Pictures and the Picturegoer (October 1915 - March 1916)

AVEEK bndino Mari h i, igio PICTURES AND THE PICTUREGOElt PICTURE-PLAY WRITING BY AN OPTIMIST. TBE number pf people who think the] can write pictureplays and who flood the manufacturers' manuscript department** with hopeles scripts, i> tremendous. Manufacturers do not like t>> close their doors against outside writers « li .> taxe the nyw art Berionsly, hut thej cannol be «>m»i .-t.'il to wade through hundreds of scripts all mi void of technique, in the hope of finding on< containing an idea sufficiently original i" warrant it- being placed i" the bands' of a staff writer. Consequently, much as it is disliked, tin' closing of tht door has to be done, and this hits the serious-minded writers am iteur and professional who have done nothing to deserve the gradual restriction of their market which is no* taking place. Eow to clear out of the way the incompetent amateur the writer who will tu>t trouble to learn the technique, who •ends ir. his ideas in synopsis form "on the. off-chance, don toherknow" is a problem which is vexing the minds of the aforesaid serious-minded writers. Perhaps i ma; 1"' able to assist in the campaign by Betting forth my experience as a pioture play writer, with a view to showing thai the writing of picture plays is not the easy thing it is popularly supposed to he, and that hard work is necessary before success can be achieved. I have always been interested in motion ) ictnres— with me the\ superseded all other forms of entertainment and it seemed only natural that 1 should try my hand at Writing For the screen , I started with half-reel comics, and achieved a fairamonnt of success. My technique was not of a high order, but I read everything dealing with picture-play writing that I could lay my hands on. All suggestions were carefully considered, and, if approred, adopted. Room at the top, and the plodder will get there. As will have been grasped. 1 was ambitious. [ tired of comics. I wanted to write something bigger, so I turned my attention to drama, and there met trouble. I bejran with single-reel dramas, but nothing I could do was right they always came hack. Once or twice I returned to my first love. comics, and sold them; but, generally speaking, I have stuck to drama, gradually graduating from one reel to two and three reeler-. Although I have been told that I am improving, yet T have still to Bell my first drama. It is now exactly twelve months since I sold a picture play, but in this, if in nothing else. T am a plodder, and I am prepared to make the sacrifices demanded by that hard taskmistress, Art. I have several times been on the point of throwing up the sponge, hut something always occurs which re-kindles the flame of my enthusiasm. This has happened not once nor twice, but four or five times, and it seems as if fate forbids me to give up picture-play writing1. The novice should take the word of an optimistic plodder, it is not easy to write picture-plays; what you have to do is not simply to go home from the pictures, write a play, send it off. a s,d receive a cheque by return of post. No. it is nothing like r*\t. It means years of steady application, a capacity for taking hard knocks without being. discouraged, a thorough mastery of everything pertaining to the art. a lively imagination, dramatic instinct, and many other things. But there is room at the top, and that is where " An Optimist " is going. "TBE TAILOR OF BOND ST." is a really fine film, and remember Potash & Perlmutter are in it. I TOIK CICFA— THE ONLY CURE FOR INDIGESTION (in STOMACH & BOWEL). " Now I cat whatever I desire." "I wish all Indigestion Sufferers to know that every word I say is true." derful cure and deserves the highest praise. I always strongly recommend it to any of my friends that I find ara ttflicted with Indigestion. I really cannot find words to express my gratitude nor my pleasure at having found a remedy which really cures Indigestion as Cicfa has cured mine. I only hope that if you publish this letter those sufferers from Indigestion who read it will believe that every word I say is true, and will immediately take Cicfa, the only certain cure. Thanking you for my present health, and for being able to enjoy life again.— Yours truly, F. L. DAVID. IN WAR TIME your mind affects your Digestion more than you think. You know how worry often affects the Stomach, indeed, the whole alimentary tract. Nausea and even vomiting often result from anxiety or a fright. If you are worried at present (who is not worried P) your digestion is b:ing weakened, while, on the other hand, your ability to resist worry is lessened through weak digestion. Keep your digestion perfect, not by taking Purgatives, which upset it, not by Dieting with consequent Starvation, which increases the Indigestion, but by eating liberally and regularly, and taking Cicfa to assist digestion, because Cicfa alone contains those natural Digestive Ferments which, when present in sufficient quantity and in absolute purity, make Indigestion impossible, and make Digestion perfect and certain. DO YOU KNOW that when you take anything which neutralises the acid in your Stomach, you stop digestion, for the Gastric Juice which Nature pours into the Stomach to digest the food is very acid, and if you neutralise that acid you destroy its power to digest food and thus cause Indigestion ? These are not our ideas : they arc scientific facts of the most serious importance to every sufferer from Indigestion. Price 1;3 4 3'-. Get Cicfil now or test it -ABSOLUTELY FRFE— Send your Name and Address, with .1 pon, ami one penny stamp lor postage. ive a liberal sample of this w ( 1 1 LA. Only oil" each family. No person gives a second sample. READ THE EXPLANATION. If you me suffering from Indigestion, whatever the cause may be, jOtl are likely to think that a remedy which cures others may net suit your case, because you think yours is different : and your -> in| U'lns may be ditl'eicnt; but the root causes of all cases of uncomplicated Indigestion ate always the same— that is, there is not enough of the Digestive Ferments which Nature must have to digest the Albumin' us food in the Stomach and also to digest the Btnrchy food in the Bowel. Without these Digestive Ferments, one pfTBOnwill sutler with Heartburn, Wind, and Gas-Rising, White-coated Tongue, Shaii' Headache, Bloic'aeJ. Complexion, Ked Nose, Flushed Face, &c, while auotber will suffer from Flatulence, Bilious Symptoms caused by o'.structed Uile Circulation, Acidity wiili teeth on edge, and attacks of Gout and Rheumatism, and Constipation with all the misery which it causes ; bur, whether you have some or all of these symptoms, YOU CAN BE PERFECTLY CUBED ONLY BY A HEWED Y V; H1LH CON 1 Al\> \Xl t I 1 S DIGESTIVE F H3IEXTS. Without these ferments you may " happen " to get well, but with them you cannot fail to be cured, and THOSE FEBMENTS A HE FOUND ONLY IN CICFA. Mr. David realises these facts, and, having known the sufferings from Indigestion, and the joy of health, with the pleasure of eating what he pleases, he wishes all sufferers to know that Cicfa cured him, and that his words are true. NOW READ MR. DAVID'S WORDS: Qaai' Sirs,— Some time aeo I wrote to you for sarrtph of your indigestion cur3, Cicfa. The sample gave me such instant relief that I continued by purchasing the small tubas. I had been suffering with Indigestion for about 2 . years and had tried several other remedies, but I found them all failures The i I took Cicfa, and found it necessary to take only three or four tubes, and I was and am now able to eat wnattvar I desire. I think honesHy that Cicfa is a most won THE CICFA COY., Sa, DUKE ST., MANCHESTER SQ LONDON, W. ^i^ 1\ .v FirruitEuOEit, l.li v