Moving Picture News (Jul-Oct 1913)

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i6 THE MOVING PICTURE NEWS For Those Who Worry O'er Plots and Plays The Newspaper Plot NECESSARY ingredients for the newspaper plot: One big room cluttered up with typewriters, newspapers scattered over the floor, a lot of proofs hanging on a nail somewhere, one city editor humped over a desk, evidentlj' engaged in drawing pictures, several bright-looking young men smoking pipes. Then, of course, there is the brave girl reporter, the corrupt politicians, etc. Final scene: Girl rushes into city room just before press time. Flings herself on typewriter and commences to beat out a "big one." City editor saunters over to machine, starts after looking at the copy and exclaims: "Boys, here is the big story!" Boys gather around as girl works frantically, and the editor sends sheet after sheet of copy downstairs without even using the blue pencil once. These newspaper plots went over two years ago, but they do so no more. Thev have been rehashed time and time again until now, when one sees a newspaper story on the screen, one knows just what is coming with very few variations. We were among the first to "grab off'' the newspaper plot. We wrote a dozen before we stopped, and they sold. From the time, two years ago, when Giles R. Warren sent us a hurry call for a plot "showing a girl breaking up a form of type," until the last variation of the brave g-u-r-1 stealing the incriminating papers from the Corrupt Boss's secretary and publishing them to save her father, we have seen these Fourth Estate stories come and go. Cut out the newspaper plot unless you have a good one. Chances are nine to one that you have not. Like every other sort of plot, you must know newspaper life to write about it authoritatively. One reason this form of story has caused such laughter among newspapermen is that the majority of directors and authors were never in a newspaper office and gather their inspiration for such stories from "Frank Merriwell," or some other romantic potboiler. Remember that reporters do not gather around to watch someone write their story, papers are not strewn all over the floors •of well-regulated newspaper offices, and the brave girl more often is engaged in taking the names of those who attended Mrs. Jones' reception than stealing papers from political bosses. Romances of newspaper life were once attractive, but they have been done to death in the moving picture world. Try something else. One editor informs us that he received thirteen such plots in one mail. They are all asking for mercy! Reaching the Limit According to the editor of the New York Motion Picture Corporation, a man entered his office, demanded an immediate audience, and, this being granted, he produced a script which he declared would make a great broncho feature. The overworked editor scanned it and found that among the minor details it called for the use of the Panama Canal, the New York public library and the United States mint. The man was considerably surprised when the script was returned to him. Too many writers are too ambitious with their scene plots. Animal stories calling for a procession of goats; airships, locomotives, steamships and the Tower of London are all gladsomely called for in a thousand feet of action. Use sirnple environment. Do not call for expensive or impossible locations in your scripts. Your action will read better devoid of impossible details. A Line from the Captain Captain Leslie T. Peacocke, of the Universal script staff, is busily engaged right now in putting on the finishing touches to the comic opera plot he has written for Annette Kellerman, but nevertheless he finds time to contribute something of value to photoplaywrights. We quote from a recent letter: "The helpful advice you give to other writers must prove, I should think, a veritable boon to many. One of the most important points for scenario writers to observe is to make the synopsis as brief as possible — brief and pithy — bringing out the main point of the story strongly, so that the script editor and studio readers can grasp the plot at a glance. As several hundred scripts are received at the principal scenario departm.ents every day, the work of reading them entails time and trouble and a brief, well-explained synopsis always stands a better chance of gaining sympathy from the reader. So many manuscripts are received in an impossible condition that they are condemned before they leave the author's hands. However, nearly all the companies now employ a staff of trained script writers, and the free-lance writer has little chance of selling scripts, excep"!: a very original plot is submitted, which is rare, and getting rarer each day. Fully nine-tenths of the plots we receive are rehashed magazine stories or old film releases worked over in slightly different form. However, if authors are given credit on the posters, a lot of this piracy will be stopped and the film-producing companies will feel safer in purchasing stories from free-lance writers than they do at present. I have the honor of writing Miss Florence Lawrence's first production since her return to Universal, on which sh"e is at present working. It is 'The Bride's Key.' " One attractive qualification possessed by Captain Peacocke is that he does not hesitate to describe the script situation just as he finds it, without fear or favor. When we were virtually fighting along to secure poster credit to authors, along comes the Captain with a short-arm swing in support of our contention, and now the result is that Universal has resolved to be among the first to give credit where credit is due. Then another important statement comes from Captain Peacocke. He steps to the home plate with the assertion that nine-tenths of the scripts received by Universal are rehashed magazine stories or old film releases worked over. The Universal script staff reads hundreds of contributions weekly. That nine-tenths are steals is a condition we term alarming. For years trade-journal department editors have been sounding the note of warning to writers. The minority has been urged to turn from the devious way and to submit strictly original scripts. Because a certain minority persist in rehashing magazine and other stories and trying to market them as original product, many editors have learned to assume an attitude of suspicion and cynicism toward the free-lance. Those who have been and are dishonest in their literary work have and are injuring the opportunities of honest writers who wish to succeed by the aid of their own brains and by hard labor. Edison, some time ago engaged the services of a reader who does nothing but keep up-to-date in current literature so as to be qualified to detect plagiarism. Unfortunate it is that such a functionary became necessary. It is this sort of thing that keeps the contract and staff writer product to the fore. Editors do not wish to invite damage or infringement suits, and when so many rank steals are sent along every day to the editors none can blame them for feeling chary of free-lance work. We think the free-lance writer, a necessity. In the future he must be depended upon to furnish the original stuff, for the hack work of many a contract writer is becoming very monotonous at present. However, in order to create the demand for his work, the free-lance must play the game fairly and honestly and build up a reputation for truthfulness and decency, and not a reputation for "ways that are dark and tricks that are vain." Editorial Etchings Ben P. Schulberg, editor of Famous Players, recently refused an offer to live in dear old England and work for another company. Editor C. B. Hoadley, of the Universal staflf, recently completed a story with a great big plot in which Florence Lawrence will star. It is a heart-interest romance of the hills of Tennessee. George Edwards Hall, well-known script writer, may sail the bounding billows soon and join Director Brenon, of the Universal in England, and write stories for King Baggott. , ^ , . Richard Goodall is to produce pictures for Eclair, and we predict that if his pictures are as good as his scripts they will be par excellence. Calder Johnson, editor-in-chief of the Universal script department, has done such good work recently that writers are glad to submit their best stuflF to the company. John