Movieland

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 412, 21 July 1928, Page 23

Movieland

Mr. Marky Explains Inner Workings of Hollywood MAKING A PRODUCTION Interesting details concerning the preparation of a story for the screen were given this week to members of the New Zealand League of Pemcome?i by Mr. Alexander Marky, the American film director , who was attracted to Neio Zealand to make a film descriptive of Maori life. “If an author conceived a splendid story, embodying high ideals and artistic values, it had precious little chance of reaching the world in its original form,” said Mr. Marky. It was added to, cut about and generally mutilated, he said, by the different departments it had to pass through until the author himself would not recognise his own work. The scenario readers were the first to make notes on the margin of the manuscripts. Then the scenario editor’s acceptance and suggestions would have to be secured. After he had finished with the manuscript, an adaptor was called- in. and his idea of adaptation might “ be anything even to completely rewriting the whole ploti The script writer! was the next moulding force, his work being to prepare the scenario in detailed form ready for the actual “shooting.” The script writer, no matter how conscientious ne mignc De, had to reckon with the title writer. “Now the title writer,” said Mr. Marky, “may have original and startling ideas of what will stimulate interest in the story. In fact, the titles may make or mar a production. An unimportant detail may be made to assume a tremendous importance, while significant and dramatic incidents are allowed to fade into the background, according to his will.” A 1: last the director obtained the titled script and proceeded to “shoot” the scenes at all angles, grinding out ten or twenty times too much material MARGIN FOR SELECTION

“This is necessary, of course, to secure a wide margin for photographic selection. The conglomeration is sent to the cutting department, where drastic operations take place. After the cutting the .editorial department collects the mutilated pieces and assembles them in order for the final screen presentation. According to Mr. Marky, the only way for an author to get his ideas before the public was to write the scenario, edit it, and produce it himself. Mrs. Varney, scenario writer, was also a guest of the league, and her revelations of the inner workings of filmdom were received with great interest.

Mrs. Varney was connected with the “trick” department of Cecil De Mille’s studio at the time when the “King of Kings” was produced.