Post by Terry Harbin on Oct 30, 2010 16:18:24 GMT -5
MOVIE FEATURE
SERIES IS TASK
OF MAGNITUDE
Nearly Every Piece of Film in
Myra Pictures Must be Run
Through Camera Twice --
Big Work Whartons Are Doing
At Their Studios in Ithaca.
The scope of a movie feature series
is enormous, great enough, and
intricate enough to dampen the
ardor of the most ambitious producer.
Each "set" must be complete to the
minutest detail, and taken down and
set up again, it must be a perfect
replica of the first.
For the ordinary feature this is not
such a task, but for a feature series
that requires month in the making
and takes the company to all parts
of the country for exterior locations
and then back to the studio for interiors
it means infinite labor and detail.
Each piece of furniture and bric and
brac must be intact and ready to go
into its place. This is only a part of
the producer's work in making a feature
series.
The cast of such a picture is a very
important factor. Of course the cast is
the main thing in any feature, but in
such a series, requiring the services
of a body of people like the "Black Order"
in the "Mysteries of Myra." both studio
manager and producer have their work
cut out for them.
Every costume and every make-up
most be identical with those registered
in the first episode. All people registered
whose parts run through the picture
from time to time must be retained all
the way along as "doubling" is fatal.
The brothers Wharton of Ithaca have
probably produced more feature series
than any other one company, hence
they speak authoritatively."The average
layman, and even the most rabid movie
fan" states Leopold Wharton, "does not
seem to realize that every episode of the
'Myra' series is authentic.
In other words, the author has not
caused the different characters to act
in a certain way merely to make an
interesting story. He has not created
a lot of weird characters out of his
imagination.
For instance, we have it on very good
authority that the Black Lodge, so vividly
portrayed in "The Mysteries of Myra."
really exists. Also we have the word
of dozens of good men that they have
seen astral bodies enter and leave
living bodies.
Neither the Black Lodge nor the astral
body is a augment of anyone's imagination,
and all along both author and producers
have striven not only for realism but for
authenticity.
"Some of our task in producing "Myra" may
be gained from the fact that nearly every
piece of film used in this picture has to
be run through the camera twice--this on
account of the double exposure work necessary."
"It is almost like producing two picture at
once, only it is a little more trouble."
"This double exposure work, together
with levitation effects where the body
is seen to leave another and travel out
of a window or door, through space and
then down the wall of a building involves
infinite time and patience."
One levitation scene in "Myra" required
a derrick to do the lifting, and all of
one day's time of director, camera man,
actors, and helpers--all this for one
single scene.
"So you see there is quite some little
calculating and figuring involved in
the production of a feature series like
The Mysteries."
The Wharton Studios at Ithaca are
unique in many ways. They are perhaps
the only indoor studios employing no
violet lights --- being equipped with
1,000 Watt Mazda lights throughout.
Also the Whartons have the dimming
process figured out to a nicety -- a
feature that is sadly neglected by many
of our largest film manufacturers.
Thus they are able to take advantage of
many rare photographic effects.
You will never see a piece of Wharton
photography in which the faces of the
people in the act are "flattened" by
too much heavy arc lighting.
For two weeks previous to the making
of of the first scene of "The Mysteries
of Myra." the Wharton expert camera men
were constantly experimenting with
double exposures and lighting effects.
Now that the series is under way the
review of any one episode will testify
to the splendid results of this
preliminary experimental work. '
"Myra" abounds in thrills, novel
situations, weird and beautiful
photography. It is the long dreamed
of picture 'different.
source: Ithaca Journal 6-20-1916
SERIES IS TASK
OF MAGNITUDE
Nearly Every Piece of Film in
Myra Pictures Must be Run
Through Camera Twice --
Big Work Whartons Are Doing
At Their Studios in Ithaca.
The scope of a movie feature series
is enormous, great enough, and
intricate enough to dampen the
ardor of the most ambitious producer.
Each "set" must be complete to the
minutest detail, and taken down and
set up again, it must be a perfect
replica of the first.
For the ordinary feature this is not
such a task, but for a feature series
that requires month in the making
and takes the company to all parts
of the country for exterior locations
and then back to the studio for interiors
it means infinite labor and detail.
Each piece of furniture and bric and
brac must be intact and ready to go
into its place. This is only a part of
the producer's work in making a feature
series.
The cast of such a picture is a very
important factor. Of course the cast is
the main thing in any feature, but in
such a series, requiring the services
of a body of people like the "Black Order"
in the "Mysteries of Myra." both studio
manager and producer have their work
cut out for them.
Every costume and every make-up
most be identical with those registered
in the first episode. All people registered
whose parts run through the picture
from time to time must be retained all
the way along as "doubling" is fatal.
The brothers Wharton of Ithaca have
probably produced more feature series
than any other one company, hence
they speak authoritatively."The average
layman, and even the most rabid movie
fan" states Leopold Wharton, "does not
seem to realize that every episode of the
'Myra' series is authentic.
In other words, the author has not
caused the different characters to act
in a certain way merely to make an
interesting story. He has not created
a lot of weird characters out of his
imagination.
For instance, we have it on very good
authority that the Black Lodge, so vividly
portrayed in "The Mysteries of Myra."
really exists. Also we have the word
of dozens of good men that they have
seen astral bodies enter and leave
living bodies.
Neither the Black Lodge nor the astral
body is a augment of anyone's imagination,
and all along both author and producers
have striven not only for realism but for
authenticity.
"Some of our task in producing "Myra" may
be gained from the fact that nearly every
piece of film used in this picture has to
be run through the camera twice--this on
account of the double exposure work necessary."
"It is almost like producing two picture at
once, only it is a little more trouble."
"This double exposure work, together
with levitation effects where the body
is seen to leave another and travel out
of a window or door, through space and
then down the wall of a building involves
infinite time and patience."
One levitation scene in "Myra" required
a derrick to do the lifting, and all of
one day's time of director, camera man,
actors, and helpers--all this for one
single scene.
"So you see there is quite some little
calculating and figuring involved in
the production of a feature series like
The Mysteries."
The Wharton Studios at Ithaca are
unique in many ways. They are perhaps
the only indoor studios employing no
violet lights --- being equipped with
1,000 Watt Mazda lights throughout.
Also the Whartons have the dimming
process figured out to a nicety -- a
feature that is sadly neglected by many
of our largest film manufacturers.
Thus they are able to take advantage of
many rare photographic effects.
You will never see a piece of Wharton
photography in which the faces of the
people in the act are "flattened" by
too much heavy arc lighting.
For two weeks previous to the making
of of the first scene of "The Mysteries
of Myra." the Wharton expert camera men
were constantly experimenting with
double exposures and lighting effects.
Now that the series is under way the
review of any one episode will testify
to the splendid results of this
preliminary experimental work. '
"Myra" abounds in thrills, novel
situations, weird and beautiful
photography. It is the long dreamed
of picture 'different.
source: Ithaca Journal 6-20-1916