Advocate (Burnie, Tas. : 1890 - 1954), Friday 29 January 1926, page 2


HLM PRODUCTION

"Jewelled Nights" Success

State Industry Proposed

TTtOLLOWING on Ute phénoménal

A success of the filming of

"Jewelled Nights," which! ia adaptod from tho story of tho same name by Mario Bjolko Peterson, it is proposed that an effort bo made to firmly establish the picture-pro-ducing Industry in Tasmania.

Miss Petersen is very enthu-siastic on the subject, and declares that should the proposal mato'rialise it wonld undoubtedly result in im-mense value to Tasmania, bobh from advertisement and financial points of view.

MISS PETERSEN visited Burnie on

Wednesday, m connection with the serening of "Jewelled Nights," in the Binnie Theatre that evening, and ye.sIciday motoied to Sheffield, where the scenes of a new bock sho is writing nie

laid.

Financial Benefits.

Prior to her departuie yesterday morning, Miss Petersen told a îepurter of "The Advocate" that since she had been connected with the vvoik of pro-ducing pictures, and had seen what a huge finniicinl benefit the big industry had proved to America, she had been anxious to establish the industry in Tasmania. The making of pictures was the third largest industry in the world, and now that "Jewelled Nights" had proved to the world that piétines could be made iii Australia equal to America's best, the Common-wealth was destined lo play an import-ant part in this work in the future.

"Consequently," declared Miss Pe-terson, "it is my aim that Tasmania should have its share of the industry. During the last three months I have been doing my utmost. to_ have it es-tablished, and linlesä we make a com-mencement at the earliest possible mo-ment it will be too late. Already the big Paramount Company have sent their mnungei' of foreign iifi'airs to Mel-bourne for the purpose of establishing studios. ' It is essential that we start at once if ive are to gain a place on

the market."

Referring to "Jewelled Nights," Miss Petersen stated that she had boen very anxious to havn the whole of the picture produced in Tasmania, as she

realised it would have been of immense value to the State. The production had cost £10,000, and owing to the fact that the work was backed by Victorians, a great deal of the money had to be spent in that State. For the samo reason, the film was released in Mel-bourne, otherwise Tasmania would have had that privilege.

Tasmania Particularly Suitable.

Questioned as to Tasmnnin's snitabilnties for producing all classes of pictures Miss Petersen pointed out that quite a large number of people had expressed the opinion that the weather conditions on the whole were too dull for effective piel ure production, but "Jewelled Nights" had proved this to bo incor-rect. It would bo noticed that many of the scenes taken in Tasmania had an outstanding brilliance, and this had been the subject of much favorable comment by mainland experts. It had been proved that Tasmania wns particu-larly suitable for the production ol' films, because of the clear atmospheric conditions, and many other ndvantoge." which arc necebsary in the making of pictures.

No Pear of Failure.

"Then again," continued Miss Pe-terson "people are often arguing that they are too poor to start anything of th'w kind. But isn't that nil the more -epson why wo should make money? My iden is not that a few rich men sliould finance this scheme, but that it .hould lie a profitable industry for all classes, and tho peoplu who need it mrs! 1 have been negotiating in both (ho South' and North, and now in the North-West.' and I am sure that if peo-, pic will inteict' themselves1 in , this, scheme it should pi ove ol' great bouo'lit tw thurn.. There can bo no fear ''ni fiiilu-e, as I his has been proved im-possible. Press reports BIIOVV I hal 'in

?even weeks in Melbourne ".Jewelled -Nip, ht a'" was witnessed by over 351000 people. In two days in Hobart by 9000. In both eases hundreds ww turned away.

Advertise Tasman!»,.

Procce'diug, Miss Petersen pointed mil, that for many years past she had 'jeen endeavoring through the medium <>f her books lo place Tasmania bîfore the world. Critics in London nod <Iecwhero had remarked on the vvondciful beauly of the State, but picture m k'i.g would bo. even a greater .id>ci tivm .ni for Tasmania. In "Jewelled Nights" mainland homes were used for various settings, but if Tasmania had an in-dustry^ of this kind, Tasmanian homes would be used, aud as a result the peo-ple mid various places would bo brought to the front. It was not only tho money that would bo spent iii tho State, but ¡ill the actual profits would be Tasman-

ian.

In answer to a quos'tion, Miss Peter-sen explained that in ordci to mater-

ialise this scheme it would .be neces-

sary1 lo form a company to finance it. There waa no necessity lo begin on a. largo scale; a commencement could be made by producing one picture ,nnd if this proved successful-and there ,vvas i)o doubt that it would-they could begin to make othois. "But," con-tinued the authoress "we must pro-duce first-class films; it would be use-less undortnking tho project otherwise. Critics of the Melbourne "Herald," "Aigus," "Age," and "Sun" all agreed that "Jcv.elled Nights" wa» not »illy the bc-t pietuic piodoeed in Australia, but also equal to the beat Aineiican pictmes. They declared it had K'phiLcd "The Ten Cominan 1ments," which up to this time had bein tho mott ;opi|lar picture in Aus-tralia. This, coming from critics, is very giatifymg, secipg that "Jcwilltd N'glils" is the hist picture made in

Tasmania. "

Any Con-.tal íesidents who are intr.ipsted in the sfheroc-T.hifh is un-doubtedly a good one-should com-municate with Miss Petersen, who will glodly supply any information désir-

able.

"V . '. Pe.o (fa stated that sho had on! ; . d \cuy much her visit to the Burnio Tlna'ie un Wednesday evening, and was ve*y (,i.ttihcil to witness the veiy wami 'eceptiou "Jewelled Nights" receivfd lioiii the huge audience. She slated that she intended to r«-visit the (Hinii'.diuin fields beyond Waratah and lonc.i' ai'ipiainiaureship with her many d'ygei friends nil the fields.