Lighten-Lantern Moving Picture Theaters
Moving picture lighten-lanterns are an incredibly new technology, and likewise businesses that use that technology are incredibly new. Most major cities may only have a single lighten-lantern studio that can produce films, and dedicated cinemas are few and far between. Sapphire Street Cinema, located near Central Park, is the only theater in Novandria that’s dedicated to showing lighten-lantern films.
With the difficulty in purchasing moving picture lighten-lanterns and films, it’s no surprise that those upscale theaters, taverns, and other businesses that supplement their main business with lighten-lantern moving pictures may only show one or two films on repeat.
Lighten-lantern films are often no more than fifteen minutes long, and though the film itself is silent, they’re often accompanied by a live music score that’s played by bards or small bands.
Typical films focus on slapstick comedy, romances, dramas with expressive faces and acting, or impressive stunts and magic tricks. These scenes are often broken up by intertitle cards that contain words or a description that can’t be conveyed with silent acting alone.
Recently, Sapphire Street Cinema has begun to partner with The Novandrian Times to make news shows that can be shown to a broader audience. These news shows are often privately funded and shown for free to anyone with the time to attend. After the news show, older films are sometimes shown as advertisements for the latest shows.
Lighten-lantern films are a luxury that only those of modest means have the time to visit with any regularity, but their novelty and rarity have drawn even the wealthy and nobility to attend shows. On nights where the theater is open to all, the latest news show draws even the poorest to attend.
Participants
Many studio and cinema employees are members of The Most Noble Society of Bardic and Performing Artisans, even if they’re not actively performing in the films themselves. The writing staff, the directors, and the actors all take part in the creation of the lighten-lantern films.
Members of The Interlaced Guild of Fabric Arts and Production produce the costumes for the films.
The Lapis Fellowship of Artisans create many of the set pieces.
The Transeisen Order of Messengers and Journalists has been providing the research and news for the news shows.
