Screenwriting : Struggling with the synopsis by Evelyne Gauthier

I wrote one that was about 5 pages. My producer ask me to get it to a page. So I had to describe the story in emotional beats and escalation paths. So rather then talk about the escalation of events, I talked about the feeling of the escalation.

Exactly. It has to be 1 page long. According to what I read about this, I have to focus on the most important conflict or events, introduce the main character with something unique about her, hook in the reader with a compelling introduction of the hero, convey the genre and tone of the script, let my “voice” shine through, convince that the story is interesting, use strong visuals, highlight the protagonist’s arc, choose effective words that tell the story in an exciting and efficient manner. Phew... isn't it a little complicated? I feel kind of overwhelmed.

It's very tough. I dread the summary every time. The logline comes easier and the summary will too after a few of them.

Sometimes I think they want an expanded logline and not much more. Keep it short.

What is Synopsis basically? It's just a Greeting card!

It should be in real sense a personalized greeting card. So what is the best greeting card you can write?

1. A eye popping message? Like Happy Birthday to you? Or Happy daaddeedoo day so on, right? It's like a tagline or logline in a way.

So write that which sparks interest and know what the story is about which makes readers pick that book/script or wish to read

2. Greeting also have an outline. It can be flowery or boxed or just sparkling stars.

Synopsis too got it's outline. A setup of who the characters are and what are you might expect from the actors on first instance of reading. So make it show something which personally connects to the reader to your own internal struggle. Basically relatable and not too much and not too little. It's also like an genre sensibilities. Just like some have heart symbols in greeting, what it conveys? Romance isn't!

3. A Greeting's message.

This is the core message in synopsis too. It looks bland but readers comes here to read what might shake them up.. Now this can be like an ACT or just what's the story about. Mostly not giving everything away, but good enough to spark interest. Like in a greeting it conveys a message and reader as they read through they feel full-filling but wanting more and they start thinking about the person isn't? . Same is this message. It can be about ACT or it can be about the core theme, basically conveying a story's idea in a short and powerful/sweet/salty/ or any kind of juicy way that's all. I keep mentioning about Natyashastra in that they say it "RASAS", meaning juice. So imagine giving the reader a sip of that juice.

4. Wishes and Signature

Now in Greeting you can write a short signature with a final words. What it conveys? Its' telling reader/producer who sent it, and how the personality of the person is. Like Yours faithfully? or your lovingly or Thanking you, isn't?

What could be in the synopsis than?

So how do you write a story signature which mentions, this is how you write a story. It's your own internal voice. So you writer your name, address or how to reach but also how you end the sentence of the story in a way, which makes producers or assistance whoever, make them feel something which comforts them or help them to trust in your story to read. So you write a "hook", which makes them feel comfortable reaching you and want to read more... That's the key

So imagine a Greeting card and see if you can relate to what you convey in a single page, and I'm sure now you will be able to match a tiny bit with this visualization technique. Hope it helps.

You see I wrote in a from of greeting too, if you read it again. CHIMPLE(Simple). (Also remember to proof read to correct every bit, like I often write here as it comes to my mind so that it goes with a flow/tone who I speak. So it might have some grammatical mistakes and not powerful words. But when you proofread, that shortens your message from 5 page to 1 page. That's the trick)

Yeah, it's pretty much like what I read about this so far. But... maybe I'm just overthinking the whole thing... Maybe I'm seeing this as more complicated than it should be. Thanks, I'll get back to that tomorrow. :)

Evelyne Gauthier We all overthink because we want to make sure what we are saying reaches to all and everyone gets it at first read. That's why I wrote , it's a "Personalized greeting". So write be it synopsis or script which is personal to you and the reader is someone who you know, like a child, so that you can simplify to the least knowledgeable person. This way it boils down to simplest of terms. And you don't have convince everyone. Just one person who knows it's a dearest message to them sort off! Think like it's you and you're conveying to one dearest person who is like your niece or nephew or some kid kind off. This way your greeting/synopsis will be easier on your mind and you enjoy creating it rather than overthink like a generic card pulled out from heaps and comes across bland.

It's like this video "Kids Give Their Teachers Wild Hair Makeovers!". It's basically letting lose and making fun little mistakes. It's all fine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU_WbqFwhQM

Boost of luck. I'm sure tomorrow you will write it better, no hurry!

Tell yourself a story...this is what synopsis basically is. Try say Cindarella or better yet The Wizard of Oz...see how it flows easily when it has all the components and attributes attached...that is what may been missing in yours.

A synopsis is usually going to be a single page. If you can write a logline that sums up your screenplay and focuses on what makes it Unique the Universal and Exciting, you can write a synopsis.

One brief paragraph on the protagonist. Then a paragraph for each of your three acts. Simple. Make sure that the paragraphs sound exciting and interesting, because you want them to request the screenplay.

Thanks, people! I'll go back to it. I'll figure this out eventually.

Evelyne: I'd be happy to have a look at your logline and synopsis.

Moi aussi si tu veux.

I find synopsis to be one of the hardest things for me to get down behind logline.

Yes! Synopsis are hard. I have written synopsis before writing the actual script, and then that worked better for me, same with loglines. In the book save the cat, he talks about writing the logline before anything. It's an interesting approach

Checkout Stage 32’s Netflix Pitch Webinar with Christopher Mack. It has an example of a synopsis.

Thanks, William, Rohit, Phillip and Myriam (merci!). I'll do some rewrites, because it needs a little more action and I need to add a little twist. Phillip and Myriam, I could show you the next version, if you want to. :) Louisa and Mariannjely, thanks, I feel a little less lonely. ;) I heard about Save the car. Maybe I'll take a look into it. Lovie D, I'll check that out! Thank you so much, everyone! :)

everyone hates those bloody things

Evelyne:

Send it to me when you're ready.

Evelyne Gauthier Looking forward to see your synopsis. You see I am so against any form of rule book, ACT structure or such like concepts which many tell. Sure may be it works for them but I have a contrasting opinion on that.. Because that approach I would say is the first reason for people stressing out, falling for writer's block and even creative block. Most of screenwriting books, tutorials teach that itself which I seen. Im sorry IMO its terrible advise. Its like tranquilising people and then telling them to prepare for marathon or something. May be thats the cultural corporate training.

So is why I gave you analogy of a personal greeting card. You know in painting when I do I first learn to draw freehand.. Not using some kind of ruler or some geometric instruments. Freehand helps you to learn through mistakes.

Screenwriting to me is similar. Its more of a story telling which should come natural like we do with freehand. Its like learning how a huge forest(a beautiful story) is and how to make such natural beautiful place while you are given so many seeds and a land to grow.

Its not Garden or Nursery farming where we carefully place things as though its a zoo run by a military camp..

Let me share another trick to spark your creative juices to write best synopsis.. Take a clean white or your favourite color paper and any opposite vibrant color good Inkpen or calligraphy pen( if you know calligraphy) and start writing a synopsis. Try this, trust me as soon as you hold the pen to write on a paper your brain will be like in a Zen mode to write something truly beautiful synopsis firing up all kinds of brilliant ideas to express what you want to tell that story in that one page in one shot. You can later type it out on any software that synopsis. Try this experiment.

Scientific reason. Since use of smartphone and laptops our hand which once used to experience of creating things bare hand has lost its touch. Like touching an apple or creating an art or valuing a paper its texture and pen is replaced by keyboards and mouse and we draw apple on screens... Those old sensation of handwriting handholding things is put down now. So it has become a numbing effect brains neurons not able to help our brain active for that creativity spark process and we are leaning on to rule book to fix it just to support that technology in hand or software. Slowly people lose their creative strength if we lose that sensation of hand directly connecting to our brain in creative process.

As soon as you hold pen and start scribbling you will see the difference. A shift in thinking pattern emerges and everything falls in place what people call rule book just happens subconsciously. . Try.

Hi Evelyne, they can definitely be daunting but that along with the logline can draw readers in, you know your book as other have said all you are doing is pulling the best bits out of it.

A good place to start is to strip the story back to its basics and then add some of the details that make this uniquely your story after. That way you have made sure that you haven't missed anything important and shown what makes this special. Its all about getting the reader to want more.