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REFINED COMEDY VERSUS THE SLAPSTICK IN MOTION PICTURES 1 I Much of the v y \ w I Old-Time Way of Making Fun Is Now Done Through Trick Photography, Such as Making an Actor Bounce Up and Down on a Jet of "Water. j Kfr ll I 'i| ■ - ! j u K " l* ■ : Vf TT y 1 * ; il h j ii 1 .1 Y / v ■%; né I fSOTi ■r. y \ ? fl Æê \ V 1 < s?. V ■ ■ •; l HW A Æ jX P: * ■ * m •• •> ' / ^ - jsn S' C ï > •■>••:•• "M / ..x ^7! ' jrf v "m* !» il \\ m § 0 ' A KING people laugh may not be regarded as a serious business. But it is—It Is a very serious business in the moving picture world. When the films were first made, comedy was the easiest thing the *een actor did. Any performer who could act the "cut up" was sure of success as a eomedian. The early comedies were nothing more than a series of monkey shines, and no serious thought was gtv when it was done in trying to figure out a new way for the short comedian to slap his tail partner in the face with a custard pie. Any actor who could bounce tnato from the head of tlie Patsy Bolivar of the piece in a way that would make the audi ence laugh louder, vv genius. Some of that sort of comedy still remains in the pictures, and there are still many perform ers who argue that since screen comedies mu3t the slap-stick order, no plot L V ç^VyV> to comedy except over-ripe to •eganied as a pusitive of necessity be or sequence of events is necessary tor their development. The place of this kind of screen comedy has been taken to a large extent by a of comedians who are producing a new kind of comedy. • school Miss Busch a Later Addition. True, u great deal of the old-time comedian's tricks have teen retained, but it has been dig nified and reduced to a science. This has been done by taking comedy seriously and writing comedies with plots the same as dramas. The comedy director of the new school will tell you that tragedies make the best come dies. because ol the strong dramatic element In the plot. The characters may do absolutely Illogical things, their every action may be ab surd and Incongruous, but because of the plot that is woven in with the action it all seems real. |t is "monkey business'* dignified and duced to a science. Much of the old rough-house comedy is either done away with or given in another form, and many mechanical tricks and illusions made with double exposure photographs are used. For in stance, In a recent comedy where Fred Mace falls through the roof of a fashionable restau rant, he is caught on the jet of water fr fountain and bounced about like a bull. Miss Busch is a later addition to the forces of the Keystone comedy company, of which Mr. Bennett is director general. Fred Mace was one of the original group, composed of Mace. Bennett, Ford sterling and Mabel Normand, who jumped over the traces of pictu clong in li'12 and formed the Keystone Comedy Company, tradition The polite, or parlor brand of comedy has been growing In favor recently, but there is lit tle doubt, but that the Keystone brand of fun will always have a large following, for the very man who says he cannot stand anything of the slap-stick or rough house in comedy, is the very chap who will laugh and wipe the tears of laughter from his eyes at the antics 0/ the scientific monkey shiners. The little studio, here Mace and Sennett and Sterling and Mias Normand made their first funnv films, is nc replaced by plant that covers two city blocks, arid a rage is being built that will hold fifty mobiles, that will transport the performers who formerly tramped their way around, to the different locations. modern ga As to Photoplay Writing A. E. E. T HE term feature Is usually applied to a f<nir or five reel play, although some producers make shorter subjects which they call features. As a general thing, however, a feature means at least four reels. Your synopsis must not be written out In scenes; that would be the same as writing two plays, other. The synopsis Is of your play in story form: it is intended to give the editor who reads the play an idea of he story you have written. Write the synopsis rfter the play Is finished, use from 200 to 250 words to the reel, let it follow the cast of ebar ir.Urs in your manuscript, then go on with the play, scene by scene. shorter than the outline of the plot Hiss 0. B. E know nothing about the books on photo play writing advertised by magasine*, there ara many good book* on the subject which may b# had In the public library of your city. Bo careful about paying money to any one unless you are entirely satisfied you are dealing with responsible people. Many persons ere trying to teach scenario writing who cah :iot nell their own work. Je.-sie B. Y OUft question Indicate* the need of consid erable Instruction A photo pläy i* noth in* more than a story told In action. First get the story well fixed tn your mind, then move the character* along, make them do things that will tell tha story. If John loves Mabel and want* to marry her and Mabel's parents say "No." because John is a godless youth, and Mabel resolve# to reform him and make him eeeeBtablp to her parent*, invent scenes. In the , . j&. M Hfi 4/ 0 li m • % i / M t Æ. È ■* I .VI ,v * «'• ff • ■ ■ Am m Jr I* m f: * /: /r'4 il '/ s?f à 'll l M: . * I - 0 £ :■? ■% J7T([ V X ■ s * *: . . 1 ■ t S':,: # ■ ' r ; "1 ■> ' :»•; y mg • /J ;; V ■ : p v'V IS V -■i .i* b mg ■ * I Ï-: Kfju'Sÿ'i '% ,, v > vv'; P>3 V:;>: II I , vv ,4 ,: mm ■* #• m 4 n(f / •:-v % fed /Jn ofifm •> Ä4 wÿ yy ■L :v r?i (m ^ * } : ^ ■:■■■ ; m 11 ■ & t •5 h \ tmp ■ m m h i È »♦J □ iW E'Jft ''Wf-POM mW® : / V *■ m • > : mm A . 1 ■it. % gsm. mÆ , : ; ■j) i y HI b ; H ; ; ■' 'MuAa $ JiUliUUUL. 10) : : X 111 V mffm ■ > (i % Ti ■ • : 'x- • X ■ & ^y Z: Pf' - ; X: > . X: : % ■ f. :V| >■ S A Y ! / & ./ /■ ■ ■ y W. ■w Y; * « . ■ *?!>■, 4 MAE j f BUSCH ©MRTSQOK , ■ J f to : W J % to / : 0 *. i 9 % &■ ■ •Êsy house, In the garden, on the street, anywhere. Scenes that will show what Mabel and John and the other characters do, and how John is reformed, and how it all ends. First of all, you mlist have a story, after that the rest is not so han . Good stories almost tell themselves. Ask at the public library for books on photo-play writing. Victrola K. do not advise you to take a corre spondence course In scenario writing. If many of the people who claim to teach were us competent as they claim to be they could make a great deal more money writing and sell ing plays themselves than by teaching others. Go to the public library, where you will find Looks that will give y any course, and will cost nothing. W E as much instruction as Miss E. St. Louis. Y OU may each reel in writing multiple reel plays. Make the synopsis as short as you can and avoid fine writing. State your plot as clearly and as forcibly as you can in stmple words. Do not fall to get in all of what you consider the dramatic pointa of your story. The synopsis is read first. 250 words in the synopsis to E. M. L. Y OU »earn to have compilai! with all of tha requirements of the contest. All that you can do now is to wait for tha announcement of the prise winner. H. B.—The company meant for you to study their productions on the screen at the picture shows. . This will cost nothing but the price you pay to go In the show. It Is a good idea to study the pictures you see, not only of one particular studio, but a general study of them all. Count the scenes and notice how the scenes shift* from one point of the story to another to make the plot clear and give u strength. s. Answers to Fans Do not send loose stamps in your letters, if a personal answer is desired, inclose stamped, self-addressed envelope, very Important questions are given personal replies. care of this paper. Only Address Moving iicture Editor, A. W. B„ Kansas. maOjST of tiu- studios will buy plays from out *▼1 aiders if they are good. There is always it market for plays with strong and new plots. Here is a list of studios: Inc., 2S2G Decatur avenue, sal Manufacturing Company, 1600 Broadway, New York; American Film Manufacturing Com pany, 622* Broadway, Chicago; Biograph Com pany, 807 East One Hundred and Seventy-fifth street, New York; David Horsley Studio. Main and Washington streets, Los Angeles, Cal. Get two sines of envelopes, address one of them to yourself, put stamps on it. Inclose It with your play, and be sure to put enough postage to carry the play both ways. ^bornas A. Edison, York; Unlver E lTHF.lt a pen or a pencil written sequel I» all right. You will get the prize If your story Is the winning one, no matter how It Is written, provided you have compiled with the Instructions' The North American, Company Wlll announce the winner as soon as all the plays arc read .and the winner decided on, ENSON FARM—There le a "chance" for every one of us to do what we most want to do, but we must make that chance. You are juat the right age to begtn your Ufa's work. Get your parents' consent to try It, and talk to people who have had tegs esperletice. Learn all you can about acting, then make your plan* B. R. B. B A FRED MACE HARTSOQH photo 4 and carry them out. Everything depend* on you. n ILL1E, Nashville, Ark.—There were alto D gether thtrty-sl* episode* of the Elaine serials. Address Pearl White. Creighton Hale unO Arnold Dely at 25 West Forty-fifth street. New York. We have never heard of any rela tioneblp between Pearl White and Creighton daughter of the noted comedian. Harry Daven port, and a niece of the late Fenny Davenport. Miss Davenport has been In picture# about four years, and before that wa* In vaudeville a year and a half. She la now with the Univereal Hale O. 8.—Dorothy Davenport was born U) Bos ton twenty-one years ago and* la the S. . * X m twins are named Marlon Company at Universal City, Cal. She wa* mar ried last year to Walleoe Held. L OU—The Fairbanks and Madeline and nay be addressed In care of The Thanhousor Ftln Corporation, New Ho chelle. N. Y. OKA—The actor you ask shout la named Desforges. We hafe no further information D ■fconcernlng him O PAL. Highland, m born In Sacrament address Is at the World Film Studio, Fort Lea, N. J. As far ae we kn, J AMES AND GF-OK Francis Ford are 1 ture. which can be seen early In March. .—Robert Warwick was o, Cal.. June 2, 1881. His >w he la not married. GE—Grace Cunard and vorktng on an Irish pic P EGGY. Albion. 111.—At one time the LuMb C ompany of Philadelphia, Pa., sent a form sheet, with directions un how to prepare a man uscript. If a stamped, eelf-addregeed envelope accompanied the request, but wa do not know If they still send them. There are very good hooka on tha subject of photo-play Wlttthf» which you should be able to get In any publia library. ' S. S.—Mary Pick ford gets more salary than Charles Chaplin, although he is said to ha the highest salaried nun, appearing In pieturf* c. ÄTisa Plckford getn $100,000 «alary a year, be «Wa» o percentage on the pictures in which «he «pftear», Charles Chaplin received $1200 a wtili and a percentage while he was with fisaamy*