Arizona republican., 1921-12-09
Best Writers Of Scenarios Take Plenty Of Time In Doing Their
 Best Work, Declares Van Loan

NAACSA i4AlC u nAAGAAlb pllOlOpASAg tAiAA who realize it is a very important profession demanding serious work. Those who are willing to take the screen seriously are going to be the ones who will reap the big benefits Those benefits are going to increase tremendousl-- in the next year or two.
 To those who aspire to write ex- clusively for the screen, I cannot inn press too much with the importance of being sincere and earnest Do not sit down and write the first idea that comes into your head and rush 1t to the producer. If you do, you'll get that script back just as fast as the producer can send it to you. He gets hundreds of scripts written that way every week, and they all are returned to their respective authors. If you take your work as lightly as that, you mustn't be surprised when you get it back You deserve to have it re- turned The office of a producer is not a receptacle for slip shod scripts and slovenly written plots. It's a high class institution for the recep- tion of serious efforts from those who are sincere in their desire to con- tribute something really worth while to great art. Spend a month, if necessary, in mental construction of the story you intend writing. Be ab- solutely certain that you have given it the thorough and careful consider ation it Is entitled to, and then sit down and start putting 1t into shape. Don't be satisfied with the first writ ing of it. Go over it with a critical eye and put yourself in the position of the purchaser. Study the action and go over each situation carefully with view to seeing if you have gotten the most out of your story. If there's any doubt in your mind, lay the script aside and ponder over it. Don't seek to interest the pro- ducer with a lot Of pretty words and beautiful phrases which have no di- rect bearing on the action of your story. He doesn't want a lot of nice words: he cannot photograph them. He wants plot and action. Don't worry about the length of your story. If it's a good story it can't be too long, providing it is all good material and not a mere jungle of words. Write your own sub-titles. Make them as short as possible, and only put them where they are actually needed and where they will clarify the action. Visualize each scene and describe it as you see 1t. Your de- scription will receive serious consid- eration, for you are the cerator of the
 
 plain it than anyone else. In the original script of "The Virgin of Stambour' I described every scene exactly as it was shown on the screen, and my script contained approxi- mately 50,000 words "The Great Re- deemer" contained about 3O000 words in the original script, and "The New Moon" about 10000. I spent two months in writing "The Virgin of f1 efx s,. Great Redeemer." five weeks in com pleting "The New Moon" and three months on "The Wonderful Chance" !" Four weeks were consumed in writ ing Eighth Mad" and one which I have just completed and which I have given the tentative title of "The Bull Fighter" occupied just three months of concentrated effort. This latter story is the biggest work I have done for the screen, and I believe will prove a sensation when it is released a few months hence.
 It is not necessary to spend more than three hours each day in actual labor. If you work continuously on your story and complete 1t in one or two sittings it will not represent your best work. It couldn't be your best work for no writer completes good story in that length of time. Work on it when you feel inspired. Then you will be surprised at the results. Let me modestly call your attention to Eighth Mad.'' You will note that the tory begins with the first sub title. Immediately there Is action. IL is action which is absolutely neces- sary to the progress of the plot. There are no superfluous scenes, no unnecessary action, and everything that is done has a direct bearing on what is to transpire later. There is heart interest in the affection of Bud McGraw" and his three pals. In en- phasizing the finel qualities of this modern D'Artagnan, we command for him the sympathy and respect of the audience. His desire for adventure appeals to the youthfulnesS which is iR all of us. We introduce Peggy Hughes" in order that we may have the element of love and romance, l without which no story is complete. In order to test his affecti1n for her. we place her in danger. Then we in 1 ject that great element of suspense, upon which the success or failure of a story usually depends. We take a mental inventory and find that we have plot, romance, adventure and l lively action. That is all any story needs, and, if they are apportioned i carefully and lead up to a thrilling climax, our story will pass the most critical mind.