Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1929)

ACJOWSTT 1929 THE PROFESSIONAL DIRECTOR AT WORK Side Is the Assistant Director and in the For Is the Script Clerk HELPING HANDS Tivo Aides Essential To Good Photoplay Direction PROFESSIONAL directors rarely sign "solo con tract s." The director wants his "crew" and most studios realize the importance of providing him with his own specially trained assistants. The size of the crew is generally determined by the importance of the director. A good one may have a dozen or more men and women on his personal staff. The number may dwindle until there are only the assistant director and the script clerk. These two are regarded as essential to results. Amateur clubs and groups are not able to provide all the highly specialized staff workers but the wise amateur director will try to get these two almost indispensable aides, even if it is at the cost of the acting staff. If only one helper is available, he will be wise who picks the script clerk in preference to the assistant director, dividing the latter's duties between himself and the property man. In the amateur production the scenario or working script is one of the most important factors in determining the quality of the finished film. Hence, a script clerk who sees with minute care that the predetermined script is closely followed is the director's most important helper. In many amateur productions, costumes, properties and settings are the simplest possible and the property man and assistant director may be easily combined in one. Routine and detail work is all important in production and both helpers, the script clerk 506 By Epes W. Sargent WHAT THE ACTOR SEES rector May Hold the Center and the assistant director, can be assigned definite responsibilities and will prove invaluable to the busy director. The wise director, however, will carefully supervise the work of his helpers until he is absolutely sure they can be trusted to function without direct overseeing. Green hands are often more hindrance than help, but, after training, yield a handsome profit on the time spent in their education. The assistant director is the director's leg man. He can serve as location finder. He helps the property man rustle the props and sees to it that all essential articles have been secured. He can rough-dress the sets, make contact with the players, issue the plots and calls and checks up on all details. He works with the script clerk on the first assembly of the print and with her helps the director in the final cutting. There is comparatively little glory in the job of assistant. There is a lot of work. But he has the chance of some day becoming a director in his own right and that is the bait the professional director uses to hook a really competent man. Some amateur units hand the job to one who is too stupid to play parts and yet must be taken care of somehow. That is poor policy. The best man available is none too good. A good assistant can help the director make out the various plots and after a little practice he can do them himself, merely submitting them to his chief for final approval. Here "plot" has no relation to the plot of the story but to the various lists issued to the property man, the costumer. production people, casts and the stage carpenter, if there is one. All such lists are known in the theatre as plots and the term has been taken over by the jiictures. After the script of the planned production has been finally passed, it should be copied in triplicate. The first copy should go to the director, the second to the script clerk and the third should go to the assistant. It