The Wharton serial, “The Eagle’s Eye,” already referred to, was the first in which historical facts were reproduced in their logical order, held together and made more interesting by a veneer of fiction.  The fictional head of the Criminology Club and the daring woman Secret Service operative seemed almost to be secondary characters compared to the much-talked-about agents of the Imperial German Government whose nefarious acts made so much trouble for the American detectives and Secret Service agents headed by ex-Chief Flynn, under whose supervision the serial was made.

The future holds out immense possibilities for producers and writers of thoroughly good photoplay serials.  Whereas in the past many serials were to be seen only in the second-rate houses, on account of the fact that their impossibly thrilling situations and weird plots appealed only to the juvenile and less intelligent spectators, now with the improvement in the stories of serial pictures has come an increase in the spectators who follow them up, and a consequent introduction of serials into theatres where at one time nothing of the kind would have been tolerated.

In conclusion, it may be said that for purposes of plot-study the photoplay serial can hardly be surpassed.  Good, bad or indifferent, every photoplay serial reveals a sheer ingenuity of plotting that is a genuine inspiration to the writer of often better material.  And a careful following-up and study of a good serial is a liberal photoplay-writing education in itself.

18.  Final Points

More and more, in those—­all too few—­studios where full scripts are desired, the directors of ability and intelligence are welcoming the help extended by the author—­if the author himself is known to be a finished workman.  Elsewhere we have quoted Mr. Bannister Merwin, who, long before he became one himself, held that the director was rightfully an interpreter—­a reader of and builder from the blue print—­of the author.  Mr. Merwin was also one of the first photoplaywrights to submit what might be called a fully elaborated script—­one in which every scene was so carefully worked out that the motive behind every action of every character was made absolutely plain.  Notwithstanding the greater length of such a scenario, or continuity, its advantages are emphatic, and directors are, as has been said, approving it more and more as they learn that the author’s intention is to assist—­to insure a proper interpretation of his thought—­and not merely to try to teach the director his business.  The script that opens up a way into the very heart of the character so that the actors and the director may be guided in interpreting it, is certainly vastly superior, in that regard at least, to the scenario which concerns itself chiefly with external action.  Motives and the whole inner life of the man, set down clearly and briefly, are in the last degree valuable in showing what a character really is and why he does what he does.