Technique of the photoplay (1916)

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FOREWORD IX offering a Third Edition of Technique of the Photoplay it has been the aim to take the material of the second edition and through rearrangement make the information more readily accessible. It is for that reason ■ and not through any desire to suggest a more important work that the chapter headings have been increased from thirty to seventy-two. Under the new system of dividing, the various elements of the play may be taken up in detail without the intrusion of other discussion. A series of foot- notes to each chapter will refer the reader to related matter in other chapters. In this manner all of the information upon any topic, no matter where it may appear, will be available to the student who wishes to concentrate upon that particular phase of photoplay with- out the use of an analytic index. Another departure will be found in the presentation of examples of script writing otlaer than the form used and recommended by myself. The precise form in which the play is written is a negli- gible matter compared with the writing of the plot in graphic action, but it is essential that the form be clear and easy to follow. Through the courtesy of Phil Lang, of the Kalem company; of Bannister Merwin, of the London Film company; of Marc Edmund Jones, Norbert Lvisk, Walter E. Mair and Emmett Campbell Hall, a variety of examples, each having its good points, is presented from which the student is at liberty to make his choice. But one complete script is given because the complete script is seldom helpful as a guide and is apt to be confusing. All of the examples are reproduced from the actual typewritten page and not merely set in typewriter type, the line about each defining the limit of the page. This shows the exact placing and spacing and will give the student a better idea of script preparation than can be gained from the printed form. The use of typewriter type in the body text, has also been dropped in favor of contrasting type since now there is a better form to follow. ]SIore space is given the multiple reels, which were just coming into favor when the second edition of this work was in preparation; but the multiple reel is merely a longer script than the single reel and does not require very extended comment save suggestion as to the manner of laying out the plot. Some correspondents have suggested that a book might be written on the preparation of the mul- tiple reel alone, but it is believed that the matter is fully and sufficient- ly covered in the material here presented. With the multiple reels, as with the single subject, it is not possible to tell how to write but what should be done to write.