Moving Picture News (Jan-Jun 1913)

THE MOVING PICTURE NEWS IS For Those Who Worry O'er Plots and Plays The Green-Eyed Monster DON'T let the Green-eyed Monster get a grip on you. Just because the man or woman across the way can write a better script now than you, is no reason why you should become jealous. Be nice; engage in friendly rivalry ; try to excel ; but do not get into the clutches of the Green-eyed Monster. Some of our friends, in the keen excitement of the chase, are apt to become the least bit disgruntled, occasionally, and claim that "my scripts are just as good as Jones' " ; that "Jones is being unduly exploited'' ; or that "I can't pick up the paper without seeing a puff for Jones, who doesn't really amount to much as a writer anyway" Forget it. If Jones is favored by the types so may you be favored some day. Jones would not be exploited and nice things said about his work if he were not deserving. You try to excel and some fine day you may supplant Jones. Jealousy is, in the main, weak mindedness. It is the triumph of thoughtless discontent over reason. The clouding of the clear mental vision with mists of prejudices. We are not speaking of the jealousy of the heart, but of the mind; the common, long and dreary mental discontent that may become a habit. Be generous ! That is the only way to happiness and success. That is the first necessity in solving the jigsaw puzzle of advancement. Don't let the Green-eyed Monster get a grip on you ! Inquest Club Dinner On Saturday evening. May 31, the Inquest Club, a New York City society of script writers, will give their first annual dinner. Price of dinner tickets is two dollars. Applications may be sent to Epes Winthrop Sargent, Box 70 Madison Square Station, New York. He Didn't Know It All "He didn't seem to know it all, so I gave him a chance." remarked a prominent Script Editor to us yesterday. We were discussing a new ''find." This "find" is achieving success. He didn't know it all. When his first script was rejected he failed to write a scathing letter to the editor pointing out just how the rejected plot excelled most of the stories seen on the screens. He just thanked the editor for a few words of advice and tried again. He tried the same market and has succeeded. Progressive Progressiveness The Progressive Party is engaging certain script writers of reputation to write stories around the well-known principles of the T. R. band. These stories will be widely released the coming Fall. This One Pleased Us The following letter pleased us. Why? Because it causes a belief that our work is not entirely fruitless. The letter from Chicago : "I wish to thank you for your favors. As you advise, I am going to get down to hard work and see if I, too, cannot become a successful picture play writer. Your interest in my work is appreciated and helpful, and your articles in the Moving Picture News have enabled me to sell some of my stories." Extra! Extra! Mr. B. P. Schulberg, publicity man of the Famous Players Film Company, and a picture playwright of renown, is writing poetry ! Dear Old Collier's! Dear Old Collier's Weekly ! In the editorial columns of a recent issue is a roast on pernicious advertising. In the Collier's advertising section of the same edition appear several weird announcements of "correspondence schools." Consistency is indeed a jewel! Then Cosmopolitan heads one classified column with a "school" advertisement which urges everyone to "make $1,200 a year for spare time writing one picture play every week; literary ability is not necessary!" Let George Do It! Tw® weeks ago we offered to mention any correspondence school professor who had five or more plays written by himself or herself that have been produced for lo, these many years. Many there came and few were chosen. The offer has expired. But Mr. George Hennessy came in early. Mr. Hennessy coyly admits teaching the young scenario idea how to shoot from 1 Union Square, Room 611-614, New York City. He also stepped to the home plate with close up to a hundred plays written by himself, and produced by various companies within the past two years. His work is also endorsed by Epes Winthrop Sargent. Mr. Hennessy writes, scripts to order on short notice and writes them well. We have no hesitancy in recommending would-be students to his attention which is individual and guaranteed to fatten the batting average of the joy-of-script-writing. Posey for Mrs. Rubenstein We received a marked copy of the Morning Journal of Columbus, Ohio, the other day, and it contained a doublecolumn half-tone likeness of Mrs. Lillian M. Rubenstein, formerly of the Lubin editorial staff. The article says she is a successful writer of picture plays, and that through her efforts large, quantities of clothing have been sent Ohio flood sufferers from six Philadelphia schools. Mrs. Rubenstein previous to her marriage was a resident of Columbus, and for some years was a newspaper writer. The article says she is now the head of the Lillian M. Rubenstein School of Picture Play Authors, and that she is widely known through her earnest labors in the field of philanthropy. Letter from Mr. Byrnes Mr. Paul J. Byrnes writes us the following chaste epistle which is self-explanatory: "I note with pleasure your reference to the Central West Playwrights' dinner to be held at the Hotel Euclid, Cleveland, Saturday night, June 28th. From all indications reservations are coming in, and from letters from writers, editors and others of the picture profession, it looks as if this is going to be a great event. And why not? Operators can have dinners, exhibitors can have dinners, and the film men, so why not the authors and writers — the ones who furnish the ideas which give all the rest of the profession work? The dinner will be $2 a plate, and everyone in the Central West knows what kind of a dinner the Hotel Euclid serves. The Lake Shore and General Film Companies will show some up-to-date films and leading authors will explain how they conceived and wrote successful plots. Reservations should be made to Paul J. Byrnes, P. O. Box 275, Cleveland, Ohio, not later than June 10th. Mr. A. W. Thomas and Mr. R. D. Stoddard, of the Cleveland News-Leader, will also accept reservations. Every lady and gentleman of the profession invited, but send in for reservations for they are going rapidly. Also furnish names of those whom you would like to have invited." How to Write a Play "1 he Caldron" is a nifty little monthly magazine edited by Eugene V. Brewster, editor of the Motion Picture Story Magazine, Brooklyn, N. Y.. We take it and read it. A recent number tells how to write a play. This article deals with the legitimate play so-called, and is interesting and instructive to the budding dramatist. Here is one assertion that is also applicable to picture play writing: "If the play is declined, do not be discouraged, because no two readers have the same ideas, and what may be quickly discarded by one, may be seized by the other just as quickly." What the American Is Up To The American Film Manufacturing Company is purchasing stories from Street & Smith, publishers of the "Popular" and' other magazines. If you can write a story acceptable to Street & Smith may be you will be writing for the American Film Company at one and the same time. The Contract Writer There is a young gentleman in Chicago, who has quickly become successful as a script writer. His other occupation is that of writing magazine fiction. He is selling all the scripts he cares to write, and is getting top-notch prices for them. Recently he wrote in asking our advice. A well-known film concern wishes to tie him up in a contract. He now has four steady markets for his playlets, and why he should wish to close all but one of them is more than we can understand. This contract business seems to be gaining in popularity — but not with the successful script writer. We have had our experiences, and just yesterday one of the best known writers and editors in the business informed us that