Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-03
Lesson Number Two-The
Synopsis. the Place to Put
Your Story's Punch

FTNHE synopsis is a very important adjunct
i to photoplay writing. more important
than many scenario writer's seem to UNDER
stand. A prominent scenario writer re-
marked a short time ago that a synopsis
makes or spols nine out Of ten photoplays.
Unfortunately, this is only too true.
photoplay, like Caesars Gaul n
divided into three parts; the synopsis, tho
cast and the action. There are sometimes
other elements entering into the properly
prepared manuscript Some photoplay-
wrights make a scene plot, a cast plot, a
property plot and even a musical plot but
Of all this more anon.
The principal parts are enumerated above
and they are all essential, although Of late
there has been an increasing tendency
among authors to submit scripts minus the
synopsis. The editor has found hundreds
Of such scripts coming in lately and has
sought in vain for single good reason
why the synopsis should be omitted.
The other day a playwright unversed
In photoplay construction refused eyer to
make synopsis, claiming that It was
not done on the stage. Others will say that
the editor runs through the synopsis and
dscards the script, when perhaps there is
big idea developed in big way in the
script. They try to force the editor to
wade through their scenes, usually put to-
gether In loose manner, thus compelling
him to grope in the dark for signs to tell
him what II Is all about A clever man can
tell his big idea simply in the synopsis or
even refer TO certain scenes if he chooses
to do SO by giving the number of each for
reference.
Give the editor credit for knowing n big
idea when he sees 1t. The chances are that
he will realize more possibilities In 1t than
the author will He is editor for that pur-
pose. and his experience enables him to
grasp it's possibilities at once without read-
ing the script through.
When he reads your synopsis and finds
the idea, he will be only too glad to read
your script carefully.
One thing is certain-you never mako
| friends with an editor by assuming that he
| hasn't the brains to see your idea In syn
opajs form. That Is the natural assumption,
which any editor has the right to make II
this attitude Is assumed. There Is another
/ reason why YOU should submit n synopsis.
The editor is forced to read mass of
worthless material and waste his time. and
| this, obviously, does not conduce to making
| him feel more favorably disposed toward
| the woud-be author.
| II he finds that you have spark OF dra-
| matte ability he may write you and offer
| suggestions, but IL you presume upon his
| time he is quite apt to reject your script
| without a word ~ Editors are extremely
| busy men and anything which helps them
economize time Is a point in Its favor.
| In other words, the lack or synopsis
works to the authors disadvantage. You
can be sure of one thing, that IL you are
| capable of writing a good, clear synopsis,
| YOU have Immediately attracted the favor
able attention of the editor and he Will
read your script, unless he sees that 1t
contains some impossible situation which
| the camera cannot show convincingly.
| synopsis should be as brief as possible.
| TRY to state the idea clearly and con-
cisely, Sometimes 25 words IL the idea IL
| extraordinary or something that the COM
| pany is seeking will give the editor the
| meat of the story and your script will do
| the rest When IL comes to feature stories
| there is quite q difference of opinion. Brew
| ity counts here as in me shorter scenarios,
| and by that we mean that you should not
| run into long descriptions and take up
| space with irrelevant matter II follows
| also that YOU cannot be expected to de-
scribe complex situation in 200 words ana
| omit many of the interesting points for the
mere sake OF brevity.
Do YOU realize that the average hye-
reel photoplay is adapted from book
length novel or a full play and that the
original photoplay for five reels could be
novelized into a book-length novel? You
could not be expected to tell the story OF
the average novel in a few words without
omitting many important points, particu-
larly In the counter-plot.
Give details that have an important re-
lation to the action of the story at the ex-
pense OF brevity In order to give an idea
of what would be considered a full or de-
Continued on PaRo Thrss