As for its mechanical preparation, this synopsis is double spaced, with a left-hand margin of one and one-half inches.  As the story runs on, many statements are made which give the staff writer an opportunity to use a leader (sub-title) at that point if he wishes to; but if in his own scenario the writer whose practice we are quoting has a number of leaders (frequently ordinary statement, or before-the-scene, sub-titles, but usually cut-in, or dialogue, leaders) which he really feels are of special importance, and worded just right, they go into the synopsis written in red, and started in the left margin at “0,” with double space both above and below them.  In this way they stand out clearly and give the staff writer or the sub-title editor (if the firm employs someone to attend to that special work), a chance to pick them out quickly and decide whether or not he wishes to retain them.  Even more important than the matter of keeping in the sub-titles after the picture has been produced is that of directing the action of the players when putting on the picture, so as to work directly up to the leader that fits into the action at a certain point.  Knowing this fact, the writer gives the director help in the way just described; what necessary changes are made after the script has been sold is a matter over which no free-lance writer has any real control.

At the end of this chapter is reproduced a page from one of this same writer’s synopses, illustrating just how far he usually goes in giving details of the action when writing a complete synopsis, and showing how the suggested inserts are separated from the narrative of plot.  Let us repeat, however, that not all companies that ask for the detailed synopsis care to have also the scenario, even as a gift.  This explains the introduction of little bits of detail and certain suggestions which ordinarily would have no place in the synopsis were it not that, in order to insure as fully as possible the proper interpretation of his story, the writer inserts them in this way for the benefit of both editor and—­especially—­staff writer.

The importance of trying to acquaint yourself with the preferences of the different editors as to the length of the synopsis should be apparent to any writer—­although it is well to remember that editors change and studio rules change with them.  For a feature-story of five reels or more you may have, say, from six to twelve typed pages—­the length of the synopsis, of course, depending upon the nature of the story and the action it contains.  You must be especially careful to ascertain the preferences of an editor who reads scripts for a star such as Douglas Fairbanks, because you know that a story prepared especially for his use (although not written to order) may not sell elsewhere if his company rejects it.  However, regardless of its length, the object of the synopsis is to present a clear, interesting and comprehensive outline of the story—­of what is worked out