The Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1913)

158 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD Quantity and Quality. Harry E. Cittel, a Philadelphia aspirant, writes that he has become a regular, having hit the market at last. He adds: When I first began to write I could write five scripts a week with ease, and they came back as fast as I could write them. I began to write last May, but did not get a copy of Technique of the Photoplay until two months later. After reading it I was ashamed of what I had sent out. I dished them and began anew. Now it takes me a week to write one, and it takes them longer to get back. Some don't get back; they stick. I thank you and your little brown book for my success. That's the answer to a lot of other writers who wonder why they cannot sell. They write too many and send them out still raw. Technique of the Photoplay is not essential to success, but some means of arriving at a realization of the fact that a photoplay is not merely a string of more or less related incidents is necessary before the real stuff is written and elaborated. If you're in a hurry to sell, do not be in such a hurry to write. Press CUps. It's going to be a mighty good thing to keep away from most press clips. A few months ago we used a World headline and ran into a story Lloyd Lonergan had written for Thanhouser, and this week M. G. Blackford sends in an Associated Press dispatch, with the suggestion that it seems to him that it should make a corking good play, though as he has not seen it done he may be mistaken. The story is that some men tie a dynamite cartridge to a dog's tail, light it and run. The dog runs after them and they are all badly stunned in the explosion that followed. We don't like to say how many years ago we laughed at this joke, but it has been a stock story for a longer time than some photoplay writers have been on earth. Only the other day it was made into a photoplay. The point we want to make is this: Most newspaper men who contribute to papers in other towns are paid for what they have printed, instead of getting a regular salary. When things do not happen fast enough they work over old material and send it out in as attractive a form as possible, in the hope of adding to their space. We have noted of late a very decided tendency to take photoplays and "put them on the wire." Some writer sees it, copies it and, unless his previous reputation is good, stands a chance of being accused of theft. Keep away from the press clipping these days. It is likely to be loaded at both ends. And in this connection it is interesting to note how trained writers will follow the same general lines. At the Inquest Club the other evening George Hennessy, who is a prolific writer, was speaking of writing to order, and we offered to make a comedy of any suggestion that did not include death. He nominated a topic. We mailed him our copy at n the next morning, and he came in with his shortly after noon, and before he had received ours. The basis of the two scripts were the same, though the handling of the plot differed very materially. Anyone not familiar with the circumstances would have supposed that a story had been given to rewrite, yet the "tip'* contained two words only. That's another reason for avoiding press clips, particularly those that are themselves suggested by a play. Waited and — A few weeks ago an author wrote and wanted to know what to do about a couple of scripts that Frontier and American had. We suggested that she wait. She did, and sure enough she got the checks. If she had written, the probabilities are that, while she would have been paid, as a matter of course, she would have gotten herself written down as one of those overeager persons who bother the editor. Sometimes it seems hard to wait, but it pays in the long run. One Side of Plagiarism. A writer whose name would be familiar to the readers of this department writes: Just a line to ask you if you will give us a word sometime regarding apparent plagiarism. A few days ago I received back two scenarios from Universal, one of which was marked "Identical to magazine story," the other "Similar theme used before." In neither case was I aware of it, and these scripts had been out several times, and I could not understand why they did not sell, for I thought them particularly good. From my experience I know enough about copyright not to be fool enough to monkey with it, and yet here was I infringing, and thereby perhaps getting myself "in bad" with the companies. Now, I am wondering how many of my rejections were from that cause. The only thing I want is for you to appeal to the editors to have charity and for them to believe that in most cases one does not willfully infringe. About the same time a friend of his, in a chatty letter, spoke of this correspondent's activities in writing a story a day, and unconsciously supplied the answer to the query. The first correspondent is writing six or eight plays a week. He is writing beyond his creative ability, and unconsciously he taps the stores of memory and picks from thence the plots he cannot originate. We believe that he is completely honest in his statement that he does not knowingly plagiarize, but he does not stop to consider his source of inspiration. He wants to write — write all the time. He is unwilling to stop and think, and so he takes the first thought that comes to him, and does not realize that it is something he has read somewhere. He needs ideas, and so he takes the first thing to hand and wonders how he comes to get such good ideas. It is not until he has been told a number of times that he realizes that he is merely writing what he may have read long ago. It comes to almost every busy author to realize now and then that he has done a story that really is not his, but the practiced writer is generally more careful of his inspiration and examines it to see whether or not it is his own. We think that if this correspondent will write a couple of plays a week he can sell more, because he will be doing his own creating. It isn't what you write that counts. It s what you sell. Titles. Here's a little wrinkle in writing titles. Take a sheet of paper about two-thirds as wide as it is long. It doesn't matter what size the paper is. Letter in the title of your story about the way it will look on the postei of the play. If it looks too long, cut it down. If it doesn't look right, smarten it up a bit. The title must look well on the poster, and it must be catchy to rouse the curiosity. Try the miniature poster sometime and see if it helps you. It has helped some. Looks, Not Sound. One of the reasons why so very many photoplays enrich only the postal service is that a majority of authors fail to visualize what they write. They write for sound, not looks. If the stuff reads well it is deemed a story and sent out, but the stuff that reads all right may not look well on the screen. If we say that Mary comes into her room and takes a bath it reads all right, but the film manufacturer who sought to make such a picture would presently be conducting his business from a cell in some Federal prison. This is an extreme example, of course, but there are thousands of little things that read better than they look and if you bend your energies to making the thing read well you'll never turn out stuff that can be depended on to look well. You can't interest the editor in your literary style. He is looking for plot and business and your high flown phrases will be mentally reduced to business by the competent editor. The editor doesn't read your story at all. He sees your story and if it doesn't look right it makes no difference how finished and fluent it may sound. The real photoplay scripts seldom interests the person who cannot see pictures. It will appeal only to the man who can see in the bald run of action the pictures that will become real when the written action is translated into physical action. If you cannot see the action as you write it wait until you get through and then try to work it out into action. In time you'll find that you can raise up an image of the play at will and still later you'll be able to see the stuff play as you write it. Then you'll write for looks instead of sound and know what you are doing. Inquiries. NOTE — No questions can be replied to by mail. Look for your answer* here. A list of addresses to which photoplays may be sent will be supplied on receipt of a STAMPED AND ADDRESSED ENVELOPE. R. "W. R. — The picture is not Miss Joyce. The next man. woman or child who cuts out and sends in an advertisement asking if it Is Miss Joyce, i» either going to be hurled or be responsible for the suicide of the Answers Man. Your second question is badly put. A photoplay is not rehearsed and then made. One BCene is rehearsed, then taken, and a second put in rehearsal. It takes from three days to ten to make the average thousand-foot reel. PARKSIDE AVENUE — Sign a name as a courtesy. It's no business of this department just what financial interest Mr. Edison has in any device. R. J. 6. — If you don't know who played the "Lady Leone," you don't deserve to class as a "fan." It was Miss Florence Lawrence. Thomas Dawson had the title role in "The Dandy." The young reporter in "All for a Girl," is cast as Mr. Fox. This may or may not be Earle Foxe. We lack the other casts. It is not easy to get the Universal casts now. LOIS — We do not get Pathe casts, and Essanay no longer casts the Westerns. Mies Marie Weirman was Marie in "The Guiding Light." Peter Lang was her father. Bart ley McCullum was the Village Blacksmith, Miss Weirman was Annie, and Charles Arthur, Herbert. In "The Vintage of Fate." Miss Betty Harte was Maria, Miss Phyllis Gordon was Helen, and Wheeler Oakraan. Pietro. We noticed, and are correspondingly grateful. W. m. — We do not get the Milano casts. A. L. — We do not know Paul Kelly's age and we cannot discuss film merits with you. M. K. — We do not know the nationality of Miss Lillian Christy. The American Western studio is in Santa Barbara. F. L. — We do not get Western Essanay casts. L. L. — John E.' Brennan and Miss Ruth Roland had the parts you mention. If you've never seen Miss Roland before you are new to pictures. William Christie Miller and Miss Mary Pickford had the parts in "The Unwelcome Guest." M. L. — The western establishment of the Selig Company Is in Los Angeles. J, J. McC. — There is as yet no well-defined rule in marking the scenes In a multiple reel script. Some companies number straight through, others number each part from one to the highest number. One company numbers the first in Arabic, letters the second, and writes the third in Roman numerals. H. h. F. — Usually the synopses in this paper are prepared by the press department, though the author's synopsis may be copied if it is the proper length and style. Use the double space between scenes and between leaders and scenes. It makes for a better looking copy, that's all. TRUCE You are not "likely" to get a position with a photoplay company east, west, north or south unless you can show stage or picture experience. You are not even likely to get an answer unless you sign your name. J. C. — A bust is any close-up view of a portion of a general scene, made large to emphasize some detail of the action. See "Technique of the Photoplay." BESS — You are correct. The critic made the wrong Identification. WINNIE — We have not that Powers' cast. Miss Jean Darnell was the teacher in "The Truant's Doom." Photoplay Writing. The standard book on the subject is Mr. Epes W. Sargent's TECHNIQUE OF THE PHOTOPLAY. Price, $1.00. Postage Prepaid. All Orders and Remittances to CHALMERS PUBLISHING COMPANY, Box 226, Madison Square Post Office, New York City.