The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-05-20
Francis Ford Tells Times Read
ers How He Produces Thrills
by InstaIlments.
GOOD MEMORY IS NEEDED
Actors Must Remember How
Their Hair Is Combed in
Consecutive Scenes.
BY FRANCIS FORD.

Serial anagement means that the
II In the hardest kind of hard work.
but I've never been afraid of work
yet, and I'm not going to begin now.
When I have a leading role myself
In a production, as / have In the
present one. l watch all the action.
even my own scenes, from position
near the camera, until we are ready
Tor the camera.
Then | enter the action myself,
indicating. of course, what II will be
beforehand, so that there will be no
surprises. This is the way we man
aged In Lucille Love- and In The
Broken Coin" and we have found II
to be a good way. l don't want to
give up acting. D
love acting, and always have. 1
was supposed TO 60 to college. but
and went to Cuba instead. That
military experience has been inval-
liable to me In pictures. Then, aIter
that excitement, / coHd not cont"rn-
plate business or professional en-
reer. Ordinary professions, / meal.
I wanted to go on the stage. Nell.
] did go. as you know, ba. trey
didn't like my voice. Did yIn oyer
hear OF such a direct steer 20 the
movies? / followed the lead OF Prov
idence while the industry was still
young, and rather insignificant.
Memory An Asset.
But II did not stay insignificant
long. I'm amused sometimes to read
over the list Of stage stsrs who used
to pretend to despise the younger
rival, who are thankful to get a
job in pictures nowadays.
You need a COCA memory and the
ability tn lcok at things in large
way In order TO produce n success
full serial. The great thing ~ To
have a good clear picture OF what
you want ut tho beginning. and
never lose sight of the thing Ms Il
whole while working on the details.
The first episode must be played
cal conclusion. You must not for
get the last one in making the first,
and vice versa. The ending must be
Inevitable from the very start.
Your audience won't forgive dis
crepancies in the story. Their men,
DRY Is uncanny.
Every one has to combine to re-
member all the details. but OF course
the chief responsibility rests on the
director. For example. the actor
may step out of the room in one
episode to go to the telephone, we'll
say. The scene of his returning to
the room may not be actually filmed
for a week. but in the serial he
really comes back Immediately.
Must Be Careful In Detail.
You can imagine how important It
Is that he should look exactly as he
did when he went out. Even his
hair must be combed the same way.
The woman's case Is even harder
than the mems, OF course. but the
director must remember how they
all looked.
you must be on good terms with
your players. That Is essential.
You are working together for so long,
and good work can't be accomplish
ed when there Is friction among the
workers. I've always been fortunate
In having splendid casts for our
serials.
Miss Cunard and ] have standard
ICED work as a team. We even work
out the story together. Sometimes
one OF US. sometimes the other. has
the original idea, and then she usual
ly puts 1t into scenario form. She
can dream scenarios. We play into
each others hands. She Is a very
capable director herself. you know.
please don't imagine because I've
said nothing about them, that 1
underrate the importance of clothes
for men and women on the screen.
They are very interesting and very
vital to an actors success.