MAKING A PICTURE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 914, 5 November 1910, Page 4

MAKING A PICTURE.

(By PEANK &SBS&S.I You go to the picture-show, and yoot see the pictures. Did you ever take time to think how these pictures were made? Did it ever strike you that infinite oaxe, and patience, and ftgenoity go to thq making of these films yott see so earflyl I’m going to tell you. The cinematograph has brought into being a whole now school of actors. The lost art of pantomime has been revived. Men have learned again the art of gesture—learned to tell a story without the spokes? word.; The twentieth century has gone bock and learned to admire the subtlety of the fifteenth. History, to history's great advantage, repeats itself. The illustration of a dramatis story by means of the cinematograph is not by any means the easy matter it might at first sight seem to be, First of all, the drama has to be reconstructed on a Irving basis by living actors and actresses. As these players must needs be dumb, it becomes necessary that they shall have certain other striking qualities. With all furnishings and scenic background and accessories, the story has mainly to be told by gesture. A trite or false gesticulation may pass on the stage, where the spoken word exists; hut on the film it is lost; It unsteadies; it ie very much worse than useless, further, the gestures of the company photographed for the permanent presentiment of living drama must be good and convincing in every slightest detail The actors who ride must rid. well. Every trick of habit or authority must bo graphic and clear, but must not be exaggerated or in any way overdone. So that when the Messrs. MacMahon decided to reconstruct the scenes and incidents of “His Natural Life,’’ it first of ail became necessary to get together ;i capable and intelligent dramatic company for a special and unusual class of work. As in Australia many i good actors are not at all good mimes, the task of selection became more difficult. The players had to look their parts, and to play them so well and so naturally that the story should be vividly told in dumb show. With care and patience, such a company was got together. There were some weeks of careful rehearsal in a theatre, every line and situation of the play being spoken and acted as though, for a regular dramatic representation. Every word is spoken throughout. There is an idea that in posing for the cinematograph the actors merely move their mouths in a wild babble of pretended speech. The MacMahons found that that system was not satisfactory in the result, and in the end every line and syllable of the dialogue was spoken in its place. The preliminary rehearsals being over, the Company was shipped to Tasmania. Here the players went to tuc indicated spots with their eoetumea and their accessories, their camp-gear and their cook. Every incident s.was then acted and photographed with fastidious care. Where any gesture jarred or any incident dragged, the whole episode had to be acted and photographed over again. And so the thing went on until the desired result was obtained. Just the right weather and light were necessary, and when the right weather and light were not obtainable the Company- had to sit back and wait for better fortune. In the actual work of producing the film—not counting wasted days, or the time spent In preliminaries or the collection of materials —ten full weeks was consumed. “It was,” the managing brother says, “a labour of love, after all. The story is interesting, and the country is of absorbing interest. Given the exactly- appropriate scenery and atmosphere, it was a stimulating task to see how best we could convert the book into living drama. Our people threw their hearts into the business, and I think that thef succeeded almost beyond our hopes. It is a thrilling story as pictured, with fine dramatic intensity and unfailing quality of conviction.” Such a story, so told, must, I think, be valuable. Man’s inhumanity to man is a thing it is well to keep in mind, if only to help us to a saving humility and to—discourage the others. I have made a study of early Tasmania and the system. I can give you ray personal and sincere assurance that these pictures are true to life, and true to all that one can realise of the old, bad times.®