How to Write Moving Picture Plays (1915)

12 HOW TO WRITE MOVING PICTURE PLAYS Section 8.— CENSORSHIP. There is now a National Board of Censorship that passes upon every photoplay from the standpoint of public morals before a permit for production is granted; and they condemn practically every story that could have a demoralizing effect upon the mind — murder, suicide, kidnaping, hanging, unlawful destruction of property, etc. There are many morbid people to whom such a suggestion would prove a temptation not to be resisted. A play will often pass if it is clearly shown that the crime in question is invariably punished by law or conscience. Then the crime should be shown only by suggestion, not the actual deed. A scene of robbery can be shown where the actual house-breaking or safe-blowing is not depicted. For example, a burglar can be shown on outside of house looking through window; then another scene flashed showing him in the house, but not the act of forcing open the door or window. A man may be shown drawing his revolver, then another scene showing his victim on the floor, but not the actual murder, only in cases of cowboys and Indians in warfare, which is no more than depicting history. A condemned murderer may be shown leaving his cell for the death-march, but not the execution. I give these illustrations to show the limitations of the Censorship Board for the benefit of those who feel determined to show such scenes; but would suggest avoiding them altogether when possible. (See Scenes 4 and 5 of sample play, showing how to avoid censorship when portraying a crime. We do not show the actual forcing of the window.) The writing of war plays, Western stories, cowboys, and Indians, of course necessitates employing firearms, weapons, shooting, etc., and is permissible in depicting historic customs and military life. In many cities there is often a local censorship board which passes upon all plays. Thus a questionable story might pass the National Board and then be rejected by the city board. The moral is— MAKE YOUR STORY CLEAN, WHOLESOME, and out of reach of ANY censorship. There are too many happy inspirations to necessitate writing of murders and suicides. Let the newspaper reporters write of them; they are compelled to do so, while we are not. You would not want YOUR story thrown on the screen, depicting a suicide, and the next day read in the paper where some morbid girl was tempted to destroy her life through witnessing your play. To the reverse would be your story of an unfortunate girl, tempted, exerting her will-power, overcoming the temptation, redeemed to a life of usefulness and happiness. Don’t destroy, but help make the world better. Section 9.— DRAMATIZATION. DO NOT TRY TO DRAMATIZE A BOOK OR POEM. The experienced scenario editors at the various studios do this work themselves; an amateur is not capable. Then, too, it would be folly unless you knew positively that the book, story, or poem has not already been dramatized. If it is a good subject, the chances are ten to one that it has already been dramatized. But if you are walking down the street and see a blind (?) beggar with outstretched hat, a policeman approaches, the blind (?) beggar SEES the officer and runs, and this incident suggests a story, rest assured that the scenario editor did not also see it. Remember, however, that he has read all of the late and standard books, poems, and magazines, and practically every one worth while has been dramatized. If you are determined to try your hand at dramatization, the only possible way is to write the publishers of the book or magazine controlling the copyright and buy the privilege. Section 10.— PLAGIARISM. A plagiarist is one who purloins the writing of another and passes it off as his own. A person guilty of stealing the ideas or writings of another is as much a criminal as the man who robs the cash-drawer. All standard books, magazines, poems, etc., are fully protected by copyright, and any attempted infringement subjects the plagiarist to prosecution. Even if a book, story, photoplay, or poem is not copyrighted, the author has recourse under common law if the theft can be proven. This does not mean, however, that you may not get your idea or inspiration for a play from some book, story, or other photoplay, but around this suggestion you must build your own plot. Section 11.— THE PLOT AND HOW TO OBTAIN IT. It is first of all necessary to conceive a plot around which to build your picture story. Sometimes this idea, or theme, will constitute your opening scene; then build one situation upon another, each one working towards one climax. Again, your first idea may suggest the climax, and you must then build your situations until you reach this climax. HAVE AN ELEMENT OF SUSPENSE RUNNING THROUGHOUT YOUR ENTIRE STORY. Too many writers think that one good situation is sufficient to make a good play. This is not true. The interest must run through the entire play. EACH INDIVIDUAL SCENE SHOULD BE FULL OF INTEREST. Devote all of your attention to the action of the play and not to the words you are using to describe it; the words will generally come without any trouble, if your idea is well-fixed. The words are not going to be produced on the screen; a flow of beautiful words may constitute the good magazine story, but ACTION makes the photoplay. Pick up any daily newspaper, read the smaller items as well as the larger ones, and see if you cannot discover half a dozen ideas for plays. There is seldom a day that we cannot discover some incident that affords good material. In our homes, on the streets, in the newspapers—the world is full of themes. Perhaps you may see a picture play, and an idea immediately suggests itself how you could alter the whole story, taking it along an entirely different road. Allegorically speaking, five men enter the same depot, take five different trains, depart in as many different directions, arriving at five different destinations, all starting from the same point. So it is with your plot or theme. A magazine story, book, or newspaper item may give you the idea for an entirely different story; but under no circumstances must you copy the idea from the book or magazine, which is protected by copyright. Nothing can prevent you, however, from getting your idea from some such reading and building your own original story suggested by this idea. It is a great advantage to attend as many moving picture shows as possible; study these pictures closely,