Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-10-13

According a. this scenario editor.
dozens of expert mechanics, hafbffs
and tailors have been ruined nf the
acceptance of a chance scenario. fiay.
ing been sueceHsfui once. fhfY rans
not understand why they should unt
be again and hence they devote theif
time and energy, which might D.
probably applied 10 their trades. %
dashlng on scenarios hopeieaHlY lhfk-
Ing IN merit. Some. falling 20 gtt
their work accepted by established
motion picture companies. bat never
doubling their own high ability, nave
squandered their savings aa weH ~
those Of their trusting ftends, in pro-
ducing their own stories.
There Is the case ~ Tony. FOR exs
ample, formerly second violin "a
moving picture orchestra. who firmly
believed that be could write scenarios
that would surpass most ~ fh0se
which he had seen On the screen Sire.
Tony, who admired Tony very much.
thought 70, too 80 ehe Tee him have
the money her father had ieft hef n
order that be might found n's own
company, hire an expensive cast Hha
produce his own works uf ART An 8f
this required 80 much more nn1HHirg
than they had estimated thhf Mfa
Tony's money was soon gone. and ahe
was rushing around ffantlcHlY hHf.
rowing from friends ard relatives.
After the fret contributions, t Waa
comparatively easy 90 gft the friends
and relatives % contribute more. N9e
cause they did not wish tn ere fhe
ship 20 down carrying Wiih t iHa
money they had already Invested.
Thus. Tony was able t0 complete hiH
picture But he ia now hunting frf
some kind friends and relatives who
viii buy iti
Before the bic feature plefwa
cafle into vogue" Hats uar ffffHd
the scenario editor. Hnd ihn 8nf af
motion picture entertainment WHa IHa
single reel 900 Fees fhtfe uHa
naturally a greater number 81 HtN.
, lecta and the chances af tne H00Hfiu
writer were o htlio better IHf 0HHa
pensation in thoae days. however was
ridicuiousiy small TIVE etnHrla Wfa
the least important consideration iH
the making az pirfurc. { know aI
. one director who uafd fe aafhaf Hl
players ~ New Tork ana take fHe
ferry % Fort Lee. ~. i whefo ihe
studio was located. tlo wrote bio UWn
: scenario on his cuffs after fhe farg
left the Now York side
A. For a long period the aoHnarin ".
II m4ined an extremely minor iaBtafl
! compared % the importance of tHs
J. star. The public went 20 see its fa.
! vOrite moving picture actnra ard acc.
= resses regardless of the type 0f af0ris'
= they appeared ini Rlarlna discren.
: ancies IN the narrative did nos hofhnl
n them. But gradually As thc numher q
n stars increased ard The dnmanffu
Il novelty q moving pictures wore of
- they began % turn q mildly crilica
J. eye upon the stories. Then the das
y Of the scenario writer dawned. Com
se panies started hiring individuals a.
8. large salaries 20 DO nothing but writ
y. scenarios for certain stars. whih
"a scenarios were loudly solicited frou
H. the general public. a moderately GOO
m scenario in those DAYS brought frou
$500 to $1,000 which il a trife hlshe
ll than the rate paid today.
" This period, however. did not Lac
sr long. Soon IL was seen that the bes
RI copy for long six-rrel features wa
" undoubtedly the popular novel, AM
a the large companies started buyln
= the picture rights % well know
se books. The scenario writsr--espoclal
W ly the unframed, unknown sCenari
writer--l0st out to the successfl
y author. Even tbs scenario expert
a. employed by the large prodacing CON
40 panles ceased turning out oriEini
- movie dramas and changed tne
e titles 10 continuity experts. a fs
70 OF them, refusing 10 abandon origiul
y creative wCril, became directors. rh
se is largely the way Things stand 8.
= day The demand for the works
successful authors IS 1tiN boomin
~ and as there is every indication thl
- the supply viii hold out lndennitol
- it is probable that the call for uu
=. side scenarios viii not be heard agal
- Tor years 20 come.