Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1916)

88 Photoplay Magazine dialogue that it cannot be translated into a picture. ':That is the function of the scenario writer," Mr. Turnbull continued, "translator. He must learn to tell his story in action — to forget his literary sense and think only of the dramatic situation. Too often the beginner who conceives a strong situation thinks 'What would the man say?' instead of 'What would he do?' When he has learned to translate what the man would say into terms of action, he has mastered the aTt of the scenario." "Then you do not uphold the theory that the moving picture will cause the evolution of a new form or type of story which can be told adequately in no other way?" "Certainly not. If a writer has the dramatic sense, it is only a question of what form of expression he will use. If he is naturally discursive he will write novels ; if dialogue is his forte he will write plays ; if he thinks in terms of action he will write scenarios. Moreover, the scenario department, as we have organized it here, provides a market for the man who has ideas and no ability to put them into shape. There is one man who has received checks from us for $3,000 in the last three weeks for mere ideas. "The demand for scenarios has become so great, and the competition for good ones so keen, that the most important part of my work now is to consult with authors who have marketable ideas, and show them how to put them into shape, how to translate their stories into action. For this reason I have discontinued all my own writing. It seems fairer that while I am handling the writings of others I should do none of my own. My last scenario was 'Less Than the Dust,' which I wrote for Mary Pickford while I was coming east from California." Turnbull's career in moving pictures has been brief, but already has belied the ancient cynical observation that "A critic is a person who can't, scolding the work of men who can." He was a successful dramatic critic on the New York Tribune, before he felt the call of the screen. With his sister. Margaret Turnbull. he wrote one play. "The Deadlock." but this was his sole venture in writing for the stage. For the last year he has been engaged by Lasky, and out on the Pacific Coast handled the scenarios for this producing company. When Lasky decided, a few months ago. to make a well organized effort to improve the quality of his picture plays, he summoned Turnbull back to New York and gave him complete charge of the work. And that a man of this type is in such an influential position, a man who regards the author as the source of motion picture greatness, surely is an encouraging sign to those who are hopeful of breaking into the "scenario came." Title Contest Winners Following are the winners of the October Photoplay Title Contest : 1. Mrs.' J. H. Wilt, 616 Oswald St., Toledo, Ohio. 2. Helene E. Geisser, Elmira. N. Y. 3. Lemuel L. Foster, Fisk University, Nashville. Tenn. 4. Emma Tussner. 2312-A Russell Ave., St. Louis. Mo. 5. William J. Wear. Jr.. 34 N. 62nd St., Philadelphia, Pa. 6. George Cordingley. 320 E. 4th St., Bridgeport, Pa. 7. Marjorie Castagnino, 515 S. 3rd St., Memphis. Tenn. 8. Adelaide P. Hamaker. 1723 Pacific Ave., Atlantic City, N. J. 9. Mrs. E. T. Julian. 2022 Wabash Ave., Terre Haute. Ind. 10. Ethel Shoemaker. 90 Elliott Mfg. Co., Franklin Bank Bldg.. Philadelphia. 11. Minnie C. Flegel. 1310 E. 18th St., S., Portland. Ore. 12. John Ward. Thief River Falls. Minn. 13. Frank Connor. Jr.. 749 N. 23rd St., Philadelphia. Pa. 14. Mrs. C. E. Shields, Austin. Tex. THE CORRECT TITLES: 1. Just for a Kid. 2. The Eye of the Night. 3. A Gentleman from Indiana. 4. Who's Guilty? 5. The Figure in Black. 6. The Spider. 7. All over a Stocking. S. For Art and Love.