Arizona republican., 1921-12-09
By H. H. Van Loan

Those readers who have been fol- lowing some of my work are doubt less of the opinion that my stories are written according to the pre- scribed formula of the screen. They are not. In order that there be no misunderstanding I make this ad- mission. I further confess that have never followed any set rules for the writing of screen stories, nor have I adhered to the various forms which are supposed to be necessary. Per- sonally, I do not believe the producer cares a snap for form He wants the story, and all he asks is that it be presented in smooth, readable style. Don't attempt to write continuity un- less you how to write it. Continuity is a separate work in itself, and should not be written or attempted except by those who have made a study of it. Today every studio has a very efficient staff of continuity writ CTS who are paid very good prices for putting stories in their stories and very few of them like to do it because it is too mechanical The majority of screen writers have found that in writing continuity they have not done thelr best work because it required so mum close attention to technical details that it interfered with the smoothless of the plot In other words there is so much me- chanical labor connected with it that it prevents the writer from doing his best work on the plot.
 However, it will do no harm for the writer who desires to devote h.s efforts to writing for the screen to take up a course in continuity, for there is no doubt but that two or three years rom now the leading screen authors will be writing their own continuities. It must eventually come to that for seldom is a con tinuity writer willing to follow the story as WI. ten by the screen au- thor. This is because he fails to grasp Or see the story as it was originally written. It isn't because he has any personal objections to the story, but because no two writ CTS would write the same story in the same way.
 The continuity writer has his own idea about the working out of a sit uation and as he in the past has been left alone work out the plot as he saw the result has often been disastrous and good stories have been mutilated and massacred be- SOunQ recognition A great Qeal or this destructir has been eliminated by the authol himself For of late the screen author has kept a more watchful eye over his brain chill dren and the producer is quite will ing to have hIm chaperon his script through tt various stages of growth until 1t reaches the screen.
 In the next year or two the audi ence is going to note quite frequently on the main title of the picture the following wording: Produced under the persona supervision of the au- thor.'' Today the producer is anx- ious and eager to consult and con- fer with the author of the story and get his ideas concerning certain ef- fects and situations and how he de- sires to have them carried out. The fact that he has been ignored in the past is due solely to the author him. self. He has not been willing to real ize the importance of the photo play and the tremendous influence it has with all classes of people. He has persistenly refused to take the screen seriously. I am referring now to the novelists and famous story writers. The result has been that the screen has developed and intro duced it's ou'n authors and they are writers who are willing to devote all