The technique of the photoplay ([c1913])

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THE CUT-BACK 95 five will take but little more film than five regular scenes al- though it seems much longer because we have given the sugges- tion of so much happening. Because the cut-back is valuable do not employ it in every drama you write. Many dramas are far better if played in fifteen scenes than in fifty. Use the cut-back only when there is need of it. Use it, do not abuse it. In comedy the cut-back delays anticipation, but its greater ser- vice is in quickening the action, since here the element of suspense is not so greatly needed. Even when the cut-back is employed the handling is slightly different. If Jones, a gay old boy, engages in a flirtation with some charm- ing young woman and winds up by inviting her to lunch, the meal will be long drawn out and not very funny. If we cut back to Jones' wife in pursuit of her husband, we can save the bits of humor that the table scenes will bring and get other laughs from Mrs. Jones. Suppose that we try it something like this in the old way: 5- Exterior restaurant- May and Jones enter scene- enter restaurant. 6- Interior of restaurant- Jones and May enter- they are shown to table- waiter takes order. 7- Front of Jones' house, as in No. 3- Mrs. Jones enters from house- exits up street. 8- Restaurant, as in No. 5- Mrs. Jones enters scene- enters restaurant. 9- Interior, as in No. 6- Mrs. Jones enters- chases May out with umbrella- Jones dives under the table- she prods him out- drives him from restaurant. That would be the old way of handling the situation. We get a mild laugh when Mrs. Jones starts out because we can guess what is coming. There is a better laugh in scene nine where we see it happen. That is about all we can get. Now compare this with what follows: 5- Exterior of restaurant- Jones and May enter scene- enter restaurant. 6- Restaurant interior- Jones and May enter- they are shown to table- waiter takes order. 7- Jones' house, as in No. 3- Mrs. Jones enters from house- exits up street.