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CHAPTER 14
It has been suggested that I should give some short description of my method of working upon a film production in those days, since it differed in many respects from that of my contemporaries— which is not, of course, to hint that it was any better than theirs and merely implies that the comparison might be informative but not odious.
In this connection there is a little incident which jumps to my memory, probably because it tickled my conceited vanity. I was strolling past a partition which hid me from a group of three or fouj: of my producers and before I realised it I overheard what they* were saying. One said: 'He is always so beastly cocksure: knows exacdy what he wants and jolly well means to get it.' 'Yes/ said another, 'and the trouble is the beast is always right.' It dawned upon me that this was my cue for silent departure, with probably a silly fatuous smile upon my face at the slightly sinister compliment.
But I think I see what they meant. I did always know what I wanted and certainly did intend to secure it. This was roughly the method. When I read a book or saw a play or studied a synopsis, there came into my mental vision a fairly detailed and consecutive pattern of what the film would be like. That pattern stuck in my head and gradually crystallised out into a definite form, while the working scenario was being prepared for me.
The next step was to complete the crystallisation process. I chewed the scenario over bit by bit, suggested alterations and discussed them and finally I took it home and lived with it. At this stage I re-typed every scene, large and small, one page or more to each, wrote in titles and sub-titles by hand wherever they seemed necessary, and saw each detail of every set-up just as it was to appear. It was an imaginary picture but it was complete.
Well, having got my personally transcribed scenario in treble form, that is in three books, one for me, one for camera and one
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