Modern photoplay writing, its craftsmanship; a manual demonstrating the structural and dramatic principles of the new art as paracticed by the modern photoplaywright (1922)

Introduction to the Study 15 perhaps more closely related to the stage drama than to any other allied art, and conceived as a drama to be played by actors and reproduced upon the screen. The creator of such a story is a playwright in the meaning of the term; he is the analogue of the stage dramatist whose play must have the aid of a ' 'doctor" or dramaturgist to fit it to its medium. That he may or may not be able to supply continuity acceptably for his work does not invalidate his title; he is a col- laborator with the continuity writer. In the modern photoplay world, then, playwrit- ing may be divided into two branches or varia- tions, synopses and continuities. To those best fitted to originate and develop plots and details, the synopsis is the suited branch; to those who may evince a talent for that technical and drama- turgical structure, the scenario, continuity is best adapted. It cannot be too stiongly asserted, however, that the author of the plot is a play- wright in the true sense. The failure of famous novelists and story writers to master the dramatic art of the photoplay is well known, for not every author has dramatic ability anymore than every dramatist has literary ability. A certain innate type of mind is required, a dormant faculty which yields readily to development. Without this type of mind training will have but little avail; training cannot but be a poor substitute for mentality. There has been of late marked effort to dis- cover those of playwriting ability or dramatic faculty by the method of the questionnaire. This psychological test has been applied to the choice of writers for both the stage and screen. Stripped of malpractice and fraud it may serve as an index