2o6 SAFARI 



It is also encouraging to note how within the last 

 few years it has become apparent that properly made 

 expeditionary, adventiire and nature pictures now 

 have an opportimity, imder adequate exploitation, 

 to become largely self supporting. It is true that 

 never since the Rainey pictures has any picture of this 

 type paid such high returns in relation to production 

 cost as the successful dramas of the trade. But I am 

 inclined to the belief that an examination of the 

 records will show that in point of fact, if averages are 

 considered, expeditionary pictures are less speculative 

 than studio products. 



It must be borne in mind, too, that the apparent 

 record, with stress on the word apparent, is clouded 

 considerably by the fact that a great many expedi- 

 tionary pictures have been charged with costs of 

 production that ought to have been billed against 

 entertainment and excitement that had nothing to 

 do with the negative. The expeditionary picture has 

 too often been the incidental by-product of a hunt. 

 If pictures are to be made for anything besides the 

 kodak albimi, picture making must dominate the 

 expedition. 



All this is preliminary to stating my enthusiasms 

 for the motion pictorial future of Africa, which now 

 is clearly the "star" continent of screen adventtire. 



Words have atmosphere and mystic values. 

 "Abyssinia," for example, is one of them; Africa is 



