The Film Industry

under review is, itself, but a manufactured article, no natural "basis or finality could be obtained that way. These considerations would seem to make it advisable to take the " made film " as the true point of departure for a tour of inspection through the youngest of all the great industries of the world. Here comes the first difficulty occasioned by the choice of a starting point. What is " made film " ? To the average individual it is the celluloid ribbon upon which there is a complete series of pictures ready for showing, with the aid of a projector, on the screen of a cinema hall. This, however, is really the finished product ! There are two distinct types of cinematograph film, known as " positive " and " negative." The latter is first used to record the pictures with the aid of a special camera, and the former is the completed article which is passed through the projector in the cinema halls. Both are transparent and have a celluloid base. The raw material of the industry is therefore the emul- sioned and highly-sensitive negative film in its unexposed2 -- '".'. -T'ftF. Film Industry condition, and the finished product is the developed positive film with the series of pictures on its surface. Between the receipt of the one and the release to the trade of the other lie all the complicated processes of film-production. The base or transparent foundation of both positive and negative film is celluloid, a highly inflammable substance made from ...