The technique of the photoplay ([c1913])

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60 TECHNIQUE OF THE PHOTOPLAY marry h'*s rival, but Mary suddenly discovers that the right man is Jack." Writing for the stranger editor, that fact should be the first advanced. That is the punch, the education of the girl for the sake of her happiness though the act makes it possible for her to marry the other man. Start your synopsis with that. All the time thinking that he is fitting her to marry his rival, Jack Hardy teaches Mary Monson to read and write, setting aside his own hopes of happiness for the sake of hers. That is an interesting proposition and commands the editorial attention. To employ a current phrase, "You've got him going." You have interested him and he will read the synopsis with the idea that it is what he wants, and he is only reading to make certain. Now that you have the story advanced, give some of the detail. Paul Langford is wintering in the south. He chances upon Mary, whose comely face wins his passing interest. (Her open admiration renders an introduction unnecessary and) Paul finds her simple charm attractive. He is surprised to learn that she cannot read when he offers to loan her the novel he is reading, and when Mary sees him give the book to a woman guest of the hotel, she turns to Jack and begs that he will teach her to read and write that she may be fit to marry Paul. Jack assents. Paul is called away (but promises to return the following year and), Mary turns diligently to her studies that she may be prepared for his coming. (Growing education brings to her a sense of the un- fitness of her dress and for the first time she evinces an in- terest in sewing, making embroidery that she may gain money for clothes.) The intimacy with the schoolteacher insensibly brings a change of heart. Mary does not realize it until one day she sees him kiss a little girl, one of his pupils. It is only a child, but jealousy flames in her heart and for the first time she realizes that it is Jack whom she loves. She rushes from the scene. Jack, fol- lowing more slowly, seeks to know the cause of her agitation and against his shoulder she breathes the soft confession that it is he whom she loves. The sadness of the past few months is wiped out in the joy of that knowledge. That is 289 words. By eliminating the words in parenthesis marks the synopsis is reduced to 250 words. A little study will show that these are the words least essential to the story. The fact that she gets new clothes is not as important as the dis- covery of her love through the kisses given the child, but were it desired to cut still further, the description of that scene could be dropped with no great harm. Let your story run as full as you will, using only the more im- portant action and ignoring completely the run of the scenes.