The Washington times., 1915-12-29
PHOTOPLAYS AND
PHOTOPLAYERS
Practical Sample Of
How Some Picture
Plays Are Built
Without Script.
BY GARDNER MACK.

Those aspiring photoplaywrights
who burn midnight oil and spend
many dollars in stamps for the pur-
pose Of sending out manuscripts
would have a rude awakening IL they
could once get into a studio and see
Just how number of photpplays
are really made. This applies to
most OF the Observation-Disclosures some
OF the most notable in the business.
The mere Idea Of a play is usually
enough to start with and the director
BUILDS the action as he goes along.
This system Is now regarded as all
wrong. But it is due to two rather
important factors. The first lies in
the. supreme confidence of the di
rector In himself and the second Is
due to the lack Of really good photo
plays. Men like Griffith and 1nce
and Terwilliger do not usually work
out scenes in this manner. but they
have done it. and on occasion will
very likely do it again.
There is no question but that.
given director of intelligence and
company capa BILE Of acting. excellent
results can be obtained in this man
ner. although such directors and such
actors and actresses would be the
first to declare that this is not the
best method Of doing a picture play
and that regular scenario is much
better. However. there are occasions
when the building of photoplay on
a general idea and progressing from
scene to scene in logical-or rather
hloRical-way by means Of what
each scene suggests shall succeed 1t.
succeeds in a most surprising way.
Here Is an excellent example.
Geraldine Fsrrar, after her sue
cess as Carmen. conceived the
Idea that the story of an opera
singers life would make ar excel
lent film. She suggested the idea to
Hector TurnEull. former dramatic
critic of the New York Tribune,
who Is at present engaged in writ
Ing motion picture plays. Turnoull
thought the idea was a good one,
and asked Miss Farrar to sketch oct
what she meant. She started with il
and got just so far-to point where
the singer gets a start. And ther
she couldn't get any further. Here
is what Miss Farrar wrote, and all
she ever wrote:
BE at the stage Goor at eleven.'
Before she fully realized what It
meant, he had rLnS off. Her chance
had come There vas barely time
to dress and get to the Big opera
house
Tin,idly she walked across the
great HtS0 r.f1nraI OF
picking her way among the scenery
and stanchions, stacked against the
walls.
The huge crrtain separating the
stage from the auditorium was
raised and row after row of empty
seats seemed to stare at her, to
ask her by what right she. an un-
known chile, was in this world of
make-beiieNe. # brilliant spectacle.
golden opportunity, bright lights.
deep shadows.
Down center" sat man at a
dtsheveled hair and uncouth an
pearanco bespoke the artistic tenn
perament But the layman would
hardly have recognized the worlds
greatest leader. With cXtrav VACANT
gestures he was madlv illustra ting
which a passage could be sung to
better effect. To the midst of the
animated group the girl walked.
"Ah, you are prompt" 1t was Null
ler's voice we will try your voice
immediately He led her to the
piano. The man in shirt sleeves
surrendered ~ place to her. Sing"
the impresario commanded. Scales"
He did not waste words.
Then. her heart in her mouth as
her fingers played Np nd "1" the
KEYS. she abandoned the scale she
had been told to sing and strrted
the aria Of a popular opera.
Encouraged by " llCr's p;ea sed
smile she finished 1t with abrilliant
display of vocal ability.
The ina,tention Cf IRE iistr ncrs had
turned TO rapt attention. md thu s''l.
a stranger among them, was GnthGsi-
astically applauded.
you'll do" said Muller. Rene De-
Ere had broker the ice. Shn was en-
tn" high way to success. How difi-
cult of attainment that success
would prove. she was to learn.
To all intents and purposes that
is the scenario from which Miss
Farrsr's new play Temptation"
was made. Ard that Is all the see
mario the director or the company
had when the work was actually
mainder OF it was built up
that were suggested in preceding
scenes and from things which have
actually happened in the lives Of
opera singers. The result Is "A logi-
cal film play.
That is Just how hundreds "f mo-
ton picture plays are Made. G. M