How to Write Moving Picture Plays (1915)

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22 HOW TO WRITE MOVING PICTURE PLAYS Section 26. — SINGLE-REELS, DOUBLE-REELS, SPLIT-REELS, ETC. A single reel of film is about one thousand feet in length, requiring approximately twenty minutes to display on a screen. A “double-reel” play would be approximately twice the length of the single-reel, or two thousand feet of film, requiring about forty minutes. A “three-reel” play would be about three thousand feet of film, requiring about one hour to produce. These stories written for double-reels and three-reels must, of course, be longer, consisting of more scenes, and bring higher prices than the regular single-reel plays. Some producers claim to pay several hundred dollars for good two and three-reel plays. When writing a two-, three-, or four-reel play, it is not absolutely necessary to close each reel with a climax or big scene. One good, strong climax at the end of play is sufficient if the preceding action is full of suspense and holds the interest of audience. Some companies prefer a minor climax at end of each reel, each a little stronger than the preceding one, until the final climax at end of play; but this is not absolutely necessary. If your play is interesting from beginning to end, you can leave it to producers to divide it properly into the different reels. NUMBER SCENES CONSECUTIVELY from beginning to end, regardless of whether play is two, three, or more reels. My suggestion is to try for success with single-reel plays; then, when your work is established, attempt the longer ones. A “split-reel” consists of two different plays produced on the same reel of one thousand feet; the first one running, for example, twelve minutes, the other about eight minutes, neither one long enough to constitute a full reel, the producer therefore selecting two short plays and placing them on the same reel. Section 27.— REVIEW. When your play is completed, read it several times, revise it where you think necessary, omit any scenes or portions that do not add materially to its interest, add a scene here and there where it will improve the strength of your story, and then ask yourself the following questions. If you can answer them to your satisfaction, send the play along; and if your first attempt should be rejected, try to ascertain any faults, revise it if you think it necessary, re-copy it if papers look worn or soiled, and send it to some other company. Some of the very best plays have been submitted to several companies before gaining an acceptance, and then bring a good price. DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED; PERSEVERANCE WINS SUCCESS. Is manuscript prepared in neat form on plain, white, unruled paper of required size, my name and address on each sheet? Have I carefully followed instructions as to technical form? Are the scenes numbered properly? Is my title the most attractive I can give this play? Is my synopsis brief but of sufficient interest to arouse attention? Is the only real interest in the climax, or does it run through the entire story? Is it too extravagant in stage settings? Have I laid some of the scenes in Egypt, the wilds of Africa, or the North Pole? Have I depicted a murder, suicide, robbery, kidnaping, reflection on some religious belief or physical deformity, or included any scene of an extremely unpleasant nature? Is my climax strong enough? Have I observed a continuity of scenes as nearly as possible? Have I paralleled my scenes properly? Have I failed to “break” the long scenes properly? Is the general plot of my story original, or have I copied the exact idea from some other picture play I have seen, some book, magazine story, etc.? Is my story too improbable, or really life-like? Could I not arrange the play so as to eliminate some of the leaders without detracting from clearness of the story? Have I not inserted one or more merely as a matter of convenience? Have I enclosed a self-addressed stamped envelope with my play? Have I placed sufficient postage on both the outer and the return envelope? Have I retained a complete copy of the play for myself? Have I made a record of company to whom I am sending play, title, date, etc.? Does your play pass the above examination to your satisfaction? If so, it is ready for the market; and, ABOVE ALL, DO NOT THINK THAT IF THE FIRST OR SECOND OR THIRD COMPANY TO WHICH YOU SEND IT SHOULD REJECT IT, THAT IT IMPLIES LACK OF MERIT. It is the same as marketing ANYTHING; you must find the market for your particular “brand” or style of work. Section 28.— HOW TO MAIL MANUSCRIPT. First of all, NEVER ROLL YOUR MANUSCRIPT. Editors will positively not read a rolled manuscript. It is really not necessary to fasten pages in any manner. If play is returned to you, the pin-holes or marks of the paper-clip are a tell-tale sign that script “has been traveling” should you send it to another producer without making a new copy. If you do fasten pages, use a pin or metal paper-clip that will not mutilate the sheets and can be quickly removed for reading: editors prefer to have pages loose, for easy handling. Never paste the edges together or tie them with a string or pretty babyribbon. Do not resort to the petty trick of gumming two pages, or sewing two pages together, or disarranging a few page numbers, merely to determine if editor actually read the script. It is a good way to have your play returned NOT read. It is a good plan to place a plain sheet of white paper at back and another in front of manuscript, to act as cover to keep pages clean. Fold your manuscript twice, from bottom upwards; your paper being 8}4 by 11 inches before folding, after it is folded as above it will make a package approximately 8 inches long by 32/i inches. Place manuscript in a long, manila envelope about 9^2 by 4 inches in size. Take another long envelope about one-half inch smaller each way than the larger one, address it to yourself, place sufficient postage on it, and enclose it, with your play, in the larger envelope, for return of your manuscript if it is rejected. This return-envelope should be large enough to contain the manuscript without extra folding, and small enough to go into the outer envelope without creasing. You can obtain a dozen or