Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

10 MOTION PICTURE HERALD April 11, 1931 THE WRITER IN HOLLYWOOD The situatmt in the studios today jinds the authors prepari?tg a ''hill of rights " to present to producers By LEO MEEHAN A STANDARD form of contract for writers and probably a standardized code of practices seem to be the next important development in production circles as a result of preliminary meetings which have been held in Hollywood recently under the auspices of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. Furthermore, it is not venturesome to predict that a similar development quickly follow, or even go along almost simultaneously, with the directors. While the latter have not yet taken anything resembling organized action, discussions among important directors would indicate the likelihood of their seeking the assistance of the Academy in working out an agreement with producers. The standard form contract for actors, drafted after many conferences with the producers, has now been in operation a year. It is believed to have given general satisfaction to all concerned in the majority of cases. It is conceded to be a document which has eliminated much grief and argument both for the actor and the producer. Should a standard contract be developed for the writer and for the director, then there would be an almost complete understanding of many vexing questions arising in the creative — and expensive — branches of motion picture production. And since the Academy seems to have done a successful job for the actors, the writers and directors are now indicating an earnest desire to have it act as intermediary to extend such practices to their professions. AAA Under the chairmanship of Alfred A. Cohn, head of the writers' branch of the Academy, a meeting of writers was held last week at the Writers Club in Hollywood. While the meeting was sponsored by the Academy, it was not limited to Academy members. It was the most representative meeting, possibly, ever held by writers connected with the studios. Not only were all the major studios represented by writers, but there were notable stage playwrights and prominent writers of fiction as well. As at similar gatherings held previously, the discussions covered a wide field. Some discussed personalities, others discussed companies. But a sincere effort was made by the leaders to guide the discussions toward principles and away from personalities. It was the consensus that a representative committee could best draft a preliminary form of contract, this to be submitted later for general consideration and final consideration and final action. Mr. Cohn was therefore instructed to appoint a committee, to include a writer from each of the major studios, and that this com mittee proceed to draft recommendations which will be submitted to another general meeting of writers to be held on April 23. Following are the members of the committee announced by Mr. Cohn, who will be ex-officio members of it : John Meehan, Percy Heath, Frank Woods, Barney Glazer, Richard Schayer, Waldemar Young and Howard Estabrook. This committee will begin outlining a program during the present week, to be presented at the next general meeting. Out of the numerous informal talks and comments made by prominent writers present, there seemed to be quite general agreement that the quality of picture stories could not and will not be improved until such a time as writers are given more freedom, more recognition of the importance of story, and less domination by studio executives. AAA The opinion was freely stated that unless the quality of motion picture stories was quickly improved, taking product as a whole, the industry would suffer as severe a loss of patronage from the public as it experienced just before the advent of sound. In other words, it was the belief of the writers that the novelty of sound which revived patronage had worn off ; that the public was again shopping, and refused to spend money on inferior product. It was expressly stated by a number of writers that their purpose was not to create dissention, but rather to help build toward better product and consequently increased patronage. This they believed could be done if a clearer understanding was reached as to the duties and purposes of the writer, in contrast to those of executives, supervisors, directors and others having a hand in the making of pictures. Elmer Rice, who was among the speakers, pointed to the experiences of the Dramatists Guild as a result of the drafting of a standard contract form now in use between them and the New York stage producers. He granted that there were differences in the problems involved as to screen writing, but expressed the belief that the fundamental principles involved were the same, and said he was confident the same happy results could be achieved in the field of motion picture writing if the whole matter was intelligently threshed out and crystallized as to conditions, recognition, payments and various other practices. The writers are unanimous in their belief that the introduction of sound has made their work of much greater importance. They hold that no longer can a picture be said to be a "director's picture" or an "actor's picture" but that story development, dialogue, treatment and the like must be (Contimted on page 58) By WILLIAM A. JOHNSTON THE writers of Hollywood are getting ready a bill of rights to present to the producers. Their magna charta, say the writers, is designed not merely to help themselves but, principally, to help motion pictures. Which sounds very logical. Pictures at present cannot be greatly improved until the writing of them is improved. The producers say — and undoubtedly with all sincerity — that the writer is the important individual in production today. But that remains considerably more of a theory than " a fact. And so it will remain until the studios adapt themselves to the writer and stop trying to adapt the writer to the studio. Picture production, in these days of the talkers, is a good deal like stage production ; necessarily so. And, in stage production, the wheels don't move at all until a play comes out of the blue sky. Writing is an intangible thing. You cannot buy it as you would buy silk — for a price. It isn't altogether a matter of money. Writers have come to Hollywood, enjoyed fat salaries, made motions of working and saved the real children of their brains and taken them away for the stage or the magazines. Cheaters you may call them, but that doesn't get to the bottom of things. To begin with — the best within the writer does not blossom forth until he is in nlental and emotional travail. And he won't sweat like this without mighty good reason. There is one thing a writer wants, deserves and will have — and that is full credit publicity, fame if such it becomes, for the thing he creates. AAA That — mostly that — is what spurs him on. Hollywood will not get far with the writer until the studios stop diverting the full credit due him to the director, supervisor, associate producer, — or worse still, to some other writer who is a cousin of somebody. That is deadly. Again, writers are not designed to be — and never have been — cogs of a machine. The best in them cannot be had out of the pressure of rules and routine. And if their^ efforts are to be made subservient to stars or to any other studio assets and departments, well and good — but don't expect too much of any creative work set in motion to meet such ends. Another thing: stories cannot be blacksmithed into shape any more than they can be blackjacked into being. Story conferences, it seems to me, are apt to be poisonous affairs. They may be valiant occasions for every one present; but pity the story and its creator ! I was once the humble member of the staff of a magazine whose editor (self(Confinued on page 58)