Motion Picture News (Oct 1913 - Jan 1914)

22 THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS is being launched every minute," writes in a New York author. And our best advice to the writers is to stick to the well-known and proven companies. Avoid the "wildcat" companies. Some are all right and some are not. The Pen as a Livelihood Making a living by means of the pen is frequently hazardous. Do not cut loose from your regular occupation, if you have one, until you are very very certain that your literary output commands a regular market. With a fanfare of trumpets a photoplaywright broke into the script game a year ago. He sold his first six scripts right off the reel. He clerked in a jewelry store. Confident that it was "easy" he resigned as clerk. That was a year ago. Since his resignation he has sold just one script. He has no job. He had better nursed the job. Even the stars among the "free lances" have other occupations to add to their incime. Of course, if you can write novels and special articles and short stories, along with your photoplays, you can keep the wolf from the door. However, depending upon photoplays alone as a means of buying coal for the family is precarious. We recently received a letter from Marc E. Jones admitting that our antagonistic attitude toward "photoplaywrights' associations" and "mutual benefit societies" was correct. It took Jones some time to see it, but he says he has seen the light and retired from "association" business. Maybe the above opinion on living by writing will reassure him of our attitude on that subject also. A Line from Hobart C. D. Hobart, a Florida photoplaywright, writes as follows : "I really think it is about time you heard from me, for it is such men as yourself, Mr. Sargent, Mr. Hoagland, Mr. Leeds, and all too few others that the army of beginners owe thanks, a mighty poor compensation for the good work you have done, are doing, and will continue to do. Here it was that I decided to take a 'whack' at writing a picture story. Please note that I don't dare assume to call my primary attempt a photoplay; in fact, it is a shame to call it anything but 'a mortification of crudeness.' "An operator friend introduced me to The Motion Picture News, and I read every little thing that I could about the photoplay, writing all the while. Following the first, the comedy (?) came a serious problem (?) story. The fifth attempt, a detective drama, was accepted and the editor asks for more American detective stories novel in plot and full of action.! Some of the things I do in preparing a manuscript may be of interest to others in the game, and I take the liberty of mentioning a few of them. "I never write with pen or pencil except to correct. I write the scenario first, working my characters naturally from one scene to another. When the scenario is complete, then I write the synopsis. The original or first copy, I double-space; this makes room for corrections and filling in between the lines. Every manuscript sent out is listed in a little book which I keep for this purpose. Each company is given a double page. On the left-hand page I put down the name of the photoplay and the date submitted. On the righthand page I put down the date of its return, unless it happens to be accepted; then after the words "accepted," I state the price received. "At last, but far from least, one of my best friends is Noah Webster's masterpiece, 'The Dictionary.' You have my heartiest support in your fight to protect beginners from correspondence schools." Mr. Hobart's letter contains much of benefit to beginners and we recommend his system of working. Here Is the Latest The latest "come-on" literature is from a "literary society" in Washington, D. C. We quote some paragraphs of the circular letter being sent out: "Simultaneous with the unprecedented demand for moving picture scenarios that swept the country there arose a number of so-called experts that prey upon earnest authors by charging exorbitant prices for absolutely worthless criticism. Our special critic has been writing many years. . . . One dollar for every scenario," etc., etc. Don't "fall" for this latest scheme. "Societies" can be of no benefit to photoplaywrights. Credit Where Credit Is Due We are pleased to notice that Mr. Arthur Leeds, editor of the Photoplay Author, is also inclined to follow suit and favor credit to writers on screen and poster. Leeds has been glancing through the leaves of an old notebook and finds this written long ago but applicable to-day in some instances: "The sooner the manufacturers see the advisability of placing the author's name on all film titles when the technique and dramatic value of the scenario submitted justifies it at all, the sooner will the desired plots begin coming into them. Three years after the foregoing was written, we find that a few of the film companies have adopted the policy of giving the author his due on the film. It is probably only a question of time before they will all do so." We repeat, not only should the deserving author (deserving, mind you) be credited on the screen, but his name as author should appear on posters. The Dramatic Mirror recently printed some sprightly repartee between two playwrights as to which of the collaborators should be named first position on billing. One playwright even cabled his arguments from Europe. Universal is to be commended for starting poster credit for authors. We hope that all other enterprising companies will follow this example. SCENE FROM "MADONNA OF THE SLUMS," 101 BISON 2-REEL DRAMA