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The Most Difficult Photoplay to Make: A Comedy

Key Idea: The most difficult photoplay in the world is the good comedy.

Summary: It is difficult to make a good comedy movie because it is hard to make something funny on purpose. The funniest comedies are often not the ones that seem funny on paper, because subtle humor is more effective than trying to be funny. A good director can see the potential for a funny story and make it into a successful comedy.

  1. The Difficulty of Good Comedy

    2. Few people are able to conceive of a scenario that is spontaneously funny, because there are few people with the sense of humor developed.

  2. The Conception of Spontaneous Fun

    1. Few people have the sense of humor necessary to write a truly funny comedy.
    2. Subtle humor is often the most effective kind.
    3. What may not sound funny on paper can often be a rollicking comedy on screen.

  3. The Effectiveness of Subtle Humor

    4. The wise director will realize the possibility of the story as a laugh-producing comedy.

  4. The Wisdom of the Director in Scenting a Comedy

    1. The most difficult photoplay in the world is the good comedy.
    2. Subtle humor is the most effective kind, and because of this fact it is not always the comedy that reads funny on paper that will carry a laugh on the screen.

The Cost of Making a Comedy Film

Key Idea: The most important thing in a comedy is to make sure that no one class of people is made to look ridiculous.

Summary: Comedy is a genre of film that is designed to make the audience laugh. There are many different types of comedy, from slapstick to farce to refined comedy drama. In order to be successful, a comedy must have a good story, well-developed characters, and avoid making any one group of people look ridiculous.

  1. The Cost of Comedy Production

    1. The film manufacturer paying the Chaplin salary cannot afford to worry about the cost of production.
    2. The film manufacturer paying the Chaplin salary cannot afford to worry about the cost of stories.
    3. The film manufacturer paying the Chaplin salary cannot afford to worry about the cost of sets.

  2. The Popularity of Slapstick

    1. The slapstick is a type of comedy that is currently popular.
    2. It involves physical humor and often requires little dialogue.
    3. It can be used in a variety of ways, from movies to television shows.

  3. The Necessity of Comedy Economy

    1. A few years ago, producers were unwilling to spend as much on comedies as they were on dramas.
    2. This led to a need for economizing in the production of comedies.
    3. Times have changed somewhat since then, with high-paid comedians like Charlie Chaplin becoming more common.

  4. The High Salaries of Comedians

    1. The cost of producing a comedy has increased since the days of Chaplin and Dressier.
    2. These high-paid comedians have changed the landscape of comedy.

The Keystone Company: The First Slapstick Comedy Film Studio

Key Idea: Slapstick comedy was first popularized by the Keystone company.

Summary: The Keystone Company was the first company to make a specialty of the rough and tumble pictures which were billed Keystone-Slapsticks, and found tremendous favor in the eyes of the picture going public. So rough were these pictures, and so daring were the acts the Keystone players were called upon to perform, that a hospital for the wounded and disabled Keystonites was established at their California studio. Charlie Chaplin, Mabel Normand, Mack Sennet, and Ford Sterling with a score of other screen comedians originated this new form of fun, and gave the Keystone pictures their first popularity.

  1. The Keystone Company and the Birth of Slapstick Comedy

  2. The Keystone Company’s Hospital for Wounded Comedians

    3. A hospital was established for the wounded and disabled Keystonites at their California studio.

  3. Charlie Chaplin, Mabel Normand, and the Rise of Keystone Comedy

    1. Charlie Chaplin, Mabel Normand, Mack Sennet, and Ford Sterling were the original Keystone comedians.
    2. They originated the slapstick comedy genre.

  4. The Failure of Many to Write Slapstick Comedy

    1. The Keystone company was the first to make a specialty of slapstick comedies.
    2. Mack Sennet, former actor and director-general of Keystone, is now associated with the new Triangle company.

The Keystone Company is looking for new and clever comedy ideas.

Key Idea: The writer must be able to analyze and study the comedy films that are shown and use a little analysis and brain effort to produce new and bright ideas.

Summary: The Keystone Company is looking for comedy writers who can provide new and innovative ideas. The company is willing to pay for quality material, and the writer who can provide such material stands to make a profit. In order to be successful, the comedy writer must be able to study the existing material and come up with new and original ideas.

  1. The Keystone Company’s Search for New Comedy Ideas

    1. The Keystone Company is looking for new and clever comedy ideas.
    2. The company has a staff of writers who are always on the lookout for new ideas.

  2. The Value of Good Comedy Material

    1. They are looking for new and bright ideas.
    2. The lack of comedy of a marketable sort is based on lack of study and thought on the part of the free-lance writers.

  3. The Opportunity for Comedy Writers

    4. The Keystone Company is willing to buy first-class comedy material.

  4. The Companies’ Willingness to Buy Good Comedy

    1. The companies are ready and willing to buy good comedy.
    2. The writer who can evolve a comedy plot has a big opportunity to find a ready and profitable market for his photoplays.