SCENARIO WRITERS

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 310, 16 December 1936, Page 5

SCENARIO WRITERS

GOVERNMENT TEST Eighty New Zealanders Try Their Luck. Press Association —Copyright. Wellingttn, To-day. Yesterday was the closing day for entries in the Government Publicity Departments’ moving picture scenario contest, for which prizes amounting to £45 are being offered. A splendid response has been received, over 80 entries having come to hand yesterday morning. As the morning mail was a big one, and it is probable that a great many entries alreadj r in the post will not arrive until this morning, it seems probable that over 100 scenarios will be available. From this bulk of talent the judges should have no difficulty in selecting at least one worthy of being used as a medium to convey a realisation tf New Zealand’s scenic charms to picture-goers all over the world. The contest was announced last October. It was advertised that a prize would be awarded for the most suitable scenario for a film to be judged primarily on its entertainment value, but to incorporate as compre-

hensive as possible a review of the Dominions tourist attractions by way of a background. For, of course, the principal reason for the competition is to get a theme for national propaganda. In a country of such pronounced literary and artistic taste as New Zealand something of high quality should be forthcoming. In an interview yesterday, Mr. B. J. Fenton stated that he did not expect any award would be made before the end of January. The.task of reading so many scenarios, let alone weighing their respective merits, was a heavy one. So far he had merely glanced through a few of the earlier manuscripts submitted, and from these he believed that the standard of the competition would be high. A good deal of discretion would have to be used in awarding the prize, because it was quite likely that some efforts not in themselves wholly suitable would contain valuable suggestions, ideas of which the department might wish to make use. It whs .impossible at this juncture, said Mr. Fenton, to state with certainty whether- the production of the film would be begun this summer. It was possible .though improbable, that no suitable scenario would be found, but he did not think that would be the case. The question of the actual production naturally depended largely on the nature of the story. If it touched on subjects of a seasonal type, it might be necessary to postpone the photography until the right time of year for those particular subjects. If it seemed of benefit, it would be better to delay the production slightly, and make a better job of it.