Show Studio t Se Secrets r is Revealed Revear d tE H ECi Ie K I. I 1 m SK Ili j ice Details Production spy Y Y 4 i fJ v.-K v. famous uS Producer and Director Takes rakes Telegram Readers on Trip Through ugh His Big Studio at Culver City 1 By Hunt Stromberg X personal Personal Representative native of Mr Ince tice i OR OIt the tIie benefit of ot th the hundreds of thousands of ot motion picture iF F EOR devot devotees eR who have lo longed sed to visit a modern studio and peep behind the gloriously moving scenes we gained Thomas Inces mcc's i i. i permission to move the Inc Ince studios via the short route of the Underwood Unlimited and the generous cooperation of ot Mr Ince and a astaff astaff staff of ot technicians from their pretentious abode In Culver City C Cal l to the the comfortable fireplaces s of the inquisitive fans We Ve say permission b be because ause most producers ar are loath to take the public into their confidence preferring to lock box the fascinating secrets Ith f belong to a a. business which is is essentially closed to the eager eyes of ot otI I the curious and skeptical He Hence ce this authorized account of ot scene-building scene and set shifting set for it must be remembered th the rare and Intricate science of ot moving the movies Is as potentia potential to the success of ot the modern photo photodrama drama as the tho presence of the stars and players themselves Because he was so closely Identified with all work In the Inca Ince studio at Culver City Mr Inc Ince- delegated the writing of the last two wo articles in his series to Mr Stromberg his personal representative In this his m manner Mr Ince believes the public can be given a fresh viewpoint All AU details of or the next two articles were verified by Mr lr Ince as written by bY Mr Stromberg The first of the two follows The second and the last of the Ince series will Wm appear cu 11 the dramatic page Monday First in In line of scene scene construction at atthe atthe atthe the Thomas H. H Ince studios is the noted producer himself Like most successful sJ of Industry Mr Ince has the de deI deM details de- de M tails talis of ot his organization organization organ organ- at his fingers fingers' fingers fingers' fin fin- tt m I rt gers' gers tips Ups With the they 1 discretion and unerring unerring unerring un un- un- un y erring Jud g m men e n t Y that has characterized character character- bed his remarkable progress as a maker makerS of stars and a proS producer producer pro pro- S S 2 ducer of feature attractions at- at tractions Thomas ThomasS S SS H. H Ince lends his Intuitive in intuitive intuitive in- in knowledge of ot fine art and his firm S S S grasp of practical S S showmanship to toj j the planning of every set drafted in inthe S 55 the Ince studios S ii When a a. scenario is S. S J accepted for proE production production pro pro- E t twelve w e I 1 v e eS S copies of the continuity continuity con con- 5 are distributed distri distri- buted among as 1 S many departments I THOS H. H INCE INGE directly or Indirectly S allied with the actual ac- ac production The various departmental departmental depart depart- mental heads and their assistants are required to become intimate with the character of ot the story and Its general requirements requirements re reo re- re in all phases phase of development The casting director forever angling and dickering for suitable talent with which to portray the characters suggested suggested suggested sug sug- by the story then selects the players to surround the star TO o insure casts that excel in every point of hu- hu candidates and anness and two sometimes three and four are chosen for the types types' demanded by the script I These sUbject subjects are personally approved I or rejected lf r. the I I tor Coincident thIs procedure the di director dl- dl 1 rector ector and his assistant the the technical technical I S and lind and art directors and the stage manS manager manager man- man ager agel convene in the office of Production S Manager Clark W. W Thomas for the purpose pur pur- pose of arranging a definite schedule for forthe forthe forthe the construction and placement ment of ot all sets necessary to the picture After Arter the he production schedule is ratified ratified rati rati- fied fid the art director submits rough sketches for the approval of the director who vho In In this very ery Important Instance must stretch his vivid imagination and make sure that the contemplated sets are In in strict accordance with his ideas for carrying out the action and atmosphere atmos ph phere re necessary to the theme and plot of the story S MOVING THE MOVIES The draftsmen draftsmen-a a young army in numbers num num- bers then hers then draw the plans In minute de deS detail de- de tail tan after which they are subject for S examination by the court of last resort which this in-this degree Includes Thomas H H. Ince and the director and continuity writer of the play When the expenditures are blueprints are finally approved the plans go to- to Stage Manager Harry Schenck and then follows the all absorbing spectacle of building th the sets and moving them into place on ort the seven gigantic stages which domineer the th studio lot Some idea ideaS S of the importance and magnitude of ot this division of picture manufacturing may maybe maybe maybe be gained from the fact that skilled carpenters are on the payroll The art technical and property force constitute an additional thirty-five thirty men Added to this force are a regiment of scene shifters shift t ers electricians jacks of all trades and superintendents superintendent of inspection It is rather illuminating to disclose that the furniture decorations paper and various odds and ends ofa of a a screen set must be chosen la in accordance accordance accordance ac ac- ac- ac with the story and the principal ch character therein For Instance if it the 1 beloved heroine of the play is gifted with buoyant blonde curls It would be a a. horrible crime to arrange a a. light backS back'S background background back back- S 'S ground or round f F To gain a contrast and insure crystal photography photograph It Is vital that the the set set be 5 placed against a d dark rk background And Andice vice ice versa with the brunettes o of filmdom All AU of ot which suggests suggest the thought that the life of the art and technical director iv lis indeed an uneasy one since they must exercise the utmost vigilance in se selecting se se- the furniture draperies etc in strict harmony with the personality and sometimes the temperament temperament-of of the stars f SETS USED ONCE ONLY Of further further Interest especially ny to the demon auditor is the rather sad fact t that lat a a. setting or scene Is used only once No o matter how ow many days or ox weeks are ar consumed consume in planning building and moving a a. set It is invariably scrapped upon completion of the picture and In I 1 some cases Immediately following the final shots of that particular scene or situation a o sli In a production now In the making a 11 replica replica of the Metropolitan opera house housein in New York was for several of I the Important scenes With due respect for tor those who may scoff at statements pertaining to expense we brave the da dangers gers of an uprising and very emphatically emphatically emphatically cally state that this particular set cost costin in the neighborhood of f Exactly carpenters and decorators were employed em em- played in its Its' construction Following the he shooting of six or seven even scenes showing the songbirds singing singing sing sing- ing and the horseshoe of diamonds applauding applauding applauding ap ap- ap- ap the cameras moved to an ex ext exterior ex- ex t location ti and n several days later t taa the the remains remains e I of the h Metropolitan e 6 interior t were hauled away to the scrap heap as the pallbearers the studio scrap brigade brigade brigade bri bri- bri- bri gade marched to the dirge of ot Where Do DoVe DoWe DoWe We Ve Go From Here Perhaps you'll ex exclaim ex- ex claim R Rotten business if I were a 1 producer Id I'd retain those swell scenes for tor future use But alas Thomas H. H Ince nce would reply very pertly We never use the same set twice Movie fans are critical critical cal and they'd soon suspect Generally speaking from two to thirty days das are required for the building of the average set Sometimes It goes up on the stage where It will be photographed but I it ip the case of ot elaborate ballroom sets sets- and their and J their equivalent miniature model model- sets are made Following their close inspection for detail etan contemplated action and ups close the actual construction construction con con- is done In piecework In the mammoth shops adjoining adjoining- the studio proper SAMSON OUTDONE In some Instances the business of moving moving moving ing the movies would make a hydraulic derrick ashamed of Itself Cumbersome properties like columns center cente door or fancies winding st stairways Pullman coaches etc would tip A the highest reared scales off their balance and you see shades of ot old Samson himself as the stalwart braves put their shoulders t to tp the wheel and bodily carry miladys milady's palace palace palace pal pal- ace or his his' honors honor's string of coaches to their places before the craving camera When the bare sets are moved and In Installed Installed installed in- in stalled property the painters and decorators deco arrive with an equipment of fancy tancy varnish lacquer solutions of or gold and silver velvets and Various kindred kindred kindred kin kin- dred regalia while the electricians and spot experts with experts i wl with no high voltage on all l sides sides prepare prepare p to with follow their essential essential essen essen- s e contribution to the great offensive which makes behind the scenes life one sensational nal serial of flickering motion and notion n |