Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1914)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 803 dollars a split-reel; fifty dollars a full reel; one hundred for two reels, and so on. But I will sell synopses for twenty-five dollars per reel. I have had the good fortune to receive several bonuses, and. within a few months, you will see a great deal of my work, as I am placing practically all I write with the companies I mentioned. I am going to do a lot of slapsticks, and two-reel comedies and dramas in the next few weeks in synopsis form, which I will make complete scenarios of, if desired. The New York Motion Picture Studios. By Marc Edmund Jones. The studios of the New York Motion Picture Company, manufacturing the films released under the Kay-Bee, Broncho, and Domino brands, together with those of the Keystone Film Co., a subsidiary corporation, are all located at Los Angeles, and the production offices and scenario departments for both companies are in Edendale, scripts being mailed to the New York or the Keystone Company, at 1712 Allesandro Street, Los Angeles, and not being sent to individuals, to New York, or to Santa Monica, under any circumstances. The script desk for the Keystone Company is being filled on trial at this writing, Mr. CooHdge now being the editor for the St. Louis Motion Picture Co., at Santa Paula. Cal. At the script desk of the New York Co. Mr. Richard G. Spencer continues in his capable editorship, assisted by William H. Clifford, a staff writer, and the usual staff of readers. Synopses only are desired by the Keystone Company, and decisions are given as quickly as they can be read by Mack Sennet, the chief producer and vice-president of the company. A similar system exists in the scenario department of the New York Company, where either completed scripts or synopses are considered, the best of the scripts being held and read at a meeting attended by Thomas H. Ince, the production head and vice-president of the company, by Spencer and by Oifford. The location at 1712 Allesandro Street is now the property of the New York Motion Picture Co., and permanent improvements are being made. The new negative developing plant and technical department is nearly completed at this writing, and work is about to start on the new office building. A handsome mission wall will surround the grounds and keep the curious out. Edendale is just within the city limits of Los Angeles, lying about fifteen minutes ride on the street car northwest from the central section of the city, on the route to Glendale. The Keystone stages, dressing rooms, etc., are all located on the Edendale lot, and six director?, including Mack Sennet, are now wtrrldng. The type of story fitted for Keystone comedy is probably more generally familiar than the requirements of any other company — so much so that another editor will ask for a "Keystone" story. It is merely necessary to add that the present is for melodramatic comedy — bomb throwing, and the like. For the other brands a little more detail in the matter of requirements should be of value. This company does not feature their players, and does not care to have the identity of the players or directors given any publicity. It is possible, however, to give a very exact statement of the stories that will find favor in this studio, for the very reason that certain players are not featured and that consequently it is not necessary to build stories to fit the people, and for the further reason that the directors are not catered to particularly, as the stories are purchased considerably ahead of requirements, and without any regard for who may possibly be called upon to produce it. In other words, the story is the thing. As in the case of the American company, the screen is no criterion of their wants, as they aim for variety, and a series of any one style of picture, such as the Puritan series, will be all produced and ready for release before the first one is released. It is safer to keep away from costume stories as a matter of principle, and there is one prohibition — All-cowboy Westerns are not wanted. The New York Motion Picture studios are located at the old loi-Bison ranch, five miles north of Santa Monica, on the ocean in Santa Ynez Canon, and covering a tremendous piece of ground that must take up half of the mountain side. Thomas H. Ince is manager and chief director, and there are six other directors at work with a stock company of 250, of which about 30 are principals. There are eight stages for interiors, and a number of special exteriors, such as complete Puritan, Irish, Japanese, Spanish, and Western villages, which have been built for large productions and for special series of pictures. "Making a Motion Picture'* or a release under a similar title, will shortly appear under the Keystone brand, and this film shows the stages, properties, and various phases of the work, all taken on the ranch at Santa Ynez. Some of the directors are seen at work. The locations here cover nearly everything from the sea to the mountains, and Santa Monica, or even Los Angeles, is readily accessible for city locations. The New York Motion Picture Co. is anxious to win early consideration of the work of regular contributors, of which they have practically only one outside of the staff, and authors will find prompt, courteous treatment, although they will find that only high-class material will be bought from the outside. Payment is liberal. Credit on the screen will be given to any author whose work does not require extensive reconstruction, and who sells them over five scripts. They prefer stories in synopsis form, and pay almost as well for a synopsis as for a completed script. There are no contract writers, and but two staff writers, including the editor. Practically any original story with dramatic situation is acceptable. A short cast with not over four or five principals is preferred, not because of expense, but because it is felt that it is hard for the audience to follow more. Their technique runs a few more scenes to the reel than the average. One to three reels are used. Saving Money. Time is money and so is the stuff that carries the government stamp and both are valuable to the man who makes pictures. If he had a story that can be made in three days instead of a week, he saves three days. Now suppose that his running expense for that company is one hundred dollars a day. He has saved three hundred dollars just as surely as though someone handed him that much in real money and he put it in the bank. If you plan simple productions and look to your story rather than the scenery to gain you your effect, you can save some manufacturer that much money. If you fuss the story all up then you'll waste that much or more. It is a bit confusing at times. Recently a company turned back a two reel story with the suggestion that it would be taken if certam scenes aboard a yacht were switched to an automobile. It was a pursuit; not a chase, and called for a yacht and a tug. And while the author was working on the changes the same company announced that it had a fivereel story in preparation for which it had hired a handsome yacht. That sort of thing looks contradictory, but figure it out. In the big picture no expense was to be spared. It was to be sold for more money and part of the investment in the film was regarded as chargeable to the advertising. For this picture the yacht was necessary. For the other it was not. It 3 the same all along the line. A company will spend money when it has to. It won't when it does not have to. Save money where you can. Get Hep. Someone sent a story with an alligator hunt in it to one of the Jacksonville sections the other day. It was a nice, lively script, but it costs ten cents even to look at an alligator down in Jacksonville. Rejections. A rejection means that a company cannot use your script. It does not mean that no company can use your script. Not all editors "see*' stories alike and what one man will call poor another will like. One current hit was rejected by two companies, but a third paid $50 for it. One editor even wrote that he thought it hurt our reputation to send out such stuff, and yet, nine times out of ten we will defer to his judgment. This happened to be the tenth time. Lately a writer named three companies and asked if we thought that rejection by all three argued a lack of merit. All three together do not buy a dozen scripts a month, because they are the tightest of the tight markets. Of course, the large percentage of scripts would not pass anywhere, but mere rejection counts for nothing. Writing to Objects. Ever try writing to objects? You may not get a very good story at the start, but it will be good practice if you pick out the right object. A tin can. for instance, does not suggest much, but suppose that a small boy found some labels a druggist had thrown out and started in to "play drug store." He places a poison label on the can and, tiring of the game, wanders away. A tramp comes along and sees the can. It will serve as a cup and there are some almost empty beer kegs around the corner. He fills the can, drains it, and then sees the label. His imagination does the rest. Simple? Sure! Try it. Impossibilities. Sometimes we wonder if some writers are crazy or whether they merely imagine that the editors are. How is this for a plot? A girl is determined to go on the stage. The stage managers laugh_ at her. She locks the star in her dressing room after binding and gagging her and plays the leading role, winning the plaudits of the audience and a long time contract. Mind you, she did not offer herself as a substitute. she merely went on and played the part, pretending to be the star, and all the players who had been playing with the woman presumably for weeks, never guessed the deception until the fall of the last curtain, when she removed her wig. Silly sort of story, isn't it? To be sure it is. But look here, are you absolutely certain that you have no plots just as absurd? Look it up. With a Laugh. Do you write your comedies with a laugh and your dramas with a tear? We don't mean the sort of laugh that brings the janitor to your door with the suggestion that you are annoying the other tenants, but the pleased little laugh that doesn't even get to the lips, but which lingers in the eye; an internal laugh, if yon will, or the swallowed sob. In a word, do you back out your stories or do you write them with your whole heart? After you have been writing for a number of years, writing becomes a habit, but we think that every real writer does his work with a sob or a tear and not merely in a mechanical fashion. If you cannot get interested in your work yourself, how can you expect others to be interested? Technique of the Photoplay (Second Edition) By EPES W. SARGENT Not a line reprinted from the first edition, but an entirely »ew and exhaustive treatise of the Photoplay in its every aspect, together with a dictionary of technical terms and several 8ampl« scripts. One hundred and seventy-six pages of actual text. Special chapters on Developing the "Punch," Condenmnflf Ae Script, Writing the Synopsis, Multiple Reel Stories, Talldng Piotures, Copyrights, etc. In cloth, two dollarft. Full leather, three dollars. By mail postpaid. Add itn centj if registraticn is dtsirgS, C7 Addf99 att Ordmr9 to THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 17 Madison Avenu* New YmIi City