Writing the Photoplay Part 12

PIERRE OF THE NORTH

by

_Elmer N. Wells_

Pierre, a French Canadian trapper.......

Baptiste, his brother...................

Duncan McLain, a trapper................

Mary McKenzie, the factor's daughter....

John McKenzie, the factor...............

Mail Carrier............................

Half Breed..............................

_Produced by the Selig Polyscope Company_

THE OLD MUSICIAN

by

_W.A. Tremayne_

Francois Vian, an old musician Pierre le Noir, his neighbor Oscar Muhlbach, a German spy Bertha le Noir, Pierre's sister General of the German army Infantry officer Gendarme

_Produced by the Vitagraph Company of America_

THE SOPh.o.m.oRE'S SURPRISE

by

X Y Z

TED CARSON President of the Freshman cla.s.s at College; twenty, blonde, bright, athletic, full of gay spirits.

FAY NORTON The college co-ed beauty, inclined to love Ted, who loves her.

NITA CARSON Ted's twin sister; a freshman co-ed, in love with Hal Coates.

HAL COATES President of the Soph.o.m.ore cla.s.s; twenty-four, dark; athletic rival of Ted, whom he looks down upon.

A college leader; lover of Nita.

DAN WILLIS Ted's chum; a slim and mischievous Freshman.

"BUCK" SLAGLE Hal's chum; an unprincipled Soph.o.m.ore.

DEAN HALL A nervous professor; comedy character.

POLICEMAN In 16, 17 and 18.

STUDENTS Throughout.

WAITERS In 16, 17 and 18.

CO-EDS In 4, 6, 7, 10, 13 and 17.

CHAPTER X

THE SCENARIO OR CONTINUITY

The first step in the preparation of the scenario--or continuity of scenes--is not a step at all--it is a state of mind: the mood of visualization.

_1. The Picture Eye_

No matter how easy it may be for you to write a clear, brief and interesting synopsis of your story, nor how successful you may be in drawing up your cast of characters, you will fail in producing the right kind of scenario to accompany them until you acquire or cultivate the picturing eye. To possess it is simply to be able to visualize your story as you write it--yes, even before you write it.

You must not only write that "Hal Murdoch steals his employer's letter-book so as to find out some important facts," but you must yourself first _see_ him do it, just as you expect to see it on the screen. On the regular stage, the "business" of the actors--important as it is--is nevertheless of secondary consideration; dialogue comes first. On the photoplay stage it is just the reverse--at all times it is action that is of primary importance. It is what your characters do that counts. Leaders, letters, and other inserts help to make clear what you are trying to convey to the audience, but for a proper understanding and interpretation of your plot the spectators depend upon what they see the characters do; so how can you expect the editor, the producer, or the spectator, to "see" your plot understandingly unless you yourself are able to visualize every scene and incident distinctly as you are putting your thoughts on paper?

This is what Mr. C.B. Hoadley has to say on this subject, quoted from _The Photoplay Author_, now _The Writer's Monthly_:

"Suppose you have a story that has all the requirements for an acceptable motion-picture play. You seat yourself to write it, chock full of enthusiasm and faith in the idea, and in the exuberance of your spirits you see visions of a substantial check. Very well. But have you a visualization of the story? Can you close your eyes and see it on the screen? Or will you 'get stuck' about the tenth scene when it appears to be running smoothly, and then finish along the lines of least resistance, mentally concluding that the plot is so excellent that the editor or director will finish the work you have so enthusiastically planned? This happens to about fifty per cent of the authors."

Mr. Phil. Lang, former editor of the Kalem Company, offered this sensible advice in reply to a question as to whether his company could use psychological scripts. We quote from _The Moving Picture World_:

"The successful photoplaywright is the one who has developed the 'picture eye.' If you will visualize each scene of this scenario, abandoning the 'psychology' which inspired it, you can readily determine how it will appear to the picture patron. The psychology of an action or the development of an act in the photoplay is only psychology when the natural pantomime and business make it clear to the spectator. By the process of visualizing you can readily determine if your play offers anything different from others of the same character which have been done."

Strive, then, to cultivate this ability to see your scenes in action, remembering that it is the thing of all things most calculated to help you in writing a clear-cut, logical, and interesting scenario of your plot. What you cannot clearly visualize is not worth writing.

_2. Identifying the Characters Early_

There is nothing more annoying to the spectator or more calculated to insure the widespread condemnation of your photoplay after it has been produced than to fail in establis.h.i.+ng the ident.i.ty of all your princ.i.p.al characters early in the action. The basic relations.h.i.+p of each character to the others should be made clear just as soon as possible after each makes his first appearance in the picture, if, indeed, it is not made clear just before his appearance by the introduction of an explanatory insert.

We urge this clear identification of characters so that your spectators may be saved the annoyance of needless speculation, and be able to yield to the play their instant attention and sympathetic interest. Furthermore, this course will enable you to tell your story and develop your plot with much greater ease, since the onlookers, understanding who everybody is, and how they are disposed towards each other, will grasp the points of the plot more quickly. Remember that the motives actuating the different characters are virtually sure to be the very foundations of a photoplay plot.

Almost everyone has sat half through a photoplay which was perfect in all other respects, but far from pleasing because it left the spectators guessing for minutes as to "who's who."

"Keep your first characters on the screen, even though in different scenes, long enough to get everyone familiar with them and their environment in the story before introducing a new and unexpected phase in the tale. To fail in this is faulty construction."[16]

[Footnote 16: Herbert Case Hoagland: _How to Write a Photoplay_.]

_3. Prompt Beginning of the Action_