Life, 1928-04-19 · page 29 of 43
Life — April 19, 1928 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **Kodak advertisement disguised as editorial content** in Life magazine. Rather than satire, it's a marketing pitch for amateur home movie equipment aimed at ordinary people. The page promotes the democratization of filmmaking: Kodak claims anyone can now make movies without professional training—just point, shoot, and press a button. The photographs show civilians operating cameras and viewing films in domestic settings, contrasting sharply with the glamorous "movie stars wanted" headline. The satire is subtle: the headline promises Hollywood stardom, but the actual pitch is selling $70 cameras and $60 projectors to middle-class homeowners who'll make home movies of their families and vacations, not compete with professional studios. It's aspirational marketing—selling the *fantasy* of being a movie star while actually selling the modest reality of home entertainment technology. The reference to "World War movies" suggests this dates to the 1920s, when such conflict footage was commercially available.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
hha antennal ite tie slim xe ie alien sie sles) ‘MOVIE STARS NR Le] iE . WANTED! How would you like to be a Movie Star? Or a Movie OME out “on location” (C= learn the thrill of the newest of all dramatic arts +. amateur movie-making! No previous experience is necessary. No years of apprenticeship are needed. Tomorrow you can be on location. Making your own ac- tion-shots—close-ups—love scenes. With all the joyous thrills that go with movie-making. Now Movie-Making is the Vogue Nowadays, it seems as though everyone were interested in amateur movie-making. And is it any wonder when you consider the facts? For here is a new art... tunity for self-expression . . . of home entertainment. The hard work is done. The months and years of research have passed. Now, thanks to theefforts of Eastman Scientists, Home Movies are as easy to make as the ordinary snapshot. Anyone can take them with professional results. a new oppor- a new source Everything is simplicity itself. No grinding crank, No need to focus. No tripod. You just sight the camera either from waist height or eye level. It’s just as easy as making an ordinary snapshot. Then press the button. A shutter whirls in- 0-0 0a at and clear you so the pictures yoa've mode ino swift pattern o shadow upon Wout tilet sere Its the Miracle of ileckat this amazing story of how Amateur Movies are produced side, and the film slides swiftly behind the always-ready lens, Instantly every action with- in the scene before you, every changing se- quence of light and shadow, is registered for all time on your film. Then comes the greatest thrill of all When the films are taken, your work is done. We develop them for you at no extra cost, and return them ready to run on your own silver screen. You see them inyour own living room Now with equal ease your [films are shown. Switch on your Kodascope Projector and in- stantly the screen becomes alive with action. Drama... adventure... romance ...allare captured on the film and flash into a swift pattern of light and shadow in the quiet of your darkened room. To supplement your movie program, Kodak Cinegraphs, 100- and 200-foot reels covering a variety of subjects, are available at your dealer's, $7.50 per 100 feet, the reel becoming a permanent part of your film library. SEND FOR A BOOKLET ABOUT HOME MOVIES Perhaps you are interested in mak- ing your own movies, but a little in doubt as to how to begin. If so, the first step is to send for information regarding the Ciné-Kodak, the simplest and most efficient of all home movie cameras. A postcard or a letter addressed to us will bring our booklet to you free of charge. Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Ciné- ‘Kodak Simplest of All Home Movie Cameras Director? OraScenarioWriter? Orallthreeinone? Read — The World War movies are still available in a complete 2000-foot picture taking 134 hours to show ($150), and in five selected 200-foot reels, $15 each. In addition, full length films, which con- stitute a complete entertainment and include the biggest screen successes of famous stars, may be secured for a modest rental from the nearest Kodascope Library. Today a rea! movie camera, that takes pic- tures of sparkling clearness, sells for only $70. This includes everything necessary for movie-making. And the Kodascope Projector —a wonder- ful device for throwing the pictures you have made upon a screen—may now be purchased for as little as $60. The silver screen itself costs $10. Go see the Ciné-Kodak at your nearest Kodak dealer's. Remember Ciné-Kodak em- astman’s forty years’ experience in devising easy picture-making methods for the amateur. Unbiased by the precedents and prejudices of professional cinema camera de- sign, the men who made “still” photography so easy have now made home movie-making simple for you. Get the facts about Home Movies. ihe OF PERE 2 new thrill —a new opportunity for self expression —a new source of home entertainment. 11's 40 easy, thousands are making movies now, comicbooks.com