Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-05
Bv HARRY o. HoYT

Head Of the Metro Scenario star.
| CATURDAY we showed that the goot
~ synopsis was the barker outside of youi
show, the force that impels the editor tc
turn over the page and read your action
We now come to the action of the photoplay
and to discuss this properly 1t is necessary
that we have at least an elemental under
standing OF the technical wordB and phrases
| employed They are quite essential, indeed
being the tools of the trade.
When an editor gets to talking Of dis
| solves" "close-ups," inserts" and the like,
| the average amateur feels about the way
| he did the first week he tackled Latin. IL
| II dlscouraginB to many-technical terms al-
ways are--but the encouragement Is only
a Pigment Of the writer's brain as the terms
are really simple and easy to understand.
| They are all common sense terms, perhaps
the identical words you would choose were
| you authorized to- create vocabulary Of
| photoplay words and phrases
The photoptay or scenario Is the pictured
action OF story. Technically II is neither
photoplay nor scenario. but rather
photoplay scenario. Actually II makes not
one lota of difference what you call 1t, IL
the editor understands you 1t is bound
to be confusing IL we attempt to show Just
what scenario is and just what the diff
ference is that exists between IL and
photoplay. AS II is, in any case, of little
practical value. we will pass on.
The title Is the name Of your photoplay.
1t is unnecessary to comment on this The
selection of titles will be taken up later.
A scene is any location setting, that
is taken in by the station Of the camera
II you set the camera UP to take in a corner
of the room with Mary reclining in n chair
you have one scene. II you now wish to
show John coming up to the house outside
you have another scene. In the first In
stance you have an interior scene or SGT.
ting, or set. as it is shortened by usage.
In the second example you have an exterior
scene or location. Every scene bears
number Every time you change the angle
of the camera you have new scene, and
IL should have a number all it's own. AS
an example:
Scene 20. Corner, of the room. Mary in a
Scene 81. Exterior of the house. John enters
Scene 2s. Corner OF the room. Mary hears
Scene 20. Door OF the room. John enters and
g., oo sees Mary and crosses TO her;
and Ereets Mary.
There are many reasons why we would
not under ordinary circumstances write
such sequence of scenes. The above is
given merely as an example of scene num-
bering. 1t brings us to the next word
needed.
The Closeup" This is a view taken
with the camera near the object to be
photographed. The hyphenated word means
exactly what It seems to mean. The camera
is usually four to six feet away from the
subject photographed. The closeup should
be numbered. It requires a change of the
camera. There Is new camera on the
market with lenses SO arranged that a
"close.up" may be taken while the full view
is taken thus no camera change Is made |
At present, however, It is best to number
all the "closeHtps" as separate scenes. An
example follows:
Scene 2e-corner of the room. Mary in a
chair.
Scene 27--Exterlor of the house. John en-
ters the house.
Scene 2s-FaH Vteo of the room. John en-
ters the room. Mary rises and John goes
quickly to her. He kisses her and draws up
a chair hers. They sit.
Scene 20--Ciose-up OF John and Mary. They |
talk He looks at his watch and rising. starts |
away.
Scene 3o--FuH Viet0 of the room. John bids |
Mary good-by and starts away. etc.
Compare the development above and the |
first development. You will note that we |
use a fun vietO. This is just what 1t seems |
TO imply. II we have the camera back rar |
enough we are able to take in not only the |
corner of the room but the door leading |
into 1t. Then we come into the "cIose-tlp" |
All the scenes are in the same set, emitting