SCREEN OR STAGE?

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 244, 9 July 1919, Page 7

SCREEN OR STAGE?

. . BRIDGING THE GAP. (Bv "A Film Producer" in the "Daily Mail.") The kinema has made such great strides in the short years of its existence that the enthusiasts are already predicting an untimely end to the stage, as we know it at present, its place being wholly taken by moving pictures. Thinking over the question carefully, there seems no reason why this should not happen-in time. It all depends on threo points, which have not yet been solved in any way to tho satisfaction ot u'lin-nvoducers. They are: 1. Colour. 2. Sound. It. Substance. . Many efforts have already been made to perfect the coloured film, and they have been increasingly successful. J. lie ■first pictures shown in colour wero certainly in very crude hues, but just before 'the war an invention based on the three-colour process was shown privately with some' success, the great drawback being that a special operator was needed to show the pictures. Much has been done, too, in the direction of taking films. The problem of synchronising (he voice with the movement of the picture is being carefully investigated, and a solution appears in sight. It may come in the form of a double film with the picture and the sound record side by side. These two points aro certainly ncanng solution, but tho last still presents much difficulty. A stereoscopic film which will throw a character or a building into such relief as to appear quite substantial is what it needed, and the inventive brain of the world must eventually evolve

When these threo things are settled thoro is no reason why a play should not lip produced by film iven moro effectually than on 'tho stage-owing to tho greater scenic scope. Instead of the "first night" in London there would bo a "first night" of a popular actor and actress simultaneously all over England-possibly all over tho world.

Such a film, too, would bo given a "run" at a picture theatre,' not being limited to threo nights or a week. Actors would nnt grow-weary and stale because they had "played their parts so often and yet tho number of nights on which a success would bo shown would run into many thousands. "Of course there will be innumerable pitfalls in the wav of the producer, and rehearsing will bo longer than for either stage or film at present. But tin? forecast of the enthusiast is not really very unreasonable.