Or, in your story, a lumberman may be injured by having a tree that he is chopping down fall on him.  To show the whole process of felling a good-sized tree would take too long—­it would consume too much footage, and be monotonous to the spectator.  Also, it is the effect and not how it is obtained that makes a picture of this kind successful.  For these reasons the man should be shown as he starts to chop down the tree.  Then after he has made some perceptible progress you might introduce a leader.  “The accident;” and, following the leader, show the man pinned to the ground by the fallen tree; then proceed with the succeeding action.  You may be sure that the audience will understand that the man has been knocked down by and pinned under the tree as it fell; it is only necessary to show these two scenes.

A leader, however, should never be employed to “break” a scene unless there is absolutely no chance to introduce in its stead a short scene, the showing of which will help the progress of the plot; or unless a leader will serve the double purpose of breaking the scene and supplying the audience with an explanation that is important just at that time.

Taking the two examples just given, in which a leader is used to break the scene, there is scarcely any doubt that, were you writing these scenes in scenario form, you might easily substitute scenes that would help the action of the story and allow you to dispense with the leaders altogether.  For instance, you could show the scene in which the absent-minded man leaves the water running into the bath and goes out of the room.  Then, show a scene in his bedroom, where he is contentedly removing the studs from his shirt.  Suddenly he remembers that he has left the water running.  With an expression of dismay, he jumps up and runs out of the room.  Flash back to the bathroom scene.  The tub has overflowed and the room is filling with water.  As the excited man opens the door, the flood pours out into the hall.  The short scene in the bedroom makes the leader unnecessary.  Better fifteen feet of film showing the bedroom scene than five feet of leader.

Again, after the lumberman had started to chop down the tree, you might flash a short scene showing a couple of other men at work in another part of the forest.  All at once they both stop work and register that they have heard something that startles them.  One speaks excitedly to the other, and both run out of the picture.  You then show the scene with the man lying beneath the fallen tree.  Presently the two men who heard his cries for help come running up to him.

5.  Cut-in Leaders