Picture Play Magazine (Sep 1919 - Feb 1920)

Picture-Play Magazine — Advertising Section 99 Are Screen Characters Immoral ? Continued from page 1 6 contact with the complexities of modern civilization, and the situations thus evolved are bound to be either comic or pathetic. It is clue to the fine balance between these two factors that Ray's screen character has become so lovable. His quiet, bucolic life does not lend itself to the tremendous violences that Doug encounters, but nevertheless one has a decided feeling of latent power in the boy that is delightfully satisfying. Beneath his innocence lies a repressed potentiality that is artistically triumphant, and we know that, though the character may seem boob, it will be equal to the great test when it comes. Nor is there great opportunity in a small town for such romantic heroics as Bill Hart enjoys ; yet there is something boyishly gripping in the amorous victoiy of an unsophisticated man over worldly charm and wisdom. I respectfully invite the folks quoted in the first paragraph to witness Ray's screen symbol and then tell if it is not a fine and splendid example to set before the young. When it comes to married roles, however, difficulties arise in selecting symbols. The complexities of domestic situations are so varied that one cannot standardize a wife, as one may a lover. And though it may call for greater art to play many dissimilar roles, yet the artist who does them suffers the disadvantage that he cannot evolve a film character that will be constant throughout all his work and be loved for itself. Nevertheless I respectfully ask the deplorers to witness the character interpretation of the screen's greatest artists. Let your drama clubs study the work of Nazimova, Henry Walthall, and Pauline Frederick. But why try to explain consummate art to outraged virtue? These goodly people will not learn that art has nothing to do with morals. Velasquez was never greater than when he painted human monsters, and Milton and Dore reached the heights when they sought their subjects in the depths of hell. But even in these married roles, that are often too strong for the weak tummy of little Madeline, we find radiant personalities persistently evoking our admiration. Perhaps the one who comes nearest to mak William Worthington, President of tie Haworth Film Corporation and sole director of Sessue Hayakawa; famous director of features for Universal, Goldwyn, etc., says: One Man in America can Teach You Motion Picture Writing Correctly By Ford I. Beebe (Special writer "MOTION PICTURE NEWS," Scenario Editor two years Helen Holmes Serial Co., three years with Universal, etc.) THERE is a constant and tremendous demand for good motion picture stories. Right now, the studios cannot get enough good stories to fit their stars with suitable roles. And not alone this but stories are getting scarcer all the time. Books and magazine stories have failed to make good on the screen — staff writers are written out. But the film companies must have stories. And they want and must have these from "outside" writers — from the thousands of people outside the studios ivho have ideas and the genuine ability to write them if only they knew how to put them into proper shape. Foreseeing this demand there has been a flood of so-called "schools," "systems" and "plans" attempting to teach them motion picture writing. I have spent years in the different motion picture studios. These years convinced me that not one writer in a thousand could teach others this new art of writing for the movies. I doubted that the heads of these various institutions could themselves do what they are trying to teach others to do. I did not believe that they were themselves successful writers of feature stories. I did not believe, in fact, that they themselves could actually write and sell their own stories. So I investigated. And out of the amazingly long list I found one man. A man who is known to hundreds of thousands of film fans as the author of innumerable successful photoplays. I found that this man — F. McGREW WILLIS — has actually written over two hundred produced film stories. That he has written feature stories for more than TWENTY OP THE BIGGEST STARS IN PILMDOM. That he has worked for Ince, Pox, Pathe, Universal, etc. That he wrote Nat Goodwin's big. starring' role in pictures. That he prepared the original synopsis for filming Les Miserables. That he is the author of the first pictures made in this country and sent to Prance to be hand colored. That the motion picture trade papers speak of him as a man who has an absolutely thorough knowledge of photoplay writing. That he has repeatedly been chosen to write the first stories to inaugurate new brands of films. That June, 1919, has seen still another new brand, bringing back to the screen H. B. Warner in two of this man's originaL stories. So I interviewed him personally. And I found this : He has the fairest proposition of its kind ever conceived. He is helping unknown writers achieve recognition. He is showing writers outside the studios, for the first time in the history of the motion picture industry, the inside way of writing — THE DIRECT, DETAILED METHOD THAT STAFF WRITERS USE IN SELLING THEIR OWN STORIES TO THE PRODUCERS. He has the personal endorsement of the directors themselves, who want their stories written only in this way and in no other. He has made this method so plain and simple that it can be learned in one evening's study. And in addition to all this he is giving his pupils A FREE SALES BUREAU to aid them in finding a market for their stories. He is acting as a personal representative of these writers at the studios and with the directors. For he knows that unless writers have this personal agent they cannot hope to succeed. And he positively will not accept any fee or commission oh any sale tchatever. The cost of his course has purposely been placed low that everyone who wants to write can take advantage of it. The entire course, including his free sales bureau, is but TWELVE DOLLARS. And he protects everyone by an absolute money-bach guarantee. In the interest of better motion pictures I feel it my duty to give him every aid I can. So if you are in earnest about writing photoplays I want you to get in touch with him. Do not remit any money. Just ask him to send you his FREE BOOK, "The Inside Story of Motion Picture Writing." See for yourself his wonderful offer. But do this at once. Immediately. Address The F. McGrew Willis Institute F. McGREW WILLIS, Sole Head Suite 417 Wright & Callender Building "THE WILLIS WAY makes writing pay" LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA Ik The Famous French Depilatory Powder* For Removing Hair Made the Sleeveless Gown Possible For sale, at drug and department stores. 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