Having been excused from military service in the Austro-Hungarian Army in the First World War, because he was short-sighted, Korda became an important figure in the Hungarian film industry, initially through his magazines "Pesti Mozi", "Mozihét" and "Világ". This led to invitations to write screenplays. His first script was for "Watchhouse in the Carpathians" (1914), which he also helped to direct. He also made a film with Gyula Zilahy, "The Duped Journalist" (1914), and directed "Tutyu and Totyo" (1915), "The Officer's Swordknot" (1915) and "Lyon Lea" (1915).