Motion Picture Magazine, July 1914 (1914)

178 MOTION PICTURE MAGAZINE THE ART OF SELLING A PHOTOPLAY A THING MORE DIFFICULT TO ACQUIRE THAN THE KNACK OF WRITING ONE The Photoplay Clearing House Acts as Advisor, Friend and Agent in Setting You on the Right Road to Successful Scenario Writing Established for over one year, with a record of hundreds of sales, 8,000 manuscripts re- viewed, criticized and placed upon the market, the Photoplay Clearing House has become the one authoritative and reliable agent for the handling of authors' product in the Moving Pictury industry. We have received over 3,000 testimonial letters; we are under the supervision of the Motion Picture Magazine ; our business is in intimate personal touch with all of the leading photoplay manufacturers, and our staff of editors, who personally pass upon all material, consists of the following well-known photoplaywrights: Edwin M. La Roche, Henry Albert Phillips, L. Case Russell, William Lord Wright, Courtney Ryley Cooper, Dorothy Donnell, Cecilie B. Petersen, Anna B. See and others. In order to qualify for our reading staff of editors, it is necessary that an editor be a successful scenario writer, a fair and able critic, and a good judge of market conditions and values. The Photoplay Clearing House was established to aid and counsel authors and to sell their wares. We believe we have given more definite help to the discouraged, have furnished more practical criticism, and have sold more photoplays at a higher price than all other similar institutions combined. We tell you: How to Go About It, Where to Market Your Product, How to Revise and Cure Its Weak Points, The Kind of Photoplays Wanted, and a hundred other details of making and selling a finished scenario. RECENT TESTIMONIALS FROM PATRONS AND STUDIOS. Gentlemen: I wish to thank you for the consideration you have given my photoplay, "Nan of the Desert," in selling it for $25.00. I Intend to take further advantage of the Photo- play Clearing House. Herewith returning the signed waiver, BOUND PARKE. 28 Alplno Ave., Pittsburgh, Pcnn. Photoplay Clearing House: I have lately taken charge of production of this com- pany, and we arc hi the market for high-class photoplays running from three to six reels in length. I remember our satisfactory relations while I was in charge of the Majestic production, and hope for still better re- sults now. We will pay well for anything particularly strong and unusual. h. I. HENDERSON, Scenario Editor, California Motion Picture Corporation. Gentlemen: Your letter camo today, hearing the good news that you have sold my scenario, "When Fate Led Trumps," to the Excelsior Feature Film Company for $50.00. This makes $125.00 I have made in a week, which I consider very good, for me, at any rate. I attribute the greater portion of my success to you as I had practically stopped writing until you sold my script to the Eclair Film Company in January, which was, as you hoped, an Incentive for me to keep on and do better. I enclose the waivers, properly signed, and thank you again and again for your sincere advice and kind treat- ment. ALICE M. ROBERTS. 341 Cortlandt Ave., Houston Heights, Houston, Texas. Photoplay Clearing House: Yours of the 1st with enclosures at hand. I was very Jiappily surprised to learn that you had disposed of my photoplay, "His Last Gamble," to the Lubln Company for the sum of $35. As this was more or less of an experiment on my part, the result of sale Is all tho more appreciated. I want to sincerely thank you for your efforts on my be- half in this matter, and I will bo more than pleased to recommend you to any prospective writer who desires to market his product thru a house of up-to-date business methods and the fairest of dealing; „__._.,„ Newport, N. Y. HENRY M. DEXTER. Photoplay Clearing House: I am in receipt of your favor of tho 8th inst., and am more than pleased to learn that you have been successful in disposing of my script. "Fortune's Playthings," to the Biograph Company for $25.00. I am enclosing the two copyright waivers signed as requested. ^^^ 401 E. Market St-, Warren, Ohio. A. L. BROOKS. Gentlemen: , _. I was agreeably surprised and very much pleased uiLs morning when I received your letter announcing the sale or my play, "The Prize Rose," to tho Lubln Company. When it is considered that I sent it to you just eleven months ago, it speaks well of your system and perseverance in disposing of scripts. Fishklll-on-Hudson, N. Y. FREDERICK PIANO. Dear Mr. La Roche: Our comedy company has been discontinued, and for the present we want only the. "Go get the sheriff" Westerns. While the Mexican trouble Is on. we will keep away from anything of a Castllian nature. We receive so many poor, hopeless photoplays that it is Quite a relief to now and Uien sec a little bundle come in that are so well developed. We will be more than glad to have you send us single-reel Westerns, and I can prom- ise that your stories will receive prompt attention. Scenario Editor, St. Louis Motion Picture Co. Photoplay Clearing House: Story entitled "The Irony of Fate," by Carrie G. Vaugban, Louisville, Ky., has been accepted by this com- pany, and a check for $25.00 will be forwarded you In a few days. THOMAS H. INOE, Vice-President and General Manager, New York Motion Picture Corporation. And so on thru a long list of pleased patrons and studios, which we will announce as space permits. THE PLAN OF THE PHOTOPLAY CLEARING HOUSE. We are Intimately connected with the Motion Picture business and In close touch with the manufacturers. We are advised of all their advance releases, their requirements and the Kind of scripts they want. As suitable ones come to us, in salable shape, they are immediately sent to the proper studio. No stale, imperfect or copied plots are submitted. All photoplaywrights are Invited to send their Plays to this company, advising as to what manufacturers they have been previously submitted, If any. Every Play will be treated thus. It will be read by competent readers, numbered, classified and filed. If It Is, in our opinion, In perfect condition, we shall at once proceed to market it, and, when we are paid for 11. wei win pay the writer 90% of the amount we receive, less postage expended. If the Scenario is nox in marketable shape, we will so advise the author, stating our objections, offering to return re ax once, or to revise, typewrite and try to market It. IF THE MANUSCRIPT IS HOPEL.E&S., WE SHALL SO STATE, and in some cases advise a course of instruction, naming various books, experts and schools to select from. Fee for reading, criticism and filing, $1.00 (multiple reels, $1.00 per / reel), but to readers of the MOTION PICTVRE MAGAZINE It This Coupon is will be only 50c, provided the annexed Coupon accompanies each script; for multiple reels, 50c. per reel. For typewriting, a charge of $1.00 for each Play will be made, provided It does not run over 10 pages. 10c. a page for extra pages. The fee for revising will vary according to work required, and will be arranged in advance. No Scenarios will be placed by us unless they are properly typewritten. Pay- ment in advance is expected In all cases. RETURN POST- AGE SHOULD BE INCLUDED, and foreign contributors should allow for U.S. exchange. Enclose P.O. order, stamps, checks, or money with manuscripts. 1c. stamps accepted. .••" e;ood for 50 cents. When accompanied with 50 cents more it will entitle holder to list one single-reel scena- rio with the Photoplay Clearing House. Photoplay Clearing House, 175 Duffield St., B'klyn, N. Y. When answering advertisements kindly mention MOTION PICTUKE MAGAZINE.