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THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS
author writes an excellent script he should be credited therefor. To credit only those names "which will be a benefit to both author and manufacturer" is rather a selfish attitude. If an obscure writer turns in deserving work and receives poster and film credit therefor, his name ere long will possibly prove valuable to the producer, just as his script has proven of value. Mr. VekrofFs statement is valuable to all writers, particularly the question of script preparation.
The Woes of Authorship
Here is a letter from a lady who has experienced the woes of authorship. We have endeavored to tear away some of the tares and thistles that have obstructed her upward journey along the literary path, and predict that she will be heard from sooner or later, now that she is started right: "I've come to you because I have not been able to get the help I need from people who, generous or not, never fail to collect in advance. Not wanting to work in the darkness, I paid the 'school' $22.50 to teach me the art of photoplay writing. Among my exercises, was a play about a woman whose husband objected to equal suffrage. He is nominated, becomes ill, and his wife jumps into the fray and wins his election for him. I thought it was a comedy, but the 'faculty' said it should be developed along serious lines. I acted upon the suggestion, but the editors would have none of it. Later I sent it to an 'expert.' He tore it to pieces and told me to write it another way. I did so and sent it to him, and he said, 'It is too weak.' If he had told me how to strengthen the weak points, I would still have my faith. Now I am at the beginning again. I feel that my money has been spent in vain, and that I am as much in the woods as when I started. I want to know the truth about my work, and how to bring it up to standard. I have done my best to make a good play, and have bought all the 'expert help' I can. It's up to you and your generosity." We violated a necessarily strict rule in this particular instance, and read the play that accompanied the above letter. It was written in longhand, good handwriting, but nevertheless longhand. The script proved the author a careful student of technic and familiar with proper lay-out. For the first script it was exceptionally well prepared. The story was too long for a single reel and too short for a multiple-reel production. The plot was hackneyed as a drama, but the idea could be turned into comedy, and by its very nature succeed excellently well. We advised the writer to forget the "school instruction," to rent a typewriter, to take a notebook and visit the motion
picture theatre and dissect the playlets; we urged her to subscribe for and read all motion picture publications, and, finally, to be independent of "professors" and "sharks," and to use her own ideas, which, in this instance at least, might have won her an early market and saved her the expenditure of $22.50. The advice we gave this lady is applicable to hundreds of others of our readers.
Hennessy Is 111
George Hennessy, the only man who ever had the courage to state, after trying the game, that photoplaywright correspondence courses are impractical, has been very ill in Bellevue Hospital, New York. Word reaches us that he is slowly improving. We are glad to hear it, for the game could ill afford to lose so versatile and voluminous an author as Hennessy. He will probably be glad to hear from his friends. We said friends — not "pull-seekers."
The Hall of Fame
James Dayton, head of the Western Universal script department, is doing some extraordinary work. According to Universal press sheet, he wrote twenty-seven sc.ipts during July and August, every one of which was produced.
Jack Byrne, staff reader .under Editor-in-Chief Calder Johnstone, of Universal, is doing some fine commercial work. He is also a splendid director, and is producing the commercial features in great shape.
Universal employs eleven scriptwriters on the coast.
The screen adaptation of "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" is a triumph of silent art. Everyone is wondering who wrote the picture story. It was Benny Schulberg, of course, and he did it under pressure, and that is just when he works the best.
Maibelle Heikes Justice stopped writing two-reel features just long enough to dash off a vaudeville oneact sketch for Robert Drouet, who was waiting for it. and there are more coming. Then Captain Peacocke is going to do it again. Verily, it seems that stageland's stars are turning to photoplay writers for material.
Miss Louise Lester, better known in filmland as "Calamity Anne," writes all her own scenarios in which she plays this character.
The Slough of Despond
Four heads of correspondence schools, inclding Eugene Berry Watts, whom we here and now dub "Kilowatts," are in the slough of despond. Uncle Sam has been taking the "course." "Everybody cannot do it." If you have any complaint to make anent any particular "schools." making money through misleading adver
tising, write to the Postoffice Department, Washington, D. C.
Word from Buffalo C. E. Horton, 361 Normal avenue, Buffalo, N. Y., wishes Mr. Sargent to inform him about his Inquest Club, and we suggest that Mr. Horton address Box 70, Madison Square Station, New York City. Horton also says "I have noticed in several of the magazines, devoted to writing in general, some articles on 'How I Wrote and Sold My First Photoplay,' which were apparently written by persons knowing little or nothing of the game in the least. Now I haven't exactly arrived yet myself, but I do feel that I could write a very good article on how I did write and sell my first one. I read three of Charles Van Loan's interesting and instructive stories in the Saturday Evening Post." Horton has read the entire series, then. We never read those "first photoplay essays" he mentions because they frequently make us weary. The clipping Mr. Horton encloses from a newspaper "syndicate" page advises an "amateur producer" to write to Nell Shipman for information as to how to "present a motion picture play in some leading theatre."
You Can Afford It A photoplaywright stated recently that he could not afford to revise his scripts at present prices. Present prices are not ideal, we admit, but you can afford to revise your scripts for no price at all. Whatever is worth doing is worth doing well. One out of a hundred writers can send out stuff first draft, and send it out complete and intelligently. Have pride enough to send out finished work, and when the halycon days come you will be among the first to profit thereby. From a Script Reader A manuscript reader on the editorial staff of one of the best known film concerns sends us this: "I like to give any assistance in my power to budding scenario writers because I agree with you that it is to them the picture producers will have to look in the coming future. I admit that the 'free lance' writer at present has a difficult time to place his stories, except they be of exceptional merit and embrace very original ideas, as the staff writers are in touch with the directors and know exactly what description of stories are required by them. Then, also, each director has usually some star in his company who has to be exploited, and the staff' writer has the opportunity of studying their requirements. All this mitigates against the chances of the 'free lance' writer, but the staff writers havj nearly all been 'free lances' and have served their apprenticeship. Writers must recognize that nothing is gained except by hard and continued effort.