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Part 1

How To Write Photoplays

THIRD EDITION

BY EMBRIE ZUVER

E-Z SCENARIO CO. NEW YORK CITY

INTRODUCTORY.

We endeavor to give you in this Book of Instructions, all the correct and up-to-date information necessary in writing Photoplays. If you will _read carefully_, and _follow_ the instructions contained in this book we can see no reason why you cannot become a successful Scenario writer.

It is needless for us to go into details about the ever-increasing demand for new pictures, or the wonderful growth of this new industry. We could make this Book up into 150 or 200 smaller pages, by adding considerable padding. We could dwell on each subject at great length, put in unnecessary reading matter for a few cents additional expense.

We do not deem it advisable, however, to confuse or burden you with padded matter which is not necessary for your success. Our aim is to show you in a clear and simple manner, how to put your ideas into _proper_ form necessary for _acceptable_ Photoplays.

CONTENTS

PAGE

LESSON I--Technical Studio Terms 3 to 11

LESSON II--Your Idea 11

LESSON III--Topics to Write About 12

LESSON IV--Formation of Plot 13

LESSON V--Length of Play 14

LESSON VI--Scenario 15

LESSON VII--Subject or Title 17

LESSON VIII--Synopsis 18

LESSON IX--Cast of Characters 18

LESSON X--Scenes 19

LESSON XI--Continuity of Scenes 20

LESSON XII--Plays that are Practical for the Camera 21

LESSON XIII--Leaders or Subtitles 22

LESSON XIV--Telegrams, Letters, etc. 23

LESSON XV--Entrances and Exits 23

LESSON XVI--Stage-settings 24

LESSON XVII--Crisis, Anti-Climax and Climax 24

LESSON XVIII--Outline of Play 25

LESSON XIX--Emotion and Sympathy 26

LESSON XX--General Instructions 27

LESSON XXI--Preparation of Manuscript 27 to 28

LESSON XXII--Where to Sell Plays and Prices Paid 29 to 30

LESSON XXIII--Copyrights 30

LESSON XXIV--Board of Censors 30

LESSON XXV--The Production of a Photoplay 30 to 31

LESSON XXVI--A Few Don’ts 31 to 33

LESSON XXVII--Conclusion 33 to 34

Photoplay Writing

LESSON I.

Every Photo-Playwright should know the various technical terms and names used in the profession.

You must use the right word at the right time, and, consequently, a knowledge of the different Photoplay terms and expressions is necessary.

ACTION.

Action means the movements, actions and gestures of the players in the development of the plot.

ADAPTATION.

A Play written from a copyrighted book, poem or story.

BUST.

A “Bust” is a “Close-Up” of a person taken from the waist line up. Practically all Directors use the expression “Close-Up” instead of Bust.

CAST OF CHARACTERS.

The cast of characters is simply a list of the important persons who act in your play.

CHARACTER.

A player who takes part in producing the play.

CLIMAX.

The end of a play or the last scene. The climax is the strongest part of the Play. The anti-climax is the beginning of the climax or the unraveling of the plot.

CLOSE-UP.

If you desire to magnify or enlarge some particular scene, person or object it is called a close-up. To obtain a close-up picture, the camera is placed very close to the scene or object to be photographed. A close-up scene is taken when you want the same to show up in a very distinct and clear manner and is employed to break up an unusually long scene, or to make a certain point of your story very forceful.

Use Close-Up frequently as they give new life to the scene and make the characters more familiar to the audience.

Refer to scenes 33 and 50 of sample play.

CONTINUITY.

A continuous story which runs along in a smooth, uninterrupted manner.

“CUT.”

A cut means to shorten an action as in scene 15 of sample play.

“CUT BACK.”

Referring back to a preceding scene. See scene 16.

“CUT IN” LEADER.

A “Cut In” Leader or Subtitle is introduced into a scene after which the action goes back to the same scene. In other words a “Cut In” Leader cuts into the middle of a scene. Please refer to Subtitle No. 1 of sample play which is a “Cut In” Leader or “Cut In” Subtitle.

DEVELOPMENT.

The building up of the plot and arranging the action into different scenes and parts.

DIRECTOR.

The Director is the man who directs the different movements necessary in taking the pictures. He visualizes your play, arranges the various scenes, and casts the actors and actresses into their respective characters. He directs the correct actions of the picture from beginning to end.

DISSOLVE.

The gradual introduction or _fading out_ of a person or scene.

Is done by double exposure and is used when referring to past recollections or dream pictures.

EDITOR.

The Editor is the person who passes on your play when sent to the Moving Picture Manufacturing Companies. If he sees any merit in your story and has a cast of characters suitable for your play, he will send you a check for what he thinks the play is worth. If he cannot use your story he will have same returned to you.

FILM.

The film is in the form of a celluloid ribbon about one inch wide and is wound on a roll. An average of sixteen pictures are taken in a second and these sixteen pictures will be on one foot of film.

FLASH.

A very brief glimpse of an action or scene.

INSERTS.

Inserts are put in to make the story more clear to the spectators and are foreign to the actions of the characters.

Inserts may be in the form of a note, newspaper clipping, telegram, dialogue, a “Close Up” or in fact anything that is necessary to carry a scene along or to break a scene if it is too long.

Refer to scenes 23-27-36, 45, 46, 50 of sample play.

LEADERS AND SUBTITLES.

A “Subtitle” is a written explanation preceding a scene--except before the 1st scene of the Play, when a “Leader” is sometimes used. It is _not_ advisable, however, to start your Play with a “Leader,” as good Action is better.

Refer to lesson 13 where we explain more fully the meaning of Leaders and Subtitles.

MASKS.

Occasionally in moving pictures you will see the vision which a character witnesses when looking through a hole in the floor or wall or oftentimes through a field glass. Instead of viewing the picture in its usual shape it is shown to you in the same way that you would actually see it if you were to look at it through a field glass. Such scenes are called masks.

MELODRAMATIC.

A Play of a sensational nature.

PADDING.

Putting unnecessary action into a story in order to make a full reel.

PHOTOPLAY.

A Photoplay or a Moving Picture Play is a story told in pictures, where all conversation is eliminated and where the camera portrays the story. In fact, it is simply pantomime or dumb show, presented in pictures or, in other words, “Silent Drama of the Screens.”

PLOT.

The plot is the theme or idea of your story.

PRODUCER.

Producing companies hire the actors and actresses and take the pictures as you see them on the screen.

PROJECTING MACHINE.

A projecting machine is the machine that throws the pictures on the screens as you see them in the moving picture theatres.

PUNCH.

Any action that will create and increase suspense and make the play a success.

REELS.

Pictures are shown in different reels, viz.: Split reels, single, double or multiple reels. A Split reel is composed of two separate short stories, on one reel.

A full one reel contains 1,000 feet of film which can be shown on the screen in about 20 minutes.

A multiple reel means more than one reel.

The word register is used when you want to make the _actions_ of the actor very impressive to the spectators. The actor is supposed to play his part accordingly.

For examples, refer to scenes 3-5-7-13-17 of sample play.

RELEASES.

Releasing a picture means that the film manufacturer places it upon the market.

SCENARIO.

Scenario is a common term now being used in the moving picture business, and means the outline or sketch of a theme, put into scenes in consecutive order so as to be in form to offer to the producers or film manufacturing companies.

SCENE.

Action which takes place in one spot without moving or stopping the camera.

SET.

The arrangement of scenery for interior or exterior scenes.

SUSPENSE.

Some action or part of the Play that arouses the interest of the audience and makes them “all attention.”

SYNOPSIS.

The synopsis is the story written in a brief, condensed way, eliminating all unnecessary words. The synopsis enables the Editor to see, in a few minutes reading, the idea of your play. If your Synopsis appeals to him he will read the play. If not, he will reject it.

TECHNIQUE.

The correct points of formation or construction for a Photoplay.

VISIONS.

When one of your characters thinks of some happy or well-remembered day in his or her life, a vision of the scene is reproduced. It is usually shown in upper right-hand or left-hand corner of the screen.

VISUALIZE.

To be able to picture your story in your mind’s eye, and see that your idea is practical for screen production.

LESSON II.

YOUR IDEA.

When starting to write your play, first settle upon your idea and add to it as your imagination pictures the plot, as it develops, until you have a sequence of events, which will form an interesting Photoplay.

Be original with your ideas, because hundreds of old ones are rejected every week. Your own personal experiences will often give you good ideas for a picture. Keen observation will lead to many good Ideas. Be observing in your everyday mode of living and you will be surprised at the number of _germs and plots_ you will find for good Photoplays.

Get an idea that is worth while. It is the _Big Idea or Plot_ that must be carried out to a logical and interesting conclusion.

A great many writers are not able to tell the difference between what is Plot and what is not. Hundreds of Scenarios are submitted which are written in neat up-to-date correct Scenario Form but they lack _Plot_ and are consequently returned.

You should be able to visualize your story, and know that what you are writing can be transferred to the screen. See that the characters perform the actions according to man’s way of doing things.

Write about subjects with which you are thoroughly familiar, and study the characteristics of the parties you introduce into your story.

LESSON III.

TOPICS TO WRITE ABOUT.

There are numerous subjects you can write on, namely, Friendship, Fidelity, Thoughtfulness, High Character, Love for Mankind, Integrity, Devotion to Parents, Benevolence, Charity or Heroism.

You can also show the folly of dishonest acts, the dangers of weakness of character, selfishness or dishonorable efforts to gain wealth and fame.

The parting of friends, the meeting of enemies, the complex working of governments and politics, the new inventions and rivalry between inventors, all furnish an everlasting source of _Ideas and Plots_ for Photoplays.

No matter how sad the play might be, at the different stages, always try and work out a happy ending.

A great number of themes can be worked into Scenarios that will teach a good lesson and portray acts that might go home to many in the audience.

In everyday life, you no doubt see many incidents that have merit for screen entertainment.

Always try to bear in mind, that the highest aim of the Photoplay is to portray true insight of human nature and character. Write Plays with _heart interest_.

If so inclined, you can write plays in which children take part, but so arrange the acts so they will not be impossible for the child actors. An intelligent child in a nice part in a picture goes far in gladdening the hearts of the audience.

_Comedy plays_ are in the greatest demand. Good comedies are the most difficult to write, and naturally sell for the most money. Always remember, however, to write as your inclination leads you.

The kind of humor wanted is not of the rough nature. You should not try to make people laugh at cruel or inhuman jokes or depict scenes that cause accidents.

If you can write a play into which you can put a good moral, it will add merit to your Scenario.

Plays showing summer scenes should be submitted in the early Spring.

Winter stories should be submitted in the Fall. For instance, if you have a play with summer scenes showing a Park, the Sea Shore or any other beautiful summer location, you must submit that kind of a play in March or April. It takes from six weeks to two months for a producing company to make the necessary arrangements for the production of a play.

You must therefore, always figure ahead and if you have a Christmas Play, it should be submitted about October.

LESSON IV.

FORMATION OF PLOT.

Your plot will not come to you in a finished form. You will probably have the idea in the rough state.

As thought engenders thought, so does one Idea create or develop another. Draw from your imagination and instead of being content with one or two ideas, weave a chain of events, ideas and circumstances so as to make a story worth while.

Arrange the action of your story so that it grows logically, and have the scenes follow each other in natural succession.

Start with an incident that arouses interest, develop the theme in a consistent way and work for the big climax at the finish.

Every plot must have a _purpose_ or _problem_ to solve; obstacles will present themselves and difficulties are bound to arise, which by a chain of events must be removed.

The last scene must clear up all problems or preceding events.

The _good_ theme, or _object_ of the play, should win out in the end, although it can be thwarted at different times to cause suspense.

Be sure that suspense predominates and is carried out from the beginning to the end.

Your story must have strength and be fascinating enough to hold the spectators throughout the play.

_Plot_ is the keynote of the successful Photoplay and with proper formation will draw the checks from the Producers.

LESSON V.

LENGTH OF PLAY.

Have your play last about 20 minutes to the reel. It is best to take your manuscript and go through all the action, in this way you can plan the length of the play.

Some inexperienced writers send in plays which could be shown in 6 to 8 minutes, while others send them in so full of incidents, it would require twelve or fourteen hundred feet of film to portray them, as written, and would take 25 or 30 minutes to show them on the screen.

Always arrange your scenes so that they can be clearly understood.

The way to time a play is to start with the first scene and enact all the scenes of the Play.

If it takes you only 8 minutes to _act out_ your Play, then you know it is too short for a one reel picture or 1,000 ft. of film.

_Comedy_ action is much more rapid than _drama_ and in _Comedy_ plays more scenes are used.

SPLIT REEL PICTURES.

_Split reel pictures_ are _not_ in demand now and only a few companies are buying them.

ONE REEL PICTURES.

The _average_ one reel pictures, now in demand, have from 40 to 50 scenes for Dramas and from 60 to 80 scenes for Comedies. The number of scenes, of course, depending on the length of the story. Some scenes take longer than others; one scene might be 25 seconds long, and another 3 or 4 minutes. The stage director sometimes adds a few scenes or cuts some out, as he thinks advisable.

TWO REEL PICTURES.

Two reel pictures are wanted by the majority of Producers and are in greater demand at present than one reel.

The number of scenes for a two reel picture is naturally about twice as great as a one reel or from 80 to 160 scenes, depending on the kind of Play and the amount of action.

LESSON VI.

SCENARIO.

Have a purpose in your plot. _Knowledge and Technique_ in Photoplay Writing (_without_ an Idea that is _new_ and _original_) are absolutely worthless.

You must first have a Plot or Idea that is worth-while and different, something directly appealing and inspiring. On the other hand, your Plot must be properly constructed in Scenario Form and contain the necessary technique to make it self-explanatory and marketable.

Film Producers will pay much more for original Ideas worked out into proper, technical Scenario Form.

Your Scenario should give the Editor an accurate understanding of the theme of your story, and show what each character is supposed to do.

From the beginning, you should remember that something must be taking place all the time to accentuate the various developments of the story.

_All sentences of your Scenario should be condensed._ Refer to our model Scenario.

Refer to our model Scenario and note how all sentences are condensed.

Photoplays are, of course, dumb, and their meaning must be clearly expressed by action. It is, therefore, not necessary to write as you would in a book, or as would be spoken on the stage. The scene action on the screen tells the story, and the camera carries out the details and theme of the play in an even more comprehensive way.

The beginning of the Play is almost as important as the end.

Arouse interest in your first scene, and you will then have a better chance to hold the spectator’s attention for the rest of the play. Always remember, however, to incorporate interest in all scenes, so as not to allow the thoughts of the spectator to waver or drift away.

You must stimulate the imagination of the audience, so that they will watch with keen interest every scene in the play.

Write slowly and surely, for a hurriedly written Scenario will no doubt, contain many faults, and will not create as good an impression with the Editor as one carefully prepared.

Write a story with _Interest_.

Is there any interest in a story where the wayward son is reformed by the appeals of his sweetheart?

But let us suppose that the wayward son is caught in the act of burglary. The master of the house takes his revolver from him, lays it on the table and tells him to sit down--then we have started interest.

Instead of calling the police, he asks him why he has lowered himself to such a degrading position as burglarizing.

Then the daughter appears, and although she knows that her father is a professional gentleman-crook, still she takes an interest in the young wayward boy and treats him with kindness.

You must, therefore, incorporate interest in every point of the play, and while the plot must not be over-done, still the actions of the characters must awaken the emotions of the audience.

You can develop the above idea, strengthen the action as you proceed, and then after a combination of events, have the daughter reform both her gentleman-crook father and the wayward son.

Your Scenario should have a number of unusual turns and the Grand Climax must not be reached till many difficulties have been overcome.

LESSON VII.

SUBJECT OR TITLE.

The _Subject_ or _Title_ of your play is a very important thing. Select an original _Title_ that is catchy and will attract the attention of the public, particularly when shown on posters. It should be expressive of the plot and stimulating to the Editor’s curiosity.

Use as few words as possible for your title; try and limit yourself from two to five words.

LESSON VIII.

SYNOPSIS.

Write the Synopsis or outline of your story from your idea. The Synopsis should be as brief as possible; at the same time giving the reader a clear idea of your play. The Synopsis sells or rejects your play, so by all means make it attractive and catchy.

In writing the Synopsis, limit yourself to about 250 words, per reel, as a maximum, for the average Scenario Editor does not want to take the time to read a long drawn-out Synopsis, which could be better understood if condensed into fewer words. Arrange your Synopsis into short sentences, in simple language, expressive, crisp and to the point. Mention only the VITAL parts of your story and make every sentence tell something. Introduce only the important characters in your Synopsis, and do not give them more than one name when referring to them, for instance: do not mention Martha Stone in one sentence and then call her Miss Stone in another paragraph. The Reader is liable to become confused and get the names mixed.

Some people are able to write a better Synopsis if they wait till after they have written the Scenario. This is a good way for beginners to do, as all the important point of the story can then be put into the Synopsis.

LESSON IX.

CAST OF CHARACTERS.

The number of characters to use all depends on the nature of the play. Some scenes require more characters than others, but it is well to limit your cast to a few principal or leading characters. _Avoid unnecessary characters._

The leading characters should appear as early in the play as can be arranged. As your story will often be written or woven about the incidents in the life of one or two principal characters, you should keep them in the foreground as much as possible, and not allow the minor characters to attract too much attention. Deal with your main characters first, and then, add your minor characters as they are needed.

Have your characters natural and true to life. The name of a character should be short and characteristic. A short name is easier to write and to remember. Avoid the use of silly or eccentric names, unless you have an eccentric comedy or farce.

Establish a clear relationship between all characters. See that they are put in the situation or surroundings in which they naturally belong.

Do not let the spectator lose sight of your leading characters; follow them through all the incidents of the story in which they are represented.

Many stories are weak on dramatic characterization. The average amateur writer has the _leading_ characters very poorly developed and usually leaves them to wander around alone, without any definite aim or direct action.

The _leading_ characters must have sufficient action to befit the parts they are playing and be impressive to the spectators.

LESSON X.

SCENES.

Whenever a picture is taken of new surroundings and background it becomes a new scene. Each new scene must be shown in your Scenario and numbered consecutively.

The same stage settings are often used several times with different action. See Scenes 1-3-5-7-9-45-50-52 of sample Scenario.

Brevity is essential when writing your scenes. Do not endeavor to depict a scene. In scene I, you will note we mention “Teddy’s Rooms,” but we do not describe them. We leave that for the Director to do when arranging the scene.

Make all your scenes as _simple_ as possible. All the details in connection with the scenes can be taken care of much better by the Director.

The novice sees moving pictures only in a superficial way and fails to examine carefully the manner in which they are presented on the screen. Many inexperienced writers are under the impression that a certain number of scenes are required for a thousand feet of film, and proceed to write accordingly. The number of scenes should be gauged by the length of the play. Time should be spent in gauging the length of your various scenes to see that none of them contain too much action and mechanical play.