The Washington times., 1913-05-30
Costume Plays Should Never Be
Attempted Unless Ordered
BY Producer.

low fever. and other diseases
become epidemics in our larger
cities. It does not mean that all cpl
spectacle communities. Washington is
in the throes Of an epidemic, So vast
and octopus-like in form. and So regard
less alike OF rich or poor. male or fe-
male. that 1t bears striking resem-
blance to those dread visitations which
settled themselves upon cities in the
past with such dire results.
Happily there will be no terrible after
maths. for the disease Of trying to write
or Of really writing scenarios for NOV
ing pictures Is harmless at its worst,
and can hurt no one-unless 1t be the
poor producer who perforce must read
all Of the manuscripts.
Writing moving picture scenarios
that's the secret The would-be authors
do not tell one another. they listen with
all ears for ideas. and they scribble and
in bed. grinding out wonderful screen
dramas. (At least they always think
that they areD
Some Sane Suggestions
For Writers Of Scenarios.
On account OF the great popularity of
writing scenarios, almost every motion
picture magazine which comes out, or
every moving picture machine paper.
carries articles which are more or less
instructions to the willing writers. There
are many don'ts, but no one seems to
want to pay attention to them Here
were made by men who know what they
want. So. reader. II you are addicted
to the habit, stop, look and take heed.
W. Hanson Durham. scenario editos
Of the Western Vitagraph, says:
avoid that which Is characteristic
among amateur authors-narratvenes
which positively win not carry or reg
lister the idea which Is important TO
convey to the eye without aid Of spoken
words. Make II plain-leave nothing to
be supposed or inferred by the producer
or the audience.
A bit OF wisdom from the Photopiay
Dramatist cautions:
IAN author CT photoplays Is on the
read to successful achievement when
ne can visualize his story from the
viewpoint of those who pay their
money to see It. The dramatist who
can impress himself sufficiently to
create a demand for his work. not
only from the producer. but from the
motion picture patron as well, is in an
env!able position indeed"
Costume Plays Written
Only On Producers Order.
Don't write costume plays unless you
get an order to do so and have explicit
directions from some company. This
scenarios by attempting a costume
drama.
The foreign companies excel in max
ing costume plays with historical back
grounds. No American company will
produce Incidents which happened be-
fore Columbus discovered America
They could get the costumes all right
but would be short on the environment
and atmosphere. Besides. many his
torical happenings centuries ago. which
YOU believe to excellent subjects for
a plot, adapted OF historically correct.
would be lacking in general interest.
The film companies sell their product
all over the world. and a story of Bis
marck or Won Moltke would not go we'll
in England. The European nations have
warred with each other so much that
they hate the sight of conquering
heroes. and even draw the line at prime
ministers.
The editor prefers the simple stories.
easy to produce. Simple does not mean
wake: 1t means natural inartificial
and straightforward. The pot should
he plausible. You have seen many I'M
probabl things on the screen. but that
should not influence YOU to write conf
plicated, unheard-of and outlandish
themes. Think up something arisinal
and summon your best technique to
give il original treatment.
Remember. pictures must contain ac-
tion. Long-acting scenes are stupid
and dull on the screen. If You put
them in your script, the producer Will
be put to the trouble of splitting them
up into smaller sections to relieve the