Tag: silent film

Further Film Facts from America

su da theain Cronologia 1916

May 1916

In previous articles we have discussed the broader issues and given past results and future possibilities for foreign films in America. In this article we will give you some facts and figures and discuss existing actualities in general.

About the first thing that a foreign film man would have to do in opening an American branch would be to advertise; speaking now of the present conditions here. Abroad a full page advertisement in the leading film journals will cost about 50 liras or ten dollars in American money. In America, the leading film journals charge dollars 75 for a page advertisement and the page is not only smaller than the foreign page but the advertisement is by no means so prominent and attractive. When we consider the number of pages which a big film concern takes at times, the tremendous expense is easily computed. Large releasing concerns here frequently take from 12 to 20 pages at a time and do this in three different film journals the same week, not mentioning smaller advertisements they take in minor publications. These concerns are supposed to get a ten per cent rebate from the dollars 75 per page price, but they no doubt get a rate of about dollars 60 per page and in one case at least of dollars 50 per page. Even at this latter price it will be seen that the weekly expense sometimes runs as high as dollars 3.000.

These advertisements are put in to attract the eye of the theatre manager or exhibitor. Naturally in the end he, as the consumer, pays the bill. The natural question suggests itself, why should there be such a vast difference between the advertising rates abroad and here? The foreign journals, generally speaking, are much better papers than the American ones. They use better material and reproduce better photographs. Admitting that labor may be much cheaper abroad, that in itself does not explain the difference. Summing it all up it would appear that there is a big field here for the foreign editor to start something new. The Americans are already making moves in this direction. One of the prominent film journals has started a separate edition in Spanish for the South American countries, while another has announced a Great Britain edition. Let a live Italian Editor come over here and put up a sort of International journal, with a schedule of advertising prices of not over dollars 25 per page with sufficient financial backing to stand a strain during the building to stand a strain during the building up period and there is not much doubt as to the result.

Another angle of interest is the salary end for artists and directors. It is rather difficult to give actual figures on these ends as no two cases are just alike. A few instances, however, will give a fair idea.

Directors, termed I believe in Italian as metteur en scène, are paid largely by reputation. When a new film concern starts in business they immediately arrange to get some director with a reputation away from some other concern and start bidding for his services. One case is of special interest. The director in question was a stage manager for a theatrical stock company in a large city and was paid a salary  of about dollars 75 per week. He was a competent man and well worth that money. About five years ago he went with a film concern which was a member of the trust and, while we have no information as to his salary there, we judge it was about dollars 100 per week. One of the large independent producing-releasing organizations, which has made a specialty of corralling all the stage plays and stars, they could gather, made a big bid for this director’s services and it is reputed he received dollars 350 per week from them. The salary is absurd, as the man is worth nothing like that amount to this concern or anyone else. He is undoubtedly a capable man but has had no great experience except in the making of ordinary stuff and, in the opinion of the writer, would never be capable of competing with Italian directors in the making of great films. And it was recently stated that another new concern had made an offer to this director to join their staff and name his own salary for a term of one year. In any event, he has left the dollars 350 per week place and is going with a new company which has announced the starting of  entire new city for the making of pictures. Such a concern cannot possibly be successful.

Another director, and by the way the best in America, was with one of the oldest companies for about 12 years. He resigned a few years ago to join a new concern and was reputed to be drawing a salary of over dollars 100.000 per year. The statement is absurd on the face of it, and yet it is generally accepted as true. It is safe to assume that his salary is about dollars 500 per week with a percentage of some sort on certain big films in the making and producing of which he is interested. The usual run of directors are probably getting from dollars 50 to dollars 100 per week and at that are enjoying far better positions and salary than they ever earned in the theatrical business.

Extras or supernumeraries receive all sorts of prices. In many cases they select a lot of unemployed men who are found in cheap hotels and similar places and give them one dollar per day; possibly a meal besides. They are most unsatisfactory from every standpoint . Higher grade concerns employ regular acting people and pay them from dollars 2 to dollars 5 per day. The ideal condition is to employ people on a weekly basis when a big production is to be made and pay them dollars 15 per week which is the usual scale for chorus and small grade people for big ensemble scenes in the theatres. This refers to people who can make up and who can be properly drilled and not to the common supers who receive 50 cents a performance in the theatres. People of the dollars 15 per week class could be drilled to really act and play the part properly as units in big scenes and equal those people who appear in similar scenes in Italy.

Salaries of actors in the pictures have been very much inflated not only in the press but in actual fact. Stars of course are in a class by themselves, but for dollars 50 per week fine people may be had to play any and all kinds of parts and for smaller and less important parts dollars 25 and 35 per week will get all one needs.

It is true that fabulous salaries have been paid theatrical stars but that is practically over now. They have been most unsatisfactory. They look old and unattractive before the camera; their camera acting is in most cases a great disappointment and their names have failed to draw anything like the money that they were expected to draw. It has been clearly demonstrated in alla cases that people who have worked for pictures for a long time and have any natural ability for camera acting, have in the long run been the best investment. The biggest and most successful films ever shown in America have had no stars’ names featured with them.

People like Charles Chaplin must not to be confused with theatrical stars above mentioned. Chaplin was an actor but an unknown one and all his popularity and prominence has come about through his screen or camera acting.

W. E. Heal

Doris Kenyon

su da theain Cronologia 1920, Personaggi
Doris Kenyon
Doris Kenyon

March, 1920.

A Film Actress who is also a Singer, Authoress and Poetess.

Doris Kenyon was born in Syracuse, and is the daughter of Dr. James B. Kenyon, noted poet and author, the family moving  to New York City while she was still a little girl. At a very early age, it was discovered that she was the possessor of a remarkably fine contralto voice, and at the age of fourteen years she was engaged as principal soloist at Grace Presbyterian Church, in Brooklyn. She remained there one year, after which she went as soloist to the Bushwick Avenue Church.

It was while singing in the Bushwick Avenue Church that Victor Herbert heard her, and was attracted by the extraordinary quality of her voice, her youthful beauty, and her animated personality. He had written and was about to produce Princess Pat, and offered Miss Kenyon a part in it, which she accepted. Miss Kenyon remained with the Princess Pat company throughout the season, but towards  the close of the engagement she received a very flattering offer to appear on the screen as co-star with Alice Brady in The Rack.

Then followed a long list of successful engagements on the screen, co-starring with, among others, George Beban, Holbrook Blinn, Lew Fields, Robert Warwick, and Frank McIntyre. Later she was elevated to independent stardom, first by World Film Corporation, and later by Famous Players.

Doris Kenyon has a devoted admirer in Ada Patterson, the famous newspaper and magazine writer.

Here is one of the stories that Ada Patterson likes to tell of Doris Kenyon’s public début. She was then seventeen years old, and, as a member of Eleanor Painter’s company in Princess Pat, had a scene with Sam Hardy, the comedian. A couple of nights after the opening Hardy, looking out after the audience, turned to Miss Kenyon in a confidential aside and whispered, “See that couple in the second row seats on the left? They are talking about us. He is a motion picture man. One of us is going to hear from him. I think it will be you.”

The very next day the prophecy of the comedian came true. Miss Kenyon was summoned to the office of a film company and offered a year’s contract. It took four conferences and a lot of persuasion to induce Miss Kenyon to become interested in pictures. When she did finally consent, she declared that it would be only for a while. “Some day I shall return to the stage,” she said.

Before Miss Kenyon was nineteen years old, Theodore C. Deitrich became her manager, and, with the youthful girl as his star and partner, organised a firm for the express purpose of starring Miss Kenyon in pictures at the head of her own company. Many times she desired to return to the stage, and last summer Mr. Dietrich completed an arrangement with A. H. Woods whereby Miss Kenyon will appear on the stage, at the same time making pictures, the first of which, The Bandbox, has just been completed.

Miss Kenyon inherited her musical talent from her mother, who is an extremely clever pianist. In addition to her vocal talent, Miss Kenyon is also a pianist and a violinist. From her father she inherited marked literary talent, and is the author of a large number of poems which have appeared in leading magazines.

Miss Kenyon is an expert marksman, can drive her own car, and is a splendid tennis and golf player. She is five feet six inches tall, and has blue-grey eyes and light brown hair.

Italy: The Cradle of Cinema Masterpieces

su da theain Cronologia 1915, Produzione

by Leonard Donaldson

Italy’s high position in the Cinematograph world shows no signs of waning, in spite of the great upheaval. While although rumors have reached this country that several of the leading producing films have been compelled to discontinue business owing to the war, the writer is able to assure the English trade that there is absolutely no truth in these statements, and that up to the present, in any case, the output of the Italian studios is quite normal. The export trade has certainly decreased owing to the difficulties of transport, but is believed that this trouble will soon removed.

Moreover, Italy’s import trade has been steadily increasing, during the past few years. Although the amount of British films sento to Italy has never represented a high figure, I am given to understand this is increasing annually. Whilst in 1913 only 84.145 ft. of film were obtained from Great Britain, statics go to show that this figure was doubled in recent returns.

Unlike her sister Ally France, Italy has not utilized the cinematograph to any extent for military purposes. Other than a few films depicting the mobilizing of the Italian forces, no war pictures of any note are screened at the cinemas. Moreover, I hear on the best authority that the Italian Government have issued an order prohibiting the use of cinematograph cinemas on the whole of the frontier where there are important military positions, and that no camera operators are allowed in the field.

Now a word as to the position of the Italian exhibitor. For a considerable time past he has been bearing the burden of a particularly severe taxation, particulars of which were made known to the British trade in the latter part of last year.

This taxation, as originally introduced by the Italian Minister of Finance, was so exorbitant as to be almost incredible. For the purpose of the tax , it may be remembered, the cinemas were to be divided into three groups according to this seating capacity. Thus:

Theaters of the first-class (accommodating 1.100 persons) were to be taxed L. 2 10s. per show.
Theaters of the second class, accommodating 700 persons) were to be taxed L. 1 1s per show.
Theaters of the third class (accommodating 350 persons) were to be taxed 12s 4d. per show.

Now estimating that each theatre gave nine performances a day, a theatre of the first class would be paying the unheard of tax of L. 22 10s a day!

So keenly did the Italian producers realize the danger of this movement that a commission headed by Signor Pasquali (Chevalier of the Crown) waited upon the Minister of Finance, and pleaded with him to hesitate before advocating such an extreme measure. As a result of the conference the tax was substantially modified and certain classes of cinemas are now exempt. Even by the new arrangement the tax yields 6.500.000 lire per annum — instead of 7.500.000 lire as formerly drawn up.

So it will be seen that in spite of this modification the exhibitor is still having to bear a very heavy burden. From these facts it would appear that the producers are the most prosperous class in the Italian cinema industry as, in fact, they are. Uncle Sam is, perhaps, their best customer, claiming , as he does, on an average of 2.000.000 ft. of film per annum.

Comment upon the quality and class of film that is produced in Italy does not come within the scope of this article, and would be invidious in view of the facts being so familiar to us.

Such pictorial gems as Quo Vadis?, Anthony and Cleopatra and Cabiria have borne convincing testimony of the incomparable Italian genius responsible for their conception. Alla that is greatest and best in Roman classics and history has found expression through the medium of the cinematograph. The glorious story of The Eternal City will never lose its charm so long as Italian talent is employed in its telling.

Mr. G. I. Fabbri, proprietor of La Cinematografia Italiana ed Estera, gives me an interesting account of the present position of the Italian trade under war conditions:

“When Italy first declared war to Austria, he said, “there was something of a panic in cinema circles, and many of the producing films suspended business. This, however, was only temporary, and the present conditions are almost normal. Cines, Ambrosio, Corona, Latium, Itala, Gloria, Caesar, Milano, Bonnard and several smaller firms re still busy. New Companies have been floated since the outbreak of war, amongst which are The Victoria Film Company, a concern having a Spanish directorate, and another producing firm which has recently been established by the celebrated metteur en scène Mario Caserini (of Ambrosio and Gloria fame). This company will shortly produce some very pretentious subjects of high artistic value. Furthermore, the Photo-Drama Company will be producing at an early date.”

Mr. Fabbri, moreover, informs me that at the outbreak of hostilities a number of companies were formed having small capitals. The promoters were, in most cases, artistes who had lost their connection during the panic already referred to.

Count B. Negroni (of Rome), associated with the famous star Hesperia, is responsible for an excellent production of The Lady with the Camelias, and The Alba Films (also of Rome), have recently filmed a great patriotic subject, entitled Silvio Pellico.

Films od the Allied Countries are extremely popular throughout Italy, and those of a patriotic character are eagerly sought after. I am assured that hirers of exclusive films and manufactures agents generally have not been seriously affected by the war.

The Italian trade press continues its business more or less as usual. There is La Cinematografia Italiana ed Estera; La Vita Cinematografica (which is now published by-monthly instead of weekly); Film (of Naples); La Illustrazione Cinematografica (of Milan) which, however, appears somewhat irregularly; Il Tirso al Cinematografo (of Rome) and La Cine-Fono (of Naples).

I understand from Mr. Fabbri that several new publications have appeared, but are not being well supported.

In conclusion, I am asked to give this message to the English trade:

The War has not seriously affected the cinematograph business in Italy, and each and every member of the Italian film industry is confident that the War will be brought to a victorious conclusion by the Allies.

(The Bioscope – Ciò che si dice all’estero dell’Italia. La Cinematografia Italiana ed Estera, Torino 15 december 1915)