Series of action’ part of the

premise
COM 303
 Premise definition
2

The story is about a character (a)

who wants (b) but faced with
problem (c) and responds with
SERIES of ACTIONS (d) until
finally (e) happens
 The ACTION part of Premise
3

It is time to use your

magic wands; ACTIONS
and your comma,
 Joyride premise
4

An electrician wants to head home without

completing his work. On his way, he was
kidnapped and kept in his car booth, he struggles
to break free, shouting for help, kicking, spilling
fuel on himself, till he caused an accident and
regains freedom but dies.
Synopsis or story summary

ISMS 110
 Let’s write a synopsis
6

In 3 paragraphs…
1st paragraph, use the 3D character, want and
problem
2nd paragraph, use the series of actions taken
but now expand on it.
3rd paragraph, write what finally happened
 Structuring your actions
7

Chronicle of your character’s journey from point

A to Z as against his obstacles but never in
isolation
And list actions your protagonist took to
overcome the antagonist
Staying with Madam Suzzy’s premise
8

Gluttonous, poor boy, Kola (9) wants to

eat party jollof rice at rich Madam
Suzzy’s birthday party but his plumber
father won’t let him go since they are not
invited so….
 Series of actions
9

He tricks his way into the party

He solicits for rice at the party
He reaches for a drink inside the drum
He runs from a dog
He bumps into his dad
He steals from the fridge
He pushes junior down a stairwell
 Synopsis formula
10

1st paragraph: The story is about a

character (a) who wants (b) but faced
with problem (c) and decides to do
something about it
2nd paragraph: character follows
through his/her decision and (d)
happens…
 Synopsis formula contd
11

2nd paragraph: when d happens, character does

(e) and (f) happens. Now character is frustrated
but decides to try something different one last
time.
3rd paragraph: character executes action (g) and
finally (i) happens.
 SYNOPSIS: ACTION reloaded
12

Synopsis is a ping-pong of actions

and reactions between protagonist
and antagonist/other characters.
Don’t make it into a prose or
dialogue.
It what it is called; ACTIONS
 What is a synopsis?
13

Synopsis is a one page story summary detailing

the beginning, middle and ending of the actions
taken by the central character in pursuit of
his/her quest in connection with the person or
people mostly opposed to his/her quest.
Staying with Madam Suzzy’s synopsis
14

1st paragraph: Gluttonous, poor boy, Kola

(9) wants to eat party jollof rice at rich
Madam Suzzy’s birthday party but his
plumber father won’t let him go since
they are not invited so….
 2nd paragraph of Staying with Madam
Suzzy’s synopsis
15

Tricks his way to the party by hiding his father’s

spanner and pretends to go give his father who
was working on Madam Suzzy’s faulty tap but
his father orders him to return home.
Instead, Kola Goes to ask for rice at the serving
table but sent off by a lady
Kola goes back to ask for rice again and he is
given rice after the woman left
 2nd paragraph contd.
16

Kola goes to take a drink from a drum full of drinks but a

ferocious dog chases him
Kola runs away from a barking dog and bumps into his father
causing an accident. His father had to be taken to the hospital
so Kola gladly stayed back at Madam Suzzy’s house. But madam
Suzzy serves small breakfast which was too small for Kola
So, Kola steals drinks and noodles from Madam Suzzy’s
refrigerator and when Junior threatens to report him,
Kola accidentally pushes Junior down the stairwell and rushed
to the hospital.
 2nd paragraph contd
17

Kola steals rice from Madam Suzzy’s freezer while she

was away.
Kola warms rice on a pressing iron but stops when
Madam Suzzy arrives and returns it into the freezer.
Kola steals rice again at night while everyone sleeps but
madam Suzzy enters the kitchen so…
Kola jumps into the freezer to hide while Madam Suzzy
carry on a long conversation while leaning on the
freezer. As it gets too cold for Kola, he bangs the freezer.
 3rd paragraph
18

Kola is taken out of the freezer

Kola’s parents return to take him home. When
madam suzzy suggests that Kola can stay a bit
longer, Kola declines and prefers to go home.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF A SYNOPSIS

19

Step by step account of how the protagonist got

into trouble.

Step by step account of how protagonist tries to

restore normalcy or get what he wants

Details of what happened at the end.

 What SYNOPSIS IS NOT…

20

It is not a prose of the protagonist’s imagination

and feelings
It is not a vague account of what happened.
It is not a series of account of disjointed stories.
It is not history of the past
 Synopsis formula: option 2
21

Paragraph 1: Tell us briefly about your 3D character,

what he/she wants and the problem or tell us what
your 3D character doesn’t want and how
problematic that is or tell us how the normalcy in
your 3D character’s life has been disrupted and
what he sets out to do.
Paragraph 2: Tell us what your character is doing to
solve the problem
Paragraph 3: Tell us what happened in the end
 SYNOPSIS FORMULA option 3

22

1st Paragraph: This is where you state what the

protagonist wants and the enormity of the odds
against him and what he stands to lose.
2nd paragraph: This where you make things
difficult for your protagonist to get. You
complicate things for him or make him have to
take a last risky chance that either helps him or
not.
 SYNOPSIS FORMULA option 3 cont.

23

3rd paragraph: This is where you write what

happened to your protagonist or antagonist and
any other cast after your protagonist has finished
his quest either successfully or not.