New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-31

lazy but because the stories pour in
on an average of hundred day and
each receives equal consideration and
attention. The majority of "submis-
sions" are story outlines, written in
synopsis form. That is the best way
to prepare a story for presentation to
a film company. Others that are sent
in are magazine stories, books and the
scenarios of stage plays. Each division
is handled by a reader trained in that
line.
What Becomes of
sThe Stolen Bride"
But suppose your story (let us call
it "The Stolen Bride" for instance
half a dozen by that title are received
every week)-suppos your story i'm
presses the reader as possibility"
He recommends it to the head of the
readers, attaching his suggetions for
improvement and comments on the
plot. The head reads it personally
then, as soon as possible.
1t impresses him, in turn, as having
a future. He presents it Immediately
to the editor or the associate editor.
The editor reads your story, the COM
ments of the reader and the opinion
of the head of the readers. Let us
saw he concurs with their opinions and
is enthusiastic about the scenario OF
"The Stolen Bride" 1t seems just the
type of story he has been looking for
for one Of the stars.
He confers with his associate editor
and the head reader. The story is
analysed, suggestions made to improve
it-and it is improved for purchase.
On this conference the studio mana
ger often enters and adds valuable
suggestions.
A few days later you receive letter
Offering you a certain sum of money
for the motion picture rights of your
story, "The Stolen Bride" After you
have shown the letter to your entire
family and all the neighbors, you sign
the contract that has been inclosed
and return your acceptance Of the
company's offer.
The check is Immediately written
and sent to you-and you sit back and
watch for next weeks release on the
program of the company. But if that
is all you have to do now (and 1T IS.
unless you have some helpful after
thought that you communicate to the
company)-it certainly isn't the end
of the matter for the company.
How the Screen
Dramatization Is Done
If your story is the ideal one for pic
lures the work of preparing the con-
tinuity-or screen dramatization-will
be comparatively simple. The editor
will merely call in one of his staff of
trained and performing writers and
say: "Here - shoot this through.
Bring me a perfect script of this per-
feet story" And the writer, after
salaaming and bowling himself out, will
retire to his den in the mountains of
Hollywood and tear loose on your
Stolen Bride"
But it doesn't work that way more
than once in every hundred. AS rule,
there is just enough material in the
story you submitted to make good
groundwork and a skeleton of photo
play scenario. Upon this groundwork
the editor and one of his writers will
build structure that will answer all
specifications and withstand the bat
tering of those called to criticize and
confer. Again there is conference
possibly several of them-at which
often both general manager and as
sociate editor are present and heard
from. At last the outline is ready,
and the writer takes it and his pet
typewriter far from distracting noise
and proceeds to mako the skeleton
come to life.
The process of dramatizing screen
material is very intricate, and necessi-
tates special training which can be
obtained nowhere but in the studio
itself. 1t is work which requires dra-
matte insight, an appreciation of hu-
NOR and an observation of life. Who,
then, could be better fitted for it than
trained newspaper man? The very
nature Of his training, the observation
of tragedy, comedy and human inter-
est, are the requisites for successful
screen writing.
Here Are the Men
Who Read Your Script
The newspaper man has at all times
an open mind and is trained to be re-
ceptiYe to IDEAS. Therefore it is not