country a violent prejudice on the part of the regular members of the In this country a violent prejudice on to the develo from the purely dra development of moving pictures In France this prejudice was not so dramatic point of view. marked, and first-class actors allowed themselves to be presented on the screen. try, the American productions being As a consequence the finer pictures were largely limited to the horseplay comedies. for a long time imported into this counthis situation, and in bringing American moving pictures to the front, has been One of the chief factors in changing David W. Griffith, who may be said to have introduced the spectacular picture, produced at tremendous cost, the best example of which is his "Birth of a Nation," in which thousands of actors scenes of the play. In this remarkable and supers are employed in creating the production over two hundred thousand Nation," in which thousands of actors and supers are employed in creating the MOVING PICTURES and supers under the direction of Mr.
Griffith. The great success of "The Birth of a Nation" resulted in the later production of a number of similar picture dramas on a like scale of size and grandeur, among which may be mentioned MOVING PICTURES country, with the result that now American pictures equal the best in dramatic quality, though directed by such French artists in this line as Turneur, Kappalani, and Shotaurd. For some years past the old prejudice against "pictures" on COLD WATER RESERVOIR || LANTERN 0 COOLER FEED DRUM FILM SHUTTER LENSES FILM RECEIVING omgoleva aidd DRUM MOTOR bad MOVING-PICTURE PROJECTOR "Intolerance" and "The Fall of Babylon."
In the artistic presentation of dramatic pictures portraying deep human emotions, however, the French producers and directors were for a long time in the lead. Within recent years American producing firms have attracted the French directors to their employ in this the part of American actors and actresses has vanished, and now the leaders in the profession are frequently featured in the leading rôles of the higher class of picture dramas. Moving pictures, however, seem to demand peculiar talents of their own on the part of the actors who perform before the camera. Among the most popu- MOVING PICTURES lar "movie stars" are few who have first made their reputations on what is known favorite on the screen. The truth seems trained on the stage seldom becomes a favorite on the screen. The truth seems to be that the stage limits dramatic exnecessary to carry the effect over the footlights which is immediately detected through the lens of the camera. Actors ence also find it difficult to work up the necessary enthusiasm for a scene with their fellow employees in the studio. On the other hand, the key to movingpicture acting seems to be "natural" immediately registered by the camera, stage the quality of the voice is one of the most important elements making toward success. In moving pictures this quality plays no part, and individuals though not possessed of "carrying" voices, find their opportunity. ng- Among the actors and actresses who have gained their reputations entirely within the moving-picture studio are such personalities as Mary Pickford, Pearl White, Theda Bara, Charlie Chaplin, Irving Cummings, King Baggot, and William S. Hart. more numerous.
As has been the case among the actors, so it has been in the writing of the plays enacted through the medium of the camera. The moving picture has brought about the development of a class of playwrights distinct by themselves, and far art of expression by the written word, Here clever lines, the plays no part at all; only action is demanded. Hundreds of individuals who never before had felt the call of literature, or, having felt it, have failed in it, have made big successes in preparing the plots for the moving-picture pl plays. Most of the large studios, in fact, retain staffs plots for the moving-picture plays. Most of scenario writers permanently, on fixed salaries, who devote their whole time to of which are adapted from popular novels or regular plays which have been successful, but many of which are original cessful, but many of which are original. ing pictures has caused the moving-pic- MOWE 160,000 persons. About 250 firms or corof moving-picture films. The production of moving-picture films. The production tors and the actors, but the stage hands of the films involves not only the direcstudios and the thousands of workers in and carpenters and scenic artists in the duced into thousands of copies for disduced into thousands of copies for distribution among the 17,000 exhibition houses throughout the country. These films are first sent out by the distributive agencies, of which there are about 1,400 in the country, and they in their turn circulate them among the exhibition houses.
It is estimated that about picture industry, and that the yearly $600,000,000 is invested in the movingsalaries paid out to those employed amount to $250,000,000. Audiences in the exhibition houses are estimated at 50,000,000 a week. tirely confined to the amusement field.
Moving pictures, however, are not en- They are now beginning to be extensively employed in education. By means of moving-picture photography the growth on the most infinitesimal scale, may be of plants, the development of animal life portrayed through a magnifying process.
By the same means industrial processes, such as the various stages of the manufacture of any commodity, may be shown facture of any commodity, may be shown At the present time hardly any historic not attainable through any other means. event or ceremony takes place without being recorded on the films, to be prebeing recorded on the films, to be preborn. There is hardly a scene or battle of the Great War which is not thus rehaving had staffs of moving-picture phoof the Great War which is not thus retographers on the field to record the movements of their armies. In this parmovements of their armies. In this paring-picture invention has tremendous ing-picture invention has tremendous painter. Born of English parentage in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1858, he was brought to the United States when a possibilities before it. year old, and when 19 went to Paris to portrait painting, but later devoted himstudy painting. He at first engaged in rector of the American Academy in Rome self to mural decorating. He became diture industry to develop into one of the Pin 1903. His principal decorations are at more important ones of this country. It is estimated that 35,000 persons are employed in the production of the films before they pass into the hands of the part, including the employees of the show houses, give employment to another in 1903. His principal decorations are at residences of F. W. Vanderbilt, C. P.
New York. late Court House, and University Club, passed the blockade of the British fleet MoxoM in the Channel, under the command of Count zu Dohna-Schlobitten, Captain in the Imperial German Navy, with a crew of about 300 men. Within a period of less than three months he sank 15 merchant ships, captured the "Appam," sent her in to Norfolk, Va., then returned home with 200 prisoners and $250,000 in treasure. Her safe arrival caused great enthusiasm throughout Germany.