The Press., 1917-07-05
Writing a Picture Play A Story Showing That a Villain Can't Be Made of a <. ...
 Good Model
ByF. A. MITcMEL

| One way in which women have dis The plays that attract most are those
 written for some woman. On the
 screen we see dozen women stars to one man star. It stands to reason that
 women are best adapted to write sce- nariOs for women herOines. I, a WO-
 man, tried my hand at this kind of
 work and at my first attempt made a brilliant success. Thus encouraged and
 having the proceeds of my play in my
 purse, concluded to try again. Since
 l was working on Velvet-to use a
 slang xpressiOn-and since I thought
 to gather inspiration by visiting the
 location of my next play, went to
 the country and put up at the Waver- ly inn, small family hotel delightful
 ly located and overlooking a winding stream.
 The time I chose for my sojouIn
 there was when the leaves were bud ding and the birds were mating There
 Is no more delightful season to me than this, when the sun, having return ed from his winter journey southward.
 warns the earth to bring forth new progeny. It is the season of love for man, for beast and bird and everything endowed with that mysterious some thing which no scientist has yet been able to defne-life. The inn was surrounded by a farm ing country. For this reason had chosen it, because I proposed that my ! play should portray d group of country persons. l had not laid out a scheme, preferring that my play should be grad ually evolved among the persons and the scenery to be put on the screen
 The only feature l had in mind was a love affair between a country lad and lass. They were to be my hero and heroine. What they should do, what other persons should introduce, were either not decided upon or in l embryo.
 Hearing that there was to be a dance in a barn in the neighbOrhOod, l con cluded to attend it, hoping to get some material. The gathering took place early in the evening before the long twilight had fairly begun, and when darkness came 1t was sOftened by Chi. nese lanterns. -r'-.. .>2>..G 1 .
 There were plenty of young fellows and girls that might use for models, and l selected one couple that were dancing together most of the time and who indicated by their bearing toward each other that they were incipient lovers. &.'
 On the opposite side of the barn from which had taken my position as observer was a man whom I could not class. He was not cOuntryman, and yet his rough dress did not mark. him for a city man. He was ten years beyond the average age of the dancers and took no part with them. He sat on farm machine of some kind that had been pulled out of the. way and lined up with other articles against the barns side. g~z.,= z, .sl
 There was something about this on@ locker that held my eyes to him An- stead of the material for my play, There was an indOlence about him which, taken with certain dormant strength-rather in his facial expres- sion than of muScle-almost compelled me to be interested in him. I won dered if could not bring him into my play. To do this I must make his ac- quaintance. A woman, unless she is ttmid as to her actions being miscOn- Strued, has a great advantage in this respect. She may either scrape an ac- quaintance or encourage a man to do so. At 10 o'clock the dance was end ed, and we all left the barn. Assum- ing that in the country all know one another, finding myself beside the man who interested me I spoke to him, remafking upon the difference between a barn dance in the country and ball in the city, approving the lack of constraint in the former coutrasted with the conEentiOnalities of the latter He evidently took my freedom from form in the spirit in which it was of. fered and replied both cordially and respectfully. We passed out into moon light, and since our paths lay in the same direction we walked on together. On reaching the inn he turned into it with me and said that he was stopping there. I was surprised, for had not seen him there before. ir .
 The next morning after breakfast I sat on the veranda with pad and BRn- cil before ne trying to think up plan for my play. The man I had walked from the barn with came out, and I nodded to him. He returned my sa- lute and, taking a chair, sat down and began to open mail that he had evidently just received. Later l pick ed up an envelope he had thrown away and read on it the name Edward For rester. -A
 After he had finished his mail he sat looking on a superb view spread out before us. Noting his expression, l fancied that be was dreamer be- gan to weave bim in as a foil for my country boy hero. The latter was to be a simple rustic in love. with girl 3 of his avn station. MT. Forester was to appear on the scene and become a rival for the girls affections, repre- senting intellect while the rustic rep resented only honesty and devotion. The heroine being attracted first by the one, then by the other, would be the ,metif of the play.
 might get on without model for my young farmer, .coining him out of my imagination, but for his rival I must have something tangible. Mir Forester was either too well bred to take advantage of my friendly ade vances or was not disposed to be vo- ciable. My scheme for a play depend. ed largely on my being able to study him, and I threw away what I con- sidered false modesty and resolved to spare no effort to submit him to my purpose.
 soon convinced him that desired his Acquaintance, and, when sure that he would not be .presuming, he recip- rocated my advances, and, although there was no revelation of his inner self, we came to be on excellent terms
 Every day my play was taking shape, the young couple I had seen at thea harm dance hoinO my 1nadfnur man