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portant fields for experiment in connection with the
lights, for either one problem or the other must be
solved, before perfection can be reached.
It would hardly be possible to say at this early
date that the new lights give a better quality of
photography; cameramen differ widely on this point.
But it is safe to say that they give as good, or the
producers would have abandoned them from the
start, and it certainly would appear that with experiment
and improvement we will achieve better ef-
{ects eventually. They are here to stay, because of
the saving in time, labor and current, and minor
details will have to be adapted to them.
One important change in make-up brought about
by the new lights has simplified the whole art of
disguise. IJnder the new lights and Panchromatic
film, the make-up that looks most nearly perfect to
the eye is most nearly perfect to the camera. Under
the old Arc lights we had many tricks to learn, by
using colors to compensate for light, and thus the
eye, the most natural guide, was not reliable. The
new lights will enable the actor to better judge his
make-up by inspection without a screen test, and
this, o{ course, will be a boon.
The above discussion applies primarily to the socalled
straight make-up. Character make-up, or
make-up for disguise rather than merely efficient
photography, presents many different problems.
In the main, the principle of darker shades and
brown lining will obtain. In shading, instead of
red and gray we will turn to the browns, and any
artificial applications such as plastic material, will
have to be toned down in browns so as to eliminate
lighter photography.
This means much experimenting. The lights are
so new that practically none of a thousand devices
in character make-up have been filmed under them,
and each of these will, of course, have to be tested
and .experimented with to evolve necessary changes.
Hence for a time we will have to experiment at
length with every new character make-up, to learn
which of the old principles to abandon and which
to retain. It will evolve many new devices, it goes
without saying. Again, as in straight make-up, colors
and shades natural to the eye will appear most
natural to the camera, which will often simplify
these experiments.
Black is especially dangerous under the new lights
and must be handled with the utmost delicacy
wherever used, either on eyes or on linings. I venture
to say that eventually the black pencils will be
eliminated from the actor's make-up kit.
To recapitulate, the new lights are more penetrating
and cast deeper shadows, hence contrast must
always be toned down, and Panchromatic film, registering
shades in relation to color more accurately,
call for shadings and hues more nearly natural to
the eye. Because of the tendency to photograph
more rapidly and minutely, much less make-up, in
point of quantity, must be used. Deep shadows and
accented highlights must be avoided Ior fear of contrast.
.
These are all matters to be worked out by changing
the technique of make-up. The heat problem is
an engineering one that will doubtless soon be overcome.
And with these worked out, cameramen will
be in a position to go ahead on the problem of better
photography under the new lights. I believe this
will ultimately be achieved; in {act, possibly in a
very short time. There are no insurmountable difficulties,
so far as I can see.
These are my views from what limited investigations
I have been able to make, and for the purpose
of discussion I would like to ask a few questions
which, I feel, are important. Perhaps they can be
answered now; if not, we will have to experiment
to find the answers.
What will be the photographic efiect of putty or
wax used in building up a character make-up ? This
is a dead substance, and prone to photograph as such,
unless great care is used, even under the Arc lights.
Suppose we apply this substance, tone it down with
brown, apply linings, powders, and thus have several
colors superimposed. Just what will be the
result ?
Consider the collodion scar. Just how will it be
handled under the new lights, with their searching
penetration ? How can we make the scars now used
appear genuine, rather than a film applied to the
face ?
What will be the effect of, say, a toupee, when
dead hair is contrasted with live hair ? Here, it
seems to me, is a problem that will take considerable
research, and I would be glad to hear some discussion
of it.
Any foreign substance applied to the face, and
then colored over will, I think, have certain distinguishing
effects under the new make-up. How will
we grapple with a cauliflower ear of artificial material,
a wax protuberance, or perhaps a set of false
teeth ?
How will crepe hair photograph under the keener
lights ?
These are all Questions that will come up many
times in practice. Perhaps some o{ them have been
already solved; if not, experiment along these lines
will be valuable, I am sure.
DISCUSSION ON
MR" CHANEY'S PAPER
Mn. Duenav: These questions of Mr. Chaney's
are intensely interesting. And the questions can
only be answered by experienced men. Some of
them are here tonight. Mr. Factor will be able to
answer them right now, I am sure.
Mn, Facron: In manufacturing make-up such
as this, our purpose has been to create a new film
on the {ace which must be as flexible as the skin
itself. Now, nose putty may be mixed with a light
shade of brown Panchromatic grease paint, which
will form a new skin over the putty blended in
properly with the face where it comes into contact
with the skin itself. This applies to scars and blood,
for the blood is the same shade as the eye shadow
and the lining. We find that just one tone of brouzn
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