“Unlocking Timeless Tricks: What 1920s Screenwriters Knew That You Don’t!”
When it comes to capturing audience interest, there’s an art to the twist and turn of plot development—a craft that screenwriters like Anita Loos mastered decades ago. Loos, a pioneer who etched her name into the annals of early American cinema, once said, “Every new turn of the plot must not only interest the audience, but must make them ask mentally, ‘I wonder what will come next?’” This wisdom rings true even today as we try to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Have you ever found yourself half-heartedly watching a movie, just itching to check your phone instead? That’s the danger of losing your audience’s curiosity! In this exploration, we delve into Loos’s groundbreaking techniques and her contributions to the sacred craft of screenwriting. Ready to unravel the secrets from the past that can elevate your storytelling? LEARN MORE.
“Every new turn of the plot must not only interest the audience, but must make them ask mentally, ‘I wonder what will come next’ or ‘How can this terrible situation ever be solved?’”
If you are a screenwriter, you should know about Anita Loos. Loos was one of the most influential writers in the early stages of American cinema, associated with 136 film projects per IMDb.
Married to writer John Emerson, the pair wrote one of the first books on screenwriting in 1920: “How to Write Photoplays”. I have been running a weekly series based on the book. You can access those posts here.
Today: Midway in the Photoplay [P. 99].
Once launched into the photoplay and past the first few scenes in which the audience becomes acquainted with the preliminary facts and main characters, the scenario writer must immediately begin to work directly towards the climax, the big scene which comes before the close of the story.
Every new turn of the plot must not only interest the audience, but must make them ask mentally, “I wonder what will come next” or “How can this terrible situation ever be solved?” Once let the audience lapse from this state of interest and curiosity, and you have lost them. They’ll have cold feet through the rest of the picture…
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