We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
84 BUILDING UP THE PLOT writing this is possible because first one and then another of these complications may be taken up at will without regard for chronologi- cal order. But in photoplay this is not possible since events must either be related at the time of their occurrence or visioned in. It is not possible to run along on one action for a time and then turn back and bring anothei* action up to date. This would retard the theme and break the continuity. Since sub-plot is hurtful, it becomes necessary to build up the main plot with action and action that is ger- mane to the plot as was shown in the preceding chapter where the lose of a physician provides for dramatic situation without adding a com- plication. 10. At the start it will be necessary to work almost wholly on paper, but it should be the effort of the author to train himself to do the first plotting mentally since the omission of a plot factor may entail so much recopying that the author will leave out what might help tlie story greatly. To overcome this difficulty, many writers use slips of paper and write only one factor to a slip, which enables them to add, to take away, or to change without adding to the physical labor of writing. But the mental development is more flexible still since it permits an almost automatic rearrangement of incident through the addition of a factor. If the student will start with slight themes at first—as he should in any event—he will presently find it easier to do the work mentally than on paper, though it is generally necessary be- fore developing the action plot to lay out a sketch or diagram on paper. n. Take that part of the plot that has suggested itself to you and examine it closely. Perhaps it is the start or the climax of the story or you have a start and climax but are hazy as to the middle action. Suppose that it is the commonplace theme of a woman whose hus- band is too engrossed in business to give her the attention she de- mands. She seeks this attention from society and eventually nar- rows her demand to another man. Almost at the point of peril, she is saved from herself. This is all you have of the story; merely the skeleton of the plot. You cannot even call it a complete skeleton, and your first work is to build to completeness the skeleton that you may clothe it with the tissues of action. You have taken a survey of the plot field and you know that the favorite development is an elope- ment planned but frustrated by the cry of the woman's child, the sud- den ilhiess or injur\' to the husband or the like happening to the man who has planned the elopement. 12. If you lack invention you will probably follow the lines of least resistance and do what has been done before. You will write the story thus, but you will not sell it, since no man but the coal dealer purchases coal after his cellar is full, and all makers of film are plen- tifully supplied with negatives showing various developments of this theme and are unlikely to add to their store. You must get some new departure. Perhaps the wife turns to business instead of to society. This has not been done so much. At once you open a new vista. She