The Washington times., 1915-03-29
Washington Man Has
Found Way to Make
Actors in Film
Use Words

There has been a noticeable i'm
provement in the logic of motion
picture plays lately. the plausibility
OF the plot and the manner of work.
ing it out in the studio.
Heretofore the tendency has seem
ed to be, except in special produc-
tions and Isolated instances, for
photoplayers to write play as
rapidly as they could. actors to act
it so that they could get out tor
lunch and directors to produce it In
spirit of having 1t done with as
soon as possible. OF course there
are plays and actors and directors
in abundance who don't do this, but
the average has been as stated-no
team work or coordination between
the playwright. the actors and the
directors. Each of them wrote,
played or directed as a business and
not as an art.
But there has come gradual
change from this attitude. Plays are
being played, nowadays. The peo-
pie who produce and play them try
to get some general idea of what
the author intended and try to work
out that idea in the film. One of
the reasons for this is the improve
ment in the quality Of the plays and
the personal interest the authors
are taking in their production.
In the Lubin studio in Philadelphia
there has recently been adopted
new idea with relation to the finish
ing of films. The Lubins have es-
tablished a sort of jury of actors,
playwrights, and directors who meet
once each week and witness the
reeling off Of the pictures that have
been made during the previous week.
After each picture has been shown,
or even while it Is being shown.
every person in the room Is invited
to make comments. Each strives to
find something wrong with the film.
Each tries to propose better way
of arriving at the result.
They work hard, these people, to
find fault and suggest improvements
and some of the sessions of this jury
are protracted to great length. But
the suggestions that are made for
Improvement are usually adopted
and the films are changed. The re-
suit. in general way, Is the pro
duction of better film plays by the
Lubins than have come from the
studio since it started, and that Is
speaking most highly of them for
the Lubins have turned out some
remarkably fine pictures.
There is a special result tHat mas
been obtained by these "inquests'
II one might call them that-a re-
suit that may revolutioniZe the
production of a film play. This Is
nothing more than the putting ot
words into the mouths of The
characters of the plays. This state
ment Is meant literally. Hereto
fore 1t has been the custom to dis
play a leader showing conversa-
ton bearing on the working out
Of the plot, such as Give me those
papers," or I'm going out of your
life forever" etc. The leader
breaks the continuity of the film
and usually interrupts at a most
interesting point.
The new method is simple, but
very big advance in producing
methods.
Emmett Campbell Hall. Wash
ingtonian. by the way. Is the author
of the new way as well as author
of many rather important film
plays. When the time comes for
the film actor to say something
Of Importance Mr.. Hall has provid-
ed for the flashing of the words
on the screen in the picture itself
Just as the character makes the
statement. While 1t gives a sort
of hand writing on-the WALL eff
feet. at the same time it does not
break the interest in the picture.