ry round
figure eight, lying on its side, thus: [symbol: figure-eight].

The four just mentioned are the commonest forms of the mask; but we
have seen masks cut in the shape of oak leaves, bottles, and other
forms, though these latter were used merely to obtain novel effects.

The mask may be used as an inserted scene--as we have here chiefly
considered it--or it may serve as a sort of excuse for the entire
action of the photoplay, as in the case of the commercial traveller
and his binoculars, and add effectiveness by its novelty of
presentation.

_12. The Bust and the Close-up_

In former usage, the term "bust" was employed to describe any enlarged
view, as a watch, a face, a hand turning a door knob. Now the term has
been given a less wide range and has been superseded in its broadest
meaning by another technical expression--the "close-up."

The bust now means any enlarged _object_, such as a hand holding a
watch, a box of cigars on a table with a note pinned to a cigar, or
any object shown close to the camera, _where no action is called for_.

If Maud comes into a room and sees her sister staring at the window
sill, crosses to the sister's side and stares also, it is natural that
we wonder what it is that causes the consternation. The camera is
manifestly too far away to show unmistakably what Maud picks up--say,
a broken-off knife-point. Suppose that it is part of the plot to have
the spectator also grasp the fact that there is a dark stain on the
knife-point. We must get it closer. So we write the scene up to the
point where Maud holds up the object, then we start another scene and
say:

43--Bust of Maud's hand holding knife-point to show
blood-stain in shape of rude star.

There is no action. The hand simply holds the object. A scene of this
kind is usually taken before a black curtain or in front of some such
indeterminate background. Later, this bust scene is inserted into the
film at the proper point. A point worthy of notice is that bust scenes
are always taken, and close-up scenes are _nearly_ always taken,
either before or (usually) after the scenes into which they break have
been done. If the plot demands that a certain character examine his
watch at a certain point, and if the spectator is supposed to see
exactly what time the watch shows, the director is not going to stop
his camera, bring the camera nearer to the player or the player nearer
to the camera, as his method may be, make