Proficiency in writing short stories,is a necessary asset for writing a synopsis.Although,the synopsis is not always seen by anybody apart from the writer,it is the guiding light that leads him through the dingy,labyrinthine tunnels of writing the screenplay.In other words,the writer keeps it as a reference point whenever there arises need for inspiration,reassurance,encouragement and direction,in the course of writing.
Writing the synopsis however, cannot be compared with writing the script.This is due to the fact that while the former reveals the story from the beginning,going through the middle,to the end,the latter because of the constraints of AUDIO-VISUAL conventions,varies the progression to achieve the desired impact.
True,all stories have a beginning,go through a middle to get to an end, not all film stories follow that pattern.If they did,they would become commonplace and move no one to PURGATION-EFFECT.
It is impportant that the screenplay writer understands this principle as the basis for any style of writing the synopsis.Language must be pithy,roburst,picturesque,and kaleidoscopic;because the synopsis is the nucleus of the script.Everything that happens in the script,is compressed into the synopsis.
The dilema of the screenplay writer,is borne out of the fact that the synopsis must be written before the script.In my career however,i find it interesting, since writing the synopsis,avails me the opportunity to express my deep feelings about events,places and people in the story-line without inhibition.Most of these hints become useful to me in characterization and scenic description.
To write a useful synopsis,you must allow the information that you have garnered on the theme,to course through your mind freely.Let them guide the flow of events and determine the experiences of characters, without affectations by you.Otherwise the information you have collected will become useless for screenplay-a waste.The era of resolute, decisive direction by the writer must be wilfully suspended.You must observe, once more, the trend of events as connoted or denoted by your information on the theme.