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226 The Educational Screen AS the author of the famous stage play, "Kindling," Mr. Charles Ken- yon ranks high among American dramatists. He has now turned whole- heartedly toward the screen and is one of Goldwyn's editorial staff. Some recent remarks of Mr. Kenyon's are worth quot- ing in full: "The screen has never had a Shake- speare, an Ibsen or an Augustus Thomas. It never will have until conditions are ma- terially changed. And until it does there will never be a motion picture master- piece. "The photoplay has its own technique, just the same as the stage play. Yet we have not developed any great photoplay- wrights. This is not explained by the ten- der age of the art of screen writing. They have been content to buy stories in novel and play form and then turn them over to a "continuity" writer for adaptation.' This means that the story must be filtered through several minds before it reaches the public. The continuity writer must needs take certain liberties with it. Then comes the director, who must also weave his in- terpretation into another man's story. "Such a thing could never happen to a stage play by a recognized dramatist. Why? Because the playwright understands technique and writes his story in the most effective way. "Why can't the scenario writer do 4 same thing? He can if he devotes tl same amount of study to the screen as tl playwright gives to the stage. And ttj until he does, will we have motion pictun possessing subtlety, individuality and grai passions. "Great stories cannot be written by committee, nor can great photoplays 1 produced by soviet control. "The time will come when screen stori will be purchased only in continuity foil just as plays are purchased in dramat form. "There have recently been encouragir signs of reform. Producers have be« sending authors to studios to study ar learn the craft cf making photoplay This is a step forward in the developma of motion pictures, which will reach the full stature when the photo-play-wrigl comes into his own." When this sort of practice becon* adopted—instead of merely approved—I writers capable of significant dramat achievement, the screen will begin to fin itself and will be on the way to win un versal respect. Mr. Kenyon has alreal set the example more than once, notably i "The Invisible Power," which he wrot last year directly for the screen and i photo-play form. Certain Limitations of the Movie (Concluded from puge 216) the spoken drama. As an art, how- ever, there is much to be changed and striven for. But I am no pessimist, in the prem- ises. I think there are signs of im- provement in several ways. Mr. Hays will help, not only in his own person, but as a symbol of using men of sense, influence and taste, to direct, regulate and control what potentially is beyond doubt the most enormous source of popular education to be named at present. Education througl visualization has a great future. Th educational film in school, college an< university, to say nothing of it utilization in the intelligent home, ha; a mighty opportunity, and will in tim< grasp it, I feel sure. But meanwhile we must look facts in the face, speal plainly of what is wrong, and realiz< that indiscriminate praise of this in fant art is as bad for it as is unfaii abuse.