Broadway and Hollywood "Movies" (Feb - Dec 1931)

HOLLYWOOD MOVIES 25 S Handling t TORY MATERIAL/ By E. B. Derr Editor’s Note: — Because of the terrific success scored by .Ann Harding in “Holiday;” by Constance Bennett in “Sin Takes a Holiday;” by Eddie Quillan in “Big Money;” and by Helen Twelvetrees in “Swing High,'’ “Beyond Victory,” “Her Man,” and “The Painted Desert;”— we have paused to wonder just what’s back of it all. E. B. Derr is comparatively new to the film world; but was formerly an executive par excellence in the industrial world. The final analysis of the success of a picture lies in the box office; and while the write-ups and advertising in the fan magazines contribute largely to that box office in drawing power — it is the “Big Money” on admission tickets which counts. We have been anxious, as have others, to find out if he had a system, and, if so, just what it was. It was all very well, Mr. Derr believes, to have had a stock company and cast them, as the parts lay, for the required roles in support of the star, in the now outgrown silent movie. Today, it is his belief, that each part, no matter how large or how small, should be carefully considered and worthily cast. He believes, as do many of the more alert film executives, that only the finest talent should he considered for those who write stories for the pictures — and that the element of chance is thereby relegated to the “irreducible minimum.” The system for handling the stories, we feel sure, would be of interest to our readers, and we have asked Mr. Derr to write bis own version of “what makes the wheels go ’round.” Just as each legitimate show has been meticulously gone over from its inception — through theme, writing, casting and production, just so are the audible shadows tending toward perfection in all its widely varied branches. The day of “shooting” a film in record time is here — but only after ceaseless and tireless effort has contributed to make it the well-nigh “finished” product it is before even camera is put to scene* * NOT only has Pathe built up its story department by signing more than a score of recognized play writers and playwrights to prepare the thirty special features on its new' program, but an entirely new method of handling all story material has been evolved. Because of the nature of the story some of #the parts are comparatively short, as far as actual film footage is concerned, yet we feel that no part in a picture is too short to demand the best in acting, and we feel that every link must be well soldered and carefully polished, if one is to have a smooth, strong chain. A small bit, badly acted, may spoil an entire scene. In the same way each bit of clever work contributes that much to the excellence of the entire production. By a series of carefully planned and thoroughly executed preparatory steps, the story is turned into scenario form so that when the director finally E B f 0 ^ okays it for pro + MkM rm page SO