Second, he advises that the photoplay must have "logical premises, logical sequences, logical conclusions." In order to accomplish this you must have a logical theme, logically presented and logically developed. And you cannot have a logical picture story unless you have some central idea to carry through from the introduction to the conclusion.
"Characterization and action" are demanded in the third of these excellent rules. The best characterization must obviously come from the development of a well chosen theme, one that permits of truly human, flesh and blood people. Have the proper theme and the proper characters and the action will take care of itself, if you have any talent for dramatic construction whatsoever.
Mr. De Mille also demands "beauty, harmony, simplicity and color." There can be no beauty, no harmony, no simplicity unless you have a theme to work with, something to give beauty to thought, harmony to sequences and action, and a central idea to keep your simple, direct exposition of the story always before your audience. It follows as day follows night, that if you have these three, you will have the fourth, color.
It will be well for the student to frequently consult these pages of advice from William C. De Mille. He is regarded as one of the leaders among the photoplay producers. His work is considered to be among the most finished products of the screen. Mr. De Mille's productions are invariably worthy of close study, for his attention to such matters as theme, beauty, harmony, simplicity and color is precise and inspiring.
In the field of photoplay writing, we have not had the advantages, nor the handicaps for that matter, of a tradition. The stage dramatist has precedents to guide him, he has the advice of masters from hundreds of years past. He may choose to disregard their style, their methods of presentation, but he does know—if he is an earnest student of the drama—what "tricks of the trade" have been most successful.
