The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-12-29

Pictures, in the New York Tribune.
The promising thing about it all is that what all
these thousands of individuals are trying to do is
not to pour water into the ocean, but to meet a
need that really does exist. There is, unQuestiOn-
ably, Il dearth of suitable material for screen use.
The professional writer's cannot keep pace with the
demand, nor can they go on writing forever. Nov
els, some Of them later successful and others that
are not, are bought up for the screen while still
in proOf-sheet form. Magazine stories are con-
tracted for before they appear in print. 1t is said
that such, at first sight, unlikely material as Wells
1.-THE Outline Of History" is TO be used for the
screen, and il has even, somewhat jocularly, heen
suggested that either tie telephone directory or
who's Who" is next in line for perturbation. Ger
tain it is that the first basic need of every motion
picture producer is good stories. Without that it
is fOolhardy to go ahead. Stories replete with
dramatic situations and human appeal are what the
movie producers are hunting for, high, low and all
the time.
The situation is unique. On the one hand a
vast number Of people eagerly trying TO write for
the screen, and on the other hand scores Of pro
ducers falling over each other in their anxiety to
find good material. Yet for che amateur writer
who succeeds, Il thousand fail. Wherein lies the
trouble? What is the remedy?
OF the multitude of people aiming at screen
story success a big percentage have the desire. but
lack the proper mental equipment to further it.
Still. there must be thousands of others who have
that cQuipment-imaginatiOn, education and lei
sure, and some others of the necessary qualitica-
tons. OF these. some are early discouraged by
the difficulties OF the task. and so fall by the way,
while others persevere and yet fail to sell their
scripts.
This failure may be laid to one of two main
causes. Either behind that perseverance lies in
sufficient talent, or perseverance is not accom-
panied by such adaptability to art as eventually
to ferry the author across the line which divides
the amateur from the skilled writer. For after all,
as one producer points out, what reason is there
why the raw amateur should succeed as an anna
teur? Except for an occasional instance OF native
genius, II Is only after the amateur has practiced
and p~racticed and actually progressed beyond the
amateur stage that success can come. which is
true of practically all lines of endeavor. not mere
" of screen writing. Rupert Hughe-, highly sue
cessful author and now prOminent in screen writ
ing. is reported to have collected hundreds OF print
ed rejection slips before he succeeded in selling Il
story to an editor. Had he been possessed OF less
perseverance the world might never have heard o!
him as q writer.
Except i'm an occasional case. the days when
Off moments of leisure could bring quick success
are gone by. Scenario writing is a business requr-
ing as much attention as any other business If you
are to achieve success. But do not misunderstood
me. If YOU cannot sell stories wrought out in side
line time, that does not mean you cannot practice
in that time. But don't expect to sell until practice
and study have finally equipped you to cross the
1900
amateur line.
One great shortcoming, as I see it. in amateur
writers for the screen is a general tendency 10
overlook the necessity for constant action Of a d-
rect n symbolic nature. They send their charac-
ters on long journeys while they describe minute
details of preparation and incidents en- route which
do nothing to further the movement or help build
toward the climax. The result of such material
In picture form would be extremely draggy all"
embarrassing.
Frequently, again, they have but a single situa'
tion. but seize upon IL to build what is intended
to form five or six reels Of picture material. Thar
situation is perhaps unusual, or it may Mt least
possess some slight element of novelty. But that
IL not enough.
In the great majority of scripts by amateurs
the characters are overdrawn, and consequently
are grotesque or inconsistent with the vplcally
human instincts and with the things that motivate
and actuate the average person. In other words,
they fail of being lifelike. and so fail of conviction.