We are reaching the stage in this series of hints on photo play writing
where our readers are beginning to drop us little notes something like
this: “I think now that you have shown me how to build a story but I
don’t know yet how to write it in scenario form. I have never seen a
scenario and know nothing about the technical phrases. Will you please
send me a sample scenario or tell us in an early issue of ‘FILM TRUTH’
how to write one?”
To which we hasten to reply: “We will not.”
And why not?
Because, aside from the correspondence school experts, no one who claims
to know will let any aspiring writer spend five minutes of his time on
the study of the pseudo-technical junk of a scenario. The men who make
their bread and honey by convincing you that you must learn a lot of
mysterious inside phrases and bunk still work the specimen scenarios.
Naturally, that’s where their gasoline bills are paid.
But it isn’t done any more by those who know. So don’t let any “FILM
TRUTH” readers bother with a fear of their lack of knowledge on the
scenario score.
If you think you have gained an idea of the method of discovering story
germs, constructing a plot from them, holding suspense and building a
climax—then prepare to sit down and write your tale. It is called
“writing a synopsis.” Forget the word if it sounds too technical. _Sit
down and tell your story!_
I say that because at this point someone has probably asked, “How long
should a synopsis be?”
Then when you set out to tell them how long most synopses are you
suddenly realize what a damphool you are making of yourself. And you
wind up half-exasperated with, “A synopsis should be just as long as is
necessary to properly tell your story—and no longer.”
That’s the right answer. Don’t set out with the intention of telling
what happens in each reel in three hundred words—or three thousand. If
your story is a real story it won’t let you set limitations. If you are
a real story teller you won’t run to three thousand words if fifteen
hundred would really tell your plot in a manner that would hold the
interest of the reader.
_Sit down and tell your story!_
Tell every bit of detail and good atmosphere that you feel adds strength
to your tale; tell every bit of action that you can be sure brings
screen pictures to the eyes of the reader. Don’t tell a word more.
And don’t attempt to get technical. Just because you see it done that
way—and you’ve heard the word—don’t say “Fade-out on the two lovers.”
That isn’t doing your story any good and it is eating up space that
could add strength.
Put yourself in this position: You’re sitting before a fire-side with a
close friend. You’ve got a story to tell him. You don’t want him to yawn
in the middle of it. You don’t want him looking at his watch.
That’s the time you are going to tell a story naturally, but also
picking every word. Every phrase and incident is going to be placed at
the point where it will do the most to arouse your friend’s curiosity
and interest in what is to come.
Can’t you picture the situation? Then bear it in mind when you sit down
to write that synopsis. And for the best lesson ever written on the art
of story telling go to any library and get a copy of the Richard Harding
Davis story, “Out of the Fog.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------