The Washington times., 1915-04-23
THE BEST
Photopldy Department in
WASHINGTON
What Constitutes A
Good Scenario AS
Outlined By
Experts.

Manufacturers of photoplays
throughout the country are making
serious efforts to raise the literary
and dramatic values Of the scena-,
rios upon which their product is
based. There has been decided
upward tendency during the past
year, and the heads of the scenario
departments of the big studios have
now turned their attention to form
ulating something like rules govern
ing the preparation of scenarios.
This move is largely due to the
fact that the studios are deluged
with so-called scenarios that are
the work of unframed and unin-
formed persons who have the hazi-
est sort of notion as to what Is
needed. 1t is. of course understood
that people who write plays for the
pictures should have training and
experience in writing. They should
be able to write connected story
with a logical plot. Until the max
ing of scenarios Is restricted to such
a class, ii is likely that the logical
plot viii! remain the rare thing 1t
Is today.
However. while most of us real re
that study and practice and expert
ence are required for any form Of
writing for pay. at the same time
some of the greatest works of liter
sture and some Of the best plays
have been produced by that peculiar
genius that flashes forth without
warning in burst of Intellectual
brilliance and shines far above his
or her contemporaries by the sheer
force Of 2 wonderful mind.
1t Is for this sort of persons. for
the trained writer's who might make
good as scenario writer's. and for
those who are eager TO learn what
kinds of plays are considered good,
that we are rcprinting part Of a cir
Cu,ar from the Lub' n company on
this subject.
The Lubin company happens to
have one of the most expert corps OF
strained scenario writer's In the
country These men have formed
"a sort of board to judge all the
I.ubin pictures-along with the di-
Nectors and the leading actors. They
are doing all they can to build up
Sthe art OF writing picture plays I'M
der the leadership of such experts
as Emmett Campbell Hall. Lawrence
,McCloskey. Harry Chandlee and
'others. 1t Is for this purpose they
have prepared sort of general
guide for scenario writing that is as
simple as it is interesting and help
ful They say:
n THE big criticism of tho larger
Dart of the plays submitted Is that
ahey do not contain real plots. They
are usually abstract incidents, more
o. less interesting, without c"fnrh-
Cations sufficient to hold the atten-
Zion Of an audience, or else are In
the nature of long histories. telling
the Hfa stories of their characters.
without definite beginning. climax
Ior ending.
q TO be interesting to the public
4 story must be written around some
central theme of dramatic value.
and must have sufficient complica-
.tion to prevent the ending being
easily foreseen. The main char
'acters should have definite bearing
on the story. and should he neces-
Tsary to the point OF the play. Inc
early parts of the plot should be
set before the observer AS soon as
possible. and the story should then
be advanced logically. scene by
scene, until the climax is reached,
a fter which it should be terminated
Rs quickly as possible.
. THE writer should know in ad-
sance just what his story Is going
10 be and just what goes to build
Slp the structure of il until the
riimax is reached: and he should
Gonfine himself to those things
necessary to il. without including
Rambling incidents or action which tell
mo part of the plot and withHit
(which the play would still be com
pleto.
'"The vital parts of all plays are
novelty and consistency. Every sue
Cessful story must contain both. No
nnatter how new your idea may be.
1t will fail to sell if the characters
a. re made to do things which arc in
consistent. and which would not be
tdone by people in real life On the