Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1914)

i674 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD THE PHOTOPLAYWRIGHT Conducted by EPES WINTHROP SARGENT A Photoplay League. FROM Los Angeles comes a letter announcing the formation of The Photoplay Authors' League with the typewritten signatures of those mentioned as the incorporators. To these are added "per E. P.'* and the stenographer's mark gives "EL P." though there is no E. P. in the list of incorporators, however, we shall take it for granted that the signatures are used with authority. The letter follows; On Friday evening, February 27th, 1914, there was formed an organization known as the Photoplay Authors' League, with Hettie Gray Baker, Wallace C. Clifton, James Dayton, Marc Edmund Jones, W. M. Ritchey, Russell E. Smith, Lois Weber, Richard Willis, W. E. Wing, and Frank E. Woods as charter members. It is the purpose of this organization of photoplay wrights to affiliate for the purpose of mutual protection and for the general uplift and advancement of the heretofore only partially recognized art of motion picture play construction, and To bring together, in an effective and powerful organization of national and international scope, recognized photoplay writers for their mutual benefit and exchange of ideas and experiences, and To incorporate under the state laws of California, and To publish as often as possible a bulletin announcing new members, reporting new laws that may be enacted for the benefit of its members, and all photoplay authors, and containing a complete forum for the exchange and dissemination of the experiences and ideas of its members, and To undertake matters of legal procedure, or any other matters that may arise, for the benefit of its members or as a majority of its members may desire, and to assist in securing whatever legislation may be needed at any time to help photoplay authors secure such rights and privileges as may be denied them. It is not intended that this organization may be of any service whatever in a social way, or to regulate prices, or to influence the sale of scripts, or to take in any way any arbitrary or aggressive stand with manufacturers. The membership is not a resident one. Non-residents may become members by applying to the secretary, enclosing the dues, and thus signifying their intention. This is a national organization, and is for all recognized photoplay authors wherever their place of residence. The membership will be strictly limited to those photoplay authors having a proven list of ten produced scripts to their credit as author. The membership requirements other than the above are to be minimum dues of $10.00 per year, payable in advance, to the Treasurer, Photoplay Authors' League, at the temporary headquarters of the League, 604 San Fernando Building, Los Angeles. Frankly, we do not altogether like the scheme. We are ready to welcome any organizaton that will work for the betterment of the photoplay' business and that will make for a more prosperous condition of affairs, but we are afraid of these league ideas. The names of the incorporators are guarantee of the honesty of their purpose. They are the names of men and women who have already done much for the advancement of the business, but intention is one thing and fulfilment another. Here are ten persons who have the best interests of the business at heart, but where will these ten be when the membership builds up to a hundred or more? The majority will rule and in spite of the paragraph that disclaims any intention of trying to coerce the manufacturer, we believe that a majority of the writers who will join will seek to effect such coercion. We fail, moreover, to see what the writer needs legislation for. True it has been decided that it is not a crime to steal a manuscript, yet for this the judge and not the law seems to be to blame. Copyright is not possible for unpublished material of any sort and so an amendment to the copyright law cannot be secured no matter what pressure may be brought to bear upon individual congressmen. The moral effect of a large membership would be all very well were that membership loyal to the body, but in other lines we have seen too many instances of disloyalty and even betrayal to believe that here great good can accrue. At the Ed-Au club the other evening we were attacked because we advanced the belief that a seal of the club on a scrip would not gain for it special attention, but twenty years at the game has shown us the futility of asking the other fellow to fight our battles for us. The man who writes good scripts can sell them. If he is badly treated by a company he drops it from his list. If he writes good stuff and acts like a business man, he can get ahead without assistance. If he cannot, it is not possible to drag him to success. As to Copyright it might be well to note that there is none more willing to see the privilege of entry granted than Thorvald Solberg, the Register of Copyrights. "His is one of the very few self-supporting departments of the government and he would welcome these additional fees as much, perhaps, as the opportunity to further extend the usefulness of his department, but in spite of repeated consultation with the Congressional committee he has not been able to gain entry for the photoplay writer, and if he cannot, we do not believe that anyone else can. underwater photography even at night not only possible but practicable. It was not in line with the usual affairs of the Inquesters, but it was too good a chance to let pass and Mr. Gregory spoke most understandably of the technical side of the work. Pop Hoadley refused to contribute to the discussion as did Monte Katterohn, but Benjamin Barondess led a discussion on some of the plays and there was a general talk. One point brought out was that legal papers should be carefully prepared, a will figuring in one of the plays just witnessed being of the true "lawyer's delight'' brand. The importance of careful leader writing was emphasized by a picture wherein a husky six footer goes to bed and the leader explains that the hero has worried himself sick over a mortgage; which is no way for a hero to behave. There will be no month end meeting in March on account of the dinner, but the members will meet at the Savoy, as usual, on April 13th. At the Ed-Au. There was a brisk meeting of the Ed-Au club March 7th., and the interest felt in the organization was shown by the vote to have a meeting April 4th. instead of calling off on account of the dinner March 21st. C. B. Hoadley read an interesting paper on the visualization of the copyright plays and books. This will be printed later when Pop gets time to prepare copy. In the discussion that ensued it was the sense of the meeting that presently the supply of copyrighted material would be exhausted and the original writers would again get their innings, but those w^ho have given the matter the most careful thought seemed to believe that there will always be a chance for good copyright material as well as original matter, though the present craze for filming anything that ever used to be popular must soon abate. Captain Leslie T. Peacocke spoke for credit on the film and Mrs. Brandon went him one better by declaring that the Ed-.^u club should issue a seal which, when affixed to a script would give it preference over the inferior writers. It was clear that she did not represent the opinion of a majority of the members. This writer pointed out that while he was given credit on the film for having written "The Sultan and the Roller Skates," an Edison comedy, the story as filmed was really written by C. J. Williams, the director, who built a sketchy farce into a comedy drama with a marked farcical trend, and expressed his belief that the credit more properly should have gone to Mr. Williams who had taken advantage of opportunity to make a much better story. The majority were strongly in favor of screen credit, arguing that the players were wholly dependent on their popularity, and overlooking the fact that the player presents his personality, while the writer does not. At the business session Capt. Peacocke was elected to membership, as were John William Kellette, a writer. Carl Gregory, of Princess, Lu Senarens, of Motion Picture Stories and Richard Carroll, who won first prize in the old Universal-Powers contest and who writes scripts when he is not editing the Sewing Machine Times. For a time it looked as though there would be thirteen members present for the third consecutive time, but the alleged hoodoo was avoided. Those present were President Phil Lang, Treasurer Pop Hoadley, Vice President Mrs. Brandon, Van Kuren Powell, Dr. Stockton, Henry Albert PliilHps, Edwin M. LaRoche. Monte Katterjohn. Mark Reardon, III., E. M. Wickes, of the Writers' Magazine, Arthur Leeds, of The Photoplay Author, James Cogan, B. P. Schulberg, and E. W. Sargent. Inquest Club. There was a full attendance at the Inquest Club Monday, March gth. Carl Gregory told interestingly of his projected trip to the Bahamas to make submarine pictures, and explained the submersible tube which makes Can You Beat It? Not long ago we printed a letter from ilrs. Louella O. Parsons, in which she announced that Essanay was not at present in the market for much material other than comedy. We took the liberty of adding the sort of letter we thought Mrs. Parsons might have written were she less diplomatic. We pointed out that she had done a lot to help the struggling beginner and that probably the struggling beginner had wearied her of well doing by importunate demands for all sorts of favors. We think we hit the matter pretty fairly in explaining she was through with all novices because so many had repaid her courtesy with rank discourtesy and yet she now writes that the item seems to have doubled her mail and adds: Scarcely a day passes that I do not get a letter running something like this: "I have heard of your kindness to beginners and so I am sending you my script and asking you to personally criticise it." I really would like to keep up my reputation as the kindhearted lady, but in order to personally criticise all the scripts that find their way into the Essanay Scenario Department, I would have to work both day and night and Sundays. But your letter did bring me several good comedies for which I thank you. I didn't realize what a law unto scenario writer your word is until this mass of mail, quoting you as authority came to us. I have returned the compliment and advised all these poor lost souls who really wish to be enlightened to get in touch with the "Moving Picture World." If there were only some way we could separate the wheat from the chaff, for I am confident there are many people who are worthy of help. Many of them who could really do something if they only had a word of encouragement but the trouble is hundreds and hundreds of the people who ask for help are wasting their own time as well as the valuable minutes of the people to whom they appeal. It is a problem to know who to help and who to pass by. I suppose after all, the amateur who has something in him will learn to properly develop his ideas and write scenarios that are technically correct, without driving the editor to the insane asylum or an early grave. I read your column each week and I do wish we could impress upon the scenario writer, especially the beginner how much real help he could derive from keeping in touch with the "Moving Picture World". When I say "Moving Picture World" I mean the "photoplaywrights' column." Mrs. Parsons still has a kind heart, but it has callouses on certain spots that used to respond to the wail of the unwise. She has gone out of the kind hearted business and she will brutally say "No" to any and all requests for personal criticism. Don't bother her with your troubles. She has done her full share of work in the past. She