I’ve only written one synopsis for my script ‘THE RIGHT TRACT” and it was brutal. Now I’m faced with this again with “MISSION STYLE”.

The script gained some interest some time back and I went round and round with the prospect until we agreed to disagree on some major issues of the script.

Now, here I am about to start a synopsis and I would rather be at the dentist.

Why the hell it is so hard to boil down month’s worth of work to a single page. Every time I start, I just stare at what I wrote and it doesn’t do the script justice.

Does anyone have any techniques they might use in order to boil a gallon down to a teaspoon?

How do you take a script and put it on a page. If I am asked for a synopsis on MS, I want it at the ready.

Any help would be really appreciated.

Shawn…..><  

Pay someone.

I've had to do it Shawn. And here's the mistake I kept making: I would write in the synopsis everything that I thought was important to the story. But this can be a mistake.

The idea is to write just what is needed to sell the story. When you think about it that way, there are things that, though important to the story, you don't need in the synopsis.

This depends, of course, on what you mean by synopsis. I am assuming at this point that you want a brief synopsis that is used to pitch the story. I don't know if this helps you. It helped me at the time.

One other thing, though it probably doesn't need to be said. Don't write it and send it the same day. Take a few days with it, so you can get several fresh looks at it. And good luck!

This is an interesting article, with examples, of writing a synopsis specifically for a screenplay;

http://www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/how-to-sell-your-screenplay/writing-a-synopsis-for-your-screenplay/

I had a whole bunch done by a pro - much better that I could have done - they did log-lines, synopsis, story outline - anything you wanted - painless, easy, and better than I could have done.

I started writing synops based on samples from coverage.
Took the time to check out the industry standard.
Then emulate it in my own way for my scripts.

http://screenplayreaders.com/screenplay-readers-sample-coverage-2/

Regards,
E.D.

http://www.simplyscripts.net/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?b-horror/m-1324759215/s-new/

There is a synopsis page linked on there. I copied a format that I found online, though I no longer recall where it is. No doubt there are flaws in my version, but I think the format that I copied from is effective. You make the log, pitch, and synopsis work together.

It's also important to keep to one page. The producer uses this to try to solicit funding for the project, and keeping it brief is critical. If he's using crowd funding, he will have limited space to use. If he's pitching directly to finance people, keeping to one page is still helpful.

Also, I recommend getting a poster to go along with it. Brett has very high quality ones for his scripts. Darren is absolutely a master when it comes to making them. Check out his website. The guy is unbelievable.

Quoted from Forgive I had a whole bunch done by a pro - much better that I could have done - they did log-lines, synopsis, story outline - anything you wanted - painless, easy, and better than I could have done.

Serious? You can do that? So they read your script and do the Stnopsis for you? Wow!

That doesn't sound like to bad an idea if it doesn't cost too much.

Quoted from leitskev The idea is to write just what is needed to sell the story. When you think about it that way, there are things that, though important to the story, you don't need in the synopsis.

Lietskev,
I think that's where I've been hung up on this. I keep searching for the golden note and it winds up flat.

Quoted from steven8 This is an interesting article, with examples, of writing a synopsis specifically for a screenplay; http://www.sellingyourscreenpl.....for-your-screenplay/.

Thanks for the link Steven. I'll look at it tonight.

Shawn.....><

Quoted from Electric Dreamer I started writing synops based on samples from coverage. Took the time to check out the industry standard. Then emulate it in my own way for my scripts. http://screenplayreaders.com/screenplay-readers-sample-coverage-2/ Regards, E.D.

Thanks Brett,

The website is actually pretty cool. I supposed that's what you would expect tp pay for coverage? It seems cheap compared to what you get.

Thanks for posting this.

Shawn.....><

There's definitely some kind of a formula in it, to write a script synopsis and a story synopsis. While the first one is based on your script and how it flows, the story synopsis is more or less like a trailer for your movie. It has highlighting points, the winners only as part of your story that would make any exec go "Boink" at several points of a meeting you might have got lucky with, after a persistent attempt to get their attention towards your story.

Actually, if you sit down with it near a swimming pool or near a beach, un-distracted, then you can do it.

Quoted from Electric Dreamer http://screenplayreaders.com/screenplay-readers-sample-coverage-2/ Regards, E.D.

I just wanted to update everyone that I decided to go with this group for coverage on my script to see if the coverage is as good as the samples they show on their website.

I can say that after submitting my script and payment, they have already gotten back to me twice today with regards to their reciept of my script and payment as well as when I can expect my feedback.

So far, I'm impressed.

Shawn.....><

Here are two versions of writing the synopsis for the same story for different purposes.
The first variety is to hook a talent, director or even a producer who will package your stuff.

Synopsis:
Naomi is an avid dreamer and often dreams of being on Lemuria; an island that exists beyond imagination. Dzyan fights an epic battle with the tyrant ruler, Shagun as Dzyan’s Ebitian race faces extinction. Terrified, Naomi wakes up and goes about her life. But Dzyan visits her persistently, and draws her into the conflict. The Ebitian babies touch Naomi’s heart and she joins Dzyan in his noble mission. A mad scientist follows Naomi to Lemuria and investigates the Ebitian babies. Shagun fears a foreign invasion and bans childbirth on Lemuria. Naomi and Dzyan attempt a prison break with the babies, but are captured. In the dungeon love blossoms between them and Naomi gets pregnant. Shagun orders she be sacrificed. Naomi kills Shagun but Dzyan is wounded and unconscious. When he opens his eyes he fails to recognize Naomi, standing over Shagun’s corpse. Naomi wakes from her dream to see her infant son next to her. The Ebitian race lives on and Dzyan becomes their king.

This is a version that one might use for the actual studio exec meeting:

LEMURIA
Lemuria is the first full-length feature film franchise targeting family entertainment for both filmgoers worldwide with this fantasy oriented joyride, concerning a distant and unexplored island, connected with dreams of our protagonist. .

It' has the potential to become a trilogy ***and can also be developed as a video game and amusement park ride. ***

Logline: Young woman must choose between saving her lover and a rare species that faces extinction on an unexplored island. Her only allies are her dreams.

Story line:
Young Naomi, a happy go lucky girl, lives all by herself in a small Ohio town and believes she often visits places that exist beyond our imagination via her dreams. When she first shares these with her close friend from school she is nearly mocked about it and shrugged off as merely hallucinating on some Marijuana binge, which our hero doesn’t do. She continues to believe her own dreams and one fine day a visitor claiming to be her lover from this island in the blue ocean between the two gigantic seas, tells her that she has an active life on Lemuria, where he spearheads an epic battle with the tyrant ruler, who in turn, is determined to wipe out the rare Ebitian race. She fights the inner pull and tries vehemently to stay away from this, but the man reappears to her several times and finally she gives in to his requests and lands on Lemuria. She joins him in the mission to save his Ebitian race, while in her own land in the awakening state, she begins to find other such individuals who have been reporting similar dreams and want to join her as well. In the final battle, she is captured with her lover on the island and in a dungeon love blossoms between the two and she is about to be sacrificed, with her unborn baby. In a desperate move of self-defense she kills the tyrant, and helps the lover save his Ebitian race. In the bargain she becomes an uncontrollable, vicious being to unleash a never before seen terror on the tyrant’s savage warriors. Naomi must choose between her world of the Ebitians and her true life in the awakened state, in Ohio.

She must make a daring flight out of Lemuria one last time and bring home her own child now incubating in her womb, supposedly an Ebitian and risk the possibilities of this race being able to grow in her own hometown. Breaking a few nature’s laws Naomi successfully delivers her baby. Her lover though is still stuck on the island, but he becomes the new king of Lemuria.

I hope this helps you.

They do a pretty good job for the money. Figuring that it takes a few hours at least to read a script and provide good notes, their readers work hard and generally do a good job. Don't expect it to be perfect. There will be mistakes. For $60, it's good, but it has limitations. Hope you get a consider! Good luck. They claim about 5% get consider.

Shawn,
Are you serious about these folks? I just saw what that link opened into. It is almost like "Myke Macino's website". Lol. Are you aware of who that Macino is? If you are a member of Pro Imdb go to the boards and ask around "Who or what is Myke Macino?"

Just trying to help here, not trying to play god.

Quoted from leitskev They do a pretty good job for the money. Figuring that it takes a few hours at least to read a script and provide good notes, their readers work hard and generally do a good job. Don't expect it to be perfect. There will be mistakes. For $60, it's good, but it has limitations. Hope you get a consider! Good luck. They claim about 5% get consider.

Thanks Leitskev,
Yeah, I'm not expecting it to be over the top good but if it lives up to the sample coverage they show on their site, then I'll be happy with that. I'm really wanting the synopsis more than anything. Although it would be nice to get a "consider" from them as well.  ;D

Shawn.....><

Quoted from jagan@spundana.org Shawn, Are you serious about these folks? I just saw what that link opened into. It is almost like "Myke Macino's website". Lol. Are you aware of who that Macino is? If you are a member of Pro Imdb go to the boards and ask around "Who or what is Myke Macino?" Just trying to help here, not trying to play god.

I'll be honest with you. I have NO IDEA of what you are talking about.

I made my decision based on Brett's recommendation. I value his opinion. I then went to the site and read their samples and thought it was a good buy for the money.

I don't know who Myke Macino is. Should I? Not to be rude, I just don't know where you are going with it.

Take care.

Shawn.....><

I don't think I'd expect too much from the synopsis part of the coverage. You have to understand they have to hurry through the read and leave comments at the end, so the synopsis is very quick notes on the story. I've heard that the readers use voice software and just read synopsis points as they go. Not sure if that's true, but it's certainly understandable.

I used that same company about a year ago for Untouchables and the Undead. I got a consider, and the analysis was pretty decent for the money. They identified the key strengths and weaknesses. There were mistakes in the synopsis, however. Not matters of opinion, just things they got wrong. Again, I'm sympathetic to the reader, who is trying to get through it quickly, so I'm not knocking them. But you're better off writing the synopsis yourself. It's like loglines and pitches: you have to get used to doing it anyway.

If you get a pass, keep in mind that reading is subjective, and don't be discouraged. Recently a script that I co-wrote was sent to them. It got a pass, but the analysis was fair enough, so no complaints. We sent the script to another agency, and it got a very sold consider, graded "good" in every category. Same exact script, just different readers.

Quoted from leitskev I don't think I'd expect too much from the synopsis part of the coverage. You have to understand they have to hurry through the read and leave comments at the end, so the synopsis is very quick notes on the story.

I totally understand what you mean. What I'm really after is the shell of the story as told from someone outside of my circle so I can take it and make it my own.

It's good to hear you've used them in the past and, are for the most part satisified with the service. You make a good point, they are in a hurry. That's how they make a profit. I also suspect a weak spot in this particular script and I want to see if they see it too or if I'm just overthinking the wheel.

Shawn.....><

Is the script posted here?

Yeah!

It's MISSION STYLE. Over in the comedy section.

Shawn.....><