The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1915-12-29
PHOTOPLAYS AND
PHOTOPLAYER
SpYNNy NfA
Practical Sample Of
How Some Picture
Plays Are Built
Without Script.
By GARDNER MACK.

Those aspiring photoplaywrlghts
who burn midnight oil and spend
many dollars in stamps for the pur-
pose Of sending out manuscripts
would have a rude awakening II they
could once get into a studio and see
Just how a number of photoplays
are really made. This applies to
most OF the directors-includinE some
Of the most notable in the business.
The mere idea Of 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 d.
rector in himself and the second IL
due to the lack of really good photo
plays Men like Griffith and Ince
and Terwilliger do not usually work
out scenes in this manner. but they
have done 1t. and on occasion will
very likely do 1t again.
There is no question but that.
given director Of intelligence and
company capable OF acting. excellent
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 a regular scenario is much
better. However. there are occasions
when the building of a photoplay on
a general idea and progressing from
scene to scene in a logical-or rather
illoRical-way by means of what
each scene suggests shall succeed it.
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 an excel
lent film. She suggested the idea to
Hector Turnbull. former dramatic
critic of the New York Tribune,
who Is at present engaged in writ
ing motion picture plays. Turnout
thought the idea was a good one,
and asked Miss Farrar to sketch oct
what she meant. She started with it
and got just so far-to a point where
the singer gets a start. And Their
she couldn't get-any further. Here
Is what Miss Farrar wrote. and all
she ever wrote:
BE at the stage door at elevenv'
Before she fully realized what It
meant, he had rung off. Her chance
had come There was barely time
to dress and get to the Big opera
house
Tinlidly she walked across the
great exp0nse OF disordered stage.
picking her way among the scenery
and stAnchions, stacked against the
walls. ~
The huge curtain separating the
stage from the auditorium was
raised and row after row of empty
ask; her by what right. she, an un-
known CHILD, was in this world of
make-beiieve. CT brilliant spectacle,
golden opportunity, bright lights.
deep shadows.
riano in shirt sleeves. His ionG,
disheveled hair and uncouth an
pearance bespoke the artistic tenn
permanent But the layman would
hardly have recognized the worlds
gestures he was madlv illustrating
TO- one Of the singers the manner in
which a passage could be sung to
better effect. To the midst of the
animated group the girl walked.
ler's voice we viii 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 I'D nd cT" the
keys, she abandoned the scale she
had been told to sing and st"rted
the aria of a popular opera.
Encouraged by " llCr's pleased
smile she finished It with abrilliant
display OF vocal ability.
The inaIt"ntion cf ire IistE ncrs had
turned TO rapt attention. Snd tho R''l,
stranger among them, was epthusl-
asticallY applauded.
You'll do" said Muller. Rene Du-
PRE- had broken the ice. She was on
the high way to success. How difti-
cult of attainment that success
would prove, she was to learn.
To all intents and purposes that
is the scenario from which Miss
Farrars new play Temptation"
was made. Ard that Is all the see
mario the director or the company
had when the work was actually
started. filming the play. Tho re-
mAinder OF il was built up
from scene to scene from things
that were suggested in preceding
scenes and from things which have
actually happened in the lives of
opera singers. The result Is logi-
cal film play.
That is Just how hundreds If mo-
ton picture plays are made. G. M.