Moving Picture News (Jul-Oct 1913)

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FOR THOSE WHO WORRY O'ER PLOTS AND PLAYS Just an Intimation THE number of our readers has grown rapidly the past year. This department is read by script writers in ahnost every known country. We are here to please and instruct all. Are we succeeding? Have you any suggestions to volunteer for the good of the department? Do not be backward with your opinions, suggestions and experiences. We like to hear from you and assure you that your ideas are always welcomed. If we are lacking in any items of interest or instruction do not hesitate to point them out to us. No Sample Scripts Several correspondents have requested that we print "sample scenarios" of different kinds and designs. We honestly think that they do more harm than good. The beginner is apt to use the sample script for a model and sacrifice all else in his endeavor to get his work as much like the "sample" as possible. Every text-book published contains one or more "sample scenarios." Buy the books you see endorsed by this department. We receive them all and recommend only the meritorious. "The Two-Reel Picture" Captain Leslie T. Peacocke, one of the most prolific of script writers, kindly gives our readers a few suggestions under the above caption. Needless to remark that there is no script writer in the business to-day better qualified than Captain Peacocke to discourse on the subject of the multiple reel. He has written many of the features produced by the Universal Company. But we will give the floor to Captain Peacocke: ' "In giving suggestions to brother and sister photoplaywrights on the building of two-reel photoplays I am, perhaps, presuming too much. The writing craft is a jealous one and there are few writers living who do not think their efforts surpass or, at least, equal those of any other worker in their own individual field. I am no better than the average scenario writer, but I have worked harder than most, I think. I have struggled and fought the fight and enjoyed the many defeats and varied success as have all scenario writers, and what little knowledge I have gained has been through experience. So, perhaps, a few suggestions I am about to give may prove of some little help to beginners ip the game. The two-reel picture is now an established fact and is growing in popularity with exhibitors and the public, so writers will tlo well to try and William Lord Wright meet the demand. The lirst thing essential is 'the plot.' The plot of a two-reel must necessarily be stronger than that of a one-reel story and must carry a big 'punch' to close the first part of the story and then work up stronger and stronger toward the climax. It must never be allowed to drag — if it does, the audience becomes bored and interest in the story is lost. Take a big subject, an original idea of course, condense your synopsis to one hundred words if you can (the shorter your synopsis the better chance it has of receiving a sympathetic reading by scenario editors and their assistant readers), make your cast of characters as small as you can, and then visualize carefully every scene. Keep in view the camera possibilities and don't run riot with interior settings. Interior settings cost money; work with as few as you can. A two-reel picture should run from 60 to 140 scenes. Do not make your scenes too long. Action is what is needed. Better to break into a scene and throw a flash of some other happening connected with the story, and then cut back to the scene which would otherwise be somewhat long. I hope I make myself clear, as this is an important factor in photoplay building. Avoid sub-titles when possible ; make the action carry the story. Do not waste your time in dramatizing published books or historical topics, for writers on the editorial staff have to tackle that work when it is called for and no iilm company is inclined to pay for material that any member of the staff can write. Your stories must be absolutely original. Leave magazine stories alone. They do not belong to you except you happen to be the original author. Make it your business to frequent picture theatres whenever you can and study the actors of the various companies. You may then be able to grasp their probable requirements. Always have your manuscript typewritten ; it is rarely ever looked at otherwise. I have never been able to master a typewriter myself, although I have bought one, and rented one often. I have no patience to learn, so have always had to pay to have my work typewritten. I found out in my early experience that a hand-written manuscript had no earthly chance of being read, let alone considered. In a tworeel subject aim for tense situations and create suspense whenever possible. Give the actors an opportunity of displaying their feelings. Don't make your story a series of incidents, but aim for continuity. Avoid carefully the actual committal of crime or any suggestion of nastiness. The censor boards won't stand for it and the censor boards hold a very strong sway in this country. So much so, in fact, that the European exhibitors are beginning to consider American pictures 'tame' and devoid of strong dramatic interest. However, writers must abide by conditions as they are and get strong situations if they can without inviting murder, suicide, robbery and other delightful aids to the pen. Original plots are harder to secure every day, so they are welcome and gladly paid for. Never get discouraged. No writer has ever achieved anything worth while except through hard work and persistency; many have starved to buy stamps ; and put the best that is in you in every piece of work you do. Every good effort gets its proper reward. Your early efforts may appear to you to be very fine, but later you may probably find serious flaws in them. I have seen many of my early efforts in magazines and on the screen and have felt heartily ashamed. And most probably in a few years hence I may be just as ashamed of my present-day efforts. Every writer experiences this — our earlier efforts may have been better, but we all think we know more as we progress, and it is a good thing for us to retain our selfconceit, otherwise we should die — or seek some uncongenial occupation which is worse than death." What, Again? Here it is again, the old discussion as to what name to give a script. A correspondent writes us that "she is somewhat confused." She says some call 'em "photoplays," others, "pictureplays," still others "scripts," not to mention "playscripts," and "scenarios." We confess to using almost every designation with the exception of "playscript" — never that ! The truth is that after Brothers Wood and Sargent settled the vexed question to their entire satisfaction a year or so ago, in favor of "photoplay," the editors, directors and authors continued to refer to "scenarios." Two-thirds of the editors speak of "scenarios" right at present. The whole blamed business seemed a much ado about nothing to us. Whether you refer to a "photoplay," or a "scenario," if you can write .good ones, you will get the money. Respectfully Referred Here is a suggestion that is respectfully referred to the publicity agents of the various film companies. A writer suggests that instead of referring to "The Human Cruller, in Three Reels," or in "Two Parts," as the case may be, that the lilms hereafter he advertised as