5. _The Time to Choose a Title_
Notwithstanding that the title is the first in position on the
writer's script, as well as on the film as exhibited, it is frequently
the last thing decided upon. A writer may have his theme well in hand,
know every motive of every character, have settled to almost the
minutest detail just how his scenes are going to work out as they
unfold his story, yet, when he begins his first draft of the script,
he may not have the slightest idea of what title he will eventually
give it.
On the other hand, he may create a story _from_ the title. Having hit
upon an expression that suggests a story by starting a train of
thought, he may find that it is directly responsible for the way in
which he builds his plot; its very words suggest the nature of the
story, and supply at least a suggestion of how it can be
developed--they hint at a possible plot, suggest the setting, and
show, almost as one might guess the theme of a novel by glancing for a
moment at one of the illustrations, what the probable outcome of the
story will be. Hence the expression becomes a natural title for the
photoplay.
As an example of the foregoing, in "The Fiction Factory," by "John
Milton Edwards," the author says that "the sun, sand and solitude of
the country God forgot" did, or caused, or made something--just what
does not now matter.
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