1929-12-07 — Page 12

PAGE TWO

WHAT THE "TALKIES" INVOLVE. NO MORE HAPHAZARD SCENARIOS.

Back in the old days when movie actors didn't know how to talk it was a rather simple matter to write a screen story. There were a certain number of basic plots around which storles were" woven and

seflom scenario writers

strayed from these.

Another factor which made those stories easy to prepare was the fact that many directors "shot from the cuff," that is, they used no seript. Directors' so shooting walked on the act in the morning with only a general knowledge of the scenes to be taken that day. Situations

built up and "gags" injected whenever the need presented itself.

5

were

How different the preparing of a scenario to-day. Now every gesture, every expression and overy word to be spoken must be in the ccript In addition to the.. general theme itself. "Nothing is jeft to chance or the inventive Renses of a director. He is hand- ed a script and told to shoot il- 05-14,

Writers Collaborate Now, In bygone days one man, Aral sometimes two. used to write, a complete script. To-day any-4 where from four to 10 men must collaborate on a story before it is ready for the screen. Everything must be in it-the situations work- ing up 10 the plot, musient 21.1. numbers,

dances BONKA, dialogue.

There even is a difference in the writing of a story for the talkick of 1928. When sound Brst, became an accepted part of the industry, stories were written primarily "to show what wonderful things could be done with the new sound ap-

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, DECEMBER 7th,

Although scores of actresses lost their jobs with the advent

If a musical number or a song in needed in a certain spot, it is written In. Dialogue is written only for the necessary places, Sound no longer is being featured -Instead it is being used "to enhance the motion picture.

1929.

A MODERN WITCH.

A LADY WITH NASTY TENDENCIES.

Belief in witchcraft and wizardry

As a means of comparing story writing of yesterday and to-day let still prevails oven in these days in us taka two pictures made by Southern Europe.

Only the other day a dark cruel Ernst Lubitsch, one of filmdom's

named Camilla When looking woman outstanding. directors. Lubitsch was directing Emil Jan-Illasi was, in Padua; arrested and charged with witchcraft and cruel- nings in "The Patriot" he worked ty. It appears that this woman from a script written by one man practised the "black art" at Bas- Hans Kraly. Appreciating the sanello, a nearby township.

Kraly

director's capabilities,

Camilla seems to have wielded merely described the situations. no small influence over her neigh- The business" of the pleture was bours. Men and women come to left for Labitsch to work out as he her and pay her sums of money her ranging from £1 to £3 for went along.

counsel, especially in the matter of Delays Eliminated. In "The Love Parade," which he love affairs. When a maid duleful- marriago from some likely young has just completed, he had a scriptly longed in vain for a proposal, of which was the work of

man, or a wife believed she had minds. Ernest Vadjn, note caused for complaint against her Hungarian playwright, wrote the husband, or a man found his wife'a adaptation for the screen, basing affections falling off, Camilla wouki his story upon the play, "The be consulted. Prince Consort," by Leon Xanlof

In turn upon

many

These consulations were directed

and Jules Chancel. The libretto, in so efficient a manner that, for a based

Vajda's long time, the police were entirely ballied in their efforts to find Buf- 'adaptation, was written by Guy ficient evidence to supply grounds Bolton. Working hand in hand for an arrest.

This modern witch kept, as has with that pair, Victor Sherlzinger composed the entire musical score, falways been the reputed custom of And Clifford Grey, well-known witches all down the ages, a great London composer, wrote the lyrics,many domestic pets in the from of

birds, dogs, cats, and rabbits. Consequently when Lubitsch was

When a worried customer, paid ready to start work he had an the required fee and told Camilla almost foolproof script. All he all about it. one of these pots was had to do was to shoot his picture caught, bound with ribbons and In accordance. Every dance had different colours, and subjected to been put in just where it belonged, vilely cruel treatment. Pins and So hind every song and every bit of nails were stuck into the unfortun ale erenture's body by this modern dinlogue.

"mate of the devil," who promptly It is largely because of these interpreted the cries of the un- better prepared scripts that direc-happy animal just as the angers of toru are finding themselves shoot-old interpreted the doings of their Ing faster than ever before. The birds,

Though the majority in the dis- Now we have motion pictures reason is that there are no delays

trict, held Camilla Illusi in awe and for "huddles" lasting three or four fear, someone had the courage and that speak. And there is a yast

hours to determine how some par-commonsense to denounce her and difference. The script is prepared

ticular scene should be made. a motion picture. primarily for

of the talkies, many others are attaining new accesser. When an actress is selected as leading lady to John Barrymore and Al Joison, lardom is not far off. Marian Nixon, right, plays with Barrymore in "General Crack" and with Jolson in "Say It With Songs." Marilyn Miller, lower left, is one of the many Broad- The experta wayites who has made a success in the talkies. thought Bebe Daniels, upper left, was finished but she is win- ning fame in the round Alms.

paratus. Spoken linen, and songs were put in whether they had any Or not. Then talking place pictures were truly being made.

"D'YE KEN JOHN PEEL" CENTENARY.

place her in jail:

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