Many artists have entered the picture field either by means of the animated cartoon, in which the figures seem endowed with life, or the picture that shows the artist drawing his sketches. Since sixteen separate drawings must be made for each foot of film it will readily be seen that the work is long and laborious. The strong lights necessary for photographing the pictures also make it trying for the artist, who must work directly beneath the camera. Mechanical contrivances are called upon to lessen the artist’s troubles as much as possible, and many ingenious schemes are resorted to in order to photograph rapidly a series of pictures. For instance, the artist may draw the head, arms, body, and limbs of a figure and then, by means of tabs, move them about under glass plates so as to secure the impression of animation. The idea of perspective may be secured by drawing the object in different sizes, to the proper scale, of course, and then bringing the object forward from a distance by using gradually increasing figures, or, by reversing the process, carrying the object away. “Stop” cameras are used, which remain idle while the artist is moving his figures for the next photograph. Even with all the recent inventions to facilitate the work, animated cartoons are by no means easily made, and a film that can be shown on the screen in ten minutes is a good week’s labor for the artist. And now we come to the photoplay--the picture that tells a story by means of actors. “Where do the stories come from?” is one of the first questions asked by the layman, though the adapted plays and novels provide their own answer. But what of the ordinary picture stories that form the bulk of the offerings on the screen? Are they bought, like magazine stories, from writers who submit to all the magazines, or are they turned out by staff writers who provide all the stories needed by each company? How much do the companies pay for the stories? How can I enter this profession? The questions are innumerable. Let us answer them in turn.