The art of sound pictures (1930)

40 THE ART OF SOUND PICTURES has not succeeded in this difficult task. So the structure, as a whole, falls to pieces. An actual account of another series of conferences on an original story may prove amusing as well as instructive. A certain producer had bought an original story because of a single idea which appealed to him in the script. The story was given to two of the staff writers to adapt for the screen. These writers wrote a new story of their own, based on the original idea of the first script. It concerned a murder by a giant ape, and the horror which this huge animal caused whenever it made an appearance. The two staff writers opened the revised story after the murder had been consummated. They continued the plot development by having a detective, three weeks later, assemble all the people concerned with the murder and question them about it. During this questioning and cross-examination by the detective, the original facts of the murder were brought out. The staff writers then added a comedy element, based on the grotesque and unnatural appearance of the ape, and comedy situations resulting from the effect of this appearance upon other characters in the story. When their story was complete, it was given to the producer. The producer read this revised version, and instantly perceived that the picture would be very flat and without drama or climax. Comedy and horror were alternated and intermingled in such a way as to neutralize each other. So he called in a free lance writer from outside, and told him to confer with the two staff writers and to give them suggestions, for which the staff writers would receive screen credit. For two days the free lance writer